Houston's Relay For Life 2012

The final word is in and the little town of Houston managed to soar past the donations raised by our larger Relay contender of Smithers. That is an unbelievable tribute to our community and the people here determined to fight back against this sweeping disease.
The evening started off with Hurricane Andrew as the locals dubbed it. My team mates of Boot Camp Girls threw their weight across our tent trying to pin it from leaving earth. Thankfully they succeeded and although the grass at the Four Season Park remained damp most of the evening, things went extremely well afterwards. In fact, they are considering hosting upcoming Relays at the Four Seasons, it went that well. Nice and private, not close enough to disturb neighbors as much.

The evening was filled with wonderful music and local talent from Magenta and the HSS class band. There was belly dancing and singing, guitar solos and wind instruments. Memorable speeches from  icons like Chief  Russell Tiljoe and cancer survivor Gail Jarvis.

And the evening was off and walking for 12 hours around a track soon filled with 430+ illumiaries. These white bags upon which people had written and drawn on, held names of cancer victims, some still with us, many not and held a canned good to hold them in place as well as a tea light to illuminate what was written. It was haunting and beautiful at the same time.
Tents dotted the inside of the track with teams huddled around blazing campfires for warmth and the long night ahead.
In the morning we watched the sunrise with new eyes of appreciation for life and all its wonder. The Fight Back portion was started and I had been asked to give the speech.
While dressed in camo gear, I barked out the following after first delivering a salute to the crowd gathered before me:

(SALUTE)


(spoken with a Southern U.S. twang and said LOUD)

COMPANY ATTENTION!!

It’s Sergeant Smith reporting for duty.

And you look like the sorriest bunch of do-gooders I have ever laid eyes on.

You look like the kind of soldiers we send down to the Marine Corps so they can be contained on a ship and not able to run about.

Well I’m here to kick your butts. To shape you up or ship you out!

I’m here to make sure you do your darndest to stop that number of cancer victims from rising as fast as it is.

Are you listening?

You are going to learn not to take any guff off of those dirty little cancer cells that you have inside of you right now. The ones your body has to seek out and destroy everyday. And they will do that for you- they will kill those commie cancer cells dead if they have the right weapons to fight ‘em off with.

So are we going to do that? Are we ready to fight back against cancer?

I can’t hear you?

That’s better.

Company at ease.

Before I give you the weapons, you need some instructions on why you need them in the first place.

Truth be told, I salute every one that is here today, everyone that has taken time, whether they wanted to or not, to confront cancer head on. To stand up and say This Has To End! And with this support maybe cancer can be beaten, or at least slowed down from the raging forest fire it has become.

My name is Sergeant Debi Smith and I happen to know something about fighting back.

I have a typical survivor’s story. A cancerous tumor was surgically removed only to find more cancer in a lymph node, headed toward my bloodstream and other parts unknown.

I did the chemo, the radiation, another surgery. I lost my hair, my spunk and some days all hope that this would ever be behind me. I had to learn to get tough with my cancer but more important to get tough with myself to get through.

I am here to re-affirm to anyone still in doubt or denial that YES, getting cancer IS one of the worst things that can happen to you.

BUT it can also teach you a few things.

BECAUSE, Before learning I had breast cancer, I was just like all the rest of you recruits. I exercised, figured I ate healthy enough when I wanted to and I quit smoking. I drank mostly on weekends. How could I possibly get cancer?It was only after I got that phone call that I started to learn as much as I could about the disease, how it works and what you can do about it. Two years ago I knew nothing. And I got cancer.

Today I know a lot about cancer and so I expect to live a long and healthy life because I now know how to fight for my body. I have learned how most of us get cancer and I truly believe much of it is avoidable, that a lot of the increasing numbers can be prevented.

Are you listening?

Almost everyone has cancer cells present in their body at any given time. They are merely normal cells that have mutated and started to rapidly divide rather than naturally dying off. That can happen if your immune system is not in good shape.

 If your immune system is working properly, these mutant cells are stamped out or reabsorbed by our defense system before they can grow any further and threaten your health. It’s a matter of routine for our bodies, even for people with hereditary cancers.  It’s like stamping out  forest fires with your foot.  BUT if your immune system is not all that it should be, it can’t keep up to the dang fires. The mutated cells will get the chance to thrive and grow.

