Well THAT was anticlimactic.

Remember when I had thermography pictures taken a couple weeks ago? Well, I finally got the report back last week.  Something of a let-down, but interesting, nonetheless.

I guess I was hoping for something as definitive as “Nothing remarkable noted.” Would’ve been nice, but not realistic.  Actually, now that I think about it, a report like that would’ve been suspicious because there are still numerous cysts that should show up.

Anyway . . . It was not definitive either way. It did not say “You have cancer” or “You don’t have cancer.” It said (and I paraphrase), “There are lots of areas of hyperthermia that should be checked out by a qualified physician. They might be nothing or they might be something.”  So that was the let-down part.

The interesting part was buried in paragraph 7. “. . . Fibrocystic changes likely represent excess estrogen relative to progesterone (estrogen dominance). Supplementation with a bio-identical progesterone cream may be beneficial . . . Fibrocystic changes sometimes respond to discontinuing all caffeine and/or supplementing with iodine, selenium and vitamin D3.” [emphasis mine]

That’s the first I’ve heard of a known cause of cysts in the breasts. Estrogen/progesterone imbalance.  And it makes perfect sense. Why didn’t I put 2 and 2 together long before now? Duh.

(Warning: My male readers might want to stop here and go hunting or fly your RC thingamajig or do some other guy thing because the direction I’m going will probably not sit well with your stomachs.)

See ladies, I’ve been dealing with two beasts. The breast cancer – diagnosed in July – has been a walk in the park compared to the other beast – menopause.  I haven’t had your typical, run-of-the-mill hot flashes and moodiness. No, I have had horrendously vicious, raging, hemorrhaging, menstrual issues that have been steadily getting worse over the past several years. I recently discovered that this is greatly improved by taking herbs that urge my body to produce more progesterone.  Ding! (light going on) I have had an abundance of estrogen in my system for a lot of years – partly due to a diet promoting it, but ultimately because excess fat secretes estrogen. So of course the ratio of estrogen::progesterone is off kilter. Of course!

I was so focused on cutting out the estrogen that I didn’t think about upping the progesterone. It would have the same effect – bringing the ratio into line. Yes, that ratio needs to be in the lower numbers because I don’t want to be feeding the cancer, but it needs to be in balance for my body to function properly. Therefore, if I want to get rid of the cancer and the cysts and the horrible wretched menstrual issues, I need to bring down the estrogen and bring up the progesterone.

The other Ding! moment was the mention of iodine, selenium and vitamin D3 in the same sentence. I have read of the importance of each of these things individually – “selenium is great against cancer”; “iodine is vital to thyroid health”; and “vitamin D3 is an integral part of dozens of reactions in the body.” But they didn’t come together in my mind until I read this report.

So yeah, those two tidbits of information make me feel a lot better about the $135 I spent on pictures.

I guess I'm back to square one with regard to checking my progress. Not going to worry about it at this point, though. I have lots of work to do, and when the time is right, I’ll figure out how to know about the cancer. Or maybe I won’t. We’ll see.

Cutting Out Toxins

The last post was getting so long, I decided to write about the solutions to the contributing factor of Toxins seperately. So this is that.

As you have read (and read and read), there are gazillions of toxins in our environment today. Some of them are pretty much outside our control -- satellite signals, for instance. But the biggest number of toxins and chemicals that really affect us big-time are very much within the realm of our control. It isn't even all that hard. You just decide to change one or two things to start with, and once you've got them licked, you'll probably want to tackle something else. If not, hey, you're still better off than you used to be. But trying to do it all in a week is just setting yourself up for failure, so don't go there.

Here are a few ideas of things you can change without too much pain:

Ditch the microwave. Or at least use it on low power (but then what's the point, because it takes longer). Using high power (which is usually the default setting) kills nutrients more than stove-top cooking does (here's an interesting article with the science of it). If you're going to spend your hard-earned dollars on organic food, don't shoot yourself in the foot by microwaving it. As an aside, apparently a fair number of microwave ovens leak radiation.  So now you have two very good reasons to go back to the old-fashioned stove and oven. Three, if you count in having more counter space.  (If you have one of those over-the-range kinds, you now have another place to store stuff.)

As for thawing frozen meat, remember when we used to take meat out of the freezer in the morning so it would be thawed by supper time? It's called planning ahead. I'm not very good at it, so I usually end up steaming frozen meat in a fry pan with a tablespoon of water (lid on, medium-high heat) prior to frying. Or cook it in broth (i.e. chicken). Works for me. 

Eat more of your food raw. I shoot for 65% raw -- juiced or munched or smoothied.  But for the things you just can't stomach raw or cold -- like meat or eggs or oatmeal -- my favorite pan has turned out to be a ceramic-coated one. It's very slippery so clean-up is a snap.  I can plop in a big spoonful of oats or some leftover soup or a couple of eggs, put the lid on, and let it cook on medium heat while I put in a load of laundry or comb my hair. I'm amazed at how fast things warm up. Granted, I'm cooking for one now (big grin), but you'll figure out a way that works for you.

