A gut-wrenching first-person account of a Cancer Thriver. The journey of a soul who held through is now a Cancer Awakens’ Sherpa.

My name is Anamika Chakravarty. I am based in Mumbai. My life was, and is a celebration. As my parents gave me everything I asked. And encouraged me to recognize and achieve my potential. I got a job in a prestigious organization and went on to work for two of the Big Four consulting firms. A very caring and considerate man entered my life, spreading happiness. Together experiencing and travelling the world. We had a wonderful family life and we had a baby girl. Our daughter is a blessing who has grown up to be a remarkable young woman.

Struck By The Bolt

It started with an unexplained weight loss, which I ignored and did not get any medical investigations done. Resulted in a continuous fever that wouldn’t go away. And my blood test revealed a high ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate). And I went for a Sonography which revealed an enlarged spleen. Next, I was admitted to Hinduja Hospital, under the very able hematologist, Dr. Balkrishna Padate. After the full-body PET scan, he delivered the shocking news, “We have identified cells with abnormal activity.” Simultaneously, I knew what was in store and shared my fears with my husband, while anxiously waiting for the biopsy results.

First day Impression of January 2016

A shawl wrapped around me and could not stand on my feet. Reason being, persistent pain shooting up my back. I felt weak and sick. My right leg had swollen up. And I entered Dr. Padate’s cabin in a wheelchair. Also accompanied by the two most important men in my life – my dad and my husband. The doctor confirmed what I intuitively suspected “You have lymphoma. I am referring you to Dr. Advani, for furthermore treatment.”. I actually did not feel anything. Perhaps I was just numb. Or, somewhere at the back of my mind, I just knew.

Some people tell me that “indifference” was my expression of denial. I don’t know. All I know is that I was not in shock. I was not scared. The doctor had clearly said that my cancer was 100% curable. And there, I did not pause to dissect my feelings. And followed with what the doctors said to do. I was in a hospital room with a sea view and we stayed there for four days. And still, I hardly saw the world outside the window.

The Start of the Adventure

Chemotherapy is not an easy journey for anyone to go through, the doctors don’t tell you about the cancer side effects upfront – firstly maybe because they don’t want to scare you. Also because they don’t know which side effect will manifest in which patient. But for someone like me, it would have made a world of difference if I had been prepared.

The Loss of Appetite

I had no appetite. My husband got me my favorite Rawa masala dosa and it tasted like sawdust (I don’t think I have actually eaten sawdust before though!) But that moment I realized that what I was going through was because there was something wrong with my body.

Also, there was an irritation for a short period. And some frustration at not being able to eat properly – the enlarged spleen was compressing my stomach, in addition to the post-chemo effects. For that short span, there was a sense of helplessness and being overwhelmed. At my second chemo (scheduled after three weeks) I had the strength and presence of mind to have a detailed conversation with the assistant doctor and wrested answers for my prepared list of questions. Additionally, I talked to friends and family who were familiar with the journey and got information from them. I strongly believe that it’s important to take charge of your own life and it starts with being well-informed.

Enter Psycho-Neuro-Immunology (PNI): the Mind-Body Connection

With my cancer, my journey into the world of PNI started. I discovered how my thoughts and feelings were affecting my physical body. Strangely, no one teaches this aspect in schools and colleges, or at home. Given my propensity to learn new things, this knowledge had not come my way earlier. And through this wisdom, I learned that people who have a problem with the spleen (an essential part of the Immune system) tend to have control issues. So I questioned myself on what I was controlling and what I needed to let go!

My disease posed some tough questions to me

• What direction was my life taking?
• Did I feel “attacked”? Is there a way to protect me?
• How would I reset my priorities?
• How do I assert my own needs and rights?
• What if I have to compromise on my core beliefs and values?
• What am I unable to accept or change about myself?

Apart from trying to find meaning in life, I also started sharing my cancer story at various forums – online and otherwise. And I continue looking for such opportunities. Introspecting daily, I detect diligently the areas that I need to improve on. Next, eliminate the negative aspects of my life ruthlessly but kindly. I substitute these negative aspects with constructive and creative activities.

The cancer was not a ‘bump in the road’ after which I continued on the same path. It was a ‘fork in the road’. I completely changed not only my lifestyle but also my attitude, self-talk, and beliefs.

I let go of my strong beliefs, some attitudes, emotional blocks, and baggage. It is not an easy task to change oneself. But determination and perseverance are now my new friends. I know that I have to undo years of conditioning and form new habits, new neural pathways. With kindness and patience, I will gradually overcome the obstacle to living a life of happiness and fulfillment.

Coaching Cancer Patients

Meeting Vijay Bhat (thank you Rishi Gangoly!) and undergoing the Sherpa training made me discover my life’s purpose. Now I am a dedicated coach, coaching cancer patients and helping them address their stressors and build up their strengths – physical, mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual. I help them introspect on their lifestyle, life history, and life stance to facilitate healing from within.

OK. So I have diagnosed my Stressors … what next?

Every individual is unique. What works for someone else, may not work for you. And vice versa. So you will have to try out a range of options and arrive at a Holistic regime that works for you. It is tricky to do this by yourself, because it is unfamiliar territory. Ideally, you should consult and be guided by expert practitioners in your area. This exploration itself can be very rewarding if you approach it with an open mind and heart.

Please note that the approaches outlined below

• Are based on different healing frameworks
• Have their own pros and cons
• Do not, in any way, replace professional/ clinical/ medical diagnosis or treatments that you may need.
• Provide you a wide palette of options to consider; they are not recommendations or prescriptions.

You may want to begin your journey by understanding the similarities and differences between Complementary/ Alternate and Holistic/ Integrated medicine on our website www.cancerawakens.com.

You can also contact us here to schedule a FREE 30-min consultation with a Cancer Awakens Sherpa.

Thank you.

Stressors & Tips

Click on the ‘+’ sign below, to Read more details on the respective sub-headings… and on the ‘-‘ sign to collapse the section.

[su_tabs vertical=”yes” class=”address_stressors_spoiler”] /*** Tab 1 – PHYSICAL STRESSORS ***/ [su_tab title=”PHYSICAL STRESSORS”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Diet”] 1. Eat a plant-based, whole-grain, low-fat diet, as far as possible. It helps provide essential nutrients and minimises toxicity.
2. A ‘rainbow’ diet (foods that comprise all seven colours of the rainbow) is recommended. It can regulate stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol.
3. More fresh/ raw vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts can improve immunity.
4. Minimise meats, fats, processed foods, caffeinated & carbonated beverages. It will help reduce toxicity.
5. Consume foods with a low glycemic index. It helps release sugar slowly into the system and also stabilises energy and mood. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index)
6. Drink 2 litres (6-8 glasses) of water daily. It improves neural activity and regulates various hormones. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Exercise”] 1. Take regular, moderate exercise (30 min, thrice a week), under an experienced teacher/ trainer. They can help create a tailored plan for you.
2. Gymming can help improve cardiovascular health and tone muscles.
3. Hatha Yoga or T’ai Chi Ch’uan can help stretch muscle groups & joints. Regulate energy and emotions with breath-work.(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_yoga, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_chi)
4. Dance helps in creative self-expression.
5. Brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming (ideally outdoors) can help improve cardiovascular health and tone muscles.
[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Rest & Relaxation”] 1. 7-8 hours of daily sleep is optimal. It can help repair your body repair at muscular and cellular level.
2. Deep sleep (brain waves at delta state) have long term health benefits and aid repair of the brain itself.
3. Massage (once a week) can help relax and/or stimulate muscle groups and body systems.
4. Sauna & Steam (5-7 min, thrice a week) helps improve cardiovascular health.
5. Yoga Nidra (30 min daily) provide similar benefits as 4-6 hours of regular sleep. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_nidra) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Socialisation & Laughter”] 1. Spend time with close friends in a social setting (1 hour a week). It helps produce high levels of endorphins (feel-good hormones).
2. Belly laughs, also called Laughter Yoga (20 min daily) improves cardiovascular health; produce high levels of endorphins (feel-good hormones) (www.laughteryoga.org )
[/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Personal Habits”] Eliminate or significantly minimise smoking, tobacco and alcohol consumption to minimise multiple health risks. [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] /*** Tab 3 – EMOTIONAL STRESSORS ***/ [su_tab title=”EMOTIONAL STRESSORS”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”LAF & Let Go”] L (Love) – A (Accept) – F (Forgive) & Let Go. It sets a platform for deep healing to occur. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Affirmations & Visualisations”] Affirmations & Visualisations (more effective when combined with breath-work) release negative emotions and affirm positive emotions. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Meridien Therapies”] Meridien Therapies like EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique) release negative emotions and affirm positive emotions. (www.eftuniverse.com, www.TATLife.com ) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Clinical Hypnotherapy”] Access sub-conscious mind and release long-held wounding/ baggage. (www.californiahypnosis.us, www.californiahypnosis.in) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Emotional Intelligence (EQ) workshops”] Name, accept, release and over-write negative emotions (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Heal Your Life workshops (Louise Hay)”] Use positive thinking and affirmations for healing. (www.louisehay.com) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”The Journey workshops (Brandon Bays)”] Release deeply-rooted emotions for healing (www.thejourney.com) [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] /*** Tab 4 – MENTAL STRESSORS ***/ [su_tab title=”MENTAL STRESSSORS”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Affirmations & Visualisations”] Affirmations & Visualisations (more effective when combined with breath-work) release limiting beliefs and establish enabling beliefs. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)”] Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) accessed and addresses cognitive and behavioural blocks ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_behavioral_therapy) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP)”] Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) reframes and rewires neural pathways towards positive approaches and behaviours. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuro-linguistic_programming) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Transactional Analysis (TA)”] Transactional Analysis (TA) uncover and release outdated mental conditioning. (www.itaaworld.com) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Clinical Hypnotherapy”] Clinical Hypnotherapy accesses sub-conscious mind to release long-held limiting beliefs and establish enabling beliefs. (www.californiahypnosis.us , www.californiahypnosis.in) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”The Work (Byron Katie)”] The Work (Byron Katie) helps identify and question the thoughts that cause all suffering. (www.thework.com) [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] /*** Tab 5 – RELATIONAL STRESSORS***/ [su_tab title=”RELATIONAL STRESSORS”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Family Constellation Therapy”] Family Constellation Therapy workshops (Bert Hellinger) uncover and resolve deep-seated and long-term family dynamics (www.hellinger.com) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Ho’oponopono (Hawaiian healing system)”] Ho’oponopono (Hawaiian healing system) seek and offer ‘forgiveness’ as a way to release blocks in a family’s energy system. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoʻoponopono) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Transactional Analysis (TA)”] Transactional Analysis (TA) cognitively understand troubled relationships ( www.itaaworld.com ) [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Clinical Hypnotherapy”] Clinical Hypnotherapy resolve ‘karmic’ entanglements using Past-Life Regression. (www.californiahypnosis.us, www.californiahypnosis.in) [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] /*** Tab 6 – SPIRITUAL STRESSORS***/ [su_tab title=”SPIRITUAL STRESSORS”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Meditation/ Prayer”] Meditation/ Prayer techniques from various psycho-spiritual traditions. Examples include: Vipassana/ Mindfulness (Buddhism), Japa/ Mantra, Heartfulness (Hinduism), Whirling (Sufiism), Devotional Chanting (Multiple traditions), etc. help establish conscious and consistent contact with your Deeper/ Higher Self. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Presence Practice”] Presence Practice helps cultivate the internal, energetic and restful state of Presence. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Cellular Healing Meditation”] Cellular Healing Meditation helps enhance healing response through relaxation, visualisation, affirmation, devotion & compassion. [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] Tab 6 – HOLISTIC (ADDRESS ALL 5 STRESSORS)***/ [su_tab title=”HOLISTIC (ADDRESS ALL 5 STRESSORS)”] [su_accordion] [su_spoiler title=”Consult Expert Practitioners”] Please consult expert practitioners in your area to create a tailored plan for you. [/su_spoiler] [su_spoiler title=”Consider Holistic Systems”] Consider the following holistic systems, which are complete in themselves:
1. Yoga/ Ayurveda can help you with its all-round benefits. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga )
2. Traditional Chinese Medicine can also be very helpful as it offers all-round benefits. ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Chinese_medicine )
3. Tibetan Medicine is another useful complementary treatment that offers all-round benefits. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_Tibetan_medicine ) [/su_spoiler] [/su_accordion] [/su_tab] /*** [/su_tabs]

Exploring Complementary Therapies

When she asked her onco-surgeon, “What more can I do besides this treatment”, he replied, “Make the most of what you have.” She went a step further and tried all possible complementary therapies that came her way.

That included Reiki, meta-healing, hypnotherapy, Japanese healing therapy, acupressure and chanting during her cancer treatment. She danced a lot, and even learned Kathak. Practicing pranayama yoga and following a vegan diet is something she does till today. And she believes that it has worked wonders for her.

She jokes,

“I ‘ve tried everything. only Vipassana remains!”

From Breast Cancer Victim to Breast Cancer Thriver

She received unbelievable support from friends and family and is convinced that it helped her sail through the treatment.

Anju believes firmly that recovering from cancer really starts with the mind. So it is important to address it, embrace it and understand it. Before her cancer diagnosis, she thought she was leading a perfect life.

“Conflict of any sort was brushed away. Life was work -party- kids. I was super stretched but I wore the ‘super mom’ badge . nothing could happen to me, I thought. I enjoyed food and ate everything that came my way. Trapped in material representations of car, house, travel. sacrificing myself, while Constantly looking after everyone’s needs –  family, friends, office colleagues –  gave me great joy,  or so I thought.

Professionally too I worked very hard to ensure that I was popular and liked by everyone. I strived hard to deliver and always felt a bit of a victim in what I thought I deserved and what came my way. I over-stretched  and drove myself too hard.”

Breast Cancer Journey Highlights

During her journey to becoming a breast cancer thriver, some things she learned – and now recommends – are:

• Never be short on sleep. If tired, just sleep wherever you are.
• Reduce self-doubt.
• Stop seeking appreciation.
• Yoga and dance are great to stay fit.
• You don’t have to be everywhere and do everything.
• Share your insights and experiences with others so that they too can learn and benefit.

From Cancer Thriver to Cancer Coach

Among the many things Anju experimented with, she also sought help through cancer coaching. After her sessions with Vijay and Nilima Bhat, she felt she derived a new perspective and a new direction. In fact, many of the complementary therapies she tried in dealing with breast cancer, came through the coaching.

Particularly, she found the 45-minute Cellular Healing Meditation to be extremely helpful. In it, she feels that everything eventually came together, so she could ‘center’ herself.

What she gained from the cancer coaching motivated her to become a Cancer Awakens Sherpa (cancer coach)

“If something helped me, I should also be helping someone.”

I Love my Cancer, why?

Anju confesses that despite being full of life, she was operating from fear and put on a superficial bravado. Cancer helped her let go of that fear.

That’s why she often says,

“I love my cancer. Because it drew me towards a different path of self-discovery. I would not have gone that way otherwise. Cancer made me more self-aware and self-confident.”

Her son Aman adds,

“I was extremely inspired to see my mother fighting through it, whilst keeping her life going. She didn’t let it get in the way of the things she wanted to do. I feel her attitude towards dealing with cancer was definitely a big lesson in my life.”

Kurien tells us,

“’Anju is a fighter, ‘so don’t worry’ was a reassurance that I got from almost anyone who knew her. She proved that beyond doubt. Even now, she lives life with a motto: one day at a time.”

And Naina sums it up perfectly,

“If there is such a thing as #BeatingCancerGoals she definitely deserves to be on the top of that list, inspiring all of us to look at life very differently and be better every day. She is definitely one of the strongest people I know.”

Reflection

• What complementary therapies can you use alongside your treatments, to deal with cancer effectively?
• What lifestyle changes can you make to recover better? Have you considered seeking help from a cancer coach?
• What unknown or lesser-known side of yourself has cancer introduced you to?
• As a cancer thriver, how can you give your insights and learnings back to society?

To go back to Part – 1 of this series, click here.

Cancer: The Unexpected Visitor

It was 6 pm on Oct. 13, 2011. Anju Kurien had been busy making elaborate arrangements for her husband, Kurien Mathews’ 48^th birthday. As usual and as they had done for years, she had invited 20 odd couples – their friends home for dinner.

The doorbell rang and no, it wasn’t an early guest. It was the biopsy test results. A few months back, Anju had discovered a lump in her left breast. As the lump was on the inner side, it took her a while to realise it was there. She ignored it for a another month or two, until one day, Kurien told her,

“We have to go to a doctor.”

So off they went to the hospital they usually go to in Bandra, Mumbai – the Holy Family Hospital, and met a General Surgeon. He examined her and recommended an FNAC tested which turned out negative. Anju duly reported this to her sister, who is also a doctor herself, as is her husband (at Sajdarjung and AIIMS respectively).

Anju’s sister was rightly upset about our decision to go to a General Surgeon, and immediately fixed an appointment with an oncologist surgeon, one who specialised in breast surgery and reconstruction. The oncologist insisted on a further biopsy. The diagnosis confirmed their worst fears, Anju had breast cancer.

A New Journey with a New Companion: Cancer

With this new discovery in hand, and somewhat absorbed, it was time for the dinner guests to arrive for Kurien’s birthday party. He suggested, “let’s cancel it”, so that they could come to terms with the enormity of the news, and figure out how to deal with it. But Anju said quietly and firmly,

“No. We can do that tomorrow. Let things go ahead as normal today.”

That set the tone for how this breast cancer thriver would deal with the daunting cancer challenge over the next 18 – 24 months.

When they went back to the oncologist, he advised a full-body test instead of just the breast examinations. As it turned out, this was a really good advice. They discovered that the cancer actually spread to her liver. And if they went ahead with the breast surgery without being aware of the other complications, things could have gotten much worse.

She still remembers how her sister, Ameeta – herself a doctor – was in deep despair on learning about the cancer’s spread to the liver. Anju had hardly seen her sister react that way before.

Introducing Cancer to the Family

Cancer was the unwanted guest but now that it had entered their life, Anju made a conscious effort to accept it. She also made sure that her family knew this new entrant pretty well.

Anju’s first thoughts were:

“What have I done with myself! How can I let my family down? The kids are still young, how can I leave them.”

For the first few months, she tried to erase the memory of the cancer. Perhaps it was denial, but she didn’t want to know much about it. She thought,

“I still feel fine. It will pass. How can I have cancer, a cancer patient doesn’t look like me”.

Kurien, on the other hand, encouraged her to take things head on, clinically. He recounts,

“After the initial prognosis which was not very encouraging and the trauma of an uncertain future, we decided not to get into moping or the ‘why us’ feeling, instead we addressed it with total transparency with all our family, friends and just about anyone who asked. We decided to deep-dive into learning everything there was to know about breast cancer that had spread to the liver. We learnt about drugs, side effects, caregiver responsibilities, surgeries, dealing with emotional and physical pain, the works.”

Anju’s son, Aman remembers,

“I was in boarding school, in the 10th grade. I have a distinct memory of the first time  I learned about the initial tests. After which I remember Mama telling me that she was diagnosed with cancer; I was by the basketball court. It definitely shook me up. It is one of those moments in life where you stop and think about what is really happening. I wanted to be home as much as I could and be there for my mother, father and sister, to deal with it as a family. I’m just glad that my parents shared this information with me from the very beginning.”

Anju’s daughter, Naina says,

“Everything felt like a blur for the first week, like time had just stopped. What I do remember very clearly is my mother consoling the rest of us  and letting us know that it would be okay.”

Life with Cancer

Anju dealt with the surgery pretty well. That Kurien encouraged her to see cancer in a positive light did really help. But the chemotherapy proved to be a huge challenge. Her skin became pale and dark at the same time.

“It shocked me initially. Somehow I never felt low; angry at myself. yes. I think the support I received from family and friends just kept me afloat.”

She turned to a vegan diet after the cancer diagnosis, but after chemotherapy she lost her sense of taste and whatever she ate seemed tasteless. She also started losing her hair. That’s when she decided to go bald. She sported head scarves and didn’t shy away from going out and interacting with people.

Naina recounts,

“Everything that came with the cancer, she owned and wore with pride as she fought it – be it rocking the head-scarves or prepping for chemo sessions with yoga techniques … all the while continuing to work, travel around the world, and more.”

Aman adds,

“The way my mother approached cancer definitely affected the way I had thought about it. I can only describe her positive and strong attitude as infectious. She showed me that things affect you only if you let them.”

Reflection

• Most people think of themselves as a ‘victim’ when diagnosed with cancer. What will help you stay positive during such testing times?
• How can you make your family a part of the process?
• What steps can you take to be better prepared for the cancer journey ?
• How can you decide who is the right doctor?

Read Part – 2 of Anju’s story here.

Complementary Treatment For Cancer: The Advantages

• Cancer is a complex and multi-factorial disease. So it naturally requires a comprehensive response. A single treatment option is unlikely to address all its aspects
• Different people respond to different treatments. A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may not work. You need a regime that is tailored for you.
• Each system approaches and addresses cancer differently.
• With a life-threatening disease like cancer, you can’t afford to leave any stone unturned.

Different systems of complementary treatment for cancer

A. Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that originated in India. In Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “knowledge of life and longevity”. Ayurvedic therapies typically use complex herbal compounds, minerals and metal substances. Ancient texts also taught surgical techniques, including rhinoplasty, kidney stone extractions, sutures, and the extraction of foreign objects.

Core beliefs

• Good health (Sanskrit: Swaasthya) is a result of attaining ‘vitality’ in all aspects of life.
• To achieve a well-functioning metabolic system, the foundation is good digestion and excretion through a “Sattvic” diet
• Practitioners often use purification and detoxification techniques (e.g. Panchakarma), along with exercise, yoga, meditation.

Key Principles

1. Ayurveda emphasises living in balance, moderation and in harmony with nature
2. Classifies bodily substances into 5 basic elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether (Space)
3. Focuses on 3 fundamental substances, the “Doshas” (called Vata, Pitta and Kapha), and states that Dosha-balance results in health, while imbalance results in disease.
4. Regards physical existence, mental existence and personality as one unit, with each aspect being able to influence each other. So a holistic approach is central, both in diagnosis and therapy
5. Healing involves discovering and addressing the root cause rather than just treating the symptoms
6. Ayurvedic treatment for cancer includes herbal medications, cleansing/detoxification methods, massage therapies and in many cases, yogic and spiritual practices.

B. Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a system of medicine that was created by  Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. While most people associate Homeopathy with ‘sweet white pills’, there is much more to it, than that.

Core beliefs

• Homeopathy is based on the premise that ‘like cures like’. In other words, the same substance that triggers an illness, can also (in minute doses), treat that illness.
• Since it considers each individual as unique, treatment takes into account body, mind and spirit of a particular person
• Homeopathy is so popular because it achieves good results in chronic conditions like asthma, sinusitis, arthritis, colitis, migraine, hormonal imbalances and skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, etc. These are disorders where mainstream medicine (Allopathy) may have diminishing returns.

Key Principles

1. Health is the maintainence of a harmonious equilibrium between the mind, body and vital force.  It’s this vital force that animates, guides & balances the human organism in health and in disease.
2. Stress disturbs the equilibrium and causes disease. But the response and response to the stressors varies from person to person.
3. Homeopaths view Cancer as an ‘out-of-control’ behaviour of cells, which results in their destruction. The healing approach is to arrest or control this ‘out-of-control’ behaviour.
4. Hence, homeopathic treatments are individualistic and holistic.
5. This complementary treatment for cancer – like the others – addresses the presenting symptoms, as well as the totality of the person’s life and lifestyle. So, in addition to taking the sweet white pills, it involves making changes in the way you live.

C. Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an ancient system of medicine that is over 2,000 years old. Treatment typically include herbal medicine, dietary changes, reflexology (acupuncture, accupressure and massage therapies), movement therapies (Tai-chi ch’uan and Qi gong) as well as certain meditations and visualisations. Modern Chinese hospitals often have two wings under the same roof, so that patients can get the best of both systems: Traditional Chinese Medicine alongside mainstream treatments. This approach is truly a great example of a complementary treatment for cancer.

Core beliefs

• Qi (Life-force): the animating principle of the universe
• Yin-Yang: balance of masculine and feminine principles
• Five elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Wood, Metal): are the building blocks of creation, including the human body and its organs
• Human beings are intimately connected to all of creation through a constant exchange of Qi.

Key Principles

1. The root of all illness (including cancer) is: Deficiency, excess or stagnation of Qi; Imbalance or disharmony between Yin and Yang; or Over-dominance or weakness of any of the Five Elements
2. Hence, a holistic approach aims to restore: The smooth and steady flow of Qi; the harmony of Yin and Yang; and the balance between the Five Elements, such that it not only cures the illness, but also helps heal the whole person
3. The physical body is inseparable from the mind, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. In other words, the organs of the human body are all part of an intelligent and interactive system. Thus cancer is seen as a systemic disease, no matter which organ is affected.
4. TCM directly correlates specific body organs with certain emotions. For example
   • The lungs are associated with ‘grief’
   • The liver is associated with ‘anger’
   • The heart is associated with ‘joy’
   • The kidneys are associated with ‘fear’
   • The spleen and the digestive system are associated with ‘worry’

4. Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan Medicine has evolved as a fascinating synthesis of Buddhist philosophy and Ayurveda. As Tibetan Buddhism becomes increasingly popular (under the leadership of HH The Dalai Lama), Tibetan Medicine is doing the same. The Men-Tsee-Khang organisation’s headquarters are in Dharamshala with branches all over India.

Practitioners use interrogation, pulse examination and urine analysis to determine the root cause of cancer. Then a range of techniques and herbal medicines are used to reduce the tumour size, detoxify the body and strengthen the immune system. Like the others in this article, Tibetan Medicine is another complementary treatment for cancer that pays particular attention to modifying food and lifestyle habits, as they are integral to the healing process.

Core beliefs

Tibetan Medicine starts by considering disease and suffering from a spiritual perspective.

• Our fundamental ‘ignorance’ i.e. developing erroneous ideas of our existence (Spiritual)
• Lead to negative mental afflictions like desire, attachment, lust, hatred, anger, lassitude, delusion, etc. which translate into mental imbalances (Psychological)
• Over time, such imbalances accumulate and in turn lead to disease (Pathological)
• In summary, all disease, including cancer, have three interconnected aspects – body, mind and spirit.

Key Principles

1. Considers disease at 3 levels: Ultimate (Karma), Proximate (imbalances caused by negative mental states) and Immediate (improper diet; irregular lifestyle; seasonal and environmental factors).
2. Tibetan Medicine views cancer specifically at two levels: blood toxicity and wind-energy malfunction.
3. Practitioners typically take a 3 pronged treatment approach:
   • Heat treatments like moxibustion and Golden Hammer therapy
   • Cleansing and detoxification therapies
   • Fortifying the immune system and re-balancing the body’s energy system
4. They also emphasise the value of ‘Hope’ as a strong and positive factor in the healing process
5. Similar to TCM, Tibetan Medicine also correlates certain emotions to specific body parts. For example:
   • Desire and attachment impact the heart and thyroid
   • Hatred and anger impact the liver and blood
   • Lassitude and delusions impact the brain and kidney

Complementary Treatment For Cancer: Are they effective?

We reiterate that we do not recommend an alternative (“instead of”) treatment approach to cancer. We do recommend a complemantary (“along with”) approach. A complementary treatment for cancer can help to achieve holistic healing, deal with side effects and also minimise your chances of recurrence or spread.

Reflection

• What is your perception about complementary cancer treatments?
• How can you research and prepare yourself to choose the apt course of treatment for your illness?
• How can you play a more active role in your healing?

So you have cancer. What are your treatment options?

After a cancer diagnosis, you have very little time to deal with the shock. Your focus immediately shifts to getting the best course of treatment. And so begins your research. In parallel, you will receive well-meaning, but often conflicting advice, from all directions.

Conventional Treatments

For the vast majority, Conventional treatments (also called “mainstream”) is the primary and default treatment option. This makes complete sense. Highly qualified medical practitioners use hi-tech diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immuno-therapy, widely and successfully. Steady scientific and technological advances – rigorous research, testing, documentation – give you a lot of comfort.

However, you will also hear that mainstream treatments have many “downsides”: they are “toxic”, with “unbearable” side-effects, provide “no guarantees” and “hugely expensive”. (These opinions are partially true, too!)

Alternative Cancer Treatments

Hence, many people will give you contrary advice, to consider alternative cancer treatments. The benefits seem very attractive: they are natural, inexpensive and are often based on ancient, tried-and-tested healing systems.

Alternative means “instead of”.

In fact, some practitioners may even advise you, with great confidence,  to replace or substitute your mainstream treatments with their approaches. This can be risky and we do not recommend it. 

So the question remains: Why are alternative cancer treatments so popular?

• People want treatments that are effective (similar results) and non-toxic (minus the dreadful side-effects)
• Many alternative cancer treatments promise this, based on isolated success stories of miraculous cures
• Increasingly, people distrust doctors, big pharma companies and medical institutions in general. They perceiving them to be greedy and manipulative
• Besides, many people simply miss the human touch of warmth and care. They find it difficult to communicate their real feelings and concerns to their extremely busy doctors.

Not surprisingly, studies indicate that close to 40% of cancer patients have tried at least one non-conventional therapy and many as 80% of them don’t inform their doctors/ insurance providers about this.

New Research Challenges Alternative Cancer Treatments

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, USA published a recent study by the Yale School of Medicine. The study compared 258 users of alternative cancer treatments (case group) with 560 users of conventional treatments (control group). The researchers took care to match the two groups for age, gender, demographics and cancer type (breast, prostate, lung and colorectal). The main findings are:

1. Five-year Survival Rates

• Overall, people who took conventional treatments (control group) were 2.5 times more likely to live for at least 5 years, compared to people who used alternative cancer treatments alone (case group)

• The type of cancer makes a big difference.
  • For breast cancer, the control group was 5 times more likely to live for at least 5 years, compared to the case group
  • For colorectal cancer, the control group was 4 times more likely to live for at least 5 years, compared to the case group
  • And for lung cancer, the control group was 2 times more likely to live for at least five years, compared to the case group
  • However, for prostate cancer, there was little difference in the 5-year survival rates

2. Speed of action is the key

• Conventional treatments are more effective because they work more aggressively and immediately to remove the tumour and arrest its growth.
• Alternative cancer treatments are riskier because they work more slowly. Hence, there is a greater chance of the cancer “advancing” i.e. getting larger in size or spreading to lymph nodes or spreading to distant sites. As a result, the chances of a cure falls drastically.