That’s how you end up with cancerous tumors.

Are you listening?

So, what are we going to do about that?         

We’re going to FIGHT BACK, that’s what! That’s the good news.

 The bad news is it won’t be easy for everyone at first.

A tablespoon of ground flax seed on your oatmeal  is not going to help you if you’re still enjoying too many alcoholic drinks in a week. If you are overweight, stressed, smoking, regularly eating empty calorie foods like refined sugar, deep fried anything and white flour and not getting enough exercise every day.

The more items on that list that you enjoy, the higher is your risk of GETTING cancer.

This is a war people. The numbers of cancer patients is exploding every single day. Inside normal people just like you and I.

We have to give our body the weapons  it needs to fight back. Not just once in a while but all the time!

We need to get tough with ourselves, SOLDIERS, not one of these days but RIGHT NOW!

My research tells me that cancer rates around the world can be slashed by about one-third by merely Promoting healthy foods and exercise. Simple changes in diet and exercise can prevent nearly 40 percent of breast and pancreatic cancers.

On top of that, by adding extra vitamin D to your daily diet, a supplement you can buy at a drugstore, an even higher percentage of cancer prevention can be achieved.

We need to avoid toxins and unnatural substances which include processed foods and preservatives (to extend life); food dyes; hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated foods; polluted air; smoking; pesticides; bleaching of napkins, toilet paper; etc. etc. etc.

Between what’s on the outside and what’s on the inside and what we add to the mix, it’s no wonder so many recruits are ending up in the sick bay.

And one more thing for those cancer survivors.

Okay, you made it through the surgery, maybe even the chemo, the radiation. You have beaten cancer because you’re still alive and your last test says the problem area is clear.

But what you might not know is that unless you correct what it is that let your cancer thrive in the first place, you could be in for a rude awakening of a recurrence.

So this is for everyone. Listen up.

: Here are  EIGHT weapons to arm you in your fight against cancer.

1)    EAT BETTER. Drop the empty calories of white breads for whole grains and brown rice products. Pump up the fruits and vegetables and eat less red meat. Maintain a healthy body weight. It’s never too late to start fighting for yourself.

2)    Sugar is another enemy. Besides causing excess weight gain, it feeds cancer cells. It’s like buying your enemy bullets to kill you with. I’m not saying to never have a bowl of ice cream or a donut ever again. I’m saying to cut it all way back.  Start a treat day- a once a week time to spoil yourself with something you normally eat all the time. Think before you eat or drink anything. Will this help my body or weaken it?

3)    Drink less alcohol. Way less. The connection between alcohol and cancer is astounding. Recommendations, straight from the cancer society and also our Dr Vestvik are one HALF to one drink a day for women. Less if you are peri or post menopausal. Up to two a day for men. No stock-piling for the weekend!

4)    Oxygen kills cancer cells, but we’re not getting enough. . You need to get up and get going .Take up yoga, Tai Chi, a gym class, walking, cycling, hiking. Just get off that couch more often than not.

5)     See your physician for regular check-ups. Don’t put it off- that lump in your breast, the pain in your stomach. Get it checked out NOW.

6)    Get informed on other ways to boost your immune system. Take a supplement of 1-2000 mg of Vitamin D every day. Eat lots of leafy green vegetables, berries and whole grains. And yes, ground flax seed.

7)    Donate. Every volunteer hour, every penny raised gets a cancer victim one step closer to putting the disease behind them. My mini tumour would not have been detected as early as one year ago. Think about what that means for your Grandchildren. Your support makes it all possible and we can’t thank you enough.

8)    Spread the word and then practise what you preach. Tell everyone you know how they can fight cancer. It may be hard at first, but once you figure out substitutes for your weaknesses, like buying 70% chocolate bars instead of milk chocolate and baked brown rice crackers instead of chips it will get easier.

BOTTOM LINE: As I’ve said, this is a war, people. It’s time to get tough and fight back every day.

You have to kill cancer before it kills you.

