Wellness Formula

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Post edited by: argent, at: 2008/04/21 14:13

Post edited by: Hamsa, at: 2008/04/22 11:01

Hello Argent, welcome to the forum


I am sorry I had to edit your posting, but please be advised that spamming is not allowed here.

I hope you will find the forum useful and we will see more of you here discussing the subject of this forum

Hi Hansa, I am working on ways to help my health by cutting out red meat and riding the bike at the hospital three days a week. Some days I am fatter cause of the lymphedema, But at least I am trying. Have you ever heard that blueberries fight cancer. Some told me that, Well I am back to fighting for a new lymphedema suit. Well take care, Debbie

Debbie, good luck with your fight. I am sure you are going to win. You got the spirit to do so

Friend, I am looking for help with feeling better alone, My cancer Dr wants me to have PT for lymphedema and pain. My lady that does it said I dont think you need it. I also read were horse chestnuts help lymphedema. anyone that can help my pain I would love that. Take care, Debbie

Post edited by: footprintsangel, at: 2008/08/27 05:07

Debbie, you should independently see more doctors. Always have a few opinions before choosing treatment. I wish you lots of strength girl! I hope this will one time get better and you will be released of the pain...

Your Self-Image

Each of us has a mental picture of how we look,Our"Self-image." Although we may not always like how we look, We are used to and accept our self-image. Cancer and its treatment can change your self-image. You may have changes such as loss of hair or scars from surgery. Some of these changes(hair loss) will go away when treatment is over. Other changes (scars) will be a part of how you look. Every person changes in different ways.Some changes people will notice and other changes only you will notice. Some changes you may like and others, You may need time to adjust. Coping with these changes can be hard. But, Over time most people learn to accept them. Your family and friends can help by showing they love you the way you are.

Oh Debbie, that is such a beautiful post. Thank you for that

Indeed the changes are sometimes hard to accept I think and family and friends can help a lot in that. Also, other patients can help, people in the same situation you are in - To give each other strength is where it is all about.

Eating heathly during treatment is important. Your body needs a wide variety of nutrients to feel good and recover. While it is safe to eat nutrient rich food, Such as vegetables and fruit, It maynot be safe to take these nutrients as dietary supplements can interfere with your cancer treatments. Also keep in mind that the dietary supplement industry is nearly unregulated. This means that there is little quality control in the manufacture of many supplements and nobody is watching over the claims being made about these products. For these reasons, Do Not take any dietary supplements without first talking to your Doctor, Nurse or Registered Dietitian. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbs and any over the counter substance. Be safe and take care of yourself with the guidance of your health care providers. Good luck on your journey!

Humor

Most people would think there is not anything funny about having cancer,But if you let it rob you of the ability to laugh you have given up a great healing resource. Laughter may be the most underrated means of healing. At this time in your life when you feel that there is not much to laugh about, Humor will keep you from falling in to depression. Most survivors will agree that there are many humorous moments in the course of cancer journey. Part of being a patient involves being prodded, poked, exposed,photograghed and embarrassed,etc. Make the best of it and choose to enjoy the moments of laughter. Use laughter to heal;release endorphins and make you look and feel better. It is contagious and something you can share with other people. Surround yourself with happy people and people who will make you laugh; Their joy will lighten your spirit when you need it most. Watch funny movies, read humorous books and try to keep some fun in your life. Remember that life is too important to be taken seriously. You only have so much control at this time in your life and one thing you can control is your focus. Focusing on what is good tends to make it a little easier to smile during difficult times.

Amen to that, Debbie!

Special Place For Nurturing The Soul

Do you have a special place that you feel drawn to in good times and bad, A place that brings you a sense of comfort and peace? It might be a path beside the lake, a stretch of the beach by the ocean,A mountain view, A comfy chair that fits you just right, or a place of worship. Perhaps your special place is not a physical location at all, But rather a place in your mind can take you that brings you a sense of tranquility. Maybe your escape is an activity such as listening to music, working in the garden or reading a good book. Whether the place is tangible or imaginary is not important. What matters is that you have discovered a comfort zone, Where fears and worries disappear. A retreat for a few minutes or a few hours can give you the sense of serenity. Dealing with cancer is very stressful, And you need to find a respite, however brief, From the harsh realities of the situation you have been given. Denial is not healthy; so acknowledge your stressful feelings and try to identify ways to cope. Pick a place or experience that provides you with a sense of being cared for and refreshed so that you can maintain balance in your life. Its essential that you take time to nurture your soul. Discover or reconnect with whatever it is that brings you a sense of comfort and peace, Frequent that "Special Place", You will discover that it is well spent.