3. Demographics can play a part

People who chose alternative cancer treatments alone (case group)

• Were mostly better educated women with higher incomes
• Took the ‘alternative’ route despite having more advanced cancers
• A much larger proportion of the case group refused conventional treatments
  • 7% refused surgery (Vs. 0.1% of the control group)
  • 34% refused chemotherapy (Vs. 3.2% of the control group
  • 53% refused radiotherapy (Vs. 2.3% of the control group)
  • 33% refused hormone therapy (Vs. 2.8% of the control group)

4. Important Caveat

The study found no differences in survival rates, once they adjusted for conventional treatment refusal. This means the survival rates are the same if patients take a  complementary approach i.e. use these therapies along with conventional treatments.

Why A Complementary Approach Makes Sense

If you are willing to take a more inclusive approach, we believe you can get the benefits and minimise the risks of conventional and alternative approaches, i.e. the best of both worlds.

Complementary means “along with”

• Cancer is a complex and multi-factorial disease. Naturally, it requires a comprehensive response. A single treatment option is unlikely to address all its aspects
• Different people respond to different treatments. A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may not work. You need a regime that is tailored for you.

To learn more about Complementary approaches to cancer, click here.

Reflection

• What are the pros and cons of conventional and alternative cancer treatments, as YOU see them? What about your family members?
• How open are you to consider complementary therapies alongside mainstream treatment?
• Who can guide you through this process … have you considered finding and working with a Cancer Coach?

Himanshu Roy’s suicide was a tragedy of course. So was the manner of his death: he shot himself with his service revolver. And more so, his motivation: his handwritten suicide note indicated that he was “depressed and frustrated” by his struggle against cancer.

Our hearts goes out to his family, his colleagues and all those who loved and admired him.

It may seem strange that a senior police officer who was ultra-fit and strong, could take his own life like this. We may ask ourselves “how is it that a decorated brave-heart who fought dreaded terrorists and criminals, could not face life after cancer?” But it isn’t as simple as that.

Cancer depression is real

In dealing with cancer, our mental and emotional resilience are at least as important as physical strength.

Himanshu Roy’s medical scan, conducted just 11 days before his death, was revealing. Actually, his cancer was cured.

Dr. Raj Nagarkar, the treating oncologist said, “the medicines had done wonders and all the soft tissues and cancer were almost gone. With positive progress like his, it would be a mistake to say that he killed himself because of the illness. More than the physical problems, it was his state of mind that probably took over.”

Multiple causes of cancer depression

Cancer punches a hole through your sense of self.

1. You realise that life as you knew it, will never be the same again … and that normalcy has been forever redefined.
2. Physical recovery takes time. Emotional/ psychological recovery takes even longer.
3. If you have been active and independent, you find it hard to be vulnerable and depend on others.
4. Returning to work can be disorienting and stressful. You may even start questioning the purpose of your life.
5. Some relationships sour. You may feel that your loved ones and friends have abandoned you.
6. Cancer is financially a big blow. Your well-made plans can feel uncertain or unreachable

Moreover, your social and cultural conditioning present cancer as a “battle to be won”, that getting cancer “somehow diminishes who you are” and that cancer “condemns you to life-long suffering”.

Dealing with cancer depression

As thousands of survivors and thrivers will testify, there can be a new – and better – life after cancer. It takes determined effort to let-go the old normal and create the ‘New Normal’. And in the process, you might just discover a new meaning to your life. Taking these transformative steps, requires patience, care and expertise.

Non-medical care, particularly through holistic practices, nurtures you back to well-being and wholeness. It can help you heal your life.

Cancer coaching can also help you to recognise that the human spirit is far bigger, stronger and more positive than anything cancer can throw at you.

Himanshu Roy was a hero to many, and deservedly so. Mumbai will miss his broad shoulders. But in his tragic and untimely death, he leaves us with a very important message. Let’s take cancer depression seriously and do something about it.

Reflection

•  While the medical treatments are doing the job of treating the disease, how has the cancer journey affected your mental health?
• What steps can you take to deal with the cancer depression, low self-esteem, feeling of loneliness, continuous irritability, lack of will-power etc. during the cancer journey?

Sources

Himanshu Roy Shot Himself In Mouth, Wrote On Cancer Fight In Suicide Note
Himanshu Roy was cured of cancer, says doctor treating him; suicide may not have been connected to disease

Some call it dance.
Others call it movement meditation.
Still others call it presence.

What is dance movement therapy?

It is simply moving your body to changing choreographies, regardless of your ability to coordinate. You focus on getting therapeutic benefits from your rhythmic movements rather than how graceful you look. It also aids healing, slows down aging and improves immunity. That’s why some call it “natural immunotherapy” or “mind-body medicine”. Some scientists prefer psychoneuroimmunology.

There are many types of physical exercise. Research demonstrates that two specific types, vix endurance training and “dancing,” enhance the areas of the brain that generally degenerate with age. However, only dancing leads to behavioral changes with respect to improving balance. This is due to the additional task of learning the dance routine.

Does dance movement therapy actually work?

A cohort of elderly volunteers were assigned to either:

• A sport group, incl. endurance, strength and flexibility
• Or a dance group, incl. changing choreographies that needed to be memorised

Findings

• Both groups showed an increase in the area of the brain known as the hippocampus (susceptible to age-related decline – memory, learning and balance).
• But only the dance group showed a volume increase in more subfields of the left hippocampus and one subfield of the right hippocampus.
• In essence, while both are good, changing choreographies was superior to repetitive exercise. But this doesn’t mean that endurance exercise is not important.

How dance movement therapy aids cancer treatment

According to the Cancer Society, dance increases endorphin levels in the brain and makes one feel comfortable and secure. Besides, dancing or moving the body in a rhythmic way also activates other body systems. This helps to stay healthy and fit.

Specifically for cancer patients, the benefits of dance movement therapy include:

• Developing suitable body tone, image, and self-acceptance.
• Improving confidence and self-awareness.
• Learning to express and control feelings.
• Learn to sort out problems and take proper decisions.
• Dance movement therapy also helps cancer patients better deal with life’s various challenges.
• Resuming and personification  after any traumatic experiences.
• Learning to face relationship challenges like sexuality or intimacy and improving relationship skills.
• Dance movement therapy when conducted in group sessions also help to combat feelings of “why me?”.

What if I just can’t dance?

The effects of dance movement therapy are independent of your perceived ability to move (or even your resistance to “dancing”). Rather, they depend on the extent of your involvement and your connection with the music. If you have “two left feet”, or consider yourself “rhythmically challenged”, have no fear. Movement is innate. Focus on your connection to the music. And let the benefits serve and move you.

Reflection

• How ‘mobile’ are you on a daily basis? How sedentary is your lifestyle?
• What is the best way  integrate dance movement therapy with your treatments?
• Physical fitness, mental health or just having fun … what are you looking to achieve through dance movement therapy?

Source

Neuroscientists reveal the number one exercise for slowing aging process  
Dance Therapy for Cancer Patients 

Author

Dr. Niraj Mehta, MD is a Medical Director, Radiation Oncology based in Miami, USA. He is also the Creative Director of Making Moves Universal and a Cancer Awakens Sherpa. Having closely worked with cancer patients, Niraj wants to make the cancer journey exciting and fulfilling … even a celebration!

Since stress can compromise your immunity and cause illness, it’s time to act. It’s important to assess and release your Stressors. Further, you need to incorporate and build upon your Strengths.

UNCOVER YOUR STRESSORS: TAKE THE HOLISTIC HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE

3 main sources of stress

Stress and cancer recovery are the two sides of the same coin. Your Stressors could be physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual. To begin your healing journey, you need to understand where is the stress coming from.

1. Life History

Each person has a specific life history i.e. the actual events that one has experienced in one’s life. But people also come to believe certain ‘stories’ about themselves, pertaining to these events, where they have unconsciously selected certain aspects of an event and left out others.

2. Lifestyle

Your lifestyle choices are another key source of stress. It includes daily habits  like unhealthy diet, inadequate exercise, work pressure, lack of rest, as well as smoking and drinking.

3. Life-stance

Life-stance or our innate personality could be responsible for your illness. Who we are, our attitudes, our beliefs and assumptions – can in themselves be stressful. Research, though not conclusive, indicates a ‘Type C’ or cancer-prone personality.

Here are some interesting psychological patterns commonly seen in cancer patients:

• A sharp degree of self-absorption, often masked by overt self-denial, self-sacrifice or a sense of perceiving oneself as a victim.
• A tendency to repress emotions and/or an inclination towards self-pity and depression, pointing to a strong shadow or the dark side of the personality.
• Flirting with thoughts of death or having a ‘death wish.’
• Repression (of anger) as a primary psychological defence mechanism, in order to avoid conflict.

Stress and cancer recovery

It’s important to discover strengths and stressors to begin your cancer recovery. There is not enough support to map strengths and Stressors. So we created the Holistic Health Questionnaire – available online – to do this

Here’s how Vijay Bhat mapped his stressors and worked on his strengths during his cancer journey.

[table id=11 /]

Reflections

• What issues do you need to address urgently?
• What personal habits do you need to modify (do more of/less of/let go altogether)?
• Are there any high risk factors that you can spot?
• How can you take responsibility for your stressors and strengths?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who has been there and done that can certainly provide valuable guidance. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

Myths are powerful; they attract us and hold us in awe of the unknown. Unfortunately, they can also blind us to factual truths. Cancer myths are especially dangerous because they quickly turn into distorted and self-perpetuating beliefs, like a game of Chinese whispers. Worse, they grow and spread, much like the disease itself.

5 Cancer Myths: Let’s debunk them!

Here are 5 common Cancer myths and their corresponding factual truths. Please keep these in mind during your healing journey, alongside proper medical advice and help.

Cancer Myth #1: Cancer is a death sentence

Renowned Oncologist and Author, Siddhartha Mukherjee in his book ‘The Emperor of all Maladies’ says:

“Every era casts illness in its own image. Society, like the ultimate psychosomatic patient, matches its medical afflictions to its psychological crises; when a disease touches such a visceral chord, it is often because that chord is already resonating.”

The facts suggest otherwise

Most cancers, if detected early, are curable and many patients are known to enjoy long periods of remission. Treatments usually include some combination of surgery, chemotherapy radiotherapy and bio-therapy. In the US for example, death rates from cancer have been going down since the 1990s . This is largely due to early detection and greater screening (more than 50%) for cancers of the breast, cervix, colon and prostate.

Cancer Myth #2: Cancer is punishment

Acclaimed Essayist and Author, Susan Sontag in her book ‘Illness as Metaphor’ says:

“When diagnosed with cancer, the first question that comes to the patient’s mind is “Why me?” as in “It’s not fair!”   
Speculations of the ancient world made disease most often an instrument of divine wrath. Judgment was meted out either to a community (in the Iliad, Apollo inflicts the plague on the Achaeans in punishment for an abduction)… or to a single person (the stinking wound in Philoctetes’ foot)”.

Unfortunately, the metaphor of cancer as punishment prevails to this day. In India too, there are many who view cancer as “karmic retribution” (payback for wrong deeds committed in one’s previous life). All this obscures the facts and undermines the effectiveness of the cancer treatment the patient is about to receive.

The facts don’t agree

Cancer is caused by a number of triggers and tendencies, ranging from the environment to lifestyle to gene mutation in our cells, causing them to multiply; it is certainly not punishment. You can do a lot to heal from cancer by making the necessary lifestyle changes and following a holistic and integrated approach.

Cancer Myth #3: Cancer is contagious

There are many heart-breaking stories of cancer patients being quarantined or kept in isolation, to prevent cancer from ‘infecting’ other family members. This habit perhaps derives from the mistaken belief that since cancer can and does spread from one organ or body-part to another, it can also spread from one person to another.

Fact: This is simply not true

• Cancer is caused by uncontrolled cell mutation when one of your own cells escapes its natural, ‘birth-growth-division-death’ cycle. It is certainly not contagious. It does not spread from person to person through physical contact or through the air we breathe.
• A majority of cancers (over 80%) have nothing to do with bacteria or viruses. Yes, there are exceptions. For example, the human papilloma virus (HPV) has been linked to cervical cancer. And even cervical cancer is not contagious.
• Cancer can only spread from person to person through an organ transplant and this too is extremely rare. Doctors take adequate precautions to use different sets of sterilized surgical instruments while conducting such sensitive operation.

Cancer Myth #4: Cancer is hereditary

If someone gets diagnosed with cancer, it is common for their family members to start feeling uneasy (some even panic) due to the perceived risk of ‘family history’. Many medical practitioners also over-estimate this risk … and this can add to the fear.

Fact: Research refutes this conclusively

Cancer is essentially not hereditary. Many studies have shown that

• Genetic factors contribute to only 5-10% of cancers
  • In some types of breast cancer or ovarian cancer, specific gene mutations like BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 may lead to a slightly greater risk of cancer in family members
  • Even among identical (monozygotic) twins, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an inherited gene defect
• Lifestyle and environmental factors contribute to as many as 90-95% of cancers. Of these,
  • 30-35% are linked to diet
  • 25-30% to tobacco
  • 15-20% to infection & inflammation
  • 10-15% to obesity
  • Environmental & food pollution, UV radiation, etc. make up the rest

This means your chances of getting cancer are not necessarily higher because your parents or grandparents had it, unless you have inherited a specific gene mutation. Conversely, you are not free from cancer risk, just because no one in your family has suffered from cancer.

Cancer Myth #5: Cancer surgery causes cancer to spread

This probably originated in the 1950’s and 60’s, when early detection and treatment systems hadn’t developed, even in the rich, industrial world. As a result, many people who underwent cancer surgery and found that the cancer had spread to other parts of the body thought that the surgery was the cause or a contributor.

Fact: Detection and surgery more effective now

Today’s modern technology (like PET-CT scans) ensures that not only is the diagnosis more accurate, the surgery too is more effective in excising the cancer.

Lifestyle changes help to prevent occurrence and recurrence of cancer.

If you can take the blindfold off your eyes about these cancer myths, the evidence is clear. Hence, you have much more power than you think. A healthy and wholesome lifestyle is the key. Maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Get adequate rest. Avoid smoking and alcohol. And, most importantly, minimise your stress at all levels: physical, emotional, mental, relational and spiritual. A lot is in your hands!

Reflection

• What are your personal beliefs about these 5 cancer myths?
• How have the facts presented here improved your knowledge and understanding?
• Can you reframe your relationship with cancer on a more factual and scientific basis?
• What lifestyle-related risk factors can you take charge of and work on?

Sources

• Emperor of all Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee
• Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Facts and Figures 2017-18 on the American Cancer Society website

Author

Geeta Sundaram is a freelance Creative Director, with over 20 years of experience spanning several leading advertising agencies in India. She currently lives in Goa with her parents.

“Silence, like a cancer grows …”

That was Simon and Garfunkel in their hauntingly beautiful song ‘Sounds of Silence’.

Many people often choose to avoid mentioning cancer, even with their family and friends. Cancer remains a taboo, including among the educated and the affluent.

Why people avoid the cancer talk

I lost a very dear friend to leukemia in 2007. What hurts me even more is that I was kept completely in the dark about her cancer, until her very last, dying days. It must have been a terribly painful and debilitating experience for her but I ended up feeling hurt and cheated too. I began to question the friendship itself. It was as if the silence had indeed grown to fill the vast gulf it had created between us.

It got me thinking about why folks prefer to stay silent on this subject. Could it be FEAR? Fear of this mysterious disease as patients and families traverse through the five shocks of cancer? Is it the fear of hurting those close to you, since cancer is indeed deadly? Perhaps it is the fear of being judged for your lifestyle habits and choices? Or is it simply anger and depression that can sometimes nudge you to withdraw from social interactions?

Since I never got a chance to ask my friend, I will never know why she kept the news from me. But having spoken to others who have had to deal with cancer in their families, and after doing some reading, I think it is perhaps a combination of all these reasons. Women, particularly, are hesitant and shy when it comes to talking about cancer, especially breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer.

The cancer talk can be empowering

There are many stories of hope and courage out there. Cancer patients seek out ‘Thriver’ stories for inspiration. That leads me to believe that the very first step in healing cancer is finding the courage to talk about it.

• Break the taboo.
• Start by sharing the news of your diagnosis with your immediate family, your close friends, and your employers.
• As you become more comfortable, expand this circle to your extended family, your network of friends and well-wishers.And see what a difference it can make to the way you feel.

People who have done this (like my former colleague, Vijay Bhat) will testify that it can open the floodgates to a torrent of good wishes, encouragement, emotional and moral support, prayers and a lot more. At a time when you may be feeling vulnerable and powerless, this ‘wind-beneath-the wings’ will also help you to reclaim your power and find new resources for your own healing.

A distant aunt of mine – more friend than aunt – was diagnosed with breast cancer and she shared the news openly with family and friends. By the grace of God and the help of good medical treatment, I am happy to say that she too is now fully recovered. Looking at her, you wouldn’t know she was ever down with cancer. Like Vijay, she is so upbeat about life and what it has to offer! Having journeyed through cancer successfully and discovering how fragile life can be, they also now realize its full potential.

Cancer talk for the greater good

There may be no direct correlation between talking about cancer and recovering from it. A lot obviously depends on the type of cancer, how advanced it is, the kind of medical treatment, etc. And there is plenty of research to support the view that maintaining a positive attitude contributes to healing.

Perhaps, it’s also worth considering that when more and more individuals talk openly about cancer their experience, this can improve society’s collective knowledge of this little-understood and deadly disease.

“Silence is not always golden. Not when it comes to cancer.”

Reflection

• What keeps you from having the cancer talk?
• What help do you need to overcome negative emotions like fear, anger, depression or guilt?
• Who are the people in your inner circle that you can share your cancer updates with?
• How soon and how much can you share with your wider circle of relatives, friends, colleagues and well-wishers?

Source

Indian Cancer Society

Author

Geeta Sundaram is a freelance Creative Director, with over 20 years of experience spanning several leading advertising agencies in India. She currently lives in Goa with her parents.

Dubai-based Cancer Thriver Anand Soni underwent autologous stem cell transplant for cancer after he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in Dec 2012. As part of the treatment, he was required to stay in isolation in a four-wall room for 37 days, when he was completely cut off from the world. What did he learn during the isolation after stem cell transplant?

The traumatic cancer journey

My cancer diagnosis tore my world apart. During the next ten months of treatment, I underwent ten chemotherapy sessions and an autologous stem cell transplant to treat the Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Doctors describe an autologous stem cell transplant as one of the world’s most difficult medical processes. The transplant makes it possible to use higher doses of chemotherapy and radiation to treat the cancer. While the higher doses kill the cancer cells, they also severely damage the bone marrow where new cells are formed.

So in the weeks before the treatment, doctors collect the patient’s own stem cells, freeze and store it several times. These stem cells are then released back into the blood intravenously, to restore the bone marrow. During stem cell transplant for cancer, there is a great risk of infection, which is why a period of isolation is crucial. For me, the 37-day isolation period after the stem cell transplant was the most difficult part of the journey.

Imprisoned inside the four-walls

I sat inside the BMT Isolation room, feeling lonely and disconnected. The tiny window was my only connection to the outside world. I watched people running on the road outside, laughing, hugging, enjoying, smiling, celebrating festivals and life.

It brought a smile and it also reminded me of my helplessness. I wondered if I would be able to ever exit theis room or would I simply die there.? The isolation period during the stem cell transplant for cancer was indeed pregnant with all these possibilities.

I longed to breathe the fresh air and see the blue sky. I was waiting to walk again on those roads. How I wished I could be happy again, celebrate life and live my life to the fullest. I wanted to live like I had never lived in the first 44 years of my life before cancer.

The other major event of my isolation was my interaction from a small window with my son (& second cheerleader) Rohan, before he was left for Dubai. I cried like a baby when he came to wish me goodbye. I told him, “Go ahead, my son. Live life to fullest and conquer the world. The world is waiting for you.”

How the isolation after stem cell transplant for cancer transformed me

In the same way that fire purifies gold, cancer made me stronger. Those 37 days, changed me decisively and completely.

I learnt the following lessons:

1) Have an extreme intensity to live.
2) Love life every day, every minute, every second.
3) Celebrate every moment, celebrate every occasion, celebrate festivals, celebrate life.
4) Get involved in everything in life, take risks and go for adventures.
5) One cannot live life as a protocol.
6) Do your best and completely surrender yourself to the Almighty. If God does not approve, you cannot even get up from a chair, even if you try a million times.
7) Live fearlessly, with courage and self-belief. Self-belief is critical in managing isolation and no one can take it away from you.
8) I realized that the world is full of good and exciting people.

Cancer taught me that sheer desperation, utter despair and total helplessness can bring out the best in the person. What began as a deeply traumatic journey became a life-changing experience for me.

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

Reflections

• What are/were your deepest fears during your cancer journey?
• How can you overcome those fears?
• What do you need to change to live a happier and healthier life?
• How will you go about making these changes?

“You have cancer”.

These three words are enough to tear your world apart. While it is a turbulent and testing time for the patient, it creates a see-saw of emotions for the family too. It is very easy to get totally absorbed in the medical treatments and/or get caught up in denial and self-pity. But the situation calls for putting the pieces back together, one by one. The most capable family member is forced to take on the mantle of a caregiver and without any preparation or training, dive into a sea of responsibility. This can be overwhelming!

Who is a caregiver?

 A caregiver is someone who takes care of the cancer patient (usually unpaid). It could be a parent, partner, sibling, close friend or an adult child.

Role of a caregiver

1. Diagnosis stage

• Assisting in diagnosis: The caregiver is required to accompany the patient during the frequent hospital trips and screening tests, ask the right questions and then make informed decisions on the treatment in consultation with the patient and other members of family.
• Managing the finances: Cancer treatment is expensive and having a critical illness cover definitely helps. But if you don’t have an insurance cover then you must dip into your savings or borrow money. You can take a medical loan from your bank. In addition, you can also approach relatives, friends, or your employer. The other option is to seek financial assistance from government, NGOs or charitable trusts. Crowdsourcing from online platforms (like Milaap) is also possible.
  

2. Treatment stage

• Assisting in treatment:  The caregiver’s role is to follow the doctors’ instructions, ensuring the right diet, medications are taken on time, follow ups and after-care.
• Tender loving care: This is a critical component of healing and recovery, particularly when your loved one is in a fragile and vulnerable state. The caregiver needs to manage the patient’s deteriorating emotional state with great love and compassion. Introducing (and even accompanying) the patient to approaches like yoga, meditation, counselling and coaching, which complement the medical treatment, can help the patient regain physical and emotional strength.

3. Post-treatment stage

• Follow-up and aftercare: The treatment may be over but the side-effects and the after-effects need to be dealt with. You would have to follow up persistently to sustain the benefits of the treatment, so there is no relapse. Sometimes the patient undergoes long-term effects (post-traumatic stress). You may need professional/ clinical help for this.
• Step back and move forward: The patient- caregiver relationship is one of co-dependency. During the recovery phase, it’s perhaps time to step back and encourage the cancer patient to take the leap to independence.
  

Tips for caregivers while dealing with cancer in the family

It is common for the caregiver to ignore herself or himself while dealing with cancer in the family. As a result of this, there is stress, depression, irritability, constant weight loss/gain, headache, bodyache, dependence on alcohol/ drugs, and even a breakdown of the relationship itself etc. Here are some tips to help you:

1. Wear your oxygen mask first: It is important that you don’t forget yourself. If you do not eat well, sleep well, be at peace with yourself, you would not have the energy and frame of mind required to fulfill the demanding role of a primary caregiver.
2. Eat to live, not live to eat: Consult experts and research the diet options that the best suits the patient’s requirements. Work out ways that you could make the meal enjoyable. See if you can integrate these new meal choices with the diet of the rest of the family.
3. Acknowledge and accept the struggle: If the experience is overwhelming, look for help. You can get a domestic help, nurse, family and friends to assist you.
4. From pain to transformation: ‘Pain’ makes you realise what is important to you and learn to prioritise it. There will be moments where you can’t cope and want to simply give up. As you cross one hurdle after the other during the process, you will discover new strength.
5. Don’t slide into co-dependence: In the patient-caregiver relationship, the caregiver has power over the patient because patient is dependent on them. That arrangement can be permanent. Give back the power so that both of you become independent of each other.  
6. Take the relationship as a path to wholeness: Make time for yourself and do something that makes you happy be it sleeping, meditation, pursuing a hobby, reading a book, anything. Then direct your newfound ‘strength’ into creative areas.

Reflection

• Finally, the immediacy of cancer is behind you, what are you going to do next?
• What would your new roles be like?
• Do you want to put back the cancer experience behind or learn from it?

This time is an opportunity for a new journey of self-discovery for both the patient and caregiver. While dealing with cancer in the family, you have both grown and it’s a good idea to use the lessons you have learned to maintain your overall well-being.

Read more about Giving Care, click here

For more about Family & Finances, click here

To download a FREE e-book: The Caregivers Manual, click here

Integrative medicine for cancer: How it can help

The current situation with cancer starkly reveals that no single therapeutic approach can fully deal with cancer. But the good news is that different healing systems from around the world may have different and complementary pieces of the puzzle. The question is: How does one combine them – effectively and efficiently?

Each system pursues a specific and a different line of enquiry for cancer. We list below a wide range of therapies – in no particular order and not necessarily exhaustive – that have been effective in treating cancer.

Integrative medicine for cancer: A wide range of therapies

Holistic Practices: Yoga, Qi-gong/ Tai Chi Chuan, etc.

Hatha Yoga & Qi-gong/ Tai Chi Chuan are popular all over the world. They are extremely beneficial for all-round well-being  because they directly reduce stress and keep your immunity in peak condition.

Besides, they detoxify, balance and heal the body, emotions and mind. This happens due to their focus on body movements, breath regulation and attention-intention-visualisation. Both energise (rather than deplete) you, because they replenish your life force (Prana/ Qi). Through this, they also open you to your Higher/ Deeper Self and access its spiritual healing force.

• Hatha Yoga involves stretching and holding certain postures (Asana), followed by breath-work (Pranayama) and meditation (Dhyana).
• Qi-gong/ Tai Chi Chuan involve flowing movements, accompanied by appropriate breath-work.

Exercise

People are now well-aware of the importance of regular exercise for maintaining good health. We recommend that you work out for 30-45 minutes at least 2-3 times a week, for maximum benefits

• Gym Routine: Find a well equipped gym near you. Also ensure that it has a competent instructor to create a routine for strength, stamina, cardio-vascular fitness and flexibility.
• Dance: Join a dance or Zumba class, if you prefer more fun and creative body work.
• Brisk walking, swimming, cycling, etc. are equally enjoyable and effective

Diet & Nutrition

Diet & Nutrition are foundational therapies for cancer. Please consult a qualified dietician/ nutritionist. Ideally, find someone who has previous experience with your condition. Also remember to ask for a specific program which will suit your body-type, constitution and health condition.

Transactional Analysis (TA)

Transactional Analysis is a simple and powerful way to uncover your limiting beliefs and sub-conscious programming. (TA) also provides an excellent cognitive framework to understand dysfunctional relationships. We recommend that you take a 1-day basic course, to begin with. Thereafter, you can consider working one-on-one with a TA practitioner to discover your Life-script.

NLP, Hypnotherapy & The Work

These are effective ways to re-program your negative, disabling thoughts and replace them with more appropriate, life-enabling thoughts. We suggest you find and work with a trained practitioner in your area.

• NLP (NeuroLinguistic Programming): It involves initiating a healthy conversation between the conscious and unconscious mind so as to aid healing.
• Clinical Hypnotherapy: works at many levels, including Past Life Regression (PLR) to resolve karmic issues and Foreign Energy Removal. The EKAA Foundation, formerly known as California Hypnosis Institute, founded by Dr. Sunny Satin is doing active work in this field.
• The Work: As part of this process, you will learn to identify and question your thoughts that trigger cancer and impede healing.

Louise Hay Affirmations

Louise Hay is a world-renowned author and practitioner. We recommend you attend a Louise Hay workshop, to learn and practice some powerful affirmations. Also, you can get daily affirmations from her popular website: http://www.louisehay.com/affirmations/

Meridian Therapies

This is an emerging field of Energy medicine, which combines Western psychology with Energy work based on Chinese Acupressure. These therapies can quickly relieve even chronic physical problems by releasing deep-rooted emotional trauma or entanglements.

• Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT): Founded by Gary Craig, you can learn the technique from EFT Universe. For best results, you could also work with an experienced practitioner
• Tapas Acupressure Technique (TAT): Founded by Tapas Fleming,you can learn the technique from TATLife or an experienced practitioner.

Family Therapies

Integrative medicine for cancer includes a range of therapies and practices to address systemic issues such as problems within the family or key relationships.

• Family Constellation Therapy. Bert Hellinger is the doyen of this approach.
• The Journey: Developed by Brandon Bays, who healed herself from cancer, this method is also excellent for releasing psycho-social stressors in your body and in your system.

Meditative Practices

There are many prayers and meditative practices from different psycho-spiritual traditions from around the world to help deal with spiritual issues. You can also look within your own faith / religion for ease, comfort and familiarity, if you wish. Additionally, some powerful approaches are:

• Psycho-Synthesis: Founded by Roberto Assagioli, this branch of psychology integrates spiritual practices and offers very good techniques.
• Shadow-work: We highly recommend that you do a workshop or work with a Jungian psycho-analyst. This can help you uncover and embrace your Shadow-material in more depth.

Immunity: your best defence against illness

We often underestimate the role of immunity in cancer. The immune system is your best defence both against the occurrence and recurrence of cancer. The human body routinely produces potentially cancerous cell mutations which the immune system detects, deals with and flushes out. As a result, cancer (and illness) can only take hold when your immune system is compromised.

Illness, Stress and Immune System Functioning

Stress is a major problem of our times. Besides, many people have a limited understanding of what stress means and how serious it is.

Stress can originate at various levels within a person – physical, mental, emotional, systemic and spiritual.

First of all, you need to uncover your stressors and their triggers. In addition, you can take specific actions to heal from them too. This discovery and recovery restores peak stress and immune system functioning.

Psychoneuroimmunology

The science of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) states that the mind – where we experience stress – and the body – where illness manifests – are closely linked. Your feelings and emotions produce specific neurotransmitters in the brain.

