Why I Do What I Do

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Barbara Musser |

Hi! I am Barbara Musser, founder of Sexy After Cancer. My passion is helping women with breast cancer to know that they are beautiful, feminine, desirable and sexy, and that they can absolutely have a fabulous intimate and sexual life after cancer treatments.

I am going to tell you the story of the shock that woke me up to who I really am. The biggest shock of my life happened on my 37th birthday – May 22, 1989. I was about to walk out the door to go to a birthday celebration. The phone rang and I picked it up and I heard my doctor’s voice say, “You have cancer”.

I literally dropped the phone and went numb and into shock. In that instant, my world collapsed and nothing in it would ever be the same again. I hung up, got into my car, drove to the gathering. I have no memory of the drive – none.

When I arrived and the group shouted ‘Happy Birthday’, I burst into tears, sobbing my heart out. My friends just held me while I cried and cried, and they had no idea why I was crying. That was the first of many buckets of tears I shed because suddenly I was on the rollercoaster of having to make some very big decisions very quickly, decisions that would have long-ranging consequences that I knew nothing about.

I was alone, single and terrified, and this rollercoaster ride was way scarier than any little swoopy amusement park ride. It felt surreal, like a bad dream. Well, little did I know how my life would be altered by this experience. It brought me to my knees. I didn’t know who I was, where to turn. I sat there in the boneyard of my soul and I had to keep going because I had to make these decisions and make them fast.

And during all this time I kept asking myself, ‘If I was told that I had one year to live, would I keep living my same life?’ Well the answer was a big ‘no way’. So I made some big decisions during that time and here’s some of the decisions I made:

First, I chose to live, to suck the nectar from life in every moment, to live full out in living color, no holds barred as if every day was my last day, because the truth is we never know. But living full out like that meant looking at all the places and all the ways that I was just going through the motions or waiting for life to turn out a certain way, or doing what I thought I was supposed to be doing – everything that wasn’t really living fully was right in my face and I had some deep work to do to sort through all those layers and all those personas to see who I really was, because the truth is I didn’t know who I really was.

Another decision I made was to leave the corporate world because I was absolutely determined to do work that fed my soul and left the world a better place. Even though I didn’t have any idea what that really meant, I just felt called to do that and to bring myself forward in that way, and I had no choice but to answer that call and see where it led me.

The first place it led me was to become a sex educator because I had a lot of work to do to heal this feeling like I was damaged goods and that no man would ever be interested in me as a lover or partner.

Mind you, before my cancer diagnosis I already felt like damaged goods, but with this breast cancer and my now what felt to me like very deformed breast, I knew for sure, I was broken.
It was a very long, deep and painful dive into how fully I had drunk the Kool-Aid that beauty has to look a certain way in our culture, and I definitely didn’t have a media-pretty body, and certainly not now with the deformed breasts. During that work I unearthed the real nature of beauty and radiance and sexiness, and underneath that, I started to love myself, not comparing myself to the media image of what beauty and sexiness was.

I also became a transformational workshop facilitator of clothing optional workshops. That’s right, clothing optional means naked! Imagine how I felt, this girl with this radically changed body from breast cancer and surgeries, standing naked in front of rooms full of a hundred people leading them deeper into their journey of personal transformation. That was a big one for me and it was hugely, hugely healing for me.

And you know what, in most of those workshops there were women there with breast cancer and there was something about my vulnerability and my willingness to show myself and call myself beautiful – just the way I was, that helped so many women to heal. Oh, so powerful!
Then I had a baby after cancer – against all the doctors’ advice. They all said, “Breast cancer and babies – no way”, and I felt like I had been robbed of my opportunity to choose whether I want to have kids or not, and I was young – 37 years old.

I went against all that advice. I was willing to take the risk and I had that baby and that girl just turned 19-years-old.

Along the way, through all these years, I supported lots of friends through cancer, because having support on this journey and someone to put their arm around your shoulder is a huge gift and it’s so helpful.

Then about two years ago, a very dear friend of mine received a second breast cancer diagnosis and I don’t know why but I was compelled to go with her to all of her medical appointments, and there were a lot because with a second cancer it’s more complicated. I held her hand. I listened. I asked questions and I helped her sort through the maze of information so that she could make the decisions that were right for her.

