Tag Archives: cancer

8 Principles to a New Start

16 Thursday Feb 2017

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A recent story on the news was that 1 in 2 Canadians will get cancer. These won’t all be lethal cases but it’s still something nobody wants to get. The good news in the story is that there is ample evidence that 1/3 to 1/2 of most cancer can be avoided through lifestyle choices, namely being active, eating healthy, and avoiding smoking and alcohol.

What if you’re starting from zero? What easy and effective choices can you start making today that will make a difference in your life?  Among my friends, we call it NEWSTART:

  1. Nutrition – preferably plant based, whole foods, but definitely avoiding highly processed junk foods and meats.
  2. Exercise – you don’t have to be a superhuman athlete, just get moving. Take a walk, go for a swim, do some yoga. Make it fun and keep it simple.
  3. Water – not gallons a day but water rather instead of processed, sugar and/or alcoholic drinks.
  4. Sunshine – it’s good for most people.
  5. Temperance – enjoy life in moderation.
  6. Air – get fresh air outdoors but can also apply to healthy breathing. Sitting in a chair, scrunched up all day, isn’t healthy breathing.
  7. Rest – rest helps us be wholehearted and resilient. Learn and practice good sleep hygiene.
  8. Trust – nurturing your spiritual self and releasing worry.

 

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It’s Like Cancer

20 Monday Jun 2016

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At a recent event I attended, a multi-Ironman triathlete shared his story about the colon cancer that has drastically changed his life. He was having multiple health issues and not sure why. Once he was finally diagnosed he was scheduled for surgery. He said that after surgery, the doctor said he has a cancer that’s not removable or curable. The only way he would live is if he followed a strict chemo treatment regimen.

I’m sure most of us would struggle with such news. He did too, but then he realized it was actually good news. He now knew what he had to do to stay alive.

Mental health struggles are like cancer. The affect us emotionally and physically – they eat us up from the inside out. Not only is the struggle itself difficult, it’s bathed in stigma leading to shame and even self-contempt.

The good news is, as we increase awareness and understanding of our mental health needs, we can hear the doctor’s orders as a positive – if we daily take our “medicine” we will stay alive. Of course, what the medicine is, varies person to person but treatment, good supports, and ongoing physical and mental self-care are key components.  It’s not easy but the more intentional we are at taking our medicine, the more we can move forward with hope.

Don’t let this happen to you

28 Monday Apr 2014

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Did you hear about the guy that met a woman at the post office?  He was at the post office to pick up his case of free M&Ms that were sent to him because he forwarded an e-mail to five other people to celebrate the fact that the year 2000 was “MM” in Roman numerals.  Anyway, while he was there he met this woman and they hit it off so they decided to go out to lunch together.

Next thing the guy knows he wakes up in a bathtub full of ice.  He was sore all over and when he tried to get out of the tub he realized that HIS KIDNEY HAD BEEN STOLEN!  That’s when he saw a note on his mirror that said “Call 911!” He was about to dial the phone when it rang and a voice on other end told him to press #90.  He had heard that doing this would allow a criminal to have full access to his telephone so he quickly hung up.  He decided to try and get to the pay phone across the street.

Well he made it to the pay phone and he called for an ambulance.  As he stood by the phone he thought he might as well check the coin return but when he pushed his finger into the slot he was jabbed by a dirty needle!

Luckily he was only a few blocks from the hospital – that’s the one where that little boy who is dying of cancer is staying and the Cancer Society is going to pay 5 cents for each e-mail he receives from complete strangers.  (Personally I sent him two e-mails and one of them was a bunch of x’s and o’s in the shape of an angel because the message said that I would have bad luck if I didn’t send that one to at least 10 people.)

Anyway, the guy got to the hospital and he is expected to make a full recovery though the hospital bills are growing every day.  He was worried about going broke when he received an e-mail from Bill Gates himself!  It turns out that Bill Gates is offering people a free Disney World vacation and $5,000 and all he had to do was forward some e-mail to his friends. Unfortunately, as he was about to forward the e-mail for Bill Gates to all his friends he opened a new message called “A Card for You” or maybe it was “A Virtual Card for You” (I can’t remember but details aren’t important anyway)!  Little did he know that he was about to be struck by a virus so horrible that even CNN is warning people about it!

I wouldn’t think anybody could suffer such misfortune but the police department has confirmed the entire story.

(This is my homage to stupid emails of yesteryear and the people who believe/forward them.)