Then the circulatory system carries these emotional imprints throughout the body. Your immune system identifies these as threatening and tries to fight them. No wonder, these perceived threats distract the stress and immune system functioning from doing its real job. Hence, you become more susceptible to illness.

The science of mind-body medicine

Psycho-neuro-immunology proves the mind-body connection. stress and immune system functioning in your mind compromises your immunity and leads to illnesses, including cancer.

Reflection

• Review your key lifestyle factors. Are there any changes you feel you can make here?
• What is the recurring chatter that goes on in your mind? How can you deal with it?
• Also what are your ‘feel-good’ strategies to release endorphins in your body? How well do you balance the stress in your life with calm and tranquility?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who has been there and done that can provide valuable guidance. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

Free Downloads!

The Cancer Awakens team has carefully curated and compiled our key articles into eBooks that are easy to download, print and share. Words of advice and encouragement to keep going through your cancer journey.

As you go through the eBooks, we urge you to make notes, write down your questions, capture your thoughts and reflect on insights.

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What this book is about
In ‘Cancer Basics’, we explain in simple terms, the common cellular process of cancer in the human body, along with its causes, treatments and stages. When you are better informed, you can have better conversations with your doctors and with your family.

In this book you will find

• How cancer occurs and why it causes death
• Cancer staging and how to talk about it
• What really causes cancer and,
• How you can approach cancer treatment

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What this book is about
In this particular e-book ‘How Cancer Awakens Us’, we show you how serious illness can serve as a ‘wakeup’ call. And we propose a new and empowering way to look at your cancer experience and to transform it into a journey of personal growth.

In this book you will find

• A fresh perspective on dealing with your cancer diagnosis
• How to change the way you and your loved ones talk about cancer
• How to honour your cancer
• And finally, how cancer can actually empower you!

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[su_tab title=”3. Supplementing Cancer Therapy”]
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What this book is about
In this particular e-book ‘Supplementing Cancer Therapy – Part 1’, we explain what a holistic and integrated approach to cancer means, and provide you a peek into three different therapies that can help you in your healing journey.

In this book you will find

• An introduction to holistic and integrated approaches to cancer
• Different views of cancer and illness
• How different systems understand cancer
• A glimpse of how Homeopathy, Ayurveda and Hypnotherapy approach cancer

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/03supplement-cancer-therapies.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]
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What this book is about
In this book we explore EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique which is a touch-based therapy based on the discovery that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Learn the basics of EFT and read about how people deal with the emotional strain of going through cancer or providing care to someone with cancer.

In this book you will find

• An introduction to EFT and videos on tapping techniques
• Why EFT resonates with cancer patients and caregivers
• A series of interviews with Jasmine Bharathan, a senior facilitator and EFT practitioner
• Case studies on how EFT has benefited cancer patients and caregivers

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What this book is about
This e-book is the third part in the series ‘Supplementing Cancer Therapy. ‘ Breast cancer thriver, Gunjan Mohanka, interviews Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar, a Tibetan medicine practitioner, and we read about how Tibertan medicine can help heal cancer. Gunjan’s own experiences with her cancer diagnosis, surgeries and Tibetan medicine are also chronicled. We also provide a peek into Reflexology and Yoga as therapeutic modalities for cancer patients and thrivers.

In this book you will find

• Information about Tibetan medicine and it’s healing powers
• A breast cancer survivors journey with Tibetan medicine
• How reflexology can be used as a complementary therapy during cancer treatment
• How Yoga can help combat cancer

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What this book is about
‘The Caregiver’s Manual’ speaks about how a caregiver can deal with the treatment and care of a person with a chronic illness. The eBook gives you advice and tips, from personal experience of the author, about lending physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual support to your loved one, while taking care of your own needs.

In this book you will find

• Understanding your role
• Taking care of yourself
• Being compassionate with yourself and the patient
• How you can substantially increase tolerance and patience

Author
This eBook has been written by Sangeeta Bhagwat. She plays the roles of an Author, Intuitive Therapist, Complementary and Energy Healing Practitioner, and Life Coach. A prolific writer, Sangeeta has authored four books and a fifth is awaiting publication. More details on her books, their translations, poems, stories, blogs and print & web articles are available at relevant pages on this site.

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[su_tab title=”5. Immunity & Cancer”]

What this book is about
In this particular e-book ‘Immunity and Cancer’, we talk about the emerging field of psycho-neuro-immunology (PNI) that explains how stress in the mind can lead to disease in the body. We explore little known facts about the immune system and how it works. Finally, we talk about how a holistic approach to immunity can help in detection of cancer and action against it.

In this book you will find

• Little known facts and new discoveries about the immune system
• The sensitivity and power of the immune system
• A holistic approach to immunity

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Immunity-and-Cancer1.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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[su_tab title=”6. Stress & Cancer”]

What this book is about
In this particular e-book ‘Stress and Cancer’, we explain the relationship between stress, immunity and cancer. Learn about the different types of stress and its effect on the human body. We introduce the different ‘stressors’ that each person experiences in their lives and the different kinds of hormonal reactions our body has to stress.

In this book you will find

• Videos to understand stress better
• The difference between ‘good’ stress and ‘bad’ stress
• The five stressors
• The effects of adrenaline and other hormones on our bodies

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Stress-and-Cancer1.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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[su_tab title=”7. Cancer Thrivers”]
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What this book is about
In this book we share the inspiring stories and insights of two courageous women who faced cancer and were transformed by their experiences.

In this book you will find

• A story that starts with intensive medical treatment and continues further into a Holistic and Integrated regime.
• A peek into a better and healthier lifestyle change
• A courageous story of regaining one’s identity after cancer
• How you can be a thriver after breast cancer

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Cancer-Thrivers-Part-11.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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What this book is about
This e-book is the second part in the series ‘Cancer Thrivers. ‘ We explore inspiring perspectives on living with and overcoming cancer from the eyes of two thrivers and two doctors.

In this book you will find

• A story of survival and growth
• An insight about how wisdom can arise from trauma
• How you can gain strength and inner peace
• How you can have hope and be optimistic

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Cancer-Thrivers-Part-21.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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What this book is about
There are few events that can throw your life off track like a loved-one’s cancer diagnosis. In this particular e-book ‘Tips for Caregivers’, we share practical advise and knowledge that we wish we knew during our experience with cancer.

In this book you will find

• The cancer journey from a caregiver’s perspective
• How to cook and care for a loved one who is diagnosed with cancer
• How you can acknowledge and accept the struggle of taking care of someone with cancer
• How to care for oneself through this difficult journey

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Tips-for-Caregivers-Part-11.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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What this book is about
This is the second book in the series ‘Tips for Caregivers’ where we share practical advise and knowledge that we wish we knew during our experience with cancer.

In this book you will find

• How to move from pain to transformation
• How not to slide into a co-dependent relationship
• How you can encourage your loved one to be more independent

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Tips-for-Caregivers-Part-21.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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What this book is about
In this book we learn about the experience of being admitted as a patient through the eyes of cancer thriver, Ameena Meer. Ameena was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer in 2009 and is now considered ‘cured’ by doctors.

In this book you will find

• Advise on how one can deal with cancer diagnosis
• What to expect during chemotherapy
• Things to do before you check in at the hospital for your treatment

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Surviving-Hospitalisation-11.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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[su_spoiler title=”Part 2″]

What this book is about
This e-book is the second part in the series ‘Surviving Hospitalisation’. In this book we learn about the experience of being admitted as a patient through the eyes of cancer thriver, Ameena Meer. Ameena was diagnosed with a rare form of uterine cancer in 2009 and is now considered ‘cured’ by doctors.

In this book you will find

• How your attitude can turn the scariest hospital into a warm loving place
• How to talk to nurses and make friends with doctors
• How you can keep yourself cheerful during your hospital stay
• What are some absolute essentials you must have while at the hospital

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Surviving-Hospitalisation-21.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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What this book is about

In this particular e-book ‘The Cost of Cancer (Part 1)’, we share how you can financially plan for yourself and your family on the long-drawn and costly path of cancer treatment.
Special thanks to the reputed financial wizard, Lovaii Navlakhi, for contributing this series of articles.

In this book you will find

• How you can be prepared to face the high costs of cancer treatment
• What important insurance options you should consider

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/The-Cost-Of-Cancer-11.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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[su_spoiler title=”Part 2″]

What this book is about
In this particular e-book ‘The Cost of Cancer (Part 2)’, we share how you can financially plan for yourself and your family on the long-drawn and costly path of cancer treatment.
Special thanks to the reputed financial wizard, Lovaii Navlakhi, for contributing this series of articles.

In this book you will find

• What you can do when you are diagnosed with cancer and unprepared financially
• How to claim your insurance
• How you can get back on your feet post treatment

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/The-Cost-of-Cancer-21.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

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As the outside world eagerly looks for a cancer cure, Tibetan medical doctors in the Indian sub-continent diagnose and treat cancer patients every day. The Legacy of Menla is a fresh portrayal of cancer, from the perspective of Tibetan Medicine.

The Legacy of Menla is named for Sangye Menla, the Buddha of Medicine in the Tibetan Cosmology. Legend says that the foundations of the Tibetan Medical system – its theories and curing methods – were expounded by Sangye Menla.

This body of precious medical knowledge, assert Tibetan doctors, is still relevant in curing and managing modern diseases, such as cancer, and bringing health and happiness to all. Up to now, Sangye Menla is still revered as the source of inspiration for doctors and for the health workers.

About the film

The film follows Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar, in his practice, as he treats patients, and includes interviews with people who have been cured of cancer through his treatment.

Dr. Dorjee is the Chief Medical Officer of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute, Bangalore, India, and is well known in the world for his experience in treating and managing cancer through Tibetan Medicine.

The film aims to bring a responsible view to its audience. It does not dismiss modern medicine, and does not position Tibetan Medicine as the “next miracle cure” for cancer. Yet, it aims to provides enough insight into the mind-body connection and the effectiveness of Tibetan Medicine to evoke the viewers’ curiosity.

Excerpts from an interview with the filmmakers

Alex Co, in a private interview with Cancer Awakens, shared an interesting personal experience during filming this documentary.

He said, “Adrian, my co-producer tried the Tibetan way of pulse diagnosis. Just by checking the Adrian’s pulse, the doctor confirmed that his breathing was constricted (tight chest).

Moreover, the doctor could “feel” that Adrian is “thinking too much” and advised him to mentally relax. I laughed at the peculiar remark, and asked if it is possible to tell what kind of thoughts bother Adrian.

The doctor was accurate enough to say that the nature of the thoughts are “about the future” and “competition”. Adrian was indeed worried about those especially during those days of our filming. That convinced us that the mind is intricately connected with the body (it is even “visible” from a person’s pulse), which is a very central tenet of Tibetan Medicine from the beginning.

Cancer Awakens also asked Alex if the documentary changed his views on cancer treatment in any way. His answer was interesting.

“Before (the documentary), I thought that Tibetan Medicine rarely treats cancer and other “big” diseases. After this experience, I discovered there have been numerous people who have gone to Tibetan doctors to be treated. It was much more common than I first thought.”

Lessons from the movie

1. I learned that cancer as a disease is not “separate” from the body. It is essentially an imbalance of the body’s energies, albeit a protracted, severe and multi-layered one. Therefore, treatments in general remain focused in balancing the body’s energies naturally, not artificially concocted to remove an “alien” substance.
2. Second, because cancer is very connected to the patient’s emotions (particularly the negative), the moment the patient meets a Tibetan doctor, the encounter will leave him/her with a lot of self-understanding and self-confidence. This may be one of the most important assets Tibetan doctors have. Due to these two reasons, Tibetan doctors in general approach cancer with much calm and acceptance.
3. I learnt that there’s a lot of responsibility on the patient too! I saw a few patients reprimanded by a doctor because they continue taking prohibited food items. This will slow the medicine’s overall efficacy in bringing back the balance. The doctor and patient must work together.
4.  Also, many times, for the first part of the treatment, many cured cancer patients revealed how they felt “worse” or felt no improvement, and considered stopping the treatment. Only when the doctors re-assured them of continuing with the full treatment scheme did they continue and so reaped the benefit.
5. Last but not the least, the experience reminded me to remain light and positive, for my health and the health of all those around me!”

More information

Legacy of Menla Facebook Page

About the filmmakers

Filmmakers Alex Co and his co-producer, Adrian Szaki, are from St. Andrew’s University, Scotland. They are curious about people like Dr Dorjee who take a unique path in life, and make films that open their viewers to diverse world views.

They have also made the full-length film, Daughters of Dolma, about modern-day Tibetan Buddhist Nuns. www.facebook.com/daughtersofdolma

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The fourth part in this series focuses on the real effects that a patient’s mental, emotional and spiritual well being can have on their health before, during and after a medical procedure. We are introduced to doctors and hospitals who provide holistic care to their patients and through this, are able to achieve extraordinary levels of measurable success.

When patients feel better, they tend to get better

Bill Moyer’s helps us to understand that the mind-body-spirit approach is so successful because it is ‘patient-centred’, whereas conventional medicine is ‘disease-centred’.

Uncertainty is a terrible illness

One way in which doctors can achieve better results from major procedures is to give the patient and their families as much information as possible.

The interviews examine both the positive and negative effects that a person and their family’s collective mental state has on their ability to handle the stress of a surgery.

Often, doctors do not give patients and their carers enough information and assurance … the resulting fear and anxiety can compromise how a patient fares during and after the procedure. Studies show that patients who are better educated by their doctors, fare better during their post-operative recovery phase.

Great doctors address people as people

Sometimes, science can get in the way and the processes in hospitals can become overly mechanical and transactional. It is important that patients don’t simply become body parts on a assembly line.

There has to be an emotional connection, characterised by caring touches and empathy, between doctor and patient (and their families/carers). People want a healing presence and therefore it is essential that doctors ‘acknowledge personhood’ and can share in the emotional state of the patient.

Holistic healing approaches to complement modern medicine

1. Doctor vouches for integrating native American healing techniques in treatment

Moyers interviews a devout Baptist Christian chief of medicine who says that using Native American healing techniques has tremendous benefits. He says that alternative medicine like that used by Native Americans for spiritual healing, can help to calm patients; the spirit must also be considered a part of the body.

2. Community plays an important role in healing

In inner city hospitals in Texas, doctors have begun to work better with patients in the Hispanic community by understanding why they go to local community healers and what treatments they get from them.

Some of the alternative treatments (floral teas, for example) contain the same chemicals that Western medicine would have prescribed and by connecting with the patient’s community, doctors can calibrate their prescription accordingly. Indeed, the best place for mind-body-spirit medicine may be the community, rather than the hospital. Understanding the patient’s community background and faith and then building on those strengths is good medical practice!

3. Stress affects even newborn babies

In the premature baby ward, Moyers finds out how stress affects even new-born babies and how the nurses provide care to both the babies and their anxious parents. They become ‘2nd mothers’, sharing in the parents’ joy when things go well and in their grief when circumstances take a turn for the worst. They are almost as emotionally invested in the babies’ well-being as the parents and this, they say, help in the babies’ development at such a critical, precarious stage.

4. Hospital incorporates mind-body-spirit techniques

Mid-Columbia Medical Centre (MCMC) is another place, where many of the mind-body-spirit techniques are regularly practiced, and their wonderful results quietly celebrated. As Hippocrates said thousands of years ago, “we have to heal the soul” through music, laughter and massage.

Such therapeutic techniques are consistently implemented at MCMC, based on the insight that fear contributes to the perception of pain and negative emotions can counter the positive effects of medication.

• MCMC makes the physical environment as welcoming and comfortable as possible.
• There are no visiting hours, so families and especially children can be at their loved one’s bedside whenever they wish.
• They provide pull-out beds in each room so that carers can stay the night if they choose to.
• Each ward comes with a private kitchen so carers can cook ‘comfort food’ for the patient and give them that extra sense of familiarity in what can otherwise feel like an alien place.

Cure & Care

These examples show that the mind-body-spirit approach, which focuses on simple values and uses common sense, can very easily and comfortably complement modern medicine, to reap real rewards for doctors, patients and their families alike.

Reflection

• How can you have better and more relevant discussions with your doctors?
• What are the right questions to ask them? Can you draw up a list with the help of a knowledgeable person?
• How can you incorporate the mind-body-spirit approaches in your treatments, with the support of your doctors?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

More from this series

Holistic healing for cancer: A full-spectrum approach

Mainstream medicine may propagate a singular view to illnesses and cancer. But the key to holistic healing for cancer is to understand how our bodies function and how illness affects it.

Based on available research, we propose four different views of the body and illness. While each view has its own considerations and implications, no single view is likely to be fully right. The challenge – and opportunity – is to hold all these views simultaneously to achieve overall healing.

1. The Body as a Machine

Here, you view the body purely as a machine, made up of many moving parts that function mechanically and repetitively. Illness is then the malfunction of a particular part. Healing involves either removing, repairing or replacing the faulty part. The physician, the doctor, the oncologist is fully in charge and directs the healing, which the patient receives passively.

2. The Body as a System

Here the body is a system. It consists of many moving parts that are interconnected and interdependent. Hence, illness is a systemic breakdown. Healing involves repairing or replacing the affected part along with addressing other parts of the body that may be impacted as a result. Once again, the physician leads the process with the patient participating to some extent.

3. The Body as an Organism

Through this perspective, we can view the body as an intelligent being, displaying a conscious intent. You know that your body is indeed alive, you know it is intelligent and you sense its intent. Illness is seen as a signal or a message from the body. However, you need to respond to your illness by working with it, as a partner.

Healing at this level therefore involves understanding and constant communication between the patient and his body as well as between the patient and the physician. In this paradigm, the locus of responsibility has clearly shifted. The patient has to participate actively and as an equal in the healing process.

4. The Body as a Symbol

When the body is seen as a symbol, it becomes a physical manifestation of a deeper impulse, a canvas of consciousness through which the soul expresses itself. In this view, illness is seen as the bodily manifestation of a distress, conflict or disharmony that is buried in the psyche.

The patient needs to rediscover the lost aspects of the self, acknowledge and reclaim them and, ultimately, reintegrate them with the self in a healthy manner. By doing so, the patient is able to become ‘whole’ again. Thus, the patient is the prime mover and takes full responsibility for his journey and its outcome. The physician (or therapist/coach) guides, advises and gives feedback. The process is transformative, but requires great courage, self-awareness and compassion.

Achieving holistic healing for cancer: your active participation is crucial

The four views of the body as a mechanism, system, organism and symbol can be placed on a spectrum ranging from the scientific (physical/outward/passive involvement) to the symbolic (psycho-spiritual/inward/active involvement), providing an easy framework for you to understand and address your illness and healing. The next step is to devise your own healing based on this renewed understanding.

Reflections

• How do you view your illness? What role would you like to play in your healing – passive or active?
• What issues do you need to address urgently? Are there any high risk factors that you can spot?
• Now that you are looking to achieve not just physical but holistic healing for cancer how can you use this framework when you discuss your own treatment options?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who have been there, done that can certainly make you better informed. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

A stress-busting play-shop to Love, Accept, Forgive your way to emotional freedom and health. Come understand the healing power of these themes in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Learn innovative meridian therapies and targeted affirmations and experience their multiplied effect when done in a supportive group setting.

• Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) establishes the link between stress-immunity-illness and is the science behind mind-body medicine.
• Breast Cancer has a strong co-relation with unresolved emotional stress around Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Letting-go.
• The purpose of this periodic workshop-cum-support group is to help participants regularly identify their stressful emotional issues and LAF & Let Go them to secure their long-term health.
• Mind-body medicine tools including EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and Healing Affirmations will be used to release the stressful emotions. Done collectively, the results are further amplified.
• Subtle shifts and deep healing are known to occur. Participants often resolve chronic stress and achieve a new level of peace and acceptance.
• The easy to learn techniques in this LAF & Let Go session have lasting therapeutic benefits and will support and enhance all round Wellbeing and Relationships.

Nilima conducts LAF and Let Go sessions widely. She was invited to conduct LAF and Let Go at the 6th World Conference on Breast Cancer in Hamilton, Canada, among other places.

Is the brain, our hardware and the mind, our software?

What is the mind? Where is it located? Is it the same as the brain, or just its mental activity? Is the 3 pound gelatinous brain-mass capable of encompassing the large spectrum of feelings, ideas and thoughts we have?

Until recently, scientists had excluded ‘mind’ from the scientific equation simply because thoughts and emotions are intangible and subjective.

Only in the early 20^th century did psychosomatic medicine (treatment of illnesses that have no physiological origin, or simply, the understanding and treatment of illness that begins in the mind) come into being with the works of pioneering psychologists like Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung and others.

Are the tangible and the intangible connected?

Today’s scientists and doctors are beginning explore, understand and test the ‘mind-body connection’by asking some fundamental questions.

“If we are all exposed to the same set of pathogens, why do only some of us get sick and not all of us?”

“Can our thoughts, emotions and personality affect our health?”            

Through the work of renowned experts like Dr. David Felten, Dr. Robert Ader and Dr. Candace Pert, science is beginning to incorporate the mind and emotions back into a fuller understanding of human physiology.

Dr. David Felten, Neuroscientist, University of Rochester

Until recently, the immune system, our first line of defence against disease, was thought to be autonomous ie, it operated without the influence of the mind.

David Felton discovered a network of nerve fibres in the immune system, providing the first indications of how neuro-immune interactions occur. This discovery then led to the next set of questions

• Can the immune system be taught?
• Can the brain regulate the immune system?

Robert Ader, Psychologist, University of Rochester

Robert Ader attempted to answer these questions through laboratory experiments (with rats) and showed that a signal from the nervous system can directly affecting immune function. He went on to conduct a similar experiment on an 11-year old girl with lupus (an auto immune disease). By systematically teaching the immune system to respond in a particular way, she now requires only a small dosage of the medication and has normal daily functioning.

Candice Pert, Neuropharmacologist

Candace Pert’s research proves that our cells ‘talk to one another’ and this communication is made possible by chemical messengers called ‘neuropeptides’ – a string of amino acids. These chemical messengers, which were once thought to be found in the brain alone, were later found to be present everywhere in the body, notably in the digestive system. Referred to as ‘molecules of emotion’ they are the bio-chemical link between the mind and the body.

Dr. Dean Ornish, Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Dean Ornish has proved that heart disease can actually be reversed making significant lifestyle changes through interventions like low intensity exercise (yoga), low-fat vegetarian diet, visualizations/meditations and group therapy. He is a strong believer and advocate of a holistic approach and his program has had dramatic and long-lasting results.

Bio-feedback

Biofeedback is a way to quantify and measure the mind-body connect. The principle behind it is to enable an individual to alter their brain activity, blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, galvanic skin response (GSR) by themselves.

Certain sensors –  electromyographic (EMG) and electrodermal (EDR) – provide visual and auditory information, which allows the patient to monitor his/her own heart rate, skin temperature, breathing patterns etc. The patient is then taught to use focused concentration to increase or decrease them as required.

Moyers witnesses a 10-year old girl (suffering from migraine) being able to reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches with the help of biofeedback machines.

With this and other ongoing research, Bill Moyers unveils the scientific foundations for a mind-body approach that weaves together eastern and western approaches to healing!

Reflection

• Which ‘power of the mind’ techniques can you use to release your stressors and improve immunity?
• What lifestyle changes can you make towards a healthier diet along with exercise, yoga or dance therapy?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya Ramaswamy felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

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You could be a thriver too

Ian Gawler was a young Australian vet and athlete who developed bone cancer and had one leg amputated in 1975. Later that year the cancer returned.

Ian then developed an effective self-help program with the key principles: healthy diet, positive attitude, meditation and loving support. Ian made a remarkable recovery. Considered a modern-day miracle, he is widely recognised and quoted around the world.

He shares his personal experience as a cancer ‘thriver’ in this practical and inspiring guide for recovery and healing. Regarded as a revolutionary book when first published in 1984, it has become a classic the subject of cancer prevention and management.

Gawler’s ideas, which were described as ‘mumbo-jumbo’ by a skeptical media at the time of publication have since received substantial scientific recognition and validation.

Meditation is as important as medication

Ian emphasizes the importance of regular meditation to support healing. Through step-by-step activities that can easily be incorporated into our daily routine, he shows us how meditation can lead to better health, both mental and physical.

The Need for a Healthy Diet

Beyond just talking about the importance of a balanced diet, Gawler provides an elaborate diet chart and guidelines that can be customised to your needs.

“A healthy diet is the gateway to recovery”

Ian Gawler’s personal experience, coupled with his tremendous wisdom gained from running cancer support groups,  gives this book a rare depth and richness that is sure to enrich the lives of survivors and care givers alike.

In 1987, Ian was awarded the Order Of Australia medal in recognition of his services to the community … he is a real inspiration to us all!

Reflection

• What negative thoughts come to your mind every time there is an obstacle or setback during your cancer journey?
• How can transform the negativity to hope?
• Where can complementary therapies like meditation, yoga, diet etc. come in to support medical treatment?
• What lifestyle changes can you make to aid healing?

Source

Book: “You Can Conquer Cancer” by  Ian Gawler (This link is for your information only. We do not earn any commissions/ fees when you click it and/or when you purchase the book.)

Author

Bushra Shariff is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College Bangalore. She is keenly interested in paranormal phenomena and what she calls the ‘collective unconscience’.

More from this series

Patients dread chemotherapy and radiotherapy because they are toxic. In targeting cancer cells, they can also damage healthy cells and tissues, though not everyone develops the same side effects or experiences and to the same degree.

How can you bring your own attitude (mind) and inner resources (divine self) to bear on the treatments so that you can be an active partner in your healing and generate the best possible healing outcome?

Here is a healing visualization we teach our clients, and it is based on the same principles of the cellular healing meditation described earlier in the book.  It is to be practised during your chemotherapy/radiotherapy session.

Using positive visualization and prayerful intention, the aim is to ‘divinise’ your treatments so as to direct the flow of drugs or radiation and specifically target the cancer cells. You will also simultaneously irrigate your body-mind with the healing vibrations of peace so that healthy body tissues and cells are protected from the toxicity of the treatments.

To read the full Visualisation please download the PDF

[spu popup=”17164″]Download Visualisation PDF[/spu]

Cellular Healing Meditation for Cancer

The core premise is both simple and profound: You can actively participate & enhance  your own healing.

Convention and common practice operates on the principle that healing happens from the outside (via doctors and medicines) and that you receive it passively (often under anesthesia)! Instead of this, the Holistic & Integrated approach says:

• You can enter into a ‘dialogue’ with your body
• Thereby, you can ‘partner’ and ‘assist’ your body in the healing process
• Besides, you can use your intention and will to ‘engage energetically’ at the cellular level
• Finally, you don’t need to rely only on your cognitive abilities alone. You can connect with your Higher Self and call upon its spiritual resources to enhance the healing process

The Cellular Healing Meditation For Cancer is so named because it is based on this insight:

“Emotional and mental states play a significant role both in susceptibility to and recovery from all disease, including cancer. If the total integrated system of body, mind and emotions, which constitutes the whole person is not working in the direction of health, then purely physical interventions may not succeed.”

Key Components

The Cellular Healing Meditation For Cancer is a unique and comprehensive practice. It brings together many of the world’s most potent, catalytic elements from transformational practices and teachings.

• Physical movements & breath-work (from Yoga): Direct the flow of life-force (prana) and healing energy through to the cells
• Double-spiral meditation symbol (Yantra): The ‘golden ratio’, which draws from sacred geometry, is considered as the blueprint of all creation. The symbol performs a dual role: it ‘shreds’ your damaged cells and it also re-aligns your healthy cells
• Water, the universal solvent: Flushes out toxins – physical as well as emotional and mental
• Chanting (Mantras are vibrational keys) & positive affirmations: Unlock latent spiritual forces within and also bring them to bear on healing

3 Pillars of the Cellular Healing Meditation for Cancer

1. Relaxation & Visualisation

Holistic Health pioneers like Carl & Stephanie Simonton, Lawrence Le Shan, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Deepak Chopra have shown that such psychological techniques significantly enhance your healing response. Surprisingly, most people are unaware of their astonishing success rates when it comes to cancer recovery and survival rates.

• Relaxation: breaks tension and fear; helps you accept your body as a partner in the healing process
• Self-awareness: enables you to dig deep into your motivations, aspirations and distortions
• Mental imagery: actively and positively influences the immune system

2. Psycho-Neuro-Immunology (PNI)

Additionally, renowned experts like Candace Pert and Larry Dossey discovered psycho-neuro-immunology as the indisputable science behind ‘mind-body’ medicine.

3. Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother

Besides, there is a strong spiritual foundation too.

Health is an optimum state of dynamic equilibrium between the energies acting at different planes of consciousness. Illness is a disequilibrium at any plane of consciousness resulting in a disharmony, which can be corrected by moving to a higher plane of consciousness and a higher level of harmony. Ascribing ‘meaning’ to illness is to accept and use it to raise one’s plane of consciousness.

How To Practise

In our experience, you will gain the maximum benefit if you practise with utmost sincerity, once a day for 28 days, without a break

• Download the audio tracks and the Yantra and save them on your smartphone.
• Find a quiet place and a time slot when you won’t be disturbed. Ideally, do it in the same place and at the same time each day, so you settle into a nice ‘rhythm’
• Also remember you need to create the right mood. It will help to light a lamp and/ or an incense stick
• Use headphones or good speakers for best effect. Set the volume at a moderate level, not too loud
• Sit on a comfortable chair
• Keep a glass or bottle of water within easy reach
• All you have to do is to follow the guidance. We have intentionally set a gentle pace
• Another thing you can do is to invite a loved one or a buddy to join you in the practice. Many people report that the impact multiplies when two (or more) people practice together
• Keep a notebook/ journal and a pen handy, to capture any insights that come up during and after the meditation

Free Downloads

We provide 2 versions of this powerful practice. Both versions aim for the same outcome: for you to target and heal every cell of your body

1. Cellular Healing Meditation For Cancer: By Nilima Bhat

• Consists of 8 downloadable audio tracks; total duration 45 min.
• Suited for people who are more spiritually inclined and comfortable with universal (Sanskrit) chants.

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2. Cellular Healing Meditation For Cancer: By Vijay Bhat

• Consists of the full downloadable audio track; total duration 40 min
• For ease of use, this has been further broken into 4 sections; approx 10 min each
• Suited for people who prefer a more secular approach

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3. Yantra

Click here to download the Yantra. You can save it on your smartphone or you can keep a print-out handy for the meditation.