We also meditated together. We talked about being single with cancer. We talked about sex. We talked about intimacy. We talked about dating. We made a plaster casting of her breast before her mastectomy, and as I was driving her to the hospital for surgery, she put her hand on my shoulder, she turned to me and said, “This is your work Barbara, helping women on this journey”.
When she said those words, the hair on my arms stood up and I took this deep breath like ‘Ohhhh’… because God was speaking to me through her mouth. And I listened.

Then the light bulb came on, because what had been in front of me for all these years, suddenly came into focus. I knew that this was the truth, what I am here to do, and the experience of knowing what I am meant to do and doing it, is extraordinary. There is no doubt or fear about this path. I am absolutely certain.

Even though I am the pioneer way out on the skinny branches, on the leading edge of birthing something that doesn’t exist yet. Even though I am certain, that doesn’t mean I don’t get scared, because I do; because this is way bigger than I am.

Every time I teach or give a talk or an interview, my knees shake, my palms sweat and there’s a swarm of butterflies in my belly, and I do it anyway. I do it because my passion is bigger than what my mind tells me. I do it because my passion is bigger than my fear. I do it because I have seen the difference it makes. I do it because I am the one to do it, and I know that.

I do it because I see women and couples finding their way to intimacy and sex that’s healthy and satisfying and way better than it had been for them before.

If you are on this crazy cancer journey, I can help you. Let’s hold hands and walk this path together, the path into meeting your inner Aphrodite, that goddess of love and beauty and sexual rapture. The paths are waking up your sleepy libido – the path into intimacy, great sex and bigger love. Thank you!

Posted in Daily Matters, Multimedia, Sexual Health, Survivor Story, Video | Tagged | 4 Comments

Cancer Related Legal Issues

Posted on May 9, 2013 by joanna |

Joanna L. Morales, Esq, director, Cancer Legal Resource Center, discusses the importance of cancer related legal issues for oncology nurses and nurse navigators.

Morales explains that it is important during a clinical assessment to figure out what is going on with a patient and how the patient could benefit from legal resources.


Joanna Morales, Triage Cancer

Posted in Cancer Support, Daily Matters, Multimedia, Video | Tagged | Leave a comment

Impact of Radiation on Reconstruction

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Minas Chrysopoulo |

Radiation therapy is often recommended as part of breast cancer treatment. Patients undergoing lumpectomy receive radiation routinely once they’ve healed from surgery. Some mastectomy patients also need radiation after surgery depending on the characteristics of the tumor.

I think it is fair to say that most reconstructive breast surgeons, myself included, are not particularly fond of radiation because of the way it impacts the patient’s tissues (and breast reconstruction in general). Nonetheless, it is important to remember that “life comes before breast” and in certain situations several studies have shown there is a definite benefit for the patient in having radiation therapy.
breast radiation
Radiation therapy has come a long way over the years but it can still be associated with significant side effects. Radiation can cause toughening (fibrosis) and shrinking (contracture) of the patient’s tissue which makes it lose its elasticity and become more firm. Skin color changes are common, red at first turning more brown over time. Radiation can cause burn injuries as well as damage to underlying organs such as the lungs and heart. Anyone who is facing radiation therapy must discuss all the potential risks with their radiation oncologist extensively beforehand.

Radiation after a tissue reconstruction (DIEP flap, TRAM flap etc) can cause the reconstructed breast to shrink and harden. Unfortunately this is a very common scenario. Less frequently new wounds can develop in the reconstructed breast which need wound care. Patients facing radiation after flap breast reconstruction should know that there is a risk of needing further reconstructive surgery to correct changes caused by radiation therapy. One study found a re-operation rate of almost 30% in patients receiving radiation after TRAM flap reconstruction.

Tissue expander/implant reconstructions fair even worse with radiation. The complication rates in this setting are much higher than with the flap reconstructions. Some surgeons routinely offer implant reconstructions to patients that have had radiation therapy. There are even articles published in the plastic surgery literature supporting it. I have to respectfully disagree. In my experience mixing implants with previous radiation often ends badly; the complication rate is high (eg thinning of the overlying skin, implant hardening, pain, implant exposure, need for removal of the implant) and the cosmetic results are typically unfavorable.

Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo

Posted in Reconstructive Surgery, Traditional Medicine, Treatments & Side Effects | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Can a Cancer Diagnosis Improve You and Your Life?