You may notice weight loss if your appetite has decreased. Some foods to include in your diet to help if you want to gain weight are; cottage chesse, ice cream,peanut butter, cream soups, wheat germ, milk yogurt(frozen) butter, granola, juice, pizza, eggs,creams sour cream, mayonnaise, honey,dried fruit,
jelly,sugar,gravy, gelatin(Jello with sugar) and bread products

Finding Comfort and Meaning

Read uplifting stories, About the human spirit.

Pray or meditate, To help you gain perspective.

Take part in community or social gatherings, For your own support and to suppot others.

Talk with others. Who have had sililar experiennces.

Find resources, At a place of worship for people dealing with chronic pain or illness.

Contact the chaplain at your local hospital. Or Religious leader in your commmunity.

Talk with your hospital, health care team or social worker

How can you find meaning in your life?

Assess your life.

Seek spiritual support.

Keep a journal.

Think about helping others who have cancer

Think about taking part in research study.

footprintsangel wrote:

......Talk with others....

All of the advice is great, I just wanted to accentuate this. This is very, very important.

Types Of Support Groups

Some groups focus on all kinds of cancer.
Others talk about just one thing, such as women with breast cancer.

Groups can be open to everyone or just for people a certain age,sex,culture,or religion. For instance, some groups are just for teens or young children.

Some groups talk about all aspects of cancer. Others focus on only one or two topics such as treatment choices or self-esteem.

Therapy groups focus on feelings such as sadness and grief.

In some groups, people with cancer meet in one support group and their loved ones meet in another. This way, people can say what they really think and feel and not worry about hurting someones feelings.

In another groups, patients and family meet together.

But like Ours, Online support groups are meetings that take place by computer. People meet many ways and like ours a moderated discussion groups and talk with each other threw e-mail. People often like online support groups because they can take part anytime of the day or night.

We enjoy seeing you here on our line, Take care and good luck with your fight!

Practicing Relaxation to Relieve Pain and Stress

Relaxation can help you feel better-both mentally and physically. For most of us, though, its not easy to "just relax." Relaxation is a skill, And it needs to be practiced,Just like any other skill.

Many people wait until they are in alot of pain or feel alot of stress before they relax, When it can be the hardest to succeed. Then they might try to relax by overeating,smoking,or drinking-activities that are not helpful and might be harmful.

Take time to learn helpful relaxation skills and practice them often. You can also take a class or buy a relaxation tape or CD.

Attitude

A positive attitude does have a powerful effect on your immune system and can make life more enjoyable for you and those around you. Having a positive attitude doesn't mean denial; It means that you face the situation and try to look for the good in it. Believing that life is good and truly taking enjoyment in it can help to offset the stress related to cancer treatment. After all, Your goal is to complete your treatments so you can move on to the fulfilling life. Having a good attitude can make a big difference in how you deal with the experience of your illness, But it doesn't mean that you can avoid being worried or even scared some of the time. Take it one day at a time, Learn from the experiences of those who have gone before you and be assured that you do not have to go through this alone.

Debbie, you're incredible! I hope many women have a look at all this and find support in it. Thank you, Debbie

Make Healthier Choices


Think about your life before you learned you had cancer. Were there things that might have made you less healthy? Maybe you drank too much alcohol, Or ate more then you needed. Smoked or didn't exercise very often. Emotionally, Maybe you kept your feelings bottled up, Or may be you let stressful situations go to long.

Now is the time not to feel guilty or blame yourself. However, you can start making changes today that can have a positive effects for the rest of your life. Not only will you feel better but you will also be healthier. What better time then now to take that advantage of the motivation you have as a result of going through a life-changing experience like having cancer?

You can get start by working on those things that you feel most concerned about. Get help with those that are harder for you. For instance, if you are thinking about quitting smoking and need help, Call the American Cancer Society's Quitline tobacco cessation program at 1-800-ACS-2345

Finding Humor and Laughing

Is cancer life threatening? Yes, But why die mad? So I joked about it all the way through, And I think it helped me.-ari

Laughter can help you relax. When you laugh your brain releases chemicals that produce plesure and relax your muscles. Even a smile can fight off stressful thoughts. Of course,you may not always feel like laughing, But other people have found these ideas.