Client Feedback

This client had a ‘miraculous’ outcome after practicing the Cellular Healing Meditation for Cancer, for the recommended period.

“I felt that the visualizations in the meditation, actually had a positive ‘physical’ effect on the body. I believe that the cellular meditation resulted in sending positive energy and signals to the cancerous cells to cure/balance themselves. After the practice, my stage 4 tumors melted away (PET scan completely negative) and the anticipated surgery was not needed. I believe that this could not have been only because of the chemo + radiation treatments. I feel quite certain that the meditation accelerated my recovery.”

 Another piece of feedback from a workshop participant, where we taught the practice:

“Nilima’s wonderful healing meditation helped during my recovery from difficult surgeries.  In moments of anxiety & depression, I always relied on these healing techniques  and I give Nilima a lot of credit for helping me come out of difficult times

Cancer traumatizes the family as much as it does the individual. But the implications for the primary caregiver and the rest of the family are largely ignored. Dealing with cancer in the family is not easy. Further, cancer can cement some family relationships, while in others, it can break them.

4 Important tips for caregivers

Nilima Bhat was Vijay’s primary caregiver when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in Dec 2001. Through her personal story, she reveals some important tips for caregivers.

1. Wear your oxygen mask first: If you’re not fueled or energised yourself how are you going to be of any help to anybody. Learn to care for yourself first.
2. Know where to draw the line: It’s also important to be aware of one’s own energy levels and draw a line. Be realistic and understand what you can do and what you can’t.
3. Seek emotional support for yourself: In a way, you’re going through the same emotional trauma and suffering that the cancer patient is going through. Actively seek support from friends, family, support groups, books that inspire.
4. Use the pain to fuel your own growth: Cancer is an opportunity for growth not just for the patient but also for the caregiver. Discover the wells of courage, wisdom and growth deep within, during this experience.

Reflection

• While caring for your loved , how do you look after yourself?
• Are you trying to do it all alone? What holds you back from reaching out and asking for help?
• How can you equip yourself better for this unexpected role? What internal and external resources can you access?
• How are you dealing with your pain?
• What makes the struggle worthwhile? How can it transform your life, and you, for the better?
• What can you do to see the pain not as a curse, but as a gift?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who have been there, done that can certainly make you better informed. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

Cancer: Friend, Foe or Teacher?

A crab is a strange pet to have. While it appears harmless and docile, suddenly it can bite you. After Vijay Bhat adopted a crab, Cancer; he too had a bitter-sweet relationship with  it. Eventually, he befriended it.

Quite like our relationship with cancer, the disease. Most people see cancer as the end of the road. But what if cancer can be a new beginning? The thought of thriving after cancer doesn’t come easily. Hence, after being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2001, Vijay consciously chose a different and empowering relationship with cancer.

Thriving after cancer and finding a ‘new normal’

The crab reminds Vijay to stop surviving … and start thriving after cancer.

1. It wasn’t fate that gave me cancer. But I gave it to myself with the life choices I made
2. So to become cancer-free, I can choose to be healthy and whole.
3. I’m in charge of him, not the other way around.
4. When ‘scare-giver’ Cancer brought in the storm, my wife and caregiver, Nilima Bhat was my anchor. Together they kept me focussed and positive.
5. It’s also important to get over the fear of death and respect your cancer experience. Thriving after cancer is possible!

Reflection

• What is your view of illness? Do you see it as a rude and inconvenient obstacle?
• Review your key lifestyle factors. What changes or improvements can you make?
• How open are you to seeing cancer as a catalyst for growth?
• What does your future – your life after cancer – look like?
• As you contemplate this new direction, what past experiences can you make use of for thriving after cancer?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who have been there, done that can certainly make you better informed. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

Bill visits Dr. Kabat Zinn’s Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts, to understand how a Buddhist meditation technique is used to complement mainstream western medicine. Dr. Kabat-Zinn left a promising career as a microbiologist to start the Stress Reduction Clinic 13 years ago and since, has seen over 5,000 patients who could no longer be helped by mainstream medicine.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.” – Dhammapada (Buddhist scripture)

The 8-week MBSR program sees people from all walks of life – truck drivers, businessmen, homemakers, teachers etc., who are suffering from a wide range of illnesses – heart conditions, back injuries, HIV etc. and who can no longer benefit from drugs/surgery. Almost all of them are initially skeptical about enrolling for a meditation program.

1. Meditation is not mystical but experiential

To dispel any myths about the nature of meditation, the group first participates in an ‘eating meditation.’ They are asked to close their eyes and eat a raisin – yes,  a RAISIN – with complete mindfulness and awareness!

This simple task is intended to make people realize that meditation is not mystical but experiential. It is simply  about bringing one’s awareness to the present moment and in doing so, deepening one’s mental/ emotional/ psychological state.

Of course, it is definitely easier said than done. However, over the 8 week period, participants begin to understand the logic behind the technique and realise that like most people, they too are far from truly experiencing this level of mindfulness.

2. Separate pain from the thoughts associated with it

In the second stage, participants learn how to observe their sensation so that they can uncouple the experience of a sensation (eg. pain) from the thoughts they associate with that sensation (“this pain will kill me,” “I am being punished by this pain”, etc).

Visible progress is made every week. In addition to the measurable physical benefits (eg. pain reduction), participants become more self-aware and by the end of the program, express newfound feelings of joy and awareness which makes them view life in a more positive manner.

Dr. David Spiegel: Group Psychotherapy

Another study (which shows that participating in group psychotherapy improves survival rates women with metastatic breast cancer) also highlights the mind-body link and how one’s inner state can support healing.

Bill interacts with Dr. Spiegel, a professor at Stanford University, who led a study involving 86 women with metastatic breast cancer.

Dr. Spiegel believes that talking about one’s feelings helps acknowledge them and therefore prevents them from taking control over us. He facilitates the group members to confront their fears of death and dying, by accepting and facing the illness with all their resources and ensuring that it does not isolate them from their family and friends. In this supportive environment, the body finds healthier ways of coping with the illness.

Group therapy is also designed to involve the family members of those experiencing cancer so that the family members also have a safe-space to vent their feelings, share experiences and thus gain a better understanding of how to support to their loved ones.

Read our article on Spiegel’s renowned research on how support groups can double cancer survival rates.

A compelling case

Through these two interviews and demonstrations, Bill Moyers makes a compelling case that healing begins from within; an idea that the scientific community is slowly but surely opening up to.

Reflection

• If healing begins from within, how can you learn to access your inner resources?
• How comfortable are you to acknowledging and express your true feelings? What is a ‘safe-space’ where you can do this?
• What if you were to share your fears and concerns with a loved one or a personal cancer coach?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya Ramaswamy felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

More from this series

How does Ayurveda work?

1) Prakriti and Doshas
Ayurveda considers each individual has a unique nature (“Prakriti”), made up of three different energies. These energies which when combined, produce different constitutional types (“Doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha”). Hence, a disease occurs when there is an imbalance or breakdown in the Doshas. Therefore, healing is basically the process of restoring the balance and equilibrium. Hence, Ayurvedic Treatment for Cancer is called for.

2) Living in harmony with nature
Ayurveda propounds the principle of living naturally. It advises to live in accordance and alignment with nature and changing seasons. Thus, when an individual takes into consideration the physical, mental and emotional aspects of maintaining perfect health which includes food, lifestyle, and the environment; he or she is said to be in ‘The Healthy Circle (“Swasth Vrita”).

3) What causes diseases?
Unfortunately, modern life often violates this and increasingly so. Artificial light and air, processed and preserved food items, our polluted environment, ingestion of toxins (in many ways), overworking physically as well as mentally, fractured relationships and negative emotions are pretty much opposite to what Ayurveda recommends. Henceforth, no wonder diseases are on the rise!

4) Treating the root cause of the disease
Like other traditional systems of medicine, Ayurveda also focuses on finding and treating the root cause of a disease. It does not focus merely on the symptoms. Also, the treatments can take many forms, including herbal medications, cleansing/detoxification methods, massage therapies and in some cases, spiritual practices.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Cancer

It is obvious that cancer was known, treated and documented, from ancient times. Traditional texts like ‘Charaka Samhita’ and ‘Shushruta Samhitha’ describe and classify Cancer precisely: as a major neoplasm (“Arbudha”), a minor neoplasm (“Granthi”) and as malignant growths (“Tridosaja” and “Sannipataja”). Interestingly, there are many similarities between these descriptions and the latest scientific discoveries on the mechanisms of tumour growth.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, Cancer is the result of the body’s reaction (“Pratyahara”) to the distortion of the natural balance of the body. When impurities and toxicities build up in the blood, they aggravate our Dosha balance, which can manifest as Cancer.

What can Aggravate the Cancerous Doshas?

• Improper lifestyle and food.
• Smoking and chewing tobacco.
• Breathing of polluted air or chemicals.
• Consumption of vegetables and fruits containing pesticides.

How does Ayurveda help in Cancer?

There are 3 major principles in understanding the effect of Ayurveda as a medicine for treating Cancer:

1. Diet & Nutrition for a Cancer free life

• According to Ayurvedic perspective, toxicity builds up when we consume too much acid-forming food. Hence, proper diet & nutrition is a must for restoring the acid-alkali balance of the body.
• Diet and herbal supplements play an important role in restoring the vitamin-mineral balance.
• Use traditional ingredients (which contain antioxidants) such as Turmeric, Ashwagandha, Amla, Neem, Triphala, etc. to prevent cell damage.
• Also, make related efforts to minimise the severe effects of aggressive chemo and radiation therapies.

2. Exercise & Breathwork help in preventing Cancer

• Ayurveda emphasises on the positive impact of exercise in promoting good health.
• Thus, yoga postures (“Asanas”) and breathwork (“Pranayama”) performed regularly, provide an energy boost and also strengthen our immunity.

3. Meditative / Spiritual practices to soothe Cancer

• When we are able to manage our emotions better, we can start making ‘meaning’ of any difficult life experience.

Reflection

• What steps will you take to ensure your daily diet is healthy and nutritious?
• How can you include Yoga or other forms of exercise into your regular regime?
• What if you consider and explore meditation to improve your emotional health?

Author

This article is written by Sakshi Shah. Sakshi is a student of Communications at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore. She is a friendly people’s person and enjoys to meet new people to see how they build their ‘story’. She is a committed learner and as a strong-willed person, she always gives her fullest to the task ahead. Sakshi strongly believes in the motto “I CAN”.

We hear and read about stress everyday. Many of us experience stress in our lives so often. We are all better educated, more affluent and have access to more comforts than our parents and grandparents, yet we find ourselves running faster than ever before to keep up with the demands on our lives.

And ‘stress’ has become the overarching code-word for all the resulting turbulence and friction of this fast-paced lifestyle. Unfortunately, the word ‘stress’ has become so familiar and so common, that we’ve never stopped to ask ourselves: “do I know what stress truly is?”.

So what is it?

Dr. Bill Mitchell, a UK-based stress expert defines it very simply as: “The loss of equilibrium when the pressures on an individual exceed his/her coping abilities.”

From this definition, we can immediately see that ‘stress’ is different for each person. First, each person faces different types of pressure and to different extents. And second, each of us has different coping abilities and ‘breaking points’. Beyond this point, when pressure overwhelms us, the resulting physiological state is called ‘stress’.

Good stress and bad stress

Many people will argue (correctly) that not all stress is bad. In fact, we all know that as pressure increases, so does performance, up to a point. For example, if we have committed to doing something within a certain time-frame, this deadline pressure focuses and disciplines us to perform and deliver. We feel enthusiastic and motivated, which builds our capacities. This is called ‘good’ stress (eustress).

Then comes a stage, when even if the pressure increases, our performance remains at a high level. This is called our ‘peak performance’ zone, when we are able to respond to the pressure positively i.e. when are coping abilities are adequate.

However, when the pressure crosses breaking point, our performance actually drops – first gradually and then steeply. We feel tired, jaded, overwhelmed and demotivated. Now we are experiencing ‘negative’ stress stage (also called ‘distress’). This is when it starts to become damaging.

Distress has a unique chemistry

We instinctively know that distress (physical or mental) has a direct impact on our health. But modern medicine generally treats such reports as anecdotal because of the lack of any compelling evidence that links the cental nervous system to the immune system. It was argued, “For a body to fall ill, the immune system needs to break down. What’s the mind got to do with it?”

The breakthrough discoveries of Candace Pert have proved conclusively that our feelings and emotions produce specific chemicals (called neuro-transmitters) in the brain, which carry and circulate these emotional imprints throughout our entire body. Pert calls these neuro-transmitters ‘molecules of emotion.’

In the words of another modern researcher, Bruce Lipton, every thought and feeling we have has the ability to change our body’s internal chemistry.

The link is now clear. Feelings of distress – helplessness, hopelessness, depression, anxiety, panic, isolation, rage, resentment, fatigue, demoralisation, hurt, vulnerability, etc. directly lead to immune dysfunction or breakdown. If your immune system is constantly under-performing, its only a matter of time before illness strikes.

Reflection

• What typical life-situations cause you stress?
• How does the stress affect you – physically (in your body) and psychologically (in your mind)?
• How aware are you of any recurring patterns with the stress in your life?
• What kind of stress do you find constructive (eustress) and what kind of stress do you find obstructive (distress)?
• How do you cope with distress? What steps can you take when the stress is too much to handle?

More from this series

The Price of Distress

In his book ‘Immune Power Personality’, author Henry Dreher says

“When our coping strategies falter and we are flooded with feelings of distress, our immune system is also flooded – with too much, too little, or the wrong kinds of messenger molecules. Once the immune system receives inappropriate messages, it can malfunction, setting the stage for disease.”

The research findings are clear:

• Helpless rats have helpless immune systems.
• Hopeless cancer patients have worse outcomes.
• Depressed spouses have more illness.
• Anxious individuals have shorter life-spans.
• Bottled-up arthritis sufferers have more flare-ups.
• Fatigued breast cancer patients have fewer fighting cells.
• Demoralised workers have weaker defenses.

“The implications are clear: When our minds cannot cope with distress, our immune systems cannot defend us from invaders or cancer cells. More importantly, learning to cope better with stress is a choice we can make and must make. It is a difficult choice, which comes with a great prize attached: optimum immunity that prevents occurrence and recurrence of cancer.”

Where is your distress coming from?

As we’ve said before, modern life creates a lot of pressure and it isn’t going to let up! The question is, how will we deal with it?

To answer this question, we propose to look deeper at stress, rather than viewing it very generally. And to do this, we will draw from the wellness traditions of the Indian sub-continent, specifically the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother.

According to this approach, you and I (and every human) have five levels of being – physical, mental, emotional, systemic and spiritual – which make us complete. It follows naturally that stress can spring from and affect us at one or more of those levels.

A quick look at the five ‘Stressors’

1. Physical Stressors: Lifestyle issues: diet, exercise, rest, personal habits, environmental factors, etc.

2. Mental Stressors: Mindset issues: Limiting thought-patterns, values, beliefs, attitudes, assumptions, world-views, etc.

3. Emotional Stressors: Wounding issues: Recurring reactions and responses, emotional blocks, unresolved conflicts, etc.

4. Systemic Stressors: Relationship issues: personal, family, social, professional, etc.

5. Spiritual Stressors: Existential issues: Identity, life-purpose, faith, connection with one’s Deeper Self, etc.

Reflection

• What are the major and minor stressors in your life that may have contributed to your illness? Reflect on the recent past as well as the distant past.
• What if you can categorise your stressors (and strengths) as physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual? What insights do you gain about yourself?
• Consider taking our FREE Holisitic Health Questionnaire – click here – for a comprehensive diagnosis of your stressors and strengths

More from this series

Talking openly about cancer is difficult. The cancer experience forces us to confront our own mortality or at least our vulnerability. And, that is not something we share so easily. So, we stand unaware about few critical basics of cancer.

How Cancer Occurs: The Basics of Cancer

We think of cancer as a single disease, but it is not so. Cancer is actually a common process (of uncontrolled cellular growth) which can manifest in over 200 different ways. As an example, think of infection. The underlying process of most infections is the same. But infections manifest in many different ways and to many different degrees. Some infections are more dangerous than others and so we treat them differently. However, when it comes to cancer, our understanding is much more limited.

Every cell in our body has a natural ‘birth-growth-division-death’ cycle. The length of this cycle varies for different types of cells. For some, it is days and for others, it can be weeks. For the body to remain healthy, old depleted cells continuously die and make way for fresh, new cells.

Cancer occurs when there is uncontrolled or disorderly cellular growth. It all starts with one cell, one of our own cells, that forgets how to die. In other words, that one cell escapes its natural, birth-growth-division-death’ cycle. It begins to divide and replicate rapidly and a collection of these cells bulk up to form the primary tumour. This process usually coincides with a lowered immunity level. Otherwise, the body’s immune system is designed to detect and mop up these along with other rogue cells.

How do you develop Cancer? Relentless cell division and growth

The cells divide once every 2–6 weeks, depending on the tissue and the part of the body in which they originate. If they divide rapidly (the process is called doubling), then one may expect 40–50 doublings in three years, and such an aggressive tumour is usually fatal. If the cells divide slowly, say 20–30 doublings in three years, the tumour may still be quite small and hence, hard to detect. Detection is made even harder because most tumours show very few direct symptoms until they reach a certain number of doublings. Hence, the signs of cancer are hard to detect.

Cancer Terms

a) Malignancy

A primary tumour attaches itself to the surrounding tissue because its new chemistry is able to break down normal cell barriers. It then starts to absorb and ultimately hijack the blood supply and nutrients from the host tissue to feed its reproduction. This is called malignancy. Depending on its size and location, the tumour can interfere with the functioning of the surrounding organs and some symptoms may appear, for instance, a sudden weight loss, effects on nerves/muscles, imbalances in certain hormones or enzymes.

b) Metastasis

At some stage, a few cells break away from the primary tumour and spread to distant areas of the host body via the circulatory system. They are not recognized by the body’s immune system as foreign cells, and they also neutralize surrounding lymphocytes. They cluster around another nutrient-rich or blood-rich organ and the process starts again. This is called a secondary tumour and it is made up of the same material as the primary tumour. The process of malignant cells spreading to distant areas is called metastasis.

How does cancer cause death?

Aggressive tumours spread rapidly and ultimately, they cause death in one of two ways.

1. Their own need for nutrients is so great that they can starve the host body of the nutrients it needs to stay alive.
2. They can interfere with the functioning of key organs and systems to such an extent that the host body simply cannot cope anymore.

And here’s the grim irony – when the host body dies, the tumour cells also die along with it.

Reflection

• What can you do to expand your limited knowledge and understanding of cancer?
• How do you think you can apply this newfound knowledge to improve your heath and immunity?
• What typical  symptoms are you ignoring … at your own peril?
• How can you start a conversation about cancer in your close circle, to demystify the illness?

More from this series

Cancer: The beginning of a new life

A cancer diagnosis is not the end of your life. It is, perhaps, the end of the life you had hoped for, expected, planned, wanted or been promised.

It is the shattering of the old dreams of “my life”. But perhaps the initial shock hails the beginning of a new life, a more authentic, connected, honest, conscious, loving life, however ‘long’ you have left, for this journey requires very little time.

Reconnecting with yourself

Perhaps it is an invitation to remember yourself, focus, breathe, root out the unnecessary violence in your relationships and in yourself, a call to shine light on those pockets of suffering you would have never paid attention to before.

It is a rude awakening, to be sure! – and you may wish to rewind the movie, or at least fast-forward to the future scene of total healing and remission. That would be nice. But you might miss the grace of the journey, the unexpected gifts along the way.

True healing goes deeper than the removal of symptoms, deeper even than growth or remission, illness or death. It’s the discovery of who you really are, cancer or no cancer at all, medical intervention or not. It’s the remembering of love, connection, the peacefulness at the core of things, the ground on which you stand.

You are not, and will never be, a cancer victim, even a cancer survivor. No story can define you, no good story or bad story. You are life itself, and the presence or absence of symptoms is no excuse for forgetting this. Let everything heal you, let the moment be your guide, remember to breathe, and know where you are.

Reflection

• What is your relationship with cancer … how healthy or disturbed is it?
• How will you transform your outlook to see it as the ‘beginning of a new life’ rather than as a ‘death sentence’?
• How have your core beliefs and dreams changed during your cancer journey?
• What activities help you to reconnect with your inner self?

Source

Excerpts from Jeff Foster‘s experiences.

In this article, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder of the Isha Yoga Foundation, shares how the yogic system views cancer and what can be done to avoid the disease. 

How cancer occurs as per yogic system

Cancerous cells are present in all our bodies. In the yogic system, we describe cancerous cells as being similar to, let’s say, criminals in a society.

If there are a few individuals here and there who commit petty crimes, it doesn’t really affect the society. But when they gang up together in one place, something begins to happen.

Similarly, having a few cancerous cells in your body is not going to affect your life or health in any way. Generally in yoga, we look at it this way: when certain kinds of blanks or gaps occur in the energy body, either because of a person’s attitude, food, lifestyle, or any other factor due to which the energy body gets affected, an atmosphere conducive to the growth of cancerous cells is created. So if the flow of energy is not good in a certain part of the body, cancerous cells choose that place to hide and fester.

Causes of breast cancer as per yogic system

Breast cancer is very rampant today, especially in societies where a lot of women never conceive. In today’s world, for most women child-bearing happens only once or twice and is over before a certain age.

So the next 15 to 20 years of their life that they still have the capability to bear children and the necessary hormones are still being produced – they are not being made use of. According to the yogic system, this is one of the main reasons for both breast and uterine cancer occurring among women.

The mechanism of the breast, which was mainly made to feed the offspring, is not made use of. Or, it is made use of at a very early age and not after that. If a woman went through the normal process of conception, from the age of 16 to 18 until about 45, she would be conceiving periodically which would have kept her whole system active and kept the energy flowing.

Because it is not made use of the way it should have been physiologically, that part of the body becomes low energy. Such an atmosphere always attracts cancerous cells, and it becomes a place for them to accumulate and do the necessary work that they do.

What is the solution

So does it mean to say we must produce more children? Please don’t. There are ways to find solutions for this.

1. Period fasting: One of the simplest solutions for curtailing cancerous cells in the system is periodic fasting. One aspect of these cells is that they need a lot more food than a normal cell, up to 30 times more. Just by denying yourself food on certain days, you could bring down the level of cancerous cells.
2. Spiritual practices: There are also certain types of sadhana (spiritual practices) one can do, to control one’s hormonal secretions. The Shakthi Chalana Kriya and asanas we teach help in correcting and balancing the system.
3. Lifestyle changes: We have seen many women with uterus-related problems, such as polycystic ovaries getting completely cured by simply practicing certain asanas and kriyas. The hormonal conditions inside the body can be regulated, rather than simply reacting to the kind of food you eat and atmosphere you live in.

To what extent these practices have helped patients suffering from cancer, we cannot document or confirm this. But we have definitely seen that they recovered quite well. The doctors who were treating these cancer patients were quite surprised at their response to chemotherapy.

We have seen a few people who recovered from chemotherapy very quickly after doing yogic practices. Whether their cancer went away because of the practices, there is no way to say that. I would say supplementing yoga with medical treatment could definitely benefit the patient.”

Reflection

• How do you manage the flow of energy in your body, particularly if it feels blocked, stuck or stagnant?
• In addition to physical postures (Asanas) and breathwork (Pranayama), the Yogic approach also emphasises periodic fasting and regular spiritual practice. How can you incorporate these into your daily routine?

Article courtesy: The Isha Blog <blog.ishafoundation.org>

What is the Avon Walk

Avon Foundation conducts a walk to end breast cancer across the US. The aim is to enable more breast cancer research, more screenings and more survivors. The event series emphasizes action and inspiration.

The two-day event celebrates the strength and philanthropic commitment of participants who raise a minimum of $1,800 to accelerate breast cancer research; improve access to screening, diagnosis and treatment; and educate people about breast cancer.

Since the series’ launch in 2003, more than 235,000 participants have raised nearly $620,000,000. Funds raised are distributed by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade to local, regional and national breast cancer organizations with the goal of improving breast cancer outcomes and reducing disparities in survival rates.

 340 miles, 9 cities, $90,000

Those are the totals that Sherri Lynn, 49, notched up after completing her ninth and final Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in September. But the figures are nothing compared to the Manville, N.J., resident’s nearly two-decade long journey since her breast cancer diagnosis in 1995.

Sherri was surprised when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She always assumed that only people with a family history of cancer could get the illness.

She recalls her reaction when she was told she has cancer.

“I think I sat on a bucket,” she recalled. “I don’t know because it kinda got a little dark. Tunnel vision. And he told me I had breast cancer.”

She was only 31 then. But even in the face of adversity, she held on to her courage.

“I sat in the parking lot for about 5 minutes, cried, had a cigarette, and then I thought, ‘Okay, bring it on, bring it on. We’re gonna do what we need to do.’”

Source

Breast Cancer ‘Thriver’ Completes Avon Walk in 9 Cities

Life is precious, regardless of how long or short, and should be used not only to make the most of here and now, but also to make a difference for the future.

“You have just a few months left”

I recall a couple of tears trickled down my cheek, but there was no exaggerated weeping, shouts or tantrums. I took a tissue, calmly blew my nose and held my husband’s hand.

We had just been told that after 9 months of treatment, including three operations, 11 rounds of chemotherapy (I’m now up to 31) and 25 zaps of radiotherapy for colon cancer, it had continued to spread within my liver and lungs and was deemed too aggressive to cure.

I had just a 2% chance of developing bowel cancer at such a young age, yet at 34, I was being put on palliative care with a life expectancy of 6-9 months.

Planning my own funeral

Since 16 November 2012, or ‘Black Friday’, as we affectionately call it, it has been assumed I would hide away in a corner, contemplate what flowers should adorn my coffin and cry into my mug of (green) tea, wailing ‘why meeeeee’. I would be lying if I said that wasn’t a difficult weekend.

My husband and I discussed where my funeral would be, what songs I’d like and who should do the readings. But, staying in that place could only ever be temporary. Our two young children needed their Slummy Mummy and normal service needed to resume quickly.

And yet, not giving up

So I’ve started exploring alternatives such as acupuncture (not an obvious choice for someone with a needle phobia!) and Budwigs, eating the disgusting combination of cottage cheese and flaxseed oil.

I regularly attend yoga and follow the anti-cancer diet. I refuse to give up and accept there’s ‘nothing more to be done’, and urge anyone else in my situation to do the same.

To read Charlotte Kitley’s inspiring story click here

In April 2012, Debra Williams was told something that every woman fears hearing after feeling a lump in their breast “You have breast cancer.” But despite this tragic news, Williams did not feel lost or terrified.

Her mind was in a good place, and the following month she had the cancerous tumor removed from her breast. Then she did something that had her doctors and friends thinking she was completely insane – she refused to undergo chemotherapy!

To read the full story, click here.

IMPORTANT: Cancer Awakens does not recommend that any one declines medical treatment. We propose a ‘complementary’ (Holistic & Integrated) approach to cancer and not an ‘alternative’ one.

Juturi, who is on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas says:

“We’re supposed to practice a certain way and tell people what’s proven to help them. If we didn’t bring up yoga in the context of emotional or physical distress, we’re not doing our job.”

The medical field has been “late in catching on to” such complementary treatments, Juturi says. Now data has begun backing up the effectiveness of yoga, and doctors, she says, “are all about data.”

To read more about this holistic approach towards a healthier life, click here

Is yoga good for cancer patients?

“I’m very against alternative medicine,” says Jessica D’Angelo. “We’d never recommend that here. But if anyone wants to keep their spirits up while dealing with cancer, yoga is a great way to do that. Yoga maintains and conditions the body’s stamina during treatment.”

Chemotherapy and radiation can take a significant toll on the body, leaving patients exhausted and feeling ill with severe side effects.

“Yoga combines light exercise, meditation and a general feeling of well-being,” D’Angelo said. “It’s a powerful tool to help facilitate someone’s healing.”

How yoga and meditation works for cancer healing

Although yoga is not a painkiller, D’Angelo said she finds that, conceptually speaking, it works in a similar way. “Painkillers help your body relax, and when your body is relaxed, it can rest. And when your body is resting, it can heal itself,” she said. “Yoga is the same – it helps you relax and rest, which opens your body to healing.”

Meditation and yoga can also provide emotional healing. After leaving a yoga class, D’Angelo said her students feel more relaxed and optimistic.

“Meditation and yoga requires focusing on the positive, and letting negativity go. Doctors talk about your sickness; in a yoga class, we talk about your health. When you focus on the positive aspect of your health and well-being, that feeling grows exponentially.”

Reflection

• While the medical treatment addresses the affected area of your body what steps can you take for an holistic healing of mind and body?
• Have you considered including holistic therapies like yoga and meditation to complement your medical treatment and also manage the side-effects?

The mind is the “invisible body”; if there is a bodily breakdown, the origin can invariably be traced to the mind. If one subscribes to this view, then any illness can be understood using the same logic i.e. a negative, thought-emotion pattern leads to disease.

What causes Cancer according to Hypnotherapy?

The predominant view suggests that the primary emotions involved in cancer are ‘Guilt’ and ‘Anger’. When combined, they give rise to the need for ‘self-punishment’, which can manifest as cancer.

Guilt and anger

Guilt can emerge from the perception of “not having done enough” as well as “having done wrong” which then leads to anger and a consequent need to over-compensate.

For example, it has been found that breast cancer is correlated with a perceived sense of guilt for not nurturing/not feeling nurtured, which then turns into anger. This anger (towards self/others), when suppressed for an extended period, finally manifests on the physical body as breast cancer.

Unproductivity or inability

Another view proposes that cancer results from a feeling of ‘un-productivity’ or ‘inability’ to do something in a particular area of life which then gives rise to deep regret, resulting in cancer in the corresponding physical organ.

For example:

• Inability to nurture: linked to breast cancer (4th: Heart chakra)
• Inability to speak-up: linked to throat cancer (5th: Throat chakra)
• Inability to “digest” life: linked to stomach cancer (3rd: Solar plexus chakra)

Complementary, not Alternative

Hypnotherapy seeks to support and complement (not replace) mainstream medical treatments. When illness occurs in the physical body, it is important to recognise that it has been present in the “mental plane” as a negative thought-emotion pattern for a long period of time.