(Salute again)

Company At Ease

Thank you

The speech was well received. I hope it opened a few ears and will find its way to doing some good in preventing even one more name on the casualty list.

And yes, I'll be reviving the Cancer Prevention Blogs again soon! I promise.

Deb

Honey, I'm Home and I Have Good News

The Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall

We're home from the land of Chinese food and bad, I mean real bad, drivers. I spent most of my time with my hands over my eyes as our driver honked his way through impossible tight lines of traffic, aiming the vehicle in the direction he wanted without any regard to street lines or on-coming traffic. And everyone else was doing the same thing. The funny part is there were no accidents and everything seemed to run rather smooth. When I watched, that is.

So China was everything I had hoped for and more. Great hiking, great people, food, shopping and interesting things to see and do; the three day hike on the Great Wall being the best way to really absorb the immensity of it all. The five days of exploring the Yellow or Huangshan Mountain tightened every last buttock muscle after climbing up and down thousands of stairs to the Sea of Clouds. I always feel closer to my Mom when I'm as close to the sky as I was.
I wonder if she was impressed with how healthy I looked?

But by far the greatest news I can tell you is that two weeks ago while in Vancouver, I had yet another MRI. A mere 6 months since the last one. There was a slight shadow in the left breast that could have been from the removal of the inciting pea lump or... it could be something else.

It's a long time to hold your breath for- the six months it took to finally get the test. And today Dr. Vestvik phoned and told me to come by for some good news. I have a photocopy of the test results which I feel like framing. It tells us there are no growths, nothing suspicious, that everything, for the first time in 2 years, looks fine. I am cleared of breast cancer as far as they're concerned.

So now I am officially a breast cancer survivor! After 2 years, almost to the day I have walked away with 1 and 1/2 breasts,  a better hair style even if the hair is courser, a few scars  and other bothersome side effects of the surgeries, plus a whole new outlook on living.

Most important, I've learned to slow down. To appreciate, not sweat about every little thing. I don't squish spiders anymore. Why did I ever do that? I want to live and let live. Some days I feel like I am glowing with life and I want everyone out there to feel the same way.
It's in you to do it.

 I've learned to relax and trust in my close friends and family. To let myself lean on them when I need to. They will and always have been there for me, as I will always be for them.

I've learned not everything in life goes the way you want it to. That the bumps in the road are there for a purpose, so we can learn and grow both spiritually and emotionally. Getting breast cancer changed my life for the better. I really mean that even after all I've suffered through and continue to suffer through.

But I've also  learned you have the ability to increase your chance of never getting cancer in the first place. That you can fight against this invisible disease every day whether you realize you're doing it or not. And you can do that through your diet.

A simple adjustment of cutting out bad fats and using coconut or olive oil. Using brown rice flour instead of white flour. Of drastically cutting back on alcohol, processed foods, fast foods and baked goods. Take a multi-vitamin, extra Vitamin D and eat lots of anti-oxidant foods like blueberries, ground flax seeds and green tea. Quit smoking.Quit eating sugar.  Start exercising.

None of that sounds too hard, does it? Okay, so eat your pizza and chocolate bars once a week. But the rest of the week, you're on the salads, vegies, whole grains and healthy proteins. It's easy if you let it be. Pre-planning your meals will help. So, think before you pop food or drinks into that black-hole beneath your nose: will this item turn on or turn off a cancer cell?


There are people who think they are immune to getting cancer. Maybe they don't realize we all have cancer cells in our bodies. Our immune system fights them off ever day. But cancer cells are tricky and can disguise themselves or hide. When you feed them sugars and empty caloric foods stored as fat cells, they can multiply at an amazing rate and before you know it,  you'll be the one in the waiting room with the persisting headache, or the strange lump or the burning stomach, waiting to hear what you won't want to hear.

 I thought the same at one time. I was too healthy to get cancer. I didn't know that 64 women every minute in BC discover they have breast cancer. Many of them "healthy" just like me.

Knowledge is key. Get yourself better informed. Like right here with the Alphabetical Prevention Of Cancer blogs I have been writing and will resume writing in June.

It's good to be back in the writing chair again.
Stay healthy. Be happy. And avoid getting cancer with everything you have! Because when all is said and done, having cancer sucks! Big time.

