Cancer journeys in my family have all been fast. We’ve had things go quickly in both directions. I believe there are keys to becoming cancer free.
It’s been 16 years for me and you can find all the info about my journey here. I’ve shared how I found out, what I decided to do about it and the mindset needed to make the path I choose have a happy ending.
10 years ago my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and in less than 8 weeks she was gone. She was diagnosed on my sister’s 40th birthday. Still swimming in the surreal images of the doctor saying those words; cancer, stage 4, terminal, they went to her birthday party. That was November 1st. The day after Christmas she was gone.
I believe there is something more than the type of cancer or the stage of diagnosis that plays a big part in who has a happy outcome to their cancer story and who doesn’t. And those factors are the keys to becoming cancer free.
Keys to Becoming Cancer Free
1. Have a Spiritual Foundation
You have to have something bigger than yourself to believe in that provides guidance through the intuitive process of knowing which path is right for you. For me that’s God, or you can call it Universe.
Walking out of the doctor’s office into the light of day, it was like I was in an alternate universe from the one I lived in when I walked into that office for my first mammogram. Everything had changed in an instant.
At that moment, because of my strong belief system, I decided that what it meant for me was that something big in my life was about to change and this was the proverbial two by four to get my attention. I figured it had to be something good that was coming, a major up-leveling in my life for it taking soemthing so big as cancer for a catalyst. I was certain this was positive and I was not going to die.
This entire internal conversation probably took less than 30 seconds. It was just a clear knowing that I operated under in my approach to this challenge. I did think it was a little strange I wasn’t crying or hysterical. My friends definitely thought I was insane for not rushing back to the US to get this taken care of.
2. A Take Charge Attitude
When I first became a student of personal growth 40 years ago I remember hearing a saying, “If it’s meant to be, it’s up to me.” Nobody is going to fix what created this in my body as quickly or clearly as I am. I knew I had to figure out what caused this dis-ease in my body.
It’s important to spend some time checking in with yourself, in a private conversation with yourself where you get completely honest about the negative emotions that are being carried around as grudges, hate and blaming others.
What habits do you have that could be contributing to an environment in your body that makes it easy for cancer to grow and thrive. For example, eating sugar, dairy and meat. It’s your responsibility to clean it all up cold turkey, right now, if you chose to live. The faster you do this the better.
Then it’s time to research what you can put into your body to help it in the healing process of dealing with this toxic invader.
Don’t rely on your doctor. It’s still more likely than not, that they are not the most nutritionally aware people you have to talk to. Sad, but true.
3. Change Your Mind
It’s up to you to let go of all the garbage you just discovered in key #2. For me a big one was an ex-husband I had been in an abusive relationship for 10 years with. I thought I had forgiven. I had worked through so many different processes to get through the physical and verbal abuse. But as soon as I got this diagnosis, I knew he still had a corner in my head and in my heart that hadn’t been healed.
With cancer, I knew I couldn’t afford the luxury of lying to myself about anything. Time to get real and get over it. All of it.
4. For Those Who Can’t or Chose Not To
I have had people in my life who have chosen not to make any of these changes. Some just gave up and said this was their fate. They were scared, but did not have the inclination to do anything positive. Others were just done and ready to check out. Some changed their minds and decided to get on the bandwagon, but just waited to long and couldn’t be helped.
If you are trying to save someone who doesn’t want to be saved, you can’t take that on. It’s not your choice when it all comes down to it.
5. You Do the Best You Can With What You’ve Got
When this diagnosis comes, it’s often a shock and not something you’ve been researching and preparing for.
When I was diagnosed I lived in a place with almost no pollution, Cabo San Lucas in the ’90’s. I hadn’t eaten meat in almost 10 years. I did yoga and meditated daily. I had lots of friends. I did volunteer work. I was married and had a job where I made enough money to live and travel first class as much as I wanted.
Oh, and there was no history of cancer in my family. I was the first.
When my mom was diagnosed, she ate a terrible diet, didn’t do anything connected to the word health and had smoked for about 40 years I’m guessing, before quitting several years before her diagnosis.
At first she wasn’t open to chemo because she didn’t want to lose her hair. By the time she went to get a second opinion, the reality was sinking in and she was more than willing to do it. Unfortunately that doctor said it was too late and the only thing she could do was go home.
The doctor didn’t tell her, but she told my dad and sister, she was giving her 2 weeks.
These are 2 very different places to be starting from after diagnosis.
You can read what I did here.
The first thing I did for my mom was take my arm and scrape all the bottles of supplements on the kitchen counter that I was taking into a FedX box. The next day my mom was taking everything I had to help her start to reverse this.
I made my dad promise he would take them too because this would take a big toll on him too. They both promised to make sure the other one took them.
With just these supplements, which I don’t remember exactly what they were, and her renewed will to get better, she was improving every day. Instead of living 2 weeks she made it through Christmas and got to watch her grandkids open her gifts.
In the 10 years since then I’ve learned a lot of things that may have helped her live longer or maybe even become cancer free. Either that information wasn’t available then or I didn’t know how to find it.
The bottom line is you can only use the information you can find today. You can spend 24/7 online reading all the articles offering cures, but that’s just not realistic.
I was willing to do any and everything and when people ask me which alternative practice I think was the one that worked for me, how could I possibly pinpoint one? I’m glad I tried everything that felt right to me.
My mom used my supplements and she used accupuncture that helped with her pain.
Go back to key #1 and process every possible treatment through this list of keys. Keeping your head clear is so important during this process.
Also, I post lots of helpful info on cancer on our Facebook page. I would encourage you to like the page and check back daily for new posts to help you have an ageless body, ageless mind and ageless spirit. All 3 are important when it comes to dealing with cancer and once you are through it you’ll be on your way to having an ageless lifestyle after 50.
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