This repetitive pattern, which has led to a bodily-breakdown, most definitely requires a combination of interventions, through

• Mainstream medicine to address the “hardware” (i.e. the physical body).
• Complementary approaches like Hypnotherapy to address the “software” (mental and emotional aspects).It is important to note that even if the same “software” continues to run on a new “hardware” (healed physical body), recurrence is likely.

How does Hypnotherapy address cancer?

At the emotional/mental level, Hypnotherapy would focus on:

1. Tracing the origin of the Guilt-Anger axis and resolving it through ‘inner-child work’ i.e. releasing the residual emotional charge of traumatic memories.
2. Re-igniting the mind’s capacity to guide the individual’s own healing through guided-imagery.
3. Improving ‘quality’ of life (even if ‘quantity’ of life cannot be enhanced) by coaching the individual to reach a place of acceptance in the here and now.

At a physical level, Hypnotherapy can work on mitigating the side effects of chemo and radio therapy, such as hair-loss, weight-loss, nausea, etc. Managing pain is another area where Hypnotherapy has proved hugely beneficial.

Case study – Naso-pharyngeal cancer

Ms. Rohini Gupta (name changed to protect privacy), who was diagnosed with naso-pharyngeal cancer, sought help from a Bangalore-based hypnotherapist. Here is Rohini’s feedback, in her own words:

The diagnosis

It all started off with a trismus in my jaw which made it difficult to open my mouth. Slowly the pain spread through the right side of my face, all the way up to my head. It took about six months before my cancer was correctly diagnosed. It has been about a year and a half since my last chemotherapy.

The treatment

• Mainstream treatment: I was given a combination of chemo and radio therapy. The treatment was very intense, leading to new side-effects each day.
• Family support: My main asset through the cancer experience was my ever loving family. We are a joint family and everyone offered me great support, love and strength. They kept me calm … and sane.
• Alternative therapies to complement mainstream treatment: I also used a number of alternative therapies to help me keep up my strength: Homeopathy, Yoga, Meditation and also some Hypnotherapy sessions. Hypnotherapy was very new to me and the reality turned out to be very different from what I had expected.

How hypnotherapy helped in cancer treatment

I must confess that I was a bit hesitant about the whole concept as I had imagined that the therapist would somehow control me totally! It turned out to be very similar to the deep relaxation that I was familiar with, in my Yoga and Meditation.

I never lost control during my sessions and felt very relaxed. The Past Life Regression angle simply didn’t work in my case; my therapist said that perhaps I was not ready for it, yet.

The guided imagery was good though, it brought to the surface the stuff that was hiding inside and had been worrying me for a while. Much of it was not new, but now I could give these issues some focus and energy, and to begin to really deal with them. That was important for me.

I cried a lot in the first session, and a little more in subsequent sessions which lightened me quite a bit. I would also listen to the guided imagery every night for some time. This helped me sleep a lot better as well. I am sure that Hypnotherapy played a great role in supporting my healing journey.

Reflection

• What is the recurring chatter that goes on in your mind? How strident is your inner critic?
• Are you carrying or holding on to emotions like deep hurt, resentment or grief? In what way are they serving you? How can you let them go?
• Everyone has insecurities and vulnerabilities. How can you open yourself and find the right guidance and support?

Source

We are grateful to Dr. Yuvraj Kapadia and Dr. Neeta Yuvraj, Directors, of EKAA (formerly called California Hypnosis Institute of India) for their inputs. EKAA is a non-profit organization which offers certification courses in Integrated Clinical Hypnotherapy, thereby integrating Hypnotherapy with other healing modalities. For more information, please visit their site.

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya Ramaswamy felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

There is clear evidence that psychological factors – our belief systems, emotions, attitudes, behavior patterns, relationships, response to life events, etc. – play a role in causing, preventing and reversing illness. Naturally, the question often asked is: Is there a cancer-prone personality? And if so, what is its psychological basis?

Research shows that people exhibiting ‘Type A’ behavior patterns are (almost pathologically) impatient, highly charged and competitive, filled with anger and hostility which they express freely and assertively, while remaining consistently focused on their own needs. Such ‘Type A’ behavior patterns are correlated to cardiovascular (heart) disease.

With cancer, the research is not yet conclusive. However, the work of three well-known practitioners suggests that many cancer patients, especially those with a poor prognosis, show some common traits, broadly called ‘Type C’ behavior patterns.

Lydia Temoshok & Henry Dreher: Behavioural Links to Cancer & Health

In their book ‘The Type C Connection – The Behavioral Links to Cancer And Your Health’, the authors propose that ‘Type C’ behavior patterns are by sharp contrast, almost the polar opposite of ‘Type A’ behaviors described above.

It started when Dr. Richard Sagebriel, Director of the Melanoma Clinic at the University of California called Dr. Lydia Temoshok regarding his observations of melanoma patients, especially the ones with the weakest prognosis.

He said that many of them were “people-pleasers” i.e. they were driven by how others saw them and put in extra effort to be accepted and validated by people around them.

Dr. Temoshok had set up a research study to see if there was such a mind-body connection. They hence found a majority of the melanoma patients to be “excessively nice, un-complaining and submissive”. They were the “pleasers-appeasers”, who had spent their entire lives trying to be accepted and validated by others—spouses, parents, siblings, co-workers, friends, etc. In fact, their very identities seemed to derive from how they were perceived by others in their lives. Further, she discovered that in extreme cases, some patients continuously and consistently blamed themselves and suffered deep guilt combined with low self-esteem.

Temoshok says:

Out of touch with their primary needs and emotions, they look to others for signals on how to think, feel and act. What they shared was a manner of handling life stress. They coped by keeping their feelings and needs under wraps. These people never expressed anger, and rarely did they acknowledge fear and sadness. They maintained a façade of pleasantness even under the most painful or aggravating circumstances. They strived excessively to please people they cared about, to please authority figures, even to please strangers.”

Psychological Factors Like Repressed Emotions Compromise Immunity

Subsequently, Temoshok devised a series of scientific studies to explore ‘Type C’ behavior patterns in more depth and she found a strong correlation between repressed emotions and a compromised immune system – our first line of defense against cancer.

• Patients who were more emotionally expressive had thinner tumors, more slowly dividing cancer cells and a much higher number of lymphocytes (immune cells) attacking the tumor.
• While patients who were less emotionally expressive had thicker tumors, more rapidly dividing cancer cells, with far fewer lymphocytes attacking the tumor.

How To Address Behavior Links To Cancer?

Based on the insight that self-acceptance is the fundamental stepping stone towards healing, the authors encourage people to seek professional help in making 9 specific behavior shifts, which can transform their ‘Type C’ patterns.

1. Develop awareness of your needs.
2. Discover your inner guide.
3. Reframe your ideas about your feelings.
4. Learn the skills of emotional expression with doctors, nurses, friends and family members.
5. Take charge of your medical care.
6. Ask for and get the social support you need.
7. Secure your legitimate rights.
8. Work through hopelessness.
9. Cultivate fighting spirit.

Reflection

• Do any of these ‘Type C’ behaviour patterns apply to you or to a loved one?
• Which ones resonate most strongly?
• What steps are you taking to manage or transform them?
• Have you sought professional help or guidance in this area?

Source

Book: “The Type C Connection: The Behavioral Links to Cancer and Your Health” by Lydia Temoshock and Henry Dreher (This link is for your information only. We do not earn any commissions/ fees when you click it and/or when you purchase the book.)

Websites: http://www.cmbm.org/index.php

Author

Written by Shalini Raja, a student of Communications at Mt Carmel College, Bangalore.

More from this Cancer-Prone Personality Series

“You have cancer.”

These simple words come as a terrible shock. Life, as you know it, changes in an instant and nothing is the same again. Panic and fear overwhelm you as you desperately pin your hopes on doctors and on medical treatment.

Cancer arises from within

But this is only part of the story. While your doctors work towards healing your body, you must heal your inner self, just as Vijay did to transcend his cancer. When he focused on himself, Vijay realized that his cancer originated within and only then manifested as a ‘tumour’ in his body.

A holistic and integrated approach is needed

The authors (Vijay & Nilima Bhat) believe that healing requires a ‘person-centric’ approach, where the focus is the whole person and all the aspects of his inner and outer life, rather than an ‘organ-centric’ one, where the focus is merely the disease or affected organ.

Stress, Immunity & Cancer

According to them, cancer is the result of your physical lifestyle along with your mental, emotional and spiritual processes and the ‘stressors’ associated with these processes. For instance, negative thoughts and attitudes are mental stressors while negative emotions such as anger and guilt are emotional stressors. Healing these aspects of yourself is essential for physical healing. The authors guide you through your process of self-discovery, showing you how to find your stressors and teaching you how to recover from them.

A handy companion for individuals and families

The book also gives useful information on the biological aspects of cancer and its causes; dietary and nutritional needs of cancer patients; how to maintain optimum immunity; how to confront loss and death; and the role of the caregiver.

My Cancer Is Me is a thought-provoking and sensitive guide for anyone who has cancer or is supporting a loved one with cancer.

For more information about the book and testimonials, please click here.

Buy Now

During his brilliant career as a world champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong seemed invincible. Until he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Otherwise an extremely healthy 25 year old, Lance ignored the early signs of the disease and by the time it was diagnosed, the cancer had spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen, leaving his chances of survival dim. Armstrong however, had no intentions of becoming a ‘cancer victim’. Instead, he was determined to educate himself about the disease and underwent rigorous treatment until he overcame it.

He is now an international spokesperson for the cancer community, with the Lance Armstrong Foundation providing education, funds, support and inspiration for people with cancer.

Recently, Lance Armstrong has been stripped off his many cycling titles, after having admitted on the Oprah Winfrey show, that he is a doping cheat, a liar, a bully and a deeply flawed human being. The icon has fallen!

Does this make him any less of a ‘cancer thriver’? It is not an easy question to answer … and we would love to hear your views!
buy kamagra online
To know more about the Livestrong Foundation, click here

Source

Lance Armstrong Cancer

More from this series

What is Homeopathy?

Homeopathy is based on the Law Of Similars (Latin: Similia similibus curanter), which says that those substances, which in large amounts can cause the symptoms, can also cure the very same symptoms if given in minute doses. Very much like how vaccination works.

Founded by a German doctor Samuel Hahnemann in the 18th century, Homeopathy is a system of medicine which is widely practiced around the world by certified practitioners and has a dedicated following of users who rely on Homeopathy as their only medical treatment.

What is particularly interesting is that Homeopathy often achieves excellent results in condtions where mainstream medicine (Allopathy) may have diminishing returns. For example, chronic disorders like asthma, sinusitis, arthritis, colitis, migraine, hormonal imbalances and skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, etc.

Addressing the ‘whole’ person

In Homeopathy, health is the maintainence of a harmonious equilibrium between the mind, body and vital force (life principle or Spirit).  This vital force animates, guides & balances the human organism in health and in disease.

Under stress i.e. physical, mental or emotional, this equilibrium is disturbed and disease ensues. Also the response and reaction of each individual varies according to the  stimulus or the stressor.

Homeopathic treatments are therefore very individualistic and holistic. The trained homeopath considers not only the presenting symptoms but also the totality of the person’s life and lifestyle. The medicines prescribed help to restore the dynamic energy of the vital force, bringing back equilibrium to the organism and returning it to health.

Cancer and Homeopathy

According to Homeopathy, cancer is viewed as an out-of-control behaviour of cells and their resultant destruction (the technical term is a ‘syco-syphilitic miasm’!)

Hence the homeopath’s line of enquiry in cancer, is to understand and treat this ‘out-of-control’ behaviour, not only at the physical (cellular) level but also at the broader (mind, emotion, relationships, spirit) levels.

There are many examples and case-studies of how Homeopathy has been effective with cancer, by controlling tumour growth, relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life.

Using Homepathy in early stages is ideal

Since Homeopathy focuses on the manifested disease and its underlying cause, the homeopath would prefer if the patient comes to him/ her early i.e. soon after the initial diagnosis and with the original symptoms of the disease. That way, the prescribed homeopathic remedy can target the disease directly, even as they complement/ supplement other treatments.

Homeopathic treatment in later stages requires dual functions

Often though, patients seek homeopathy only much later and much after they have undergone allopathic treatments. By this time, either their condition is more severe and/or their original symptoms are masked by symptoms that may be side-effects of the surgery-chemo-radio therapy.

In this situation, homeopathic treatment becomes much trickier as the homeopath has to focus on both aspects simultaneously:

• The original symptoms/ underlying cause of cancer
• The side-effects: bio-chemical imbalances, compromised immunity, depression, anxiety, insomnia, loss of appetite, post-treatment nausea, etc.

Of course, the skill and experience of the homeopath and the active participation by the patient are both critical success factors in the healing process.

Reflection

• The holistic and integrated approach maintains that no single medical system has all the answers. How can you get the right kind of help to combine different systems for better results?
• As Homeopathy suggests, take a look at you mind, body and vital force (Spirit). To what extent are they in harmonious equilibrium?
• What aspects feel out-of-synch … and how can you align them better?

If you would like more details about how Homeopathy deals with specific types/ stages of cancer, please post your queries and comments below. We will be happy to respond.

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Inspiring talk by Randy Pausch, diagnosed with terminal cancer, speaking about the important things in life.

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch (Oct. 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008) gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving presentation, “Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams,” Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

You immune system is your best defense and recovery mechanism against cancer. How do the different states of mind affect your health. Find out.

This interview points out the power of choice and intention to improve health and well-being. Terms like “have to” are deleterious to our health. According to Dr. Erik Peper: “Health is the ability to make choices.” People who are empowered to recognize choices from moment-to-moment are healthier than fatalistic people and healthier than people who use words like “should” and “have to.”

Cells With Killer Appetites for Sugar

From a dietary standpoint, the little that we know about cancer is that simple sugar (strong acid-forming foods) fuels cancer development.

Cancer cells are the first to take up blood glucose. This is the basis of a medical PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan.

Because malignant cells grow at a rapid rate, they end up metabolizing more sugar than normal cells. Diagnostically, this gives your physician a glimpse into how aggressive a tumour might be, or how its growth can be slowed by conventional treatment therapies.

Sugar Addiction

Unknown to many, is the hormonal havoc that concentrated and refined sugar plays with our system. And, our addiction for sugar is only growing. You can hardly buy a bag of cookies from a natural food market that do not contain simple sugar. They put a tuxedo on sugar by calling it “Evaporated Cane Sugar,” or, “Organic Raw,” but don’t be fooled!

In the US for example, simple sugars are put into packaged salmon, tomato sauce, beans, rice cakes, even rice and soy milk – and more – all to entice consumer dollars by catering to our national sweet-tooth. Sugar, in more secretive clothing, has crept back into the natural food market by now being advertised as, natural.

Animal protein and fat

Separately, excessive animal protein and fat has been implicated in a number of male cancers, including colon and prostate cancer. In essence, both extremes contribute to this condition. In fact, basic nutrition teaches that protein breaks down into amino acids, which are absorbed through the small intestine’s lining to enter the bloodstream. However, excess amino acids are actually converted to fats and sugars.

Digestive Enzymes

I have found that the addition of digestive enzymes, particularly for older individuals, often makes a positive difference in their absorption and appetites. Additionally, eating more frequently, maybe four smaller meals, as opposed to three during the day usually works better.

I often recommend a concentrated protein source (beans, bean products or small amounts of animal protein) sometimes twice daily, but in small portions, as this makes the meals more satisfying, along with 1 to 2 tsp. of olive or sesame oil prepared at low temperatures to their daily cooking. Miso soup can be a strong healing agent and intestinal restorative, as well. Variety helps avert boredom.

Textures & Tastes

Making sure that you have a variety of textures and tastes in your diet will also help you remain food-inspired.

Textures, such as bland, creamy, chewy, dry, etc., and Tastes, such as, bitter, salty, sweet, sour and pungent can be an important part of meal preparation.

Look at the common western diet, it’s full of textures and tastes!  If you’re having a bowl of steamed dark leafy greens (bitter taste), mixing equal proportions of lemon juice (sour taste) a pinch of sea salt (salty taste)—diluted with a bit of water, can be used as a “sprinkle” over the greens to make such fare more appealing and satisfying.

Reflection

• During the conventional treatment, patients are rarely advised about the kind of diet they should eat and not eat. Be it research or consulting experts, what can you do to plan a healthy diet?
• What steps can you take to replace the foods you love with healthy alternatives? How can you switch to healthy choices without completely compromising on your tastes?

Reference

Article adapted from the work of Verne Varona. For over thirty-five years, his lectures, workshops and media appearances have motivated thousands of people to take better and more conscious care of their health. He studied Oriental Medicine and Macrobiotic principles at the East West Foundation of Boston, Massachusetts.

Verne co-created, The ODDS (Off Dangerous Drugs Safely) Program to reverse pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug dependency with dietary and lifestyle guidelines. He has authored two books: Nature’s Cancer-Fighting Foods and Macrobiotics for Dummies.

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Role of Macrobiotics: Nutrition therapy for cancer patients

Because food becomes part of our blood chemistry influencing our entire physiology, we should examine the role that it plays in restoring health. Essentially, food helps our body prevent and overcome disease in four ways explains Macrobiotics: nutrition therapy for cancer patients:

1. Food’s nutritional matrix fortifies our blood and cellular activity

The reduced acid/alkaline residue from a diet of whole plant foods such as whole grain, vegetable, sea vegetable, beans, with smaller quantities of animal protein, oils and fruit pprovide

our bodies with a more balanced chemistry.

In some cases, more concentrated nutrients from herbs, medicinal mushrooms, enzymes, undereating, and a variety of fibrous foods (that include valuable phytochemicals from green, yellow and orange vegetables), all contribute to creating a stronger nutritional profile that fortifies our resistance to cancer.

2. Balanced food and a healthy lifestyle also enhances our immune system

Most health books are always recommending immunity nutra-ceuticals, such as Maitake, Essiac, Red Clover/Poke root teas, Chlorella, Burdock and a variety of standardized Beta-Glucans.

While these products have merit and some research to support a positive influence on immunity, the first line of defense is to simply not weaken our immunity.

Major immune weakening factors are the following: excess simple sugar consumption, inadequate sleep and emotional stress are all toxic influences for the health of our immune function (the natural killer [NK] cells.) I am convinced, from personal experience, client follow-ups, hundreds of interviews with cancer survivors and current nutritional research, that: we must strengthen our immunity in order to halt further progression of cancer.

3. Regulate Your Blood Sugar

In the last 10 years we have learned much about blood sugar metabolism and the role that irregular blood sugar contributes to inflammation and tumour growth. The best strategy is to eat in a wholesome natural way that promotes a consistent and regulated blood sugar.

Eating whole grains (whole and not flour products which are particles and can negatively influence blood sugar), vegetables, beans and sea vegetables with small amounts of fruit and animal protein helps maintain a more controlled and regulated blood sugar.

One of the worst culprits for making blood sugar go through ups and downs is irregular eating times. The longer you wait between meals the more likely you’ll end up with a lower blood sugar, which invariably inspires strong, hard-to-resist cravings for sweets or overeating.

Often, missing afternoon meals and waiting until dinner to “fill up” ends up creating late night eating habits, which in turn, can hinder sleep and immune function. All of these factors conspire with each other.

4. Strengthen Your Detox Ability

The balance of your carbohydrate, fat and protein ratios, as well as your food quality, dramatically influences your body’s ability to naturally detoxify.

Eating a whole food diet strengthens the organs of elimination (kidneys, liver, intestines, lymph and skin), as it promotes better circulation to make the natural process of daily detoxing more efficient.

Research has shown that the outer phosphorous covering of whole grains bond to toxins and can also reduce high estrogen levels associate with a high fat diet. Miso, a natural fermented paste made from soybeans, is an excellent alkaline healing source that can increase intestinal bacteria, which in turn promotes better digestion. Many simple whole foods can stimulate our body to naturally detox. This process can be also be helped by daily exercise and reduced meal volumes.

Caution: I often warn my clients to beware the dramatic detox or purge to “clean out” the body. In many cases, extreme detox therapies such as mono-eating, fasting, folk medicine compresses and fomentations can actually burden the body with released toxins that overwhelm the filtering organs. Better to change the diet, regulate daily activity and eat reduced volumes for at least one month before attempting any detoxing therapies.

Reflection

• Eating right plays an important role both in prevention and cure of illnesses. How can use macrobiotics more effectively in achieving an healthy lifestyle?
• Rather than falling for diet fads, what can you do to make informed choices about your diet and lifestyle?

Reference

Article adapted from the work of Verne Varona. For over thirty-five years, his lectures, workshops and media appearances have motivated thousands of people to take better and more conscious care of their health. He studied Oriental Medicine and Macrobiotic principles at the East West Foundation of Boston, Massachusetts.

Verne co-created, The ODDS (Off Dangerous Drugs Safely) Program to reverse pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug dependency with dietary and lifestyle guidelines. He has authored two books: Nature’s Cancer-Fighting Foods and Macrobiotics for Dummies.

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One Destination, Many Paths

The healing journey is composed of many paths all leading to the same destination: the place where body, mind and spirit are resurrected.

The path, or paths we choose to adventure on should be based on fulfilling the incomplete areas of our lives; areas we have neglected, that beg for greater self-nurturance and expression.

These paths may be named Faith, Purpose, Nutrition, Love, Honesty, Compassion, Immunity, Passion, Spirit, Forgiveness and Gratitude.

In the relatively young field of Allopathic medicine – the kind that’s practiced by most conventional medical doctors today – we have only recently recognized that healing efforts must not only be personalized for the patients special needs, but must offer some semblance of control, encouraging the patient to make informed choices instead of being hi-pressured by “experts” into believing that there are no other options available.

10 Top Self-Healing Traits

It is Macro-biotics, not Micro-biotics. And, that’s a good thing. Macro means large and reminds us to consider all the factors that entail living a large life. Clinical research, as well as scores of anecdotal testimony, has repeatedly shown that the people who survive cancer often do so with the support of the following ten traits:

1. Life Purpose
2. Positive Attitude
3. Good Nourishment
4. Healthy Lifestyle
5. Manageable Stress
6. Sense of Humor
7. Love and Social Support
8. Emotional Expression
9. Physical Exercise
10. Strong Faith

These ten traits can have a vital healing influence. In my seminars, I ask participants to consider the areas they need to emphasize for more comprehensive healing.

Hopefully, an inner dialogue is inspired that begins to redefine and question everything about the way we live, love and care for ourselves. The beginning of whole healing occurs when we commit ourselves to examining and integrating those missing ingredients, which are essential for a more healthy, passionate and resilient life that can only be savoured by living each moment fully for the present.

Reflection

• Rather than settling for the one-size-fits-all treatment, what can you do to make your treatment more personalised?
• What are the areas of your self, relationships and life that you have been neglecting? What can you do to address it?
• How can you use the self-healing traits to achieve healthy mind and healthy body?

Reference

Article adapted from the work of Verne Varona. For over thirty-five years, his lectures, workshops and media appearances have motivated thousands of people to take better and more conscious care of their health. He studied Oriental Medicine and Macrobiotic principles at the East West Foundation of Boston, Massachusetts.

Verne co-created, The ODDS (Off Dangerous Drugs Safely) Program to reverse pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug dependency with dietary and lifestyle guidelines. He has authored two books: Nature’s Cancer-Fighting Foods and Macrobiotics for Dummies.

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How to live when you loved one is dying

How does one deal with a situation where we know that the person we love dearly is going to die soon? Or, when they are no longer with us, how do we cope with our grief at their loss? How do those who know they are nearing their end feel?

The importance of asking these questions and the necessity of finding an answer to them has prompted a study of death and the dying process in recent years.

How could you make the last moments more peaceful

Rites of passage have lost their sanctity in modern times, and have become mechanical, hospital and medication driven events.

One effective solution is to provide a dignified passage to the dying by using music, shamanic rites and prayer and by making love and support available. This approach has been adopted in several hospices and care centers for the terminally ill around the world.

Shanti Avedna Ashram

A home for the terminally ill

In India, the concept of care homes and hospices for the terminally ill is gaining popularity. The Shanti Avedna Ashram in one such example. Founded by Dr Jose Luis de Souza 15 years ago, the Ashram today has centers in Mumbai, Goa and Delhi.

Sr Ancy Kottuppalli, administrator of Shanti Avedna Ashram, Mumbai, says:

“We cannot extend their lives, but we can inspire them to live well for as long as they are alive.”

Medical care and counselling

The Ashram, along with medical attention, provides counseling to guests and their family members. Most people admitted here suffer from anxiety brought on by the knowledge of their imminent death.

When they arrive at the Ashram, the patients are at their lowest in terms of self-esteem and dignity. They have to be pulled out from that psychological well, nurtured to a state of mental and emotional well being and inspired to accept death with equanimity.

Showing them that someone cares for them too

Workers at care homes lend their ears to the patients who feel calmer once they have had the opportunity to speak with a sensitive listener. By talking about their feelings, they are able to understand them better and eventually face them.

Anything as simple as a friendly chat, regular visits or even praying together as in Shanti Avedna Ashram where all people assemble in a prayer room to pray together also gives immense pleasure and satisfaction to both patients and their caregivers.

Supporting the family members of the patients

The love and support of family members and loved ones are of prime importance. Sometimes however, family members are in a worse state than the person who is ill.

Hence, they are counseled at the care home and stressors in their mental make-up are examined, preparing them for the inevitable in future. This gives them strength and they are able to cope with the passing of their loved one better.

They are also assisted, after the demise of their beloved, to move on with their lives. It is a holistic way of caring of patients because it includes their emotions, their families and their families’ emotions; it provides closure and comfort in a time of turmoil and uncertainty.

Authors

This article has been contributed Laxmi Soundalge and Rajni Yadav, who are students of Event Management at EMDI, Mumbai.

“I am sorry but you have been diagnosed with cancer” were the words of gynaecologist Dr. Prasad Mahadevan, to Mrs. Raksha Khanna, a 39-year old mother of two, who lives in Dubai. She says, “25^th September 2010 was the most unforgettable and shocking day of my life.”

The shock and horror of a cancer diagnosis

What goes through a person’s mind when they are told they have cancer? For some, it is the fear of death, for others, it is the fear of losing loved ones, for some others, it is extreme sorrow and despair. Raksha faced all these emotions she was diagnosed with 1^st stage endometrial cancer.

Yet, one year later …

Raksha says things like

“Come on let’s go clubbing! Oh my God, am I looking fat in this skirt?! Stop being such a bore! We should live life for today and not tomorrow!”

Meeting Raksha today, I see a woman who is as much a fighter as our brave soldiers on the front line.

Her thinking, her attitude towards life and her positive spirit gave me the strength to face trouble in a better way – and my problems now seem so much more trivial.

Raksha Khanna overcame cancer and has emerged a stronger, healthier person. How is this possible? What made her so confident despite the heavy burden of cancer? It’s simple: it is the positive attitude with which she perceives life.

A doctor and a friend

Major uterine surgery, heavy chemotherapy, a bland diet and hair loss initially led to tears, a lot of sympathy and low motivation.

Raksha feared she may lose her family and felt like giving up on life.  But there is a ‘ray of hope in every one’s life’ and it was no different in her case.

Her oncologist, Dr. Shishir Shetty, asked her to be strong and promised her a complete recovery after the surgery. He put her through a few counseling sessions which helped her to stay positive and to see her whole life in a more holistic manner.

Dr. Shetty is not only her oncologist but has also become her great friend. It is perhaps one of the most crucial aspects to her recovery: the human connection, the bond of friendship and the assurance of a doctor who genuinely cares for a patient were life-changing in more ways than one!

A new lifestyle, a new life

Raksha, who previously weighed over 100kg and who lived life for others, was able to lose an incredible amount of weight and made herself look younger and more beautiful in spite of her medical condition.

It wasn’t easy, but she did it through regular workouts, a new and healthy diet, by doing things she loved and living life the way she wanted to. Although she had to go through monthly checkups and required heavy medications, her positive attitude made it easy for her to cope and come out of the ordeal stronger, healthier and more vibrant than ever.

Her husband, kids and family have been by her side all the time and are happy to see her confidence growing by the day. She now aims to counsel other cancer patients, share her story and strategies and give them courage.

As Raksha sums it up:

“After all, God has given us this one life in which there will be ups and downs. But it totally depends on us as to how beautiful we make it.”

Reflection

• Shock and fear are inevitable with cancer. How will you bounce back?
• How can you develop a humane and equal relationship with your doctor, so that you are both working towards the same goal?
• How has the cancer experience changed you and your outlook towards life?
• Besides staying fitter and healthier, what can you do stay mentally positive?

Authors

This article has been contributed Ashvita and Prashant, who are both students of Event Management at EMDI, Mumbai.

Diagnosed with breast cancer

Mrs. Ivy Roche, a breast cancer survivor in her 70’s, tells her story. She goes back to the time where she was first detected with cancer and shares how she fought it only to come out stronger and victorious. A crucial element was the support she received from her family and friends.

About 40 years ago, when she first felt a lump in her breast, Ivy Roche, wasn’t aware what it was. She consulted a friend two months later and she finally got herself checked by a specialist. She went for her biopsy, nervous and full of anxiety.

When she was told it was cancer she didn’t know how to react  but she put on a brave face for her family, over the pain and shock she felt inside. Her story is similar to many millions of cancer patients. What happened next however, isn’t.

Combination of medical and holistic treatments

6 months to live

After a lot of thinking and many discussions with her family and doctors, she went in for surgery. The news wasn’t good. Her doctors told her she had only 6 months to live. She continued with her medication and supplemented it with cobalt lights and Ayurvedic treatments.

2 months to live

The healing process took a while but the results were positive. But then things got worse. After 9 months, due to some complications and side effects from her medication, she went for a checkup and the doctors decided to operate once more. This time they removed her reproductive organs and she was given a grim ultimatum: she had only 2 months to live.

The miracle healing

Then something incredible happened. Her health started improving. Her complementary treatments were beginning to pay off. She thanked God for this new lease of life and she made sure her ‘second innings’ would be more successful than her first. She exercised, went for her regular walks and followed a strict vegetarian diet for six months.

Dealing with side effects of cancer and harsh treatments

Even with her family’s care and support it wasn’t that easy after her operation. Her recovery process was long and arduous. She stayed at home for 12 years, facing side effects such as daily numbness in her right arm and loss of balance and nausea. Due to the second operation her menopause set in a lot earlier than usual.

But her spirit would not be broken. She fought through all of those obstacles and she looks back now and thanks her family for all the help and support and thanks God for giving her strength.