"L" is also for Lemons

It's a proven fact that cancer cells thrive in an acidic, dehydrated body.

A simple way to combat this is to start your day or afternoon with a cup of hot water with half a lemon or lime squeezed into it.

Voila- hydration and acidity problem solved.

If you are wondering what your pH level is at, meaning if your are acidic or alkaline, you can buy litmus paper at your local health food store and either run it inside your mouth to mix with your saliva or urinate on it. The resulting colour on the litmus paper will tell you what you are.

I'll put money on it that you're too acidic, especially if you eat red meats,drink  alcohol, smoke or are stressed to the max. Only one of the four will get you there.

Check out this website to learn more about your pH levels and what you can do to keep it in the alkaline zone.
http://www.t-a-d-a.com/pH.html

"L" is for Legumes

Healthy eating is an important piece of the breast cancer prevention puzzle. Through good nutrition you can keep your weight down, utilize cancer fighting nutrients and turbo-charge your immune system.

Having a plant-based rather than meat-based diet is a first step in giving your body a leg-up to fight cancers. This includes a stable diet of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and legumes.

 Legumes include beans, lentils, and peas. Just like whole grains, legumes are a great source of fiber and phytochemicals. Another benefit is that they contain higher levels of protein than other plant foods so you can substitute them for the meat in your diet once in awhile. Give your body a break and it will thank you in ways you may not see, but will definitely feel.

The seriously misunderstood bean has been a staple of the human diet for many thousands 

of years, and a major source of high quality, inexpensive protein, combined with other foods. 

There are hundreds of varieties of beans and lentils available, with a corresponding range of 

tastes and nutritional qualities. Beans are adaptable to an immense number of delicious 

vegetarian recipes. 

BUT I GET BAD GAS FROM EATING BEANS...

We can minimize the production of gas from eating beans by breaking down the fiber in them 

before eating. Mashing or grinding will work, as in Refried Beans, or Hummus.  We can also 

minimize gas from beans by soaking and cooking them well, eating them in combination with 

other foods, not eating excessive amounts, and chewing them well.

In Bulgaria they soak their beans overnight and discard the water in the morning. Bring the beans to boil in fresh water for ten minutes, then drain and repeat with fresh water. Repeat once more and cook until done.

Also, always rinse canned beans well before adding to any recipe.

Both tips will cut down the gas immensely.


But really...in comparison to cancer, what's a little butt backfire going to hurt?

"L" is for Lumps

  A WARNING TO ANYONE WITH BOOBS :

Regarding Breast lumps: Early evaluation is ESSENTIAL. It Can Save Your Life or at the very least, your Breast.

The earlier a cancerous lump is dealt with the greater a woman’s chance of surviving the ordeal becomes. The key is to catch it before it spreads or metastasizes to other parts of your body.

The first noticeable symptom of breast cancer is typically a lump that feels different from the rest of the breast tissue. More than 80% of breast cancer cases are discovered when the woman feels a lump. Lumps found in lymph nodes located in the armpits can also indicate breast cancer — but take comfort in the odds. As many as 4 out of 5 breast lumps that are biopsied are noncancerous (benign). Still, it's important to have any breast lump evaluated by a doctor.

The hard part is breast tissue is naturally lumpy. You need to familiarize yourself with your normal breast tissue NOW to help determine if there's a change in your breasts. Consult your doctor if:

·         You find a breast lump that's new or unusual and feels different from breast tissue in either breast

·         A new breast lump doesn't go away after your next period

·         A breast lump seems to have changed — it gets bigger, for instance

·         You have bloody discharge from your nipple

·         You notice skin changes on your breast, such as redness, crusting, dimpling or puckering

·         Your nipple suddenly turns inward (inversion)

Those are the facts. Now here's my story:

For two years we monitored a hard pea shape in my left breast found during self-examination.After a series of mammograms, ultra sounds and ultimately an MRI,  it turned out to be benign, but due to all the tests, cancer was found in my right breast. And in a lymph node. The good news is it was caught early and both growths were very small. I still have enough breast on the surgery side to fill a bra cup.