Shop organic. Farmers' markets are a great option during the summer, but winter is here now, so that's nixed. If your area doesn't have an organic grocery store, there are online sources such as Azure Standard and Bountiful Baskets which deliver to a central point where you can pick up your order. Kirstyn's been using Azure for a few years but their website can be overwhelming for one so organizationally-challenged as I.

As for anti-perspirants, there are a whole lot of things you can use that won't harm you and that will keep you smelling sweet. First of all, you need to understand that it isn't the sweat that smells; it's the bacteria that reproduces in the sweat. It takes that bacteria 10-12 hrs to build up to the point of being smelly, so if you shower every day, you should be fine without anything. Showering every day, however, is not such a great idea because it washes off your natural oils which protect your skin and help to make it an effective barrier against outside pathogens.  And having dry skin makes you want to slather on the lotion which is probably full of chemicals. I've found that a salt crystal (looks like a clear rock) works well for me. When I first started using it, I put the ladies in the office on notice to inform me if they ever noticed an odor. So far, so good (about a year now).

There is some concern about the use of talcum powders being connected with ovarian cancer. Cornstarch is a decent replacement, but then you have to wonder if it's GMO corn you're putting all over your body. I've quit using powder at all. One less thing to buy. (grin)

Water:  I'm still working on this one. It'd be nice to have a whole-house water purifier that would take out all the crap including fluoride, but those run in the thousands of dollars, so for now, Culligan is delivering five-gallon jugs of reverse-osmosis'd water to my doorstep. Maybe the coolest part of it is the neat dispenser that has both cold and (almost boiling) hot water on demand. Instant tea and no more tea kettle!  We're still showering and washing dishes/laundry in tap water, but one thing at a time. I came across an article recently that said reverse osmosis water isn't good for people either, but as near as I can tell, it's still better than drinking Belgrade's tap water. So until something better comes along . . .

That's enough to get you started. Half the fun is figuring out how to overcome the challenges you meet, so go for it!

Contributing Factors to Cancer: Part 1 (Toxins)

I've been thinking about doing a post on all the (known so far) contributing factors of cancer in general -- and breast cancer, specifically -- and it looks like today's the day. Ready? Here we go.

Toxins:  (hoo-boy, this is a big subject! Where to start? . . .)
Okay, let's start externally and work our way in. 
These are largely beyond a person's control:

• Satellite signals (to and from, as well as ricocheting off Earth's surface) from 1,071 satellites now orbiting our fair planet  (boggles the mind, doesn't it?)
• Radio, television and cell phone signals (not just our own, but everybody else's, too)
• Wireless everything (modems, routers, keyboards, telephones, printers -- even the watch you're wearing)
• Electrical everything. That's right; if it plugs in, it's emitting electromagnetic radiation.
• Can you imagine how thick the air would be from all these signals if we could see them?
• Vehicle exhaust (other people's, of course; your own car doesn't pollute, right?)
• Formaldehyde fumes from carpet, furniture, new fabrics, even toys
• Chemicals in plastic (which is absolutely everywhere, even lining paper plates and tin cans and leaching into our food) 
• Chemical air fresheners and scented candles 
• Radiation from microwave ovens, CT scans, mammograms, airport security . . .
• Okay, this last one is pretty much controllable, especially if you never fly.

Then there are the toxins we take in through our skin. Ever thought about that? Our skin is actually considered to be an organ. In some circles, it's called the "Third Lung".
These are largely within our control:

• Chemicals in shampoo, conditioner, body wash, antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, hair styling products, hair dyes, skin care, makeup, toothpaste, mouthwash, lotion, sunscreen, perfume/cologne, nail polish, nail polish remover, laundry detergent, fabric softener . . . (Stop and count how many of these you use; I'll wait.)
• Anti-perspirants (This one gets its very own bullet point because it's so moronic.) Remember when folks used to be happy with taking a bath once a week? (Okay, maybe you don't remember it, but it actually happened, I promise.) Then we used to be happy with deodorant, which masked the scent of body odor. Then some brilliant scientist said, "Hey, let's clog the pores so we don't sweat at all! That'll take care of the smell for a whole day!" And we've been slathering on chemicals -- right over a bunch of lymph glands -- ever since. Does this sound incredibly dim to anybody else?
• Flu shots and other immunizations (Holy cow! Do you realize how many of these things we're injecting our babies with at a time when their little immune systems are still developing? 49 doses to protect against sixteen diseases. Forty-nine!) (here's the link to the CDC's recommendations)
• Second-hand smoke
• Household cleaners
  
• The water we shower in. Depending on your location, it's probably a cocktail of chemicals. If you want to have nightmares, take a look at this list provided by the EPA. What a price to pay for "clean" water.