Life after cancer

She values her life a lot more than before – she helps people as much as she can in whatever small way. She was involved in social work before she fell ill and she is determined to continue with it in this innings too. No one can doubt her gutsiness: she raised all of her 5 grandchildren whom she adores.

Her advice to all those suffering from cancer is:

Do not  be afraid, to have the will power and everything else will fall in place. Keep your faith because ‘the soul is the best tonic’

Since she was affected by cancer 35 years ago, she didn’t have any reference books or guides and lacked much information. She put on her game, trusted her doctors and left the rest to God.

Reflection

• Who forms your core support system in times of distress? How can you get them to become your pillar of strength during these difficult times?
• Even when things might seem impossible, how can you cling on to hope?
• How can you integrate holistic practices along with the mainstream treatments?
• What has changed for you post the cancer experience? How can you use it to find a new direction?

Authors

This article has been contributed Shikha Marwah and Anuj Soni, who are students of Event Management at EMDI, Mumbai.

A Life Transformed

I was born severely underweight (only 3 ¼ lbs!) because my mother had a complicated pregnancy, coupled with a medical misdiagnosis.

My childhood and teen years were plagued throughout by fatigue, inadequate sleep, poor posture, mineral deficiencies, allergies, chronic digestive problems and early osteoporosis.

As an adult though, I saw my health dramatically improve when I adopted balanced whole foods and macrobiotic principles. Today, I have more energy, clarity and endurance than ever before with normal digestion, allergy relief and increased immunity.

Chance or destiny?

I was exploring two career choices: whether to open a vegetarian restaurant in Goa, or attend the School of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston on a partial scholarship. However, as I searched the internet on impulse, a 3-day course in, “Macrobiotic Disease Prevention” at a US health academy captured my immediate interest.

A larger life

“Macrobiotic.” Hmmm. Strange word, so I looked it up. It is a compound Greek word, originally used in an essay by Plato, which means large (macro) and life (bios).

Nothing wrong with ‘Living a large life’, I thought to myself.  On an impulse, I decided to enroll and half-way through my first session itself, I knew with deep conviction that I was on the right track.

It prompted me to deepen my study further, inspiring me to enroll at the Kushi Institute in Massachusetts. During formal studies at the institute, I began to teach cooking, do some basic counselling and continue my personal exploration.

At its core, Macrobiotics is about applying the workings of mind, body and spirit to healing and rejuvenation. It emphasizes that the nourishing factor for our physical and mental health is the quality and nutritional balance of our blood, as well as the life we lead, a sense of purpose and how we maintain the love and support we receive from our relationships. This body/mind/spirit triad is foundational for living a great life.

Revisiting India’s Healing Heritage

Eventually, I returned to India with a passion to teach and practice Macrobiotics through an Indian lens.

Because many original macrobiotic teachers were Japanese, they taught these principles through the lens of their culture.

I realised that the key principles of Macrobiotics are quite universal, with many matching the roots of our own Aryuveda. Combined, they offer magnificent healing possibilities and can be applied individually on a gradient for each individuals taste and needs. The prompt and positive results speak for themselves.

Help yourself first

I understood that before help anyone else, I would first have to help myself.  I embraced macrobiotic principles with greater dedication. The result is that I have experienced improved health, greater endurance, mental clarity and a mind-body awareness.

This has given me greater resiliency and endurance to handle conflict, while discovering a deeper spiritual connection that has birthed a profound level of gratitude.  It has made me happier and more willing to face the challenges of everyday life with more energy and a sense of adventure.

The Holistic Approach Works

In my work with clients, I see more and more dramatic transformations that constantly re-affirm my faith in the power of personal choice, self-healing and traditional wisdom.

Our simple everyday choices can have a powerful and life-sustaining influence in our health and future well-being. Becoming accountable for our own health is a choice we are free to make to alter our destiny.

Reflection

• What can you do to transform a tragic situation into an opportunity for doing something meaningful?
• Instead of focussing only on curing the illness, what steps can you take a holistic mind body healing?
• How can effectively use food to further the goal of holistic health and wellness?

Author

Tarika Ahuja has over 8 yrs experience in natural wellness medicine and Macrobiotics.  She has studied at the Natural Epicurean Academy, The Kushi Institute and has taken Advanced Counselling & Cultural Medicine Programs (with Verne Varona). She has worked with Yoga and Ayurvedic practitioners as well as in wellness spas in the U.S.A, Europe and India. She is also a Theta healing practitioner and is certified with Vianna Stibal from the Theta Healing Institute of Knowledge.

Tarika works with several schools and children’s centres in Bangalore to improve foundational health for children from an early age. She also conducts workshops based on the principles of Taoism, Macrobiotics and Ayurveda.  She is also writing two books on wellness, to be published by Harper Collins (India).

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The movie is about what happens when one boy’s walk of faith crosses paths with one man’s search for meaning in life after losing all that he had. The resulting transformational journey touches the lives of everyone around them.

Child with cancer writes letters to God, the pen-pal

Tyler Doherty (played by Tanner Maguire) is an extraordinary 8-year old boy with an indomitable spirit, who is always trying to do what Jesus would do, in spite of having multiple brain tumors and undergoing chemotherapy.

Surrounded by a loving and supportive family and community and armed with the courage of his faith, the little boy faces his daily battle against cancer with courage and grace. To Tyler, God is a friend, a teacher and the ultimate pen pal. All of Tyler’s prayers take the form of letters which he composes and mails on a daily basis.

Messenger gets inspired to change his life and that of others

His letters find their way into the hands of Brady McDaniels (played by Jeffery Johnson) a substitute postman, standing at life’s crossroads after having lost custody of his son, because of his addiction to alcohol.

He is confused and conflicted as to what he should do, with all of these letters addressed “To God”.

The letters eventually get the beleaguered postman involved in the life of Tyler and his family who are battling cancer. The letters inspire Brady to seek a better life for himself and his own son who he lost through his alcohol addiction.

Brady realises what he must do with the letters. He makes a surprise decision that transforms his heart and uplifts his newly found friends and community. He does something exhilarating, inspired by the contagious effect of one boy’s unshakable faith in overcoming the odds.

The power of faith

Inspired by a true story, ‘Letters to God’ is a touching and intimate story about the galvanizing effect one child’s belief can have on his family, friends and community.

The movie shows us that although little Tyler suffered from brain cancer, he never let that come in the way of his undying faith in God. He felt that God was his closest friend and believed that every day was a new day, he was blessed to see.

Lessons from the movie

• The movie shows us a path where we find ourselves turning to God not only in times of sicknesses, but also praying with gratitude for the good things we receive. We need to have a strong belief in ourselves and be hopeful in every situation.
• The movie is a must-watch since it makes us understand that each one of us can alter our lives or those of people around us for the better, if we possess the right attitude.
• In traumatic situations, we often wonder “why me?” and the movie wants us to believe that everything happens for the reason. The reason might not always be a rosy one, but if viewed with the correct attitude, we can begin to understand its deeper meaning and deal with it in a positive manner.

Author

My name is Tamara De Abreu and I’m originally from Goa. Although I’m an optimist by nature, I try to take a balanced view of life. I come from a religious background with strong family values. I love socializing and meeting new people. I volunteered to help Cancer Awakens because I felt the need to stretch beyond the comfort of my little world and meet people who have been through a lot and still have a positive outlook towards life.

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“I’m very strong, and I was in such shock, because I have always taken care of myself, and I just thought it would never happen to me. But I think that is what everybody thinks—it won’t happen to them,” Somers revealed on Larry King live.

After undergoing radiation and a lumpectomy ( breast cancer surgery ) and determined not to let cancer drag her down, Suzanne Somers moved on to become a successful author and businesswoman. She has released two autobiographies, a poetry book and four diet books.

Source

Celebrity Cancer Survivors: 10 Inspiring Stories About Tinseltown’s Strongest Stars

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Current Prognosis

In 1960, 1 in 4 people (in the USA) had cancer. Today it is 1 in 3. In 15 years, it will be 1 in 2! Cancer has overtaken heart disease as America’s # 1 killer. Last year, over 1,250,000 Americans were diagnosed with cancer and over 650,000 Americans will die from it.

Dr. Know-It-All & His Time-Line Diagnosis

Despite these scary statistics, I believe that physicians, oncologists or surgeons have absolutely no right to give patients a timeline of death. It’s presumptuous, arrogant and more often than not, inaccurate.

The negative psychological power of such a prediction often does more harm than good.

People are not statistics. If everyone who is immediately diagnosed with cancer returns home, suffers from post-diagnostic anxiety, continues to eat the same poor food and maintain the identical unhealthy lifestyle, that they had in the past, in that case, perhaps then they might fit within a statistical disease category.

People are unique individuals with amazing potential for transformation on every level, including cellular. For those who are adventurous enough to change multiple aspects of their lives, beginning with foundational ones such as food and lifestyle, the possibility of exceptional healing definitely exists. Expect a miracle, I always say.

‘A 4^th stage cancer client once told me ‘The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it’

What will you become, after your cancer?

How Cancer Occurs

We need to expand our thinking to comprehend the reasons why someone develops a cellular mutiny such as cancer.

1. I do not believe that dietary transgressions alone qualify as the primary reason for cancer growing or spreading.
2. For a very limited amount of cancers genetic factors have their influence
3. There are environmental factors: toxins, pesticides, x-rays and gamma rays, cosmetic contaminants, etc.
4. There are emotional factors which influence our blood chemistry and hormonal system.
5. Lifestyle factors account for the greater majority of cancers: tobacco excess, BBQ fats, daily stress, excess animal protein and fat consumption, simple sugar intake, etc. are essential players in this drama of degeneration.

But, it’s rarely only ONE thing. A number of factors conspire to weaken our immunity, making us more susceptible to cancer’s growth and spread. Apparently, we all have some degree of cancerous cells floating around our blood stream. However, it is the danger of damaged cellular DNA and weakened immunity that no longer effectively combat cellular strangers that gives cancer cells a green light to develop.

Role of Macrobiotics

To address a multi-factorial disease like cancer, we need a multi-dimensional approach to healing and this is where Macrobiotics comes in.

Macrobiotics is a comprehensive way of life, offering practical principles that guide and educate with effective tools to strengthen body, mind and spirit.

Recognizing that we are composed of many bodies: physical, intellectual, emotional, creative and spiritual, macrobiotics offers varied nourishment to sustain our collective growth. The ultimate goal of macrobiotics is to create freedom; from fear, from sickness and from living lives of indifference. To be “macrobiotic” is to have a personal goal of living a large life.

Reflection

• For the numerous cancer statistics, there are always a few anecdotes. What changes can you make in your lifestyle to become an anecdote yourself?
• While we think food nourishes us only physically, good food helps us on multiple levels? How can you be more aware of your diet choices and use it more effectively for holistic healing?

Reference

Article adapted from the work of Verne Varona. For over thirty-five years, his lectures, workshops and media appearances have motivated thousands of people to take better and more conscious care of their health. He studied Oriental Medicine and Macrobiotic principles at the East West Foundation of Boston, Massachusetts.

Verne co-created, The ODDS (Off Dangerous Drugs Safely) Program to reverse pharmaceutical and over-the-counter drug dependency with dietary and lifestyle guidelines. He has authored two books: Nature’s Cancer-Fighting Foods and Macrobiotics for Dummies.

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When Indo-Canadian actress and model, Lisa Ray, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare and relatively incurable cancer, she was determined to beat it.

She explains, “For me, it was a relief to hear what was wrong. The plasma cells in my bone marrow were rampaging, multiplying, squeezing out the red blood cells and it was time to begin doing something about it. I was also tired of being tired all the time. And you just know when something is not kosher with your body. So when I sat there with Bobcat — my life partner and reservoir of Yellow — and got the news I didn’t react and I didn’t cry. I’m an actress, believe me, I can be dramatic. Not just then though”.

Through her struggle, Lisa started a blog to share her journey through cancer with the world. She is now back on track and better than ever before. Shuttling between India and Canada for the cause of championing cancer, Lisa is working on her book, holding talks across North America and resuming her acting career.

To read the full article click here. To visit Lisa Ray’s blog, click here

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The singer postponed the Australian leg of her 2005 Showgirl tour to undergo immediate treatment for breast cancer. After an 18-month fight, she went into remission and resumed her tour.

In 2008, the pop star discussed her first diagnosis (or lack thereof) on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “I was misdiagnosed initially,” she said. “So my message to all of you and everyone at home is, because someone is in a white coat and using big medical instruments doesn’t necessarily mean they are right.”

Kylie is acknowledged for the impact she made by discussing her cancer diagnosis and treatment in public and in the media’s full glare. Some doctors now go as far as saying there is a “Kylie effect” that encourages young women to have regular check-ups.

Source

Celebrity Cancer Survivors: 10 Inspiring Stories About Tinseltown’s Strongest Stars

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Known as one of England’s best batsmen, Geoffrey Boycott’s life took an unexpected turn when he was suddenly diagnosed with throat cancer. Though his life seemed to have caught on the sticky wicket, he endured and overcame his greatest enemy. With a ‘never say die’ he batted his innings with gusto and verve.

“I would count my treatments like I once counted my runs. I had to have 35 laser sessions. Just get to 18, I’d will myself, then you’ll be on the home run. You have to be mentally strong to keep the crying and the depression at bay. And all the time, through all this pain and fog, there is this niggling question at the back of your mind – will it work?”

Boycott is living a happy, cancer-free life with his wife, Rachel.

Source

Celebrity Cancer Survivors: 10 Inspiring Stories About Tinseltown’s Strongest Stars

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Ace Indian cricketer, Yuvraj Singh, has written about his struggle with ‘mediastinal seminoma’, a rare type of cancer for which he underwent treatment for three months in the US.

In his memoir titled ‘In Different Form’, Yuvraj talks about his journey through life, cancer and how he found inspiration in Lance Armstrong. Post that, the star cricketer launched an awareness program called YouWeCan to help fellow cancer victims overcome the disease and the struggle that is an inevitable part of it.

Admirably, Yuvraj Singh has emerged from this ordeal with flying colours. He is an inspiration to many because of his positive attitude and willingness to help others through his program.

To read the full article click here.

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Rock-star Cheryl Crow’s 2006 battle with breast cancer caused her to reevaluate her life; she adopted a baby, Wyatt, the following year.

“I had this clear picture of what my life was going to look like: I’m going to get married and have kids,” she says.

“You create your mythology, but sometimes it’s based on a perception that isn’t the truth about you.

Having cancer made me say “OK, what is it I want from my life?” I thought “if I want to be a mom, there are kids out there that need moms. I think you choose your family. And I did.”

Source

Celebrity Cancer Survivors: 10 Inspiring Stories About Tinseltown’s Strongest Stars

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“You have cancer”

Dr. Vivian Bearing is a professor of the 17th century metaphysical poetry of John Dunn. She is in her late 40s when she diagnosed with Stage 4 advanced metastatic ovarian cancer.

The movie beautifully captures the intensity of Vivian’s emotions of anxiety, embarrassment, and loneliness that she goes through her cancer treatment. She isn’t afraid of not making it through to the treatment; she’s more or less a guinea pig in the heavily dosed treatment process.

Cancer – a time to introspect

Vivian was a loner and doesn’t want anyone to visit her. She had lost her parents: her father to a heart attack and her mother to breast cancer.

The only person who seems to care for her is a staff nurse, Susie. Vivian reminisces from time to time; the memories of her childhood and college life keep her sane and happy.
She is humbled by her life-changing experience.

Whilst in her condition, she truly understands that she should have given more time to her personal life instead of having completely dedicated to her life to her work as a professor and a scholar.

As she feels her life coming to an end, she realises that she had been insensitive to people around her. She humbly accepts the profound truth that it’s important to be empathetic to others rather than to be just an intellectual, lost in her books.

She finally understands that cancer showed her what she had missed out in life – the warmth and value of human connections.

Author

Saurabh Dubey is a student of Advertising at EMDI in Mumbai. It’s a bit strange to describe myself, as I’m a man of few words! I’m a blessed person who has incredibly loving and caring parents, siblings and friends. I love simplicity, sincerity and also to explore my surroundings. I’m also a yet-to-be-discovered poet!

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After the surgery, Rupa didn’t feel great pain. But the very next day, when the surgeon came to dress her 30 stitches, she cringed and cried with pain. She experienced a strange numbness on the right side of her chest and then she realized that what she had expected before the surgery had become a reality.

Another Bump in the Road

After her successful surgery, Rupa was delighted to be on her way to regaining a happy and a normal life. But after only a week or so, when the whole family was thinking of a grand celebration, the unthinkable happened.

Her histology reports showed only a partial response to the chemotherapy and some of her lymph nodes turned out to have been affected, in spite of the fact that she had received the latest and most effective drugs. However, the biology of her cancer cells was such that her doctors gave her a 50-50% chance of recurrence. She was advised further chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Instead of relying on sheer luck, Rupa made up her mind to see through her treatments bravely.

Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining

While on one hand there was a 50% chance of cancer recurrence, on the other, Rupa tested positive for hormone therapy. This would be given for up to 5 years and would give her a better than even chance of staying cancer free.

What also worked in her favour was her tremendous self-belief that the the treatments would be totally effective and that she would rid herself of the cancer completely.

The journey won’t be easy but Rupa is confident in herself, the love she draws from her family and the strength she gains from her spiritual connectedness.

I Am The Winner

As Rupa herself says “I know, that I have to be more careful, watchful and even more positive. As every journey has its end, I too am moving towards the end of my treatment and back to my home in Australia very soon. I’ll be the same disciplined mom, caring wife, responsible working woman and superwoman amongst my friends. I know the battle is still not finished but I feel that I AM THE WINNER. I know that I’ve confidence and I can fight and I’ll win always. TOGETHER WE CAN FIGHT CANCER, is what I say. God bless all my family members, friends, relatives and well wishers, a special thanks to my husband and kids”.

Reflection

• How do you deal with the inevitable ups and downs of the cancer journey?
• What will help you bounce back, even after a major setback?
• How resilient are you now, compared to the time before cancer?
• What has changed for you after the cancer experience?
• How do you plan to integrate your new-found perspective in your life?

Author

Saurabh Dubey a student of Advertising at EMDI in Mumbai. It’s a bit strange to describe myself, as I’m a man of few words! I’m a blessed person who has incredibly loving and caring parents, siblings and friends. I love simplicity, sincerity and also to explore my surroundings. I’m also a yet-to-be-discovered poet!

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The ‘C’ Word

My aunt (Rupa), along with her husband (Jay) and two daughters (Karishma and Mahima) had moved to Australia in April, 2010 to pursue a new life in Adelaide, one of Australia’s most magnificent cities.

In April, 2011, Rupa was diagnosed with breast cancer at the Royal Adelaide Hospital . She went through an array of medical tests and was naturally taken aback at the sudden and sad discovery of the ‘C’ word. Far away from her parents, siblings and relatives it was an even more bitter pill to swallow.

Getting Prepared

1. Talk to cancer survivors or thrivers: As the days passed, Rupa felt better and braver and that’s when she met Helen. Diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer, Helen shared her experiences with Rupa, who had Stage 3 breast cancer. She first had to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy, to shrink the tumour size, so that it could be operated upon.
2. Research about your cancer: The hospital gave Rupa a kit which had very useful books on breast cancer. One book was very informative and covered the facts, tests, treatments and support options for early breast cancer patients. Another book provided contact details of forums and support groups, including various measures that can help during different stages of cancer treatment. In addition, the medical and health teams did a commendable job by informing Rupa exactly what treatments she would receive. This open and transparent dialogue was a huge step in preparing her mentally, for what was to come.
3. Make important decisions about your treatment: Rupa knew that to be happy, she had to be with her family and friends back home in India. She, along with her family, arrived in India in May 2011. They visited a few reputed cancer hospitals in Ahmedabad, their home town and ultimately chose HCG Medi-Surge.
4. Doing all that you can for a successful treatment: During her treatment she began keeping a close eye on her body, something which she had never done before. She interacted with her surgeon and oncologist to understand the medical terms and treatments that she would undergo. The medical team provided great encouragement and moral support to Rupa throughout the treatment. Since establishing a strong human connection is one of the most important aspects in the treatment process, the warmth of her family and the reassurance of her doctors was crucial in preparing her emotionally.

Life after cancer

1. Feeling of victimhood: Shortly after the chemotherapy began, Rupa started losing her hair. Her pillow would be covered with strands of fallen hair. Her younger daughter (Mahima) would cry and ask Rupa why this was happening only to her and not to anyone else’s mother. She asked Rupa to wear a wig and that did make both of them feel a little better. Rupa realised that it is important to address the question of victimhood, when it comes to cancer.
2. Dealing with effects of chemotherapy: During her second chemo cycle, Rupa had to deal with food infection, but fortunately her oncologist’s medication cleared it. Her diet consisted of home-cooked food, which had to be consumed warm and fresh. The third chemo cycle was the toughest as she completely lost her taste buds, developed a mouth ulcer and also lost her eyelashes. But she was happy because her surgery date was coming closer and closer.
3. Strength from spirituality: Rupa had been brought up with spirituality as an inherent part of her life. After the positive chemotherapy reports, she went to various temples to show her gratitude and gain strength from the deities blessings. Being a strong-willed person, she made up her mind that she would have no fear even if the doctors were forced to remove her right breast during the surgery. Her spirituality gave her this fortitude.

Reflection

• After diagnosis, how can you prepare yourself physically and mentally for the cancer treatments?
• How can you engage in a productive dialogue with the doctors regarding your treatment and recovery?
• Where will you can draw emotional strength from, during the difficult cancer journey? How will you stay positive?
• If your loved one is going through cancer, what are the three most important things you can do to demonstrate how much you care?

Author

Saurabh Dubey is a student of Advertising at EMDI in Mumbai. It’s a bit strange to describe myself, as I’m a man of few words! I’m a blessed person who has incredibly loving and caring parents, siblings and friends. I love simplicity, sincerity and also to explore my surroundings. I’m also a yet-to-be-discovered poet!

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Commonweal: Healing is possible when curing isn’t

Commonweal is a ‘mind and spirit’ retreat north of San Francisco, USA where cancer patients can come and spend one week with others in similar situations.

Its mission: “healing is possible when curing isn’t”.

Though the ages and backgrounds of this particular week’s participants range from a 40-year old nurse to a 74-year old retired college professor, each person helps the other to heal in their own way. The idea is that when one falls ill, one can feel cut off from the rest of the world and therefore, strangers can come together to help heal each other and reignite that human connection through their cancer experience.

It all begins with listening

The program starts with showing each participant the power of listening and just how much their attention is worth.

By sharing their individual stories, they form a close bond and they give the gift of attention to each other – something that many in the outside world would not because they are too afraid to deal with a loved one’s affliction.

Some are quick to share and some take a little longer, but in the end a circle of trust is created when they realise that they are together on this journey. This brings each of them a tremendous sense of comfort and security.

Cancer is an opportunity to look at life anew

With the new perspective that cancer has given them, many of the participants are now looking to repair and deepen their relationships with their loved ones.

The program leader, who has herself undergone 7 surgeries since the age of 15, declares her firm belief in the human will to live. We each have a strong life-force which we can sometimes lose touch with and cancer (because it makes us confront our own mortality) reminds us of this life-force that we may have lost touch with.

“Healing is evoking the will to live”.

How a person feels is important

The wounded healers continue on their journey of acceptance, reconciliation and sharing by understanding that cancer is so much more than just a biopsy report – it is how you feel! Allopathic medicine does its best to ‘cure’ the disease but ‘healing’ requires dealing with a person’s inner resources. With cancer, both are needed.

Healing is a journey

As the week progresses, participants engage in group and individual activities specifically designed to help the healing process. Since research has shown that creativity and healing are related, one of the most beautiful exercises they undertake is a poetry-writing session.

Poetry helps to access the unconscious mind and brings to the surface deep and powerful emotions that may have laid dormant. Tears are shed but the session inevitably ended with hugs and smiles.

Participants also take on art projects like clay sculpting, sketching and sand-tray design. These helped express deep-seated emotions and are useful and insightful in sharing hopes and fears.

Seeing the real me

One patient shares an intimate story about how cancer changed the way people viewed her for the better. Since she was blessed with youthful good looks, people generally identified her as “that pretty girl” but no one paid attention to her intellect.

Due to cancer, she lost her good looks and age finally caught up with her, but now people are able to see her as the insightful, smart person she always was. Cancer enabled her true qualities to be seen and valued.

Death: The great equaliser

The episode ends fittingly, with a discussion on death.

“The worst thing that happens in life is not death”, says the program’s curator, “Health isn’t a goal in itself. It is a means to serving a purpose”.

That is the most important message of the Commonweal program: that one must use whatever time that health provides, to serve a purpose close to one’s heart.

Ultimately, healing oneself cannot always be a conscious, rational activity because real healing comes from a close contact with one’s deeper Self/ Intelligence. This gives the direction to find and fulfill one’s purpose.

A new family

While the entire series is special, this particular episode is very powerful because it shows how cancer-affected human beings can heal and enrich their lives after a week’s retreat.

At the end, they take happy pictures together at the beach and laughingly acknowledge that they have become a new family for each other. At a deeper level they have re-established that human connection and are healthier for it.

One patients asks whether it would be better to die alone or to have others present and share the burden. Her friends remind her that it is not a burden, but an honour. One could say the same about illness.

Reflection

• Who are your cheerleaders on your cancer journey?
• Instead of relying only on your loved ones, can you consider parallel avenues like support groups or personal cancer coaching?
• Nietzsche said, “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.” What have you discovered about how you deal with adversity?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

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Surviving but not really ‘living’

Ann (beautifully performed by Sarah Polley), is 23 years old, with two little daughters and an attentive husband, Don (played by Scott Speedman). They’re very poor and live in a trailer in Ann’s mother’s back yard, but they are happy with their routine life.

While other women her age are out partying, Ann spends her nights working as a janitor in a university that she could never afford to go to in the daytime. Somehow, she keeps her head above water: surviving but not really “living”.

Shielding loved ones from the impending death

One day, after she collapses, Ann goes in for a medical check-up, where a shy doctor tells her the shocking news: she has terminal cancer.

She tells no one, determined to shield her daughters from the truth and at the same time take control of her life and to make the most out of it.

To her husband (Don), to her eccentric co-worker (Laurie), to her mother and her kids, Ann attributes her pallor to a case of anaemia.

Living to the fullest in the face of death

In private, Ann makes a list of the 10 things she always wanted to accomplish in her life but never had the time. They range from the mundane to the sublime; here are the first 5!

• Tell my daughters I love them several times a day.
• Find Don a new wife, who the girls like.
• Record birthday messages for the girls for every year until they’re 18.
• Go to Whalebay Beach together and have a big picnic.
• Smoke and drink as much as I want….

(To see the remaining five, see the movie!)

Suddenly, Ann’s life opens up and the life-force that was nascent in this 23 year-old, working-class woman blooms into a quiet yet steely determination.

Preparing her loved ones for life without her

Burdened with her secret but liberated by her new sense of empowerment, Ann’s emotional journey leads her to unexpected places and gives her life new meaning: the tender moments, the volatile emotions she must keep inside and the recognition that she has the power to understand, examine and fully live her own life.

‘My Life Without Me’ shows us how vulnerable we can be and how dramatically things can change when we take control of our lives.

Brilliant performances

Isabel Coixet has done a brilliant all-round job. The entire cast is superb: Scott Speedman puts in a great performance as the dependent husband; Amanda Plummer, as Ann’s food- obsessed friend, shows Coixet’s taste for unusual characterisation.

Deborah Harry is surprisingly raw as Ann’s bitter mother; Mark Ruffalo, as a lonely man who falls in love with Ann, is very captivating and passionate; and Leonor Watling’s beauty shines through as the Spanish girl. Maria de Medeiros and Alfred Molina enrich the film with their presence, even though they have small cameos. Though all the characters play their part well, Sarah Polley stands out and defines the movie.

Author

This article has been written by Sagar Chandni, a student of Advertising at EMDI, Mumbai.

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Dying young- Journey from suffering to hope

“Dying Young” is a very touching and emotional story about Victor Geddes (played by Campbell Scott), a young man from a very wealthy family who is diagnosed with leukemia. Victor has everything that life can offer except the one thing he needs the most – a reason to live.

Victor’s father (played by David Selby) is looking for a trained nurse for Victor, but he chooses to overrule his father’s decision and decides to employ someone who will support him personally through his chemotherapy, rather than just play the role of a nurse to him.

Not just just a nurse, a caregiver who can support

He chooses Hillary O’Neil (played by Julia Roberts), a beautiful woman who is lost and confused after being betrayed by her boyfriend. Hillary needs to find a job and a place to stay and so she applies for a residential position, acting as Victor’s caretaker and nurse.

Hilary has very little experience but is full of energy and knows how to live her life and make each moment of it count.

When the caregiver feels overwhelmed

At Victor’s first chemotherapy session, Hilary is struck with sympathy for cancer patients, but once they return home and she sees the aftermath of the side effects, she doubts whether she can even handle the job. Hilary wants to help Victor but is distraught at his pain and suffering.

Victor however convinces her to stay and give it a try, as he is falling in love with her and is beginning to see her as a reason for living, something which he had always wanted in his reclusive and self-confined life.

A ray of hope

In Hillary, Victor is finally able to see a ray of hope! One day Victor tells Hilary that his chemotherapy course has been successfully completed, and that he really wants to start living his life again. He asks her to accompany him on an adventure; to a place where he can do everything he always wanted without being constantly monitored.

So they move together to a secluded house where Hilary gets to see a new side of Victor, one free of medicines, injections and treatments, and instead living a normal life. Slowly their relationship blossoms as they realize their love for each other through all the beautiful experiences they share.

Facing the reality

However destiny has something else in mind. As it turns out, Victor has lied to Hilary about his chemotherapy being successful. In reality, he wanted to escape all that pain and mess and wanted to recover with Hilary’s support. He lied to her but only because he loved her and didn’t want to hurt her.

The movie ends with Hilary and Victor attempting to fight death together for the sake of their love and their relationship.

Lessons for cancer patients and caregivers from the film

‘Dying Young’ has a positive message – that there is always hope no matter what the situation is, provided you have the willingness and thirst to live life and not give up.

By portraying the cancer-patient’s journey as well as that of a care-giver, the movie stands apart, and that makes it an enjoyable watch for patients and care-givers alike.