No-one knows your body better than you do. Take some time for yourself and get better acquainted with your breasts.

Reputable sites to learn more about self-examination or about breasts in general:

• Breast Cancer Society www.breastcancer.org
• 
  
• Mama knows Breast  www.mamaknowsbreast.com
• 
  
• bOObs: A guide to your girls www.booksonboobs.com
• 
  
• www.touchyourselftrustyourself.ca
• 
  
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization  ww5.komen.org

Support Sites

• Circus of Cancer - A site to help you when your friend has Breast Cancer www.circusofcancer.org

“K” is for Knowledge and Kelp

Ever heard the saying Knowledge is power? Well, when it comes to cancer, knowing more than less is key to prevention. Knowing before you stuff something into your body that it is bad for you is a start. It gets confusing but I’m convinced that our diet is a major element when cancer comes knocking. You need to know how to keep that door firmly closed!

Getting more information on cancer is as easy as going to the Canadian Cancer Society’s website at :  www.cancer.ca  Check out the Canadian Cancer dictionary at:  info.cancer.ca/cce-ecc

You can always Google everything, but you don’t always get the most accurate or up-to-date information. Make sure the site you’re learning from is a reputable one.

My bible during breast cancer was Breast Cancer : All You Need To Know by DR.s Olivotto, Gelmon and Kuusk. I also loved the Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr. Check it out at www.crazysexycancer.com. 


Dr. Robert A. Pendergrast Jr.’s self-help book for women, “Breast Cancer – Reduce Your Risk with Foods You Love,” is another good one. 


David Wolfe’s SuperFoods about diet and medicines of the future changed my world of cooking and eating. It's where I first heard about butter and other animal fats being substituted by coconut oil. Resembling lard, coconut oil starts my stir frys, is the butter in my baking and it makes a super, worry-free grilled cheese sandwich!

 You can also head to the book store and its Health section. You will be floored at what’s available for you to arm yourself against cancer. All the Cancer Societies have libraries you can borrow from as well.

So, get out there and get educated everyone, before you have to bypass the prevention section and go to the What To Do When…section.

KELP

I call it the “lettuce of the sea.” Yes, it’s seaweed but it is packed with more vitamins and minerals than most the things we imbibe, making it another SuperFood. I could list it’s attributes for pages, but so not to bore you, will stick to the biggest one:

Phytochemicals. A recent buzz word in the world of cancer because phytos absorb and eliminate radioactive elements and heavy metal contaminations from our bodies, while kelp also gives us plenty of healthy minerals.

Use it as a seasoning substitute for salt. Put some in your soups and stews . Eat it plain or buy it in a powdered concentrate. I use a “Greens Concentrate” available at some drug stores  and most Health Food Stores. I mix a teaspoon in with a half cup of cold almond milk and throw it back.

Being from New Brunswick, I admit I like the sea smell. It reminds me  of home, which is always calming- and that in itself is a cancer prevention factor!

"J" is For Jicama in The Alphabetical Cancer Prevention Blogs

Jicama.


Jicama has finally arrived at the likes of our local grocery store. It looks like a turnip and like a turnip or potato jicama can be baked, french-fried in the oven and mashed, although the tough outer skin should be removed first.

Health benefits of Jicama

• Jicama is very low calorie root vegetables; contains only 35 calories per 100 g. However, its high quality phyto-nutrition profile comprises of dietary fiber, and anti-oxidants, in addition to small proportions of minerals, and vitamins.
• It is one of the finest source dietary fiber and excellent source of oligofructose inulin, a soluble dietary fiber. The root pulp provides 4.9 mg or 13% of fiber. Inulin is a zero calorie, sweet inert carbohydrate and does not metabolize in the human body, which make the root an ideal sweet snack for diabetics and dieters.
• As in turnips, fresh yam bean tubers are rich in vitamin C; provide about 20.2 mg or 34% of DRA of vitamin C per 100 g. Vitamin-C is a powerful water-soluble anti-oxidant that helps body scavenge harmful free radicals, thereby offers protection from cancers, inflammation and viral cough and cold.
• It also contains small levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and thiamin.
• Further, it provides healthy amounts of some important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.