Posted on April 29, 2013 by sminiere |

If a cancer diagnosis has found its way into your life, you are probably filled with fear and confused about what to do next. You have important treatment choices to make in a short period of time. I have learned that lifestyle changes are an important part of the healing process. They not only heal your body, but also your mind, and soul. You might even reinvent yourself.

Hearing the words, “you have breast cancer,” rocked my world because I thought cancer could not happen to me. I believed my “healthy” lifestyle would protect me: For many years before cancer, I had a somewhat healthy diet, did not smoke or drink alcohol, had a positive attitude about myself and life, and did yoga and meditated on a regular basis. In spite of my best efforts, cancer became my wake-up call twelve years ago. It shouted, “Something is not right.” Evidently, I had more “waking up” to do.

A few weeks after the diagnosis, I made a commitment to use cancer as an opportunity to achieve optimal health and become fully ALIVE.

I turned my feelings of powerlessness and fear into purposeful actions. After researching the causes of cancer and the many conventional and alternative ways to treat it, I designed my own integrative treatment plan.

The first few years after cancer, the following two lifestyle changes contributed to my new body and life:

I identified the stressful situations that compromised my immune system. Many studies report that 75 to 95 percent of illness has a stress component. Once I understood that financial hardship was a major stressor in my life, I did my best to get my finances under control. I also found more effective ways to manage my stress levels—body, mind and spirit. If you cannot change or leave a stressful situation, you do have the power to build up your resistance to stress through many techniques—yoga and meditation, energy work, breathing techniques, visualization, positive thinking, gratitude, exercise, supplements and more. Explore what works for you.

I ate healthier than I did before the cancer by paying more attention to a cancer prevention diet. I consumed less processed foods and more whole fresh foods (mostly vegetables and some fruit), drank water and green tea, and took life-promoting supplements. I focused on reducing chronic inflammation and balancing the pH levels in my blood, saliva and urine. Cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment—the terrain around the cells. Scientists tell us that 30 percent of cancer deaths can be eliminated with diet and exercise. Your body is always giving you feedback about the foods that fuel it or compromise it; pay attention. Increase your vegetables, fruits and healthy fats and decrease sugar, meat and processed foods. Become a conscious eater.

Cancer thrivers know that a bright light can be found at the end of this dark tunnel. With a curious mind and positive outlook, you could turn a cancer diagnosis into an adventure that improves your quality of life. Cancer is an opportunity to get healthier by making the most of what is within your power to change.
By: Sandra Miniere

Posted in Lifestyle and Fitness, Mind Body Spirit | Tagged | Leave a comment

Factors contributing to diseases like cancer

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Ann McCloud Sneath |

I think with so many women whether it’s related to breast cancer or whatever it is they need permission to take care of themselves.

The factors that are contributing to all diseases including cancer, a lot of them are environmental.

All of the soy byproducts in packaged foods, endocrine disruptors like pesticides and herbicides and hormones in meat and dairy, the stress of women today, the cosmetics, again endocrine disruptors that actually alter the way our hormones work and how they metabolize themselves either in or out of the body, how little they take care of themselves.  I’m talking about our relationships with our families, our husbands and how we, ourselves need to be nurtured.

All of these environmental factors including how we cope with our situation are contributing to diseases, whatever they may be.

When they understand either pragmatically from lab work, scientifically or intuitively and you give them all the tools to put that all back together again they will heal themselves.

When women are given guidance, very, very specific things: “Here’s your homework list.  Try to do some of these things.”  It’s pretty simple.  It’s really just giving women options.

If you want to make changes you have to be a little bit of one.

Posted in Integrative Medicine, Environmental Factors, Health Care Professional Video, Video | Leave a comment

Communication is the Best Lubrication

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Barbara Musser |

The Best and Worst Things to Say and Do When it Comes to Intimacy and Sexuality

Communication is the most important element to opening doors to intimacy and sexuality. It’s a slippery slope because we live in a culture with a lot of taboos and shaming about talking about sex and intimacy. As a result, we don’t know how to do it gracefully and it can feel awkward or scary. Add to that, that many of us think our partner should be able to read our mind ~ have you ever said or thought, “If you really loved me, I wouldn’t have to tell you what I want or need because you should know…”? Those words and thoughts can crush intimacy faster than anything.

When we add cancer to the mix, we can become more sensitive, tender, fragile and traumatized, especially when it comes to intimacy and sexuality. Many women feel like “damaged goods”, less attractive and desirable and definitely less sexy. If our breasts are altered or removed, it’s a small step to thinking that we’re less of a woman. We can become hypersensitive to stresses and gaffs, less sure of ourselves and filled with doubt. We can also become sensitive to acts of kindness and compassion.