Okay, now let's talk about the toxins we actually ingest.
These are also mostly within our control:

• Chemicals used to keep pests of all sorts from ruining the crop, aka Pesticides (Just because it kills bugs and weeds doesn't mean it'll hurt humans, right?)
• Chemicals used to prolong shelf life, aka Preservatives (If we eat enough, will we live forever?)
• Chemicals to make anemic foods prettier, aka Food Dyes
• Chemicals to make things pour easier (e.g. salt)
• Chemicals to keep things from settling out and looking gross, aka Emulsifiers
• Chemicals to make food taste tastier. (e.g. MSG, aka monosodium glutamate, aka "Natural Flavors") That one cracks me up.
• Chemicals used in turning food into non-food (Potassium bromate is a biggy; used to oxidize flour so the bread will have those tiny little air pockets and be light and fluffy and *white*. PB blocks the body's absorption of iodine, causing thyroid dysfunction which in turn causes all sorts of problems, not the least of which are hair loss and depression.) 
• Artifical sweeteners. As if refined sugar weren't bad enough, we now have a whole handful of  "worse" choices -- saccharin (Sweet 'n Low), acesulfame (Sweet One), neotame (NutraSweet), sucralose (Splenda), aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), and of course HFCS (high fructose corn syrup). It now looks like the the concept of artificial sweeteners being better for us was one big lie. (click here)
• Alcohol
• Non-stick coating from cookware
• BPA's and other chemicals from plastic.
• Genetically-modified foods. Monsanto has been gentically engineering seeds for fun and profit since 1983 (tobacco was first). And since 1995 when GMO soybeans were introduced, the train has picked up speed. Now -- less than 20 years later -- almost all soybeans and most corn, cotton and canola oil are GMO. Pretty quick work! To quote from a book I just read, "Monsanto creates seeds that produce plants that cannot replicate, forcing the user to buy new seed each year. Through testing performed on mice . . . neutering effects have been observed to end propagation of the species." (Re-mission Through Divine Order by Scot Guariglia, p. 40) Pretty cool, huh? And soy is in practically everything the typical American eats. Do you suppose that has anything to do with the increase in fertility problems and difficulties in carrying babies to full term?
• Anyway, our bodies don't recognize the genetic makeup of GMO "foods", but we continue to dump them in anyway because we're stupid and lazy and all we care about is fast and tasty.
• And let's not forget the water we drink. Filtering is inexact because it's hard to remove some of the chemicals that form covalent bonds with water molecules. "Covalent": remember that word from chemistry class a hunnerd years ago?  Let's just say covalent bonds are very hard to unstick. Hence, your normal run-of-the-mill filter systems can't do the job. This means that you're probably still drinking fluoride and some chloramines (not to be confused with chlorine), both of which are very toxic to humans. That's probably a whole other post which I will probably never write because I'm tired of being disgusted.

Um, where were we? Oh, other causes of cancer. (This is going to be really long, isn't it? I'll try to talk faster.)

This brings us to the toxins we create within our own bodies because of the thoughts we think and the emotions we feel. When we are suddenly frightened (the old bear-in-the-woods scenario), our very wise bodies secrete norepinephrine (aka adrenaline) and cortisol to speed up our heart rate, slow down digestion (or in some cases, evacuate it), and send blood to the muscles so we can run!  This is all well and good, but every time we get upset and stew over something of perceived importance, our bodies think they're supposed to act. Problem is, there's no shut-off because the stewing goes on and on and on . . . So our poor bodies are trying to prepare us to run from a bear that actually comes from within. So stewing over the mess our country is in? or the choices your off-spring are making? or the remark somebody made to somebody else that might have been about you? or stewing over finances? or your spouse's philandering? or a loved one's illness? . . . all toxic to your body. 

So . . . we breathe in, eat in, drink in, live in and think in a chemical soup which our bodies do a pretty good job of handling, all things considered. They keep plugging away, filtering and cleaning and defecating out the crud -- with not a word of thanks from us because we're blissfully (read: obstinately) unaware -- but they gradually get farther and farther behind. The liver -- which has to cycle all these toxins twice -- gets overwhelmed and starts shunting them off to be stored and dealt with later . . . in our adipose tissue (read: fat). 

Some of the toxins settle out in our joints (causing arthritis) or intestines (irritable bowel syndrome, Crohns disease) or bone marrow (leukemia) or . . . the list is almost endless. Because toxins are toxic, they cause inflammation, which produces heat. In an effort to cool the system, our bodies manufacture mucus to coat the inflamed areas and contain the toxins. So mucus should be one of the biggest, reddest red flags there is. Coughing up crud? Fibroid cysts in your breasts? Mucus in your stool? All signs that your body is struggling. 

And if you have mucus in one area, it's a sure bet you have it in others areas too, because what affects one part of the body affects all the rest.

So negative! All these toxins coming from every direction . . . sounds pretty hopeless.

Nope, not a bit. 

You see, we have these amazing bodies that God crafted, and He built into them the ability to heal themselves. We just have to quit dumping the toxins into them and give them the chance to clean themselves out.  Many toxins are beyond our control, but the ones that really count -- the ones that make it inside our skin barrier -- are completely within our control. Sure, it's hard -- it takes time and effort -- but it's do-able. You just have to decide . . . do you want to play the whiny victim? . . . or do you want to stand up and take responsibility for your own welfare, your own . . . disease?