It shows that cancer can be equally difficult for the care-giver because the hardest thing for anybody is to see his or her loved one suffer or die. It also shows that cancer transforms not only the patient’s life but also the care-givers.

At the end, the movie leaves us with an upbeat message: that hope is the best medicine in life. Victor and Hillary depict how will-power and the support of a loved one can help you look at life itself, anew.

Author

This article was written by Roopali Mathuria, a student of Advertising at EMDI, Mumbai. Roopali describes herself as a fun-loving person who loves to socialize, meet and observe people … that’s where she gets many of her insights. She loves being at home with her family, as her ‘get-away’ from the rest of the world.

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When you are better informed, you can have better conversations with your doctors and with your family.

In this book you will find

• How cancer occurs and why it causes death
• Cancer staging and how to talk about it
• What really causes cancer and,
• How you can approach cancer treatment

[su_button url=”http://cancerawakens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/02.-cancer-basics.pdf”]Download Now[/su_button]

We encourage you to print and share this e-book with those who are going through the difficult journey with cancer. As you go through the book, you may have many thoughts and we urge you to treat this e-book as a space to make notes, write down your questions and reflect on insights.

Dr Dilip Nadkarni kicked the habit of smoking about 30 years ago. Now he urges smokers to quit the cancer stick, now and for good. Dr Nadkarni sang this parody on World No Tobacco day on 31st May.

Dr Dilip Nadkarni is a Mumbai based Orthopedic surgeon affiliated to Lilavati Hopsital. He specializes in Arthroscopic or keyhole surgeries on knees mainly for sports injuries. His passion is music and he finds time to write songs, compose music and sing. His music videos on social issues are uploaded on youtube, “CalmSutra” being his channel. Dr Dilip Nadkarni has written books like Knee Problem No Problem, REAL Fitness and Calm Sutra, the Art of Relaxation.

Bridging the ‘old’ and the ‘new’

Bill grew up in East Texas with the belief that one’s emotional make up has a strong bearing on the physical body eg. a neighbour dying of a ‘broken’ heart, pleasant words bringing ‘health to the bones’ etc.

His education, however, was firmly rooted in western science which proposed that disease was caused by external agents and could be cured by drugs.

These contrasting views of traditional versus modern medicine intensified when Bill’s father, during his final days, bore excruciating pain and experienced no relief from hospitals and drugs. In some desperation, Bill was forced to turn to folklore, traditional healing methods, an examination of Socrates’ words ‘The body cannot be cured without the soul.’

Amazed by what he found, Bill resolved to understand how the field of medicine can nestle itself on the ‘wings of modern science and ancient wisdom.’

Accompanying the pioneers of mind-body medicine

‘Healing and the Mind’ explores the roles of thoughts and emotions in illness and health through interviews with 16 doctors and scientists.

• He visits stress-reduction clinics, a cancer patients’ support group and investigates the new field of psychoneuroimmunology, which emphasizes the importance of patients’ attitudes to optimal immune-system functioning.
• He also travels to China to study acupuncture, therapeutic massage and Qi gong, the manipulation of vital energy to ameliorate chronic neurologic and muscular diseases.
• Among those interviewed are University of California physician Dean Ornish, who has reversed heart disease in patients with treatments combining meditation, stress-reduction exercises, group therapy, walking and vegetarian diet.
• Neurobiologist David Felten, discoverer of nerve fibers that link the nervous system to the immune system.
• Thomas Delbanco of Harvard Medical School who seeks ways to transform the doctor-patient relationship so that patients are more actively involved.

In this landmark series, Bill’s aim is to present his answers to the ever-perplexing questions :

“How do emotions translate into chemicals in our bodies? ”
“How do thoughts and feelings influence health? ”
“How can we collaborate with our bodies to encourage healing?”

Reflection

• What steps are you taking to gather more information before making an informed decision on your course of treatment?
• Having understood the connection between ‘Healing and the mind’, what can you do to achieve a stress-free state of mind?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine

In the second part of the series, Bill Moyers, with the help of his guide, David Eisenberg, (MD from Harvard Medical School), travels through Beijing and Shanghai, exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its approach to healing through ‘Qi’ (pronounced ‘chi’), the vital energy force.

TCM has been successfully practiced for thousands of years. According to TCM, the geography of the human body goes beyond the western medical system’s understanding of the human anatomical structure.

Qi, the vital energy force

TCM views health as based on energy balance:

• When Qi – the vital life energy – flows strongly and smoothly through our body, the energy is in balance and we are in health.
• When Qi either stagnates, is blocked or flows weakly, the body’s energy system is out of balance and this leads to various illnesses in a person.
• Healing involves diagnosing where the Qi is blocked, stagnant or weak and then working with the energy channels (meridiens) to get Qi to flow strongly and smoothly again, using a variety of techniques.

As Bill and David visit some of Beijing and Shanghai’s most reputed  hospitals, they try to come to grips with this subtle and intangible energy force called Qi. They learn that in China, patients can choose to be treated either by TCM or modern/ western medicine (Allopathy) and that a significant proportion of the population opts for TCM to cure even acute and chronic conditions.

The video shows a young woman undergoing surgery in a Chinese hospital for a very large tumour in her brain. In a Western hospital, this sensitive procedure would be conducted under general anesthesia but here it is done with the woman fully conscious and able to talk … the doctors had anesthesised her locally, using acupuncture needles! Using a combination of TCM and Western techniques, the surgeon successfully removed the tumor, with no pain whatsoever and using half the amount of drugs.

TCM treatments primarily comprises the following, all of which aim to balance Qi:

	1. Herbal Medicines These are prepared by boiling certain, carefully selected ingredients (herbs, tree-bark, roots, dried insects, animal parts, etc.) and are to consumed regularly for a period of time. Interestingly, the medicinal herbs are prescribed, not based on the chemistry of the core ingredients but more so on their ability to either increase/ decrease bodily heat and thereby address the flow of Qi.
	2. Acupuncture As described in the example above, acupuncture involves using very fine needles along specific meridians (energy channels) to reconnect broken energy circuits, and to restore/ balance Qi.
	3. Massage is another way to work with Qi (also called Acupressure), but this time by applying pressure to certain meridien points using one’s fingers and hands. Interestingly, research shows that a range of ailments can be successfully addressed through therapeutic massage including many that are apparently ‘incurable’ in the west, like fibroids and cysts.
	4. Chinese martial arts (Tai-chi ch’uan and Qi gong) These are widely practiced in both urban and rural China, once again with the aim of balancing Qi. TCM holds that body movement is as important for health, as eating or sleeping. Just like a door’s hinges if not swung open often, are bound to ‘rust.’, similarly the body’s joints are places where Qi can stagnate or be blocked, if not used properly or regularly. Interestingly, experienced TCM practitioners can also offer ‘external Qi Gong’ where the doctor uses his/her own Qi to restore and reactivate the patient’s Qi.
	5. Meditation/ Visualizations These focus on healing the mental/emotional patterns that could have resulted in disease. The TCM philosophy is ‘Don’t try and cure the disease; instead, find your centre and you will be cured.’ For the Chinese, health is not just the mere absence of disease, but an overall philosophy of life (and lifestyle). The Western world is also beginning to see the need to go beyond the physical body and understand how the mind and spirit can influence health. However, for the best results to emerge, the two approaches need to come together and find common ground. Why can’t the two systems go hand-in-hand?

Reflection

• In which situations do you feel energetic and full if vitality?
• When and where do you feel dull, dense or stuck?
• What patterns do you notice?
• How can you ensure that your vital energy force (Qi) flows smoothly and steadily?

Resources

‘Healing & The Mind‘ by Bill Moyers

Author

After obtaining a degree in Psychology, Vidya Ramaswamy felt her subject learning had been limited since it stopped with the study of the mind. Believing that humans are “whole” beings, she decided to pursue a discipline which appreciates the inter-connection between body-mind-spirit. She qualified herself as a Clinical Hypnotherapist from the California Hypnosis Institute of India (CHII). Vidya now works with cancer patients on a daily basis as a Treatment-Coordinator/ Therapist at the Ojus-Sampurnah Integrative Medicine Clinic in Bangalore and practices as an independent Hypnotherapist as well.

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Are you financially prepared for cancer?

I am Lovaii Navlakhi. In a recent conversation with Vijay, I was stunned to learn that

• In just a few years, Cancer will overtake Heart Disease as the world’s No. 1 killer
• In India, 1 in 10 people will get cancer (In the ‘developed’ Western world, 1 in 3 people already get it)
• This ratio will only get worse as our population lives longer, becomes more affluent and adopts an unhealthy lifestyle!

When I ask myself “How many of those 100 million Indians (who will get cancer) are prepared for it?”, I already know the answer: very few. Then there is the ‘cost’ aspect to consider, which most people are even less prepared for.

“Cancer is not only a disease of the body … it eats into your spirit, if you let it. It also eats into your finances … again, if you let it!”

Cancer is an expensive disease!

And it is becoming more so. Typical Cancer treatment (diagnostics, surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, ongoing medications and associated expenses) can cost between

• Rs. 5 – 8 lakhs (at the low end), if you are lucky enough to recover quickly
• Rs. 25 – 30 lakhs (at the high end), if you have a long-drawn treatment

These huge sums can drain the resources (in some cases, life-savings) of most middle-class and even some affluent families, particularly if they are unanticipated. In one stroke, many well-laid plans – a retirement home, a daughter’s marriage, a son’s overseas education – can go out of the window, adding to the emotional strain the family is already going through.

Being prepared

Of course, prevention is the best form of cure and Cancer Awakens already gives you lots of excellent advice on the steps you can take, to keep yourself in good health. But since I am a Financial Planner, my focus is on helping you prepare yourself financially. Let’s say that you generally keep good health and you have no personal history of major illness, but there have been a few stray cases of cancer in the family … perhaps your dad’s elder brother had prostate cancer or an elderly aunt died years ago from ovarian cancer.

Financial planning for cancer

Here are four broad areas of financial planning, that you might want to consider, as a first step:

1. Life insurance cover ensures that your loved ones are protected irrespective of whether you are around or not.

• The ‘sum assured’ of your policy is paid out soon after your death to your nominee.
• The amount of cover depends on your income, expenses and what your future goals are.
• Being adequately insured is very important; it is said that being under-insured like having no insurance at all. (In our experience, a majority of even healthy people are actually under-insured.)
• Many people tend to “diversify” by taking insurance policies from many companies; however, this creates extra paperwork and procedures. (In our experience, it is better to take fewer policies with a higher sum assured; you also get better ‘service’ from your agent/insurance company)
• It is very important to fill in the correct information in your proposal forms. (In our experience, this speeds up claim-processing)

2. Critical Illness rider is normally taken with a life insurance policy: however it can also be a stand-alone product. 

• In case you are diagnosed with a serious disease (like cancer, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant, stroke, etc.), an amount equal to the ‘sum assured’ will be paid to you, in addition to the underlying life insurance cover.
• Remember, the list of conditions/ exclusions varies from company to company and hence you should read the fine print very carefully, before you take this rider.
• This rider can be used to cover the loss of income during the illness/ treatment/ recovery period as well as the sudden surge of expenses. (In our experience, the ideal level of cover should be 6-12 months of your post-tax income.)

3. Medical insurance cover

• If you are employed with a large, well-established company, you will most likely be covered by your employer’s Group Medical insurance scheme.
• Please talk to your HR Dept and understand what exactly is covered and what isn’t. (In our experience, many people do not know this in specific terms)
• Even if you are already covered by your company, it is good to have a separate cover for yourself and your family. (In our experience, the earlier you take this, the lower your premium and the better it is for you.)
• While it is difficult to put a specific number, we believe that a medical insurance cover of Rs. 5-10 lakhs is a must today, considering that
  • The cost of healthcare is increasing day-by-day
  • The rate of inflation is high
  • You may make your claim many years later

4.When crisis strikes

The last thought I’d leave you with is this. If you are fortunate enough to have a reasonable financial cushion and/ or if you are a regular investor, it is a good idea to keep the equivalent of:

• About 3 months’ regular expenses in a ‘liquid’ fund for any kind of short-term emergency
• About 9 months’ regular expenses in a ‘contingency’ fund (In our experience you can build this up over the 12 months, with a certain amount of discipline.)
• This will ensure peace of mind … and you won’t have to break your medium to long-term savings or investments

“Being prepared for life’s uncertainties will help you financially and put you at ease. If you’re already dealing with the turmoil of Cancer, the cost of treatment/recovery should be one less thing to worry about.”

Reflection

• When was the last time you reviewed your insurance portfolio with an experienced adviser?
• Do you have adequate life/ critical illness/ medical insurance cover?
• Do you have some funds set aside for a ‘rainy day’ … and how quickly can you access them?

Author

Lovaii is a Certified Financial Planner and Managing Director of International Money Matters Pvt Ltd. He features regularly on NDTV’s “30 Minutes to Wealth”, CNBC Awaaz and UTV Bloomberg. He is a panelist on various websites like moneycontrol.com, myiris.com, investmentyogi.com, etc. He also writes regularly for Outlook Money and Economic Times. He is the author of “A Guide to Retirement Planning” published for Outlook Money in 2007. He can be contacted on lovaii(at)immpl(dot)com. For more details, visit: www.immpl.com.

More from this series

How do we approach death whilst embracing life? How can we change the conversation around death and palliative care for the terminally ill?

Filmed during the last 2 weeks of Philip’s life, this intimate portrait reveals his quest to find purpose and meaning in what he called “The Death Zone”. He had been diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus in 2008 and was given three months to live in the summer of 2011.

Philip believed that for the terminally ill and those close to them, there can be moments of joy, resolution and inspiration just as intense as those of fear, discomfort and sadness.

More from this series

Death – a new beginning?

Perhaps the most exciting and empowering aspect of death is that it resets your clock to zero. By sharply ending what has gone before, it creates space for a new beginning – a rebirth of sorts. But the real question is why you should have to wait for the biological event to determine your psychological and attitudinal rebirth. In other words, can you die before you die in order to be reborn and renewed?

Think of it this way. Your cancer experience is likely to have dramatically altered, if not shattered, every previous assumption you made about your goals, priorities and even your legacies. Life as you knew it (or dreamed it) has ended.

And it is quite natural to be stunned and disoriented while surveying the damage and debris. But do remember that the same cancer event has also reset your clock to zero. This means you can pick yourself up and start afresh without the baggage of past assumptions or entanglements.

‘Living’ life before you die

How will you deal with life when you are free of them? Will you go back to your familiar habits, old patterns and mundane routines?  We hope not! It is more likely that you will want to grab the opportunity with both hands, rewrite the rules, set new boundaries and henceforth live life on your terms, not anyone else’s.

Remember, the stark prospect of death presents you with the best opportunity to ‘honour your cancer,’ take the ‘fork in the road’ and ‘reclaim your power’. So, seize the moment, and truly live!

A Dialogue with Death

Here are some questions to reflect upon, such that your answers will give you a deep and fundamental insight into yourself and your relationship with death (and life).

1. What are your beliefs about cancer?

Sample answers:

• “Cancer is a deadly process”.
• “Cancer is curable”.
• “Cancer is a punishment’.
• “Cancer is hereditary”.

2. What are your beliefs about death and dying?

Sample answers:

• “Death is final and nothing exists beyond death”.
• “Death is a slow and painful process, causing much suffering to everyone”.
• “When I die, I will be judged for my actions and will bear the consequences”.
• “Death is a gateway and I don’t know what lies on the other side”.

3. Looking back at your life, what was it all about? What was the central theme?

Sample answers:

• “Mine was a lonely life, full of struggles to overcome”.
• “It’s been a good balance with lots of highs and lows, evenly distributed”.
• “My life has been one of rich and varied experiences, which I have not taken the time to savour”. 

4. What aspects of your life are you most grateful for? How have you expressed that gratitude?

Sample answers:

• “I’ve had a wonderful childhood, but I never thanked my parents before they died”. 
• “My wife and children are my joy; we hug each other every day in gratitude”. 
• “Taking the road less travelled, I’ve left my mark on things”.

5. If you could change one decision in your life, what would it be? Why did you make that particular decision in the first place?

Sample answers:

• “I chose a more conventional career over music, which I love”.
• “I didn’t commit myself soon enough and I let the love of my life walk away”. 
• “I sacrificed my own needs as a way to gain approval from others”.
• “I left home in a huff to put my dad in his place”. 
• “I have been carrying a grudge for so many years”.

6. Why do you really want to live? What do you hope to accomplish in your lifetime? How far have you come?

Sample answers:   

• “I want to look after myself and serve others”. 
• “I want to keep growing and learning”. 
• “I want to change the language around cancer/ illness”. 
• “I want to be known as a tolerant and non-judgmental person”. 

Reflection

• Confronting death is not easy, so kudos for finding the courage to do it. Look at your answers to the profound questions about death. What immediate or long term actions can you take to change how you see death?
• If you are feeling freer and lighter after the exercise, chalk out a plan to create a better life for yourself … a ‘new normal’ if you like.

More from this series

My experience working with near-death patients

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die with various deathbed regrets. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives, when some incredibly special times were shared.

People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance.

Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them. When questioned about any deathbed regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

 2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this as one of the deathbed regrets.

But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years.

There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away.

People also want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives.

Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed facing your deathbed regrets, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.

Reflection 

• If the top 5 regrets of dying people resonate with you, why wait until it is too late? What can you do, to address these issues NOW, when you are alive and well? Consider the possibility that your life may take a dramatic turn for the better if you did.
• Look back at your life and list down all the things that you always wished to do but haven’t been able to complete – your ‘bucket list’. What can you do about making it happen, without putting it off again?
• Some things in your life just happened and you can’t turn the clock back. How can you ‘let-go’ the regrets you may be carrying? What if you remind yourself that you did your very best under the circumstances and accept the outcome?

Source

Website: www.bronnieware.com
Blog: www.inspirationandchai.com
Book: ‘The Top 5 Regrets Of The Dying‘ by Bronnie Ware

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Caring for someone who is dying

When a mother becomes incontinent and her son must clean and change her; when a husband can no longer swallow and his wife must moisten his dry, sticky mouth; when a person is in unbearable pain and the family members can at best reduce it a little; these occasions can evoke great love and at the same time, generate great pain. When someone you love is dying, you will always feel deep sorrow, because you remember the person as healthy and active.

In their beautiful and profoundly moving book Final Gifts, hospice nurses Maggie Callahan and Patricia Kelley share their years of experience of caring for terminally ill patients. They provide useful insights for care-givers and family members on what actually happens just prior to and up to the time of death, so you know which signs to pay attention to.

Physical signs of impending death

1. A dying person’s most common symptoms are weakness and fatigue. Most people weaken to the point where they can’t do much for themselves. They may not be able to walk, to turn themselves in bed, to concentrate on a conversation or even to open their eyes.
2. Another sign is difficulty in swallowing and the resulting dehydration. No appetite may be more than just a lack of interest in food and water.
3. Sometimes mucus gathers in the mouth, throat or lungs, and air flowing past it makes a rattling sound. This does not mean the person is having difficulty breathing; turning the patient onto his side often clears the air passages and reduces the rattling.
4. As death nears, a person’s breathing may change: become irregular, speeding up for a while, then slowing down, even pausing for several seconds before starting again. Or the breathing can be loud for a while, then very faint and quiet.
5. The body’s temperature may rise, while at the same time their hands and feet may feel cool, perhaps turning blue or becoming mottled. Sometimes the lips and nails turn blue.
6. The person may sweat profusely and require frequent sponging.
7. Output of urine and stool usually drops, with the urine becoming darker. Increased weakness may lead to incontinence.
8. A few people may have involuntary, twitching movements.

Communications of the dying

1. As the person gets weaker and sleepier, communication with others becomes more subtle. Many individuals ask for the company of one or two people who are particularly close or important to them.
2. They may say they know they are dying, often by making reference to travel or change. Some people tell of talking with, or sensing the presence of people whom others cannot see, but who are accompanying them on their journeys. Still others refer to the peace and beauty of another place, invisible to those around them.
3. When dying people begin to have these experiences, they often seem preoccupied, distracted, perhaps even a little puzzled. They may ask questions out of context, seem glassy-eyed or appear to be looking through others, as if focused on something beyond.

The final goodbye

1. When the time of death nears, their attention drops and sometimes their eyes remain half open, whether they are awake or asleep. But even when they are too weak to speak or have lost consciousness, then can hear; hearing is the last sense to fade.
2. Provided pain and discomfort have been well managed, the actual moment of death can be peaceful. Sometimes the last few breaths sound like sighs. If the dying person is alert, you may see a slight smile or a look of farewell or notice the eyes lose focus, then close. If the person is asleep or unconscious, you may not even realise it has happened.

Reflection

• Being a caregiver to a dying person can be very difficult. How can you make the last days physically and mentally easier and peaceful for your loved one?
• A person can continue the process of ‘healing’ until his/ her last breath. What ‘unfinished business’ remains to be dealt with, so your loved one can pass on without regrets?
• How are you – the caregiver – coping with the approaching and inevitable loss. Who is helping you … and how?

Source

Excerpts from the classic book Final Gifts by hospice nurses Maggie Callahan and Patricia Kelley.

First Shock – Diagnosis

The first shock occurs with the diagnosis itself. As soon as you hear the words ‘you have cancer,’ your mind immediately associates these words with impending death and your cosy expectations of longevity and continuity are shaken. Suddenly, the boundaries shrink and you are confronted with a new reality, one that you are entirely unprepared for.

Second Shock – Treatments

The second shock occurs with the realization that cancer treatments are difficult, painful and expensive. You run around from clinic to laboratory, undergoing a battery of tests. Hospitalisation, surgery and post-surgical recovery are extremely disorienting.

Follow-up treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can last for months, affecting you physically, psychologically and financially. You feel powerless and lose your sense of identity as a whole person; you become a unidimensional cancer patient.

If you are lucky (like I was), your treatment will be successful, you will find yourself in remission and most importantly, you will only have to endure the first and second shocks. The prospect of death is still real but somewhat distant.

Third Shock – Recurrence or Metastasis

The third shock occurs if your cancer recurs, continues to grow or spreads to another part of your body. You realise that all the time, effort and money you poured into your treatments have not really produced the desired result. You feel as if you are on a slippery slope and your view of the future narrows even further.

At this stage, you, your family and your doctors will most likely roll up your sleeves and fight the good fight, using all the resources that you and they can collectively command.

The doctor might say something like:

“We are doing all we can and we hope for the best. If the treatments work, well and good. But if not, the statistics say that you have somewhere between ‘x’ months in the worst-case scenario and ‘y’ months to live, if things aren’t too bad.”

At this stage, the prospect of death is real and it is part of your peripheral vision at all times.

Shifting focus from ‘Quantity of life’ to ‘Quality of life’

In all three cases, the focus somehow turns to the quantity of life – how much time a person has to live. Everyone gets caught up with this. The doctors are trying their best to extend the duration of life and the family is desperate for this to happen because the prospect of death triggers pain and fear in them.

With this preoccupation, you can easily miss the more significant aspect: the quality of life. The questions that should matter to you at this point are:

“How am I going to live my life? No matter how long I have, what are my real priorities now?”

We have seen time and again that shifting your priority from the quantity to the quality of life is extremely profound and empowering. Instead of focusing on an approaching event, you feel motivated to do something here and now, to act on the really important things that bring both fulfillment and in some cases, the necessary closure.

This shift is so important that we believe the process of healing takes root when two things occur:

• When an individual commits to placing the quality of life above the quantity
• When that individual begins to make tangible changes to his life.

The work of practitioners like Carl Simonton and Lawrence LeShan shows that when individuals start taking charge and actively pursue the quality of life, it has a remarkably positive impact on quantity as well. What a bonus!

Fourth Shock – No hope

The fourth shock occurs when all options have been tried and nothing is working; in fact, your condition is deteriorating and you are diagnosed as a terminal or palliative case. You feel hopeless and powerless. You might feel like there is so much to do but so little time. And you hope against hope that you could live longer.

The doctor may say something like:

“We have done everything we possibly could and we have nothing left to try. The cancer is just too aggressive or too widespread. It is best that you go home and be as comfortable and free of pain as possible. Enjoy the company of your loved ones and come to terms with the fact that you will not live much longer.”

In this situation, death now looms large and is therefore the focus of everyone’s attention.

Even at this stage, it is crucial not to lose focus on the quality of life; perhaps it becomes even more significant now. Keeping the person comfortable and free of pain is the minimum that is required. Beyond this, palliative care involves bringing about a sense of reconciliation and closure by settling unfinished matters, be they personal (healing family estrangements for example) or professional/financial concerns.

Fifth Shock – Death

The fifth shock occurs during the last days or hours of life, when the body actually starts shutting down. Organs and systems don’t function anymore and the person may slip in and out of cognition and even consciousness.

When the finality of death is only moments away, some people (and families) feel this shock very intensely and they experience a great sense of futility, despair and loss, looking back at all the opportunities lost or missed.

However, other people (and their families) who are more prepared, don’t experience this shock so intensely because they have been able to make peace with themselves, their loved ones and with life in general.

Reflection

• In your own cancer journey, do you recognise one or more of these five shocks? What impact did they have … how did you cope?
• Whichever shock you are facing now, what steps can you take to manage it better? Where can you get help?
• How important is ‘quality of life’ for you, compared to ‘quantity of life’? What changes can you make to refocus on quality over quantity?

More from this series

1. Denial

In the first stage, one denies the event altogether, refusing to accept reality due to the shock one is in. Typical responses are:

• ‘It can’t be … this is impossible.’
• ‘There must be a mistake.’
• ‘Nothing will happen, it’ll go away.’

2. Anger

In the second stage, one experiences a surge of anger. Angry responses can take many textures: some people explode, others implode and yet others suppress their emotion and maintain a neutral façade. Sadly and most often, anger is expressed and directed at those who are closest and safest ie, one’s family and friends.Typical angry responses are:

•  ‘Why me?’
• ‘What have I done to deserve this?’
• ‘It’s so unfair!’
• ‘I hate being in this situation.’

3. Bargaining

Here, in the third stage, one tries to change – or at least postpone – the situation by striking a bargain; one is willing to bargain with oneself, with others, even with God. Some typical responses are:

•  ‘If I behave as though nothing has happened, maybe no one else will notice.’
• ‘I’ll never touch another cigarette again. Can I have my health back?’
• ‘Please God, I’ll offer 24 rosaries in your praise, but take this suffering away from me and my family.’
• ‘Dear Lord, please take my life instead of my daughter’s.’

Bargaining techniques are not realistic or sustainable because they are usually based on a fantasy that one has cooked up in false hope. Many bargains are also difficult to spot because one makes them with oneself internally, and so they usually remain a secret.

4. Depression

In the fourth stage, everything feels wrong and one feels powerless to do anything about it. The grief is so deep that it turns into depression. One retreats into a dark cave, hoping that someone else will come and pull one out. Like anger, depression too can take many textures and may at times be hard to spot. Typical responses are as follows:

•  ‘Nothing matters.’
• ‘I just don’t care anymore.’
• ‘Just assume I’m not here.’

5. Acceptance

In this stage, one becomes calm and peaceful; and can reconcile with both the event and its implications. Typical responses are:

•  ‘So be it.’
• ‘Such is life.’
• ‘Normalcy is redefined forever for me.’
• ‘OK, what changes do we make now?’
• ‘Where do I go from here?’
• ‘I’m ready for the future.’

Of course, the human psyche is neither neat nor precise, so these five stages overlap considerably. They are not strictly linear either; people can travel back and forth between them. Different people respond differently, with some people spending more time at one stage and less in another, but broadly, the sequence outlined above holds for the majority and jumping stages or taking shortcuts just doesn’t work.

Reflections:

• As a caregiver, how can you gauge and then support your loved one on the journey on the rocky road to real Acceptance?
• As the patient, at which stage do you find yourself most often? What support do you need to break through to the next stage?
• Sometimes, even Acceptance doesn’t last … you may have to cycle back through DABDA repeatedly … how will you handle this?

More from this series

Why do modern societies celebrate birth and mourn death?

Traditional societies were closely connected with nature’s continuous cycles of birth-growth-decay-death, and marked these rites of passage with specific and well-established rituals and sacraments.

Modern society seems to have lost this close contact with these natural cycles. Perhaps the  attitude to death is affected by one’s ego, which, inflated by standing atop Earth’s food chain, overvalues life’s pleasures and its own existence, fantasizing about immortality.

Or, more likely, the fear of death is really about one’s fundamental fear of transition – of leaving behind the known to enter an unknown realm. It is also the fear of the very process of dying; and most importantly, the fear of seeing loved ones suffer and die eventually.

Two Types Of Loss

For the person who is confronting death, there are two types of loss:

• Mourning what is already lost (health, family role, job, independence etc.) and
• Mourning the future loss of possibilities and plans that have to be abandoned.

So while biologically, one is dealing with death, psychologically, one is dealing with loss.

Fear also creates and reinforces social taboos (‘Hush, don’t talk about such things dear …’) and the very same fear is amplified a hundredfold when the majority of people so instantaneously associate early death with the word ‘cancer.’

So it is even more relevant for people with cancer, confronting their own mortality, to be able to discuss their feelings openly and to face the prospect calmly, maybe even with a sense of anticipation.

Rationally of course, people know that dying is an integral part of life and that each and every one of us will eventually die. People have known this from the time they were children, when death was only a concept, through adulthood, when they know death to be an inevitable fact. Yet fear overwhelms reason, both individually and collectively.

Death Brings a Focus to Life

Instead of allowing you to remain preoccupied with the mundane trivia of daily existence, death forces the existential questions upon you, questions like ‘Who am I?’ ‘Where am I going?’ ‘What is life all about?’ People with serious illnesses necessarily have to examine the questions of non-existence earlier than others. A person with cancer gets to ask, answer and act on the big questions sooner, and this can be an enriching process.

Reflection

• How do you look at death in general and death of a loved one in particular?
• How does your perception of death affect the way you look at and live your life?
• Like death, many aspects of life are beyond your control. What can you do make life more meaningful?

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Different systems for treating cancer

Despite the overwhelming dominance of mainstream Western medicine today, many people find the need for a holistic cancer treatment. But traditional medical systems have always taken a holistic approach to health and illness. The four main ancient systems include Greek, Egyptian, Chinese and Indian.

• In Western system, with its emphasis on specialisation, you meet a physician for a physical ailment, may be a mental health professional for a psychological condition and a priest/pastor to address your spiritual questions.
• Traditional systems, on the other hand, emphasise on holism. So you meet one practitioner who understands you and treats you as a whole person. Different medical systems like Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tibetan Medicine etc. tare used. Such systems are practiced even today in China and India, if not in Greece and Egypt.