So matters related to intimacy and sexuality can suddenly feel like being on a roller coaster with lots of unexpected twists and turns. It’s both the challenge and the opportunity to know what to say and do as well as how and when.

In the interest of helping with these topics, here are the best and worst things to know about communicating with your partner about intimacy and sexuality, and why communication really is the best lubrication.

Worst Things to Say and Do

1.Expecting your partner to be a mind reader

When we want our partner to intuitively or automatically know what we want, it’s easy to get into the rut of withholding ourselves. Holding your honey hostage in this way only increases their tension and can have them scrambling for answers that they are clueless about. Any hint of righteousness will kill the spark of intimacy.

2. Being impatient

The days of the quickie are probably over. Between surgeries and other treatments, many women experience sexual difficulties, from loss of libido (the urge to be sexual) to sudden menopause and vaginal atrophy.  If we’re afraid that sex is going to hurt, it’s impossible to relax and open. That fear causes contraction in our blood vessels and tissues so that lubrication and the ability to relax our muscles disappear. Trying to get through this quickly can be disastrous.

3. Losing your sense of humor

Taking this all too seriously takes all the fun out of intimacy and sex play. I’m not suggesting making jokes; but rather that you lighten up a bit and relax your expectations. Our bodies, emotions and spirits are radically altered by the cancer experience and this is all new terrain to explore.

4. Expecting things to be the same as before cancer

One of the biggest sources of grief is the loss of who we were, and waiting or hoping that we’ll go back to how we were. When we realize this, grief can rise to the surface, along with some anger and fear, as well as lots of other emotions. Resisting these changes keeps the feelings stuck inside, which makes communication difficult.

Best Things to Say and Do

  1. Be compassionate and kind

Cancer is a traumatic insult to our psyche, heart, mind and body. When treatment ends or is managed and we’re back to integrating who we are now into life, the question that often comes up is, “Now what?” Even though things may look the same, we are radically altered and everything can feel new.

  1. Take orgasm off the table

Sometimes we’re do focused on the race to orgasm that we miss the journey along the way. Performance anxiety is like a wet blanket on sexuality, so just take it out of the equation. There are lots of other things that you can do that are sexy, hot and fun, including making out, stroking each other from head to toe and reading erotica.

  1. Get creative

Remember how you liked to play when you were little and how easy it was to make up games? The same principle applies here. Before you get into bed, sit together and brainstorm about things you might like to try to be playful and intimate. As you brainstorm, just let the ideas and words flow between you and jot down some notes to help you remember.

~ Barbara Musser

 

Posted in Emotional Health, Sexual Health | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Too Much Exercise?

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Birgit Lueders |

I have been in the Fitness Industry almost my whole life and every year, to keep up my credits as a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor, do I have the pleasure to participate at a FITNESS EXPO.

Every single Group Fitness Instructor or Personal Trainer from the Philadelphia area is there to get the newest scoop on the newest fitness styles and equipment.

Having been a Personal Trainer and Yoga Instructor for almost 20 years, I have seen it all and one thing is always coming up.

Exercise is being promoted as the CURE for everything.

From early age on we have been told that if we exercise we won’t develop a disease like diabetes, cancer or heart attack.

Since my generation (I am now 40) grew up with Fitness Centers on every single corner, we took that “exercise message” to another level.

My generation is participating in Iron Man, Marathons, and Triathlon.

You might think now that most of the 40 to 50 years old must be in awesome HEALTH, notice I said health not SHAPE!

But actually this generation is sicker as the generation before. Hip replacements, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart attacks, Low Back Pain and that constant anxiety of not having enough time to get to the Fitness Center! My fitness enthusiastic friends decide to sleep less, eat less, spend less time with their children or family just to get 10 more running miles under their belt before they get to the Spinning class.

Our ancestors were never caught running except they were being chased by a big bear. Most of our ancestors were actually picking fresh herbs, grains and vegetables which nowadays is not even considered exercise.

Most of the time of our ancestors was spent on preparing and thinking about where and what to eat. Our generation today has no time to think about what to eat and where to get our next meal, since we are too busy running on the treadmill at the gym.

I think we have been brainwashed from the EXERCISE INDUSTRY to believe that exercise is more important as your next nutritional meal.