Ask people to send you funny cards.

Enjoy the funny things children and pets do.

Watch funny movies or TV shows.

Listen to comedy tapes or CDs

Buy a funny desk calendar

Read a joke book or check out the jokes on the internet.

You may never find that you can laugh at yourself. I went to a friends this summer and it was really hot! So I took my wig off. One women said,"I got ready to go and couldnt find it. After searching high and low, I found it hanging from a dog's mouth. But I just stuck it on my head and went home. My husand said," What happened? Needless to say that wig has never been the same."

Do I Need Help

Feelings of worry,anxiety,or sadness that dont go away.

Feeling emotionally numb.

Feeling overwelmed, out of control or shaky.

Having a sense of guilt or feeling unworthy.

Feeling helpless or hopeless.

Feeling short-tempered or moody.

Having a hard time concentrating or feeling scatterbrained.

Criying for long periods of time or many times each day.

Focusing on worries or problems.

This is why we have alot of open lines to talk with others so you can get help or we can fined you help if you need it. Good luck

Courage Doesn't alway roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet
voice at the end of the day saying,
" I will try again tomorrow."

Relax

1.Find a quiet place where you can rest undisturbed for 20 minutes. Let others know you need this time for yourself.

2.Make sure the setting is relaxing, Dim the lights if you like and fined a comfortable chair or couch.
3.Get comfortable were you can relax and close your eyes. Clear your mind of distractions.

4. Breathe deeply at a slow relaxing pace.


5. Next go threw each of your major muscle groups, Tensing them for 10 seconds and then relaxing. If the tensing is too painful, Skip he tensing part. Focus on just relaxing and notice the differents you feel when they are relaxed. Also focus on the pleasant feeling of relaxation.

To help you win the battle in your mind

Be Positive

Choose right thinking

Change you mind

Think on good things

Renew your mind

Focus on your God

Walk with courage.

The Power of Knowledge

The most powerful tool to guide you threw your journey with cancer if knowledge. Empower yourself by learning about and getting involved in all aspects of your treatment. This can give you confidence, comfort and can help you maintain a sense of normalcy in your life.

The first three steps on your journey through cancer will focus on:

1. Understanding the basics about your diagnosis and treatment options.

2 Addressing your corncerns.

3.Taking control of all the new information that is coming your way.

1.What is cancer?
What happens after I been diagnosed
Stages it is

2. Common Concerns
How can I maintain my emotional health?
How many doctors will I need to see?

3. Taking control

Where can I go for more information?
How can I get organized?

Main thing is do not give up!

Debbie, you are exceptional! Awesome girl! I hope many will read this and find hope in it

Acts of Love

Giving and Receiving

Most of us are much more comfortable giving assistance then we are receiving it. Giving implies in charge and having control, while receiving assistance implies loss of control and can be most difficult to accept. You may find yourself on both sides of the equation at different times in the course of being a cancer patient. Focusing on the need and concerns of someone else can be healthful for you and the other person. Support and affrimation can give a person courage to deal with adversity. Charity or altruism is helping others through donations of your time and resources and is not only spiritually rewarding, But also pleasurable.

Helping others with an open heart produces strong feelings of connection, A sense of unity and the recognition that in giving to others you are ultimately giving to
yourself. It's also a potent antidote for the negative effects of self-involvement.
Learn to recognize your opportunites for altruism and take advantage of them.

We all have the desire to make a difference and we are given an opportunity to do so. We simply need to develop the ability to identify those opportunities. AS Mother Teresa said,"Few of us can do great things, But all of us can do small things with great love."

Keeping A Medical Journal

A medical journal is a good way to keep a record of many things, including the following, 1. Your medications 2.Treatments and reactions to them 3.Appointments
4.Diagnostic test results
5. Blood work
6.Lab results
A spiral notebook with dividers for each category is very useful for this type of record keeping. You should take your medical journal with you to all appointments so you will have pertinent information you need to discuss with your doctor. Reviewing this journal can help you to identify recurrent physical patterns or symptoms that you are experiencing. It is very useful to take your journal or a simplified medical history sheet, with you when you travel in the event you get sick or have a medical emergency.