But there is little awareness about holistic cancer treatment among the general public worldwide. In fact, most people often use the terms ‘holistic’ and ‘integrated’ interchangeably and in the process dilute the meaning of both. We help you draw a clear distinction between the two.

Holistic cancer treatment: Addresses the whole person at all levels

A holistic approach is one that deals with the whole person. It takes into account all the aspects of a person – body, mind, emotions, relationships and spirit – and his needs at each level. Here the physical, mental, emotional, systemic and spiritual levels of a person are addressed.

For example:
You’re most likely using mainstream cancer treatments of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. You could also seek help from your psycho-oncologist, a family therapist and even your spiritual guide to address the different levels of the being.

Integrated cancer treatment: Combine different medical systems, carefully

Cancer is a complex disease. A single medical system may not have all the answers to aid your healing. So an integrated approach combines different healing systems to provide the most effective therapeutic experience and outcome.

For example:
An individual undergoing chemotherapy may supplement treatment with homeopathy (to reduce the side effects of the chemotherapy drugs). You can also use acupuncture (to boost energy levels) and Ayurveda (to improve immunity).

Need for both: Holistic and integrated approaches to cancer

• From a holistic perspective: There’s plenty of research indicating that using holistic cancer treatment are very important in dealing with cancer. It involves using mind and emotions and also using tools like meditation and prayer .
• From an integrated perspective: We see that allopathy, homeopathy, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine or any other system doesn’t have all the answers for cancer. Yet, each system has a specific insight and approach to cancer. Each of them may be useful and valuable depending on the person and his condition.
• Complementary not alternative: There is a growing trend of seeking alternative treatments for cancer. But it can be extremely dangerous. Instead, holistic cancer treatment works best alongside mainstream treatments. It helps in addressing the root cause of disease and also aids in healing.
• Tailor-made for you: Each of us are very different from each other – physically, mentally and emotionally. Then why have a standard treatment for everyone? What works for someone else, might not work for you. And so researching and finding a combination of treatments that work for you is the key.

Further, when different systems are carefully combined, the results can be even better. In fact, when confronted with a life-threatening illness, you must give it all you’ve got and leave no stone unturned. For any illness but particularly with cancer, you need to combine a holistic approach with an integrated one for recovery and healing.

Reflection

• Other than Western medicine, have you considered incorporating an holistic and integrated approach to cancer in your treatment?
• Have you sought professional help or guidance in this area?
• What steps are you taking to become healthy again at the physical, mental, emotional, systemic and spiritual levels?

Nothing can prepare you for the cancer journey. But advice from someone who have been there, done that can certainly make you better informed. You can watch the Cancer Awakens video series here and read the articles here.

This is one tip that may not practically affect the tone of your stay, but it will ease your mind and help you feel like you are part of the process.

Making friends with the Doctors

As my friend Sancha Mandy reminded me, they come in packs. The worst time (for me) was the morning rounds. Because they would be fresh and dressed and joking and chatting amongst themselves as they came in.

Then you feel like a feeble, unwashed, beat-up vagrant who hasn’t slept all night (because they wake you up every two or three hours to check your vitals) and – as I explained about the sleeves, if you have an I.V., you’re either dressed like a baby in those unflattering blue-and-white flower printed gowns or you’ve been sleeping in your clothes for a couple of days. It doesn’t help that the doctors all talk about you in the third-person.

My strategy

1. The morning prep

Here’s what worked for me. I woke up (like I was ever really asleep!) an hour or two before their rounds. I’d persuade the nurse to unhook my IV and I’d attempt a shower or sponge bath in the bathroom. I’d change to a freshly-laundered baby gown. Then I’d brush my hair and teeth, put on mascara and blush and attempt to look as civilized as possible. I put my hair (while I still had some) in a ponytail. When I got back to bed, I’d get out my laptop and run through all the questions I’d had.

2. Address the doctors by their names

The doctors would come in by then. Usually it’s the big honcho, the head of the department, surrounded by fawning student-interns and a couple of nurses. The main doctor prods and pokes you in embarrassing ways and the young doctors-in-training all ask if they can, too, just to further humiliate you.

In order to preserve some dignity, I suggest you take the time to learn as many of their names as you can. Then have a bright conversation with them about your condition. Take back the situation, as best as you can. They become less invasive and treat you more as a person, albeit a bald, skinny one.

3. Ask your doctor important questions

Remember, this is about you as a human being, not you as a science project. This is the key moment to ask your doctor every single question you have about your treatment. Err on the side of asking too many questions, rather than too few. She/he will do her absolute best to answer you because she is also training all these young doctors and she wants to show good her bedside manner to them. If there is something you don’t like or that is not working, this is the time to say so … and be persistent.

4. Do your research before-hand

I’d say make sure you’ve done your research first and keep your questions simple and pointed, so the doctors have to answer specifically, rather than in vague generalizations. If you start to learn some medical jargon, i.e. “I feel pressure in the lower left quadrant of my abdomen,” so much the better. They treat you even more respectfully.

If you find something that makes you question a specific part of your treatment, print it out (but not massive texts with pages and pages) and give it to your doctor. Most doctors work hard and lead somewhat harried lives. They can’t always keep up with the latest information.

I’ve spoken to doctors who say the internet has done a big disservice to patients because “they all think they are experts.” I suppose you could diagnose yourself with all kinds of stuff and freak yourself out no end if you were that kind of worried, hypochondriac-type person.

5. Listen to your body

When I was in high school, one of my best friends (who used to keep a personal stash of antibiotics in his cupboard) had a father who was a doctor. He used to joke, “The first thing a doctor always says? Never self-medicate.”  It is certainly true, that when you’re undergoing cancer treatments, you shouldn’t be taking antibiotics and OTC drugs without proper supervision.

However, what doctors sometimes forget is that you ARE an expert in one thing: your own body. You are the only one who knows how you feel. Your intuition – if you take the time to listen to it – will probably tell you what’s really wrong.

Whatever happens in the hospital, remember that this particular movie is all about YOU. Be kind to others but don’t forget one thing: Treat yourself like the hero that you are.

Reflection

• If your doctor isn’t sharing as much information as you would like, how will you get yourself heard and needs met?
• How do you prepare for a meeting with your doctor: doing some research and drawing up a list of 3-5 important questions?
• While the doctors do their job, what else can you do and how can you participate actively  for a smoother recovery?

More from this series

Your Necessities

An eyemask is key. A nice silk one or an organic cotton one. They never turn the lights out in the hospital. I found I needed one with an elastic so it stayed on my head when I finally fell asleep and flipped over. If it’s pretty, even better. Sometimes it feels good to have something really nice to look at.  It makes you feel glamorous. Lastly, I found that sometimes chemotherapy made me eyes burn and it felt really nice to have a cool eyemask against my skin.

A long sweater, dressing gown or sweatshirt with a zip or button front makes a huge difference because those stupid hospital gowns open in the back. I preferred a big cotton surfer’s sweatshirt because the bright blue color cheered me up and the cotton was supersoft and beat-up. It was the length of a coat so I could close it up and look less like an invalid (or so I thought) when I wandered the hallways. And since it was cotton, I could fall asleep with it on and not get uncomfortably hot in the night. What you have to remember is, whatever you’re wearing on your top when you get the IV put in is what you’ll be stuck in for the next two or three days until they take it out (because of the sleeves). So choose wisely. Dress for comfort as well as style.

Personally, I hated those blue-and-white printed hospital gowns that looked like they turned everyone into babies or sick people. I liked being able to cover mine up and be an individual. I somehow found it easier to muster up some dignity whilst speaking to the doctors on their rounds if I looked like a normal person. More on that later…

Slippers. Basically, you have to go from your bed to the bathroom repeatedly and you don’t want to do it in your socks and then put them back in your bed. Socks also feel really awful if you step in something slightly wet. I recommend simple slippers, like the kind you wear when you can walk your dog or go get the newspaper in the morning. I was lucky enough to have a pair of very brightly colored birkenstocks and I always got a fresh pedicure before I came in to the hospital, because it cheered me up to look at my feet. They were the only part of body that stayed recognizable through everything.

Wipes. I liked some natural lavender wet-wipes. They are good to wipe your hands before you eat or to wipe off your tray if you want to put your laptop on it. They leave a fresh scent behind. You can also touch them to your temples if things feel dire and the smell of lavender clears your head a bit.

All this stuff may seem absurdly expensive given your circumstances, but I suggest you invest in it anyway. It makes you feel chic and aristocratic and helps you continue to behave in a dignified fashion.

And in the end, it will be the way you treat the people who help you that will make all the difference.

Reflection

• What are some of your little necessities to survive hospitalisation?
• Can you list down some things that can make your hospital stay a little more comfortable?
• Select three things that are “guaranteed” to lift your spirits.

More from this series

How To Shrink Your Hospital

It’s still a hideous proposition if you must stay in hospital, but there are ways you can make it more bearable, maybe even pleasant. Sometimes it’s as easy as a list of things that you might bring, or have friends or relatives bring, that makes it feel more at-home.

Your Decor

If you have to go to the hospital regularly, like for chemotherapy once a week, try and always bring some fresh flowers with you when you check in. You can’t always count on friends and visitors to bring you flowers and it’s so nice to have a bit of nature in the room. Again, if your treatment makes you feel ill around plants, skip the flower.

I always get flowers with a nice fragrance because it makes the smell of rubbing alcohol and chemicals less omnipresent. Almost any flowers are better than nothing.

They say experiencing nature is calming and clears the head but you can’t really bring a forest in there. When things are tense, you can gaze at the life and light surging through those bright green leaves and petals and feel a little transported. (Be considerate of your roommate though. If he or she is feeling queasy, you might have to move the flowers out of range or take them away all together.)

I also brought a deep purple cashmere throw that my sister-in-law Soraya gave me. It covered the twin bed perfectly. It changed the color scheme, from beige and white and those weird prints that are on hospital upholstery, to something more cheerful. It was cozy too. Sometimes those cotton blankets feel thin and ineffective and other times, they get weird and tangly and sticky and you can’t seem to get them in a comfortable place.

I once brought in a scented candle. The nurse kindly let me light it for about two minutes but then I had to immediately blow it out because the oxygen tanks could have exploded (who knew?). So scented candles are right out. If you don’t have a sickly roommate, a small bowl of fragrant ‘pot-pourri’ may be best.

Your Entertainment

I guess you could bring in a CD player but if you had a roommate who hated Mozart, you would have to use headphones. I brought my laptop, headphones and a lot of really silly comedy DVDs.

Since chemotherapy made me spacey and stupid, I watched ridiculous things with lots of slapstick and simple story-lines (my mind wandered like crazy). Laughter is known to increase the strength of your immune system and movies were a great way to time-pass (as they say in India!)

I didn’t bring books or magazines since it was difficult to read. The chemotherapy also made me dizzy and I couldn’t focus on the page; all the words turned into little rows of ants.

Your Snacks

Bringing your own snacks is key. During my chemotherapy, I was trying desperately to change my diet to lots of organic vegetables, live foods and anti-oxidants.

Also, let’s face it, the food is horrendous in almost any hospital. I wanted something that had taste and texture, too. I recommend eating organic even more emphatically while you’re having chemo or radiation or surgery. Your body is already being bombarded by chemicals, toxins and shock. It needs to be fed and nurtured gently.

Also, hospitals give you food at specific meal times and it takes forever from the time you’ve asked for it till it gets there. And once you’re hooked up to the IV (intravenous) drip, it’s a drag to get around.  If you’re likely to be hungry before or after meals, it is wise to bring snacks.

Bring stuff that you can put in that big drawer beside your bed. That way you can get them yourself without having to ask anyone or having to unplug and push your stupid IV all the way down the wall as you try and find the pantry. Tortilla chips. Raw almonds. Dried fruit. Something healthy, that works for you.

I found that chemotherapy made me crave sharp, strong tastes, which countered the nausea (which I feel, just thinking about it). I was fortunate to have access to a small fridge and I usually kept a box or two of fresh, organic blueberries, and some almond or coconut milk. I could add the fruit and nut milk to my oatmeal for breakfast or put the milk in my tea.

I’d ask my visitors to bring me a fresh green-vegetable juice from the local juice bar rather than cookies or chocolates. I’d also ask for salads a lot, but as my chemotherapy progressed, I found it hard to chew anything rough because of all my mouth sores. If I was really nauseated, I could eat tiny bits of iceberg lettuce which made me feel better. Ice-water was good for nausea, too. (Ugh, I feel awful just thinking about it).

Last of all, it’s nice to something to offer your visitors something too. I’d bring some organic rice crackers and maybe even cookies or chips for my kids. Though honestly, most people are so creeped out by being in a hospital setting that they decline any snacks at all.

Reflection

• Hospital stays can be monotonous. How can you cheer things up?
• Can you incorporate little things like flowers, frames or anything else that make you feel better?
• How can you keep yourself occupied and engaged? Consider, films, reading, writing, drawing, colouring, meditation or something else that you find comforting and energising.

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Dear Yuvi,

I would like to introduce myself as Vijay Bhat (a 10-year cancer survivor after colon cancer, based in Bangalore) and I would like to share this letter with you, with the hope and prayer that a ‘fighter’ like you will overcome and transcend this difficult experience.

This message is for you and all the brave ‘thrivers’ everywhere, who are grappling with this game-changer called cancer. The world of cricket and every single Indian suffered a shock when you, our World Cup hero, was diagnosed with cancer. The doosra that life bowled to you has deeply affected millions of your fans, including us at Cancer Awakens. We write this open letter to support you, while you take the crease on this sticky wicket.

While cancer statistics are deadly and baffling, they ignore the thousands of individuals and families who have successfully overcome cancer, both in India and around the world. We call such people ‘anecdotes’ because through their experience, they inspire many others to follow them. Since you are a ‘fighter’ yourself, you will surely resonate with these five qualities which the anecdotes display

1. Reclaim your Power

Cancer makes you feel vulnerable, fragile and powerless. The doctors, your family members, even your priest …they seem to have the power in your situation and tell you what to do and what not to do, albeit with the best intent.

While this may be fine in the early days, it is unfortunate that most people who get cancer never really reclaim their power.

But at some point, irrespective of the prognosis, you must reclaim your power. It is only when you take charge of yourself and take responsibility for your actions that your ‘new’ life can unfold. Otherwise you are living on someone else’s terms, not yours.

2. Take the Fork in the Road

Unlike most other illnesses, cancer is not a ‘bump,’ a minor hurdle you can go over, but a ‘fork’ in the road: cancer requires you not only to change your priorities and the intensity with which you live but to actually take a new direction, something Life is pushing you towards.

However tempting it may be to go back to your life as it was, this option is likely to be unrealistic. You need to be strong enough, both physically and emotionally, to look inwards and find that new and purposeful path. Paradoxically, there is research to show that those who take the fork in the road have a better chance of being an anecdote than a statistic.

3. Access your Inner Resources

Cancer is a mysterious disease and most people feel unprepared and under-resourced to deal with it. While our natural tendency is to look for resources outside, the real wisdom and insight into your choices can only be activated when you access your inner resources of character, courage and resilience.

There is no dearth of available information outside, but it is either too clinical/technical to absorb or it consists of diverse and unproven theories that are difficult to synthesize. This can be a real challenge for you to muddle through so it is far better to find your inner compass first and use it to sift, sort and select the most appropriate external resources.

4. Focus on the Quality (not Quantity) of Life

Modern society’s preoccupation with extending one’s life as much as possible often becomes an obsession with cancer because the statistics nudge us to measure life in terms of weeks, months and sometimes years, rather than in decades.

The anecdotes march to a different drum beat: they focus on how well they can live rather than how long they should live. They focus on living positively, creatively and spontaneously, enjoying the moment rather than living for the next birthday. Interestingly, studies show that improving your quality of life can indirectly increase your quantity of life!

5. Offer your insights and experience to help others

Because cancer gets to the root of our universal fear of death, it naturally puts us in touch with our own humanity and arouses profound compassion for the suffering of others.

The anecdotes not only experience this compassion within but also turn it into action so that other people can benefit. They commit their time, effort, and money (if they can afford it) towards volunteer work, for instance, working with support groups and advocacy-based activities.

Modern medicine now accepts that compassionate service is a positive and therapeutic activity that nourishes and revitalizes the giver as much as it does the receiver; reaching out to help others contributes to one’s own healing

While these insights may be provocative, we hope that you will find them to be useful in your own journey. If you would like to know more about a holistic and integrated approach to cancer and how it can support your medical treatments (and never to replace them), please take a look at our free online resources at www.youtube.com/cancerawakens.

And feel free to contact us with any queries; we’ll be delighted to help.

As a parting message, we want you to know that our team at Cancer Awakens and I, along with the entire nation, is with you in this time of trial and we look forward to see you striding out on that pitch, with your blade flowing!

Best wishes,

Vijay Bhat (and The Cancer Awakens team)

How To Shrink Your Hospital

The idea is to turn your big, scary hospital into a small, loving place. You want to make it a place where they will really look after you. You can even become a cheer-leader for everyone else along the way.

Here are some ways to do it, starting with the intangibles, which make the most difference.

Staying in good spirits

One of my best friends, Sancha Mandy, a beautiful writer herself, who has been hospitalised way too many times, says “Be an optimistic fatalist.” You know you have to do it. Be brave and walk in. Keep in mind that it will all go well. Speak to your angels and the Divine source and ask them to keep you safe.

Be appreciative and kind to all the people who help you there. There are orderlies and administrators and cleaning staff. It is a hard job looking after sick people, it’s emotionally draining. If you’re in a cancer hospital, it can be devastating. Imagine how hard it is to come in to work every day.

Pretend that you are actually a celebrity incognito or a princess (not the Lindsay Lohan kind of celebrity, think more Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday). Be elegant, generous and kind, behave with the grace of a princess and people will treat you like one.

Thank people.

Bonding with your nurses

Make friends with all of your nurses. Learn their names if you can. Ask them how they are. You’d be surprised how rarely anyone asks a nurse how she/he is. Nurses work crazily long hours and are often overwhelmed. They leave their kids for great stretches of time, they rarely get enough sleep. They deserve some attention and you can end up having a good conversation that can distract you from your own drama.

A good relationship with your nurses is your key to a bearable hospital stay. They are the ones who can get you a vase for the flowers or give you a painkiller when you’re in agony and all the doctors have gone home. They can make concessions for you. I had a lovely nurse who switched all the generic pictures in my room with the ones in the hallway and other rooms, because I was desperate to look at seascapes, after a week of gazing upon close-ups of flowers.

If you have to go back and forth to the hospital, you will see the same nurses over and over again, so it’s worth it to get to know them. The nurses are your friends.

Often, when you ask a nurse a question about your condition, she/he won’t tell you the answer because only the doctor is really allowed to discuss your case, due to confidentiality or maybe insurance liability. But if you do get on well with your nurses, they will have lots of useful information for you, especially because they’ve dealt with lots of people who’ve had similar situations.

Be nice! Smile and look every person who helps you in the eye. Everyone. From the guy emptying the rubbish bins to the cleaning crew to the doctors. They are human, too.

The one compliment I can give Memorial Sloan Kettering is that they had the best nurses ever. The hospital really is pleasant, clean and extremely well-organized. One might not always agree with the treatment methods, but it is very well run and there is a nice view from the windows.

Bonding with your roommate

If you’ve really warmed up to a nurse, they might arrange it so you always have a private room. But sometimes it’s just a very busy time and it’s simply not possible.

If you have to share your room with another patient, be neighborly and considerate. Ask if it bothers them if you leave your toiletries on the bathroom counter.

Introduce them to your visitors and have your visitors be especially quiet if your roommate is trying to rest. I used to give my room-mates a heads-up, i.e., “my daughters are coming at 2pm, I hope they’re not too noisy for you.” If you can walk around, take those noisy guests out of your room. Unless of course, your room-mate is enjoying their company, too!

Sometimes your roommate wants to talk, sometimes they just want to close their eyes and rest. If you have the energy, take a moment to be human and ask your roommate how she/he is feeling. If you’re more mobile than your roommate, ask if she/he needs help. Sometimes, it’s just nice to have someone else there.

Reflection

• Where can you the warmth of love and care in a depressing hospital environment?
• Your caregiver, other patients and the hospital staff may feel the same ‘gloom’ that you sometimes feel. How can you make it your little ‘happy place’?

More from this series

If you want real care, think small

Look at it this way. McDonald’s, which successfully feeds millions of people everyday, does indeed have expertise in preparing food. However, its real area of expertise is quantity, consistency, making low-quality food taste good and in keeping profits high.

Now compare McDonald’s to your mother, who has learned how to make nutritious meals for 4 or 5 people every night for 30 to 40 years. In her case, her real area of food expertise will be about care, high quality ingredients and taste.

You can’t always count on the consistency, but it is outweighed by the hands-on mindfulness of someone who loves you dearly.

In other words, in my experience, if you want real care, the idea is to think small. Unless you are a wealthy, high-profile celebrity, you will not get special attention at a factory. Which is pretty much what a hospital is.

And, in many instances, even if you have special access, the doctors are taught to look after you the way one is taught to bake. It’s a formula. You follow certain actions in a particular sequence – like a recipe – and, assuming you followed the instructions correctly, you get certain reactions – like a golden brown cake.

Problems with the big hospitals’ approach

In my mind, there are two problems with the way some doctors practice, especially in areas that are systemic (as opposed to a cut that needs stitches or a broken bone that needs to be re-set). Please note that I don’t blame the doctors themselves as it is the insurance companies limit the amount of time they can spend with each patient and this crunched time limits them to thinking outside of the box.

1. One-size-fits-all: In the same way that our metabolism, blood pressure, weight, muscle mass differ, even in families, our bodies heal differently and absorb and activate medications differently and feel pain differently. Doctors do have a degree of leeway to experiment, but not much.

I was at a party some months’ ago. I found myself talking to a young doctor who worked for an HMO where he ended up treating a lot of Latin patients.

He said, “What people are talking about more and more are the differences in ethnicities and how they needed to be treated.” You already know that your ethnicity affects your hair and skin color and texture. Obviously, it affects how your internal organs operate as well.

2. Treating only one piece of the problem: So you can bake a perfect cake, but what about the frosting and the decoration and the rest of the party? The fact is our bodies are all connected, so what happens in your liver can affect your skin. It’s one of those things that they used to believe in ancient times.

For instance, women had their left nostril pierced originally because it was meant to make childbirth less painful . Sadly, I can’t tell you if it works because I didn’t pay attention when my nose was being pierced and got it on the right nostril instead. I am still wondering why the piercing woman didn’t ask why I wanted the wrong side until after the job was done.

When it’s time to check in

But let’s say it’s a day or two or a week later and you’ve done your research and you’ve decided you like and trust the doctor and you’re checking into the hospital.

Or let’s say it’s whenever the doctor tells you to come and your heart is in your throat and the research makes you even more scared and overwhelmed.

What you want to do is two things:

1.Ask a a friend to keep doing research on the protocol you are having to see if there are reasons to customize it for your body.

2. The hospital is a big place. You want to make it feel small and feel loved. It’s possible to do. It’s really hard when you feel horrid, but easier at other times.

Reflection

• When you are a unique individual and the way cancer affects you is also different, then how do identical treatment for everyone, work? What if you can create a tailored and customised healing regime for YOU?
• Cancer affects every aspect of your life. While medical treatments focus on the disease and the particular body part, what is the holistic approach that deals with the whole person?
• How open are you to seeking out a cancer coach for help?

More from this series

My Story: Post-pregnancy cancer diagnosis

I was diagnosed with a very rare uterine cancer called Chorio-carcinoma which is the result of a pregnancy where the remaining cells of placenta in the uterus become cancerous.

Generally, if it is caught within three months of the pregnancy, it is curable with chemotherapy. However, if left untreated for more than 6 months, the prognosis is poor. In my case, it was almost a year since I had been pregnant and I had been hemorrhaging for two months.

I was intially diagnosed with a 4cm tumor in Oct 2009 at stage 4, with metastasis in my brain. These were diagnosed by ultrasounds and CAT scans at two different hospitals. Upon learning of my diagnosis – before any treatment – I gave up all sugar, wheat and animal products and started eating tons of cruciferous vegetables. Two weeks later (in Nov 2009), I was admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York City.

Surprise, surprise

They gave me a new ultrasound and found that the tumor had shrunk by half: to 2 cm. A few days later, they gave me a new CAT scan and couldn’t find any metastasis! The oncologists suggested that the previous test results were incorrect but I put it down to dietary changes and some serious prayer and meditation (I have an active Sufi practice)!

Mainstream treatments

I underwent 14 weeks of chemotherapy, with a rapid response to the drugs. The normal course of therapy from diagnosis to cure is 18 months.

However, at 14 weeks, my cancer markers were close to normal and I was suffering from the chemo, rather than from the cancer.

Apart from hair loss, I had sores in my mouth and stomach so I could barely eat and my weight dropped to 98 pounds (45 kilos). My skin was also covered with sores, my eyes were bloodshot and swollen and my tongue started turning black.

To cope, I was consuming fresh vegetable and fruit juices regularly and also taking an amazing supplement called polyMVA which seemed to at least give me energy.

A difficult choice

I told the doctors I wouldn’t do any more chemotherapy. I also refused a hysterectomy because my research showed it did not prevent the return of this particular cancer. My oncologist – an authority in Chorio-carcinoma – told me that if I gave up my treatments, I would be dead in 12 weeks.

Turning to a holistic & integrated approach

I had made up my mind, so I left the treatment anyway. I started taking a series of dietary supplements as well as getting regular acupuncture and massage. Within one month, when I went back to the hospital for a check-up, my cancer marker was normal.

In four months, when I had a follow-up ultrasound, there was no tumor, though they could see a scar where the cancer was and a small cyst on one ovary, probably from the chemotherapy drugs. I continued to be monitored monthly for one year (until Feb 2010). At my annual check-up, I had another ultrasound; the scar in my uterus had totally healed.

Now what?

I moved to a raw food diet and continued juicing and supplements. In Oct 2011, my daughter had a crisis and my cancer markers jumped suddenly. I started infrared treatments, continued with the polyMVA and also started pancreatic enzyme therapy.

I also went to see energy healers of various kinds. In Feb 2012, at my 4-month check-up at Memorial Sloan Kettering, my results came in totally normal. They consider me “cured.”

I continue to sleep on an infrared mat (the biomat), take enzymes, large doses of vitamin c, d, turmeric and resveratrol and eat a mostly vegan, wheat, soy and sugar-free diet.

Hurray!

Not only am I now free of cancer, but I am convinced that my holistic and integrated approach had a lot to do with it.

Reflection

• How informed are you about your specific cancer, its treatment and side-effects?
• What are the best sources for the relevant information regarding your treatment?
• What are your various treatment choices and their implications?
• Who is the primary decision maker regarding your treatment? How can you reclaim your responsibility?
• What might be the best combination of medical and non-medical treatments that would satisfy your doctors as well as your own body?
• How can you prepare for the meeting with your doctors? What are your top 3 questions for your doctor?
• How willing are you to try out different options before settling on the combination that works best for you?

More from this series

The Diagnosis

Every time I talk about my cancer experiences – and my various other health issues over the years – someone invariably says, “You really have to write a book about this …”

Let me prepare you here. This became such a long list of directions that I have cut it up into manageable chunks. However, I suggest you print it out and make a checklist before you go to hospital. Or print it out for your friends or family members who have to go.

I am not a doctor, but I want to offer people the basic stuff I’ve learned through years of experience as a successful patient. If you read this and you know someone else who is unwell, not just with cancer (for example, I’ve also had meningitis, a rare liver virus, a spina bifida baby, an ovarian cyst) please pass it on. Not everything may be useful for everyone but some of it will definitely make a difference.

The first trip

Let’s start with the scary first trip to the hospital. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I walked into Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City.

The very beautiful and lovely (I swear, she is a Julia Roberts look-alike!) surgeon said to me, “I can offer you a hysterectomy on Monday.” This was Thursday evening.

She spoke as if she were offering me a slice of cake. This brilliant young surgeon was famous for her robotic, laser-optic surgery which promises a faster recovery and smaller scars.

I said, “I don’t WANT a hysterectomy!” Given my surgeon’s polite and pleasant tone, my response was rude, but honestly, she scared the hell out of me.  And I was scared already because I’d been hemorrhaging for the past two months and it was exhausting just to walk a city block.

Fear does strange things to you

When you’ve just been diagnosed with something horrid and possibly life-threatening, you do what seems to be the rational thing, you go to the place where everything seems the most calm and organized, where everyone seems to have everything under control. And, in the case of Memorial Sloan Kettering, it is the place with the most pervasive and convincing advertising campaign.

This seems smart. As consumers, when we really freak out, we go to the brand that is synonymous with the product. Kleenex for tissues. For luxury products, to Chanel or Hermes. Sony for televisions. In our house, it’s the Apple Store for anything computer-related. However, as it turns out, those big huge predictable organizations and corporations are not always the best, as we all learned in the recent financial crisis.

You remember the old ways – if you feel queasy, drink Canada Dry Ginger Ale (which does not have real ginger in it and the sugar combined with the carbonation will eat through your teeth and give you kidney stones) – or if you have a headache, take Bayer or Advil (which can have a rebound effect and can harm your kidneys). There is no longer safety in what seems to be “tried-and-true.”

Decide for yourself

So back to the advice I keep repeating. No matter what your doctor tells you, listen respectfully (and have a friend with you, writing it all down so you can research the information) and then, make your own decision.

Nothing has to be done in that instant. If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, quite often they schedule an appointment for you in a few days or weeks or even a month. It means that no one thinks you will keel over that very day.

You do have time

Take a deep breath. Go home. Organize your stuff and your family. If you are so frightened you can’t think clearly, ask a friend or relative to help you, but do some research. Talk to lots of people with vastly different viewpoints and listen, if you can, without panicking. Eat organic food, drink lots of water (tension dehydrates you!)

Try to avoid sugar, wheat and caffeine, animal products, too if you feel up to it. All of those foods cause heat and inflammation in your body and right now, you need to calm it down. Add a little baking soda, just a tiny pinch, to your water.

If you can find a way to meditate, even if it means lying quietly in your bed with your eyes closed (my favorite way), listen to your body. Probably, when you really zone out, what you need to do will just pop into your head.