No exercise can ever give you as much disease protection as a home cooked meal with fresh organic produce. You can run for hours and hours on the treadmill and you will never gain an ounce of health, if you are not starting to worry about what to feed your body after a workout.

Too many times I see my students at my Yoga Class come in with a big cup of COFFEE with cream and fake sugar (aspartame) to give them enough energy to make it through their workout since their bodies are crying out loud for sleep. Most of my fitness students are deprived of nutrients and sleep.

Did you know that sleep deprivation can make you depressed, succumbed to disease and weight gain. Yes, that’s right weight gain. SO next time you put on your running shoes in the morning and you did not have at least 7 hours of sleep you might as well go right back to bed since weight loss and improved health will not happen at that day.

By Birgit Lueders
Wellness Coach, Iridologist and Herbalist

Posted in Nutrition, Lifestyle and Fitness | Leave a comment

Acupuncture Can Aid in the Care of Breast Cancer

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Jingduan Yang |

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often suffer from stress generated by the diagnostic procedures. They face decisions about treatment options and the impact the diagnosis will have on their professional and personal lives. The stress can generate multiple biological changes that will cause physical and emotional systemic dysfunction.

Furthermore, surgeries, chemotherapies, and radiotherapies are standard intervention for these patients. These interventions mostly focus on battling the cancer itself, but they further compromise the human body systemically. These complications manifest as side effects of treatment and include the following:

• Pain: the result of neuropathy, damaged tissues, or scar tissues
• Digestive dysfunction: nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, or constipation
• Endocrinological dysfunctions: hair loss, hot flashes, cold extremities, and low libido
• Mental and cognitive dysfunctions: anxiety, depression, insomnia, poor memory and concentration, and slower thinking process
• Hematological dysfunction: reduced blood counts, reduced lymphocytes
• Skeletal-muscular system: muscle pain, joint pain
• Nervous system: neuropathy, immunological dysfunction, and symptoms such as dry mouth

Yao Give Insight into Traditional Chinese MedicineIn an attempt to counteract these systemic side effects, some cancer patients use modalities that are considered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). They work to reduce the side effects listed above because many of these modalities focus on enhancing the function of the whole system. They often address both physical and emotional issues.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a perfect example of a type of CAM. Acupuncture, moxibustion, Chinese herbal therapies, Tui Na, Chi Gong (also called Qigong, exercises of chi and meditation), and dietary therapy are all therapeutic tools of traditional Chinese medicine. Among these tools, acupuncture is most widely used in the treatment of cancer patients in the West, while Chinese herbal remedies are often used in China today.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
Acupuncture, Chinese herbal remedies and other TCM treatment tools are only effective if the patient’s chi abnormalities are thoroughly evaluated by utilizing all the theories of TCM: yin and yang, “wu xing” (also called Five Elements), chi, blood, essence, fluid, meridians, organs, and man and nature.

The treatment plan should include dietary changes, lifestyle modifications, and exercises to strengthen chi, along with daily acupuncture treatments and daily intake of individually formulated herbs (which will change as the patient’s chi changes).

In the West, people generally do not get the amount of TCM treatment traditionally required to be effective. People rarely combine conventional treatment with Chinese herbal remedies due to the concern oncologists have about its negative interaction with chemotherapy.

The TCM treatment for people with breast cancer can be used for multiple purposes: first to support the body’s physical and mental functions during the conventional therapies, secondly to reduce the adverse effects of conventional therapies, and thirdly to maintain health and prevent recurrence of cancer and other illness in the future.

Acupuncture

Treating the Lower Body to Heal the Upper BodyAcupuncture is a procedure used to restore the balance of chi. It involves inserting fine, sterile needles into points on the surface of the body. There are roughly 360 points connected with 12 major meridian systems and 8 extra meridians.

Before inserting the needles, the acupuncturist has to diagnose the patient based on the TCM method. The acupuncturist must understand the biomedical and structural issues prior to choosing a combination of points. For example, if there is excessive heat in the system, the practitioner may want to pick a point that is connected with cold energy to increase it or a point that is connected with heat energy to reduce it.

In addition to strategically choosing a combination of points, the practitioner must also choose how to insert and manipulate the needles. This is a crucial detail needed to achieve the intended intervention.

Let’s say the practitioner wants to enhance the chi circulation in the patient’s meridian. The patient must inhale when the needle is inserted. The needle should be inserted in the direction of the chi flow, rotated clockwise, and left at a deeper level.

Acupuncture treatment typically lasts about 30 minutes. A couple more-manual manipulations may be conducted during the session. Patients may experience discomfort and mild pain as the needle is inserted. Then sensations like pressure, dull achiness, tingling, and numbness may occur as the needle touches chi.

After the treatment, patients may feel deeply relaxed, light, and energized or tired. Pain may be reduced right away, but sometimes it increases before it is reduced.

Patients should expect the treatment to last at least 30 sessions before the symptoms are gone. TCM is not a quick-fix treatment.

By: Jingduan Yang, MD

Posted in Integrative Medicine, Acupuncture, Risk Reduction, Treatments & Side Effects | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Getting a Good Night’s Sleep: Nutrition Can Help

Posted on April 15, 2013 by lgrey |

Sleep – we all need it. The world is a busy place, and we are tired. We work extra hours…stay up late to study…wake up for crying babies, or kids with nightmares.

The next day, we chug an ‘energy’ drink, grab some fast food, or pour the coffee. But it seems that no matter how fast we run, we never feel caught up – neither on our work, nor on our sleep.

This is mainly because we are caught in a vicious cycle: We are stressed, so we do not get as much sleep; we do not get as much sleep, so we are fatigued; we are fatigued, so we are stressed…and on it goes.

In order to break this cycle, first we must understand a bit about the way sleep works.

Basically, a “good night’s sleep” involves 2 sleep cycles: N.R.E.M. (Non-Rapid-Eye Movement) and R.E.M. (Rapid Eye Movement). These cycles are important for our brain and body to rest and heal. During N.R.E.M., there are 4 stages.

Stage 1 only lasts about 5-10 minutes. Most of us experience Stage 1 with no problem. During Stage 2, the body begins to wind down. The heart rate slows, and we fall into a light sleep. Again, most of us can get to this stage with no problem.

The problem for many of us begins during Stages 3 and 4. Our bodies are meant to fall into a deep sleep during these stages. During deep sleep, the part of the brain controlling emotions, social interactions, and decision-making gets a chance to rest. Cell growth occurs within the body. The brain and body also repair damage from any stress we’ve encountered during the day. The muscles, bones, and the immune system are strengthened. Most of all, these stages enables us to move to the R.E.M. cycle.

During the R.E.M. cycle, vivid dreaming occurs. Brain activity increases, while muscle activity & body temperature decrease. We need R.E.M. sleep in order for the brain to process and retain the skills we’ve learned during that day. Lack of R.E.M. sleep prevents this from happening. (Just let that sink in for a moment!)

So, whenever deep sleep is disrupted, we have missed out on a chance to heal and recharge our batteries. As a result, we create sleep debt within our bodies. Our brains spend the whole day trying to get our bodies back to sleep. No wonder we’re so tired!

We all know that when we do not eat right, we deplete our body of vitamins. But did you know that a lack of vitamins and minerals is a major culprit in disrupting your sleep schedule? With that in mind, here are 10 tips for getting a better night’s sleep.

1. Eat at least 5 colors of veggies and fruits per day. Most of these should be vegetables, which are naturally lower in sugar than fruits. If you are feeling a cold coming on, eat at least two of each color group per day. Fruits and vegetables are different colors for a reason: each color group provides its own type of vitamins and minerals.

2. Stop sugar overload. Many people understand that sugar is not good for us. The reason is that it stresses out our kidneys and adrenal glands. This causes spikes in our blood sugar levels, zapping us of energy and affecting our mood. But what many people do not realize is that the following ‘white foods’ also act as sugar once they are in our bodies: white flour, white rice, white pasta (semolina), and white (“instant”) oatmeal. It is best to replace these foods with whole grains.

3. Avoid chemical overload. Man-made food additives create a strain on our bodies, resulting in many harmful side effects – including poor sleep. Whenever possible, avoid artificial food dyes, preservatives, and sweeteners, as well as ‘partially hydrogenated’ ingredients.

4. Do a big shopping day 1x month. Many people feel that they are too busy to eat healthy. Here is a time-saving solution. Make a list of monthly ‘must have’ items. This list should include quick lunch foods such as hummus, snacks such as healthy protein bars, and your favorite dinner ingredients such as beans, dried grains, and healthy flours. Once you’ve made the list, you can keep it in your wallet to use every month.

5. Join a Food Share Program. Food share programs are popping up across the nation these days. You pay a set fee every two weeks, and in return you get a big box full of fruits and veggies, most of which are grown by local farmers. Members pick up their groceries at a location close to their neighborhood. The produce will vary according to what is in season. What a great way to try new things – and no supermarket lines!

6. Create a monthly online shopping list. Tight schedule? Here’s a way to eat healthy without setting foot outside of your door. There are many online stores that feature healthy products such as dried fruits, whole grain flours, and protein bars, as well as natural health and beauty products. Just make a monthly list of must-haves. Many online stores even have an option to receive automatic shipments each month.

7. Avoid caffeine issues. Excess caffeine causes adrenal fatigue and blood sugar issues. The worst time of day to have a strong cup of coffee or a sugary energy drink is when you wake up in the morning. True, caffeine perks you up instantly. But once its effects wear off, you become more tired than you were before you drank it – which sets you up for a vicious cycle of caffeine dependency. Green tea, which contains much less caffeine and is helpful to the immune system, is a better alternative. If you just can’t give up coffee, limit yourself to one cup of organic or fair trade coffee per day – ideally while eating a healthy protein, which will help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Also, be sure to avoid drinking caffeine at least two hours before bed.

8. Get into an exercise routine. Exercise helps us to breathe in more oxygen. Oxygen is nutrition for the heart and respiratory system. Not only does oxygen help us to have more energy throughout our day, but it also helps us to get a healthy night’s sleep. The more often you exercise, the healthier your heart and respiratory system will be. In turn, the deeper your breathing is during sleep, the more likely you are to experience healthy sleep cycles, leaving you feeling much more refreshed in the morning.

9. Natural remedies may be helpful. For example, melatonin can help to encourage healthy sleep cycles, and cinnamon bark capsules can regulate blood sugar levels. Naturopathic doctors (N.D.’s) are a great resource for understanding what is best for your body. Consider finding a natural health professional in your area for a full evaluation.

10. Avoid electronics before bed. We’ve already spent the day staring at electronics – phones, computers, televisions, etc. Artificial lights throw off the natural sleep cycle, and they may make it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. Try to turn off your electronics at least one hour before bed.

by Lisa Grey, founder of Pink Kitchen

Posted in Nutrition, Daily Matters, Lifestyle and Fitness | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Biggest Mistake People Make
On Their Path To Greater Aliveness

Posted on April 14, 2013 by sminiere |

Looking at yourself through the eyes of love, you are able to accept the not-so-beautiful parts of yourself and make changes based on the truth you see. On the other hand, the eyes of the inner critic condemn you for not being or doing enough. Those judgments keep you striving to protect and defend a fragile ego in order to avoid emotional pain. When you run away from yourself, you limit your personal growth and the life you are creating.

By Sandra Miniere

Over the years, I took the opportunity to look at how I may have contributed to several life challenges. Two divorces, financial struggle, and breast cancer forced me to check in with myself. As I reached my forties, I could easily do this because no matter what I saw, I loved myself anyway.

I made a choice to stay on hormone replacement therapy for 10 years. My doctor warned me that the way I was taking HRT put me at a 50 percent risk of getting breast cancer. I thought I could beat the odds but I was wrong. The consequences were devastating. I never blamed myself for getting cancer; I just felt sad that my ignorance about estrogen dominance turned out to be a major contributing factor in my getting this disease.

I learned that self-acceptance cleared a path for grace to guide and support me through the cancer process. Grace is also available for you when you accept, rather than judge.

Make it a habit to love yourself unconditionally instead of condemning yourself for not being good enough or making a mistake. It just feels good and keeps grace close.

Self-acceptance enables you to:
*  allow criticism and judgment to go right through you because you have nothing to prove to yourself, others or a Higher Power.
*  forgive and accept yourself for anything you have done in the past and for any perceived imperfections that still limit you.
*  feel perfect and magnificent just the way you are even though there is more you can do to improve yourself.

These strategies fill you with confidence and the power to create a life worth living.

If you allow self-love to grow and become a habit, you will find your truth and live it. Your inner magnificence will shine, and you will have more than enough acceptance to share with others. You will focus on feedback, not failure, lessons learned, not right and wrong. Self-acceptance offers you a stepping stone to inner peace, greater aliveness and the miraculous.

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