Stamp Out Lung Cancer

In my professional life, I build online learning. Over the past year, I’ve worked on two projects concerning lung cancer.

It was hard (and also stragely helpful) to dive into lung-cancer-related content for work while also diving into a ton of content about leukemia for my own reasons.

I wanted to share some of it with YOU. Please read and share!

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Did you know that lung cancer is the DEADLIEST kind of cancer in the US? It’s true! More people die annually from it than from breast, prostate, and colon cancer COMBINED! There are two reasons this is so.

First, the lungs have very few nerve endings, and so lung cancer can grow without causing pain or symptoms.

Q. HOW CAN THIS BE SOLVED?

A. BY GETTING SCREENED!

Think of a lung screening just as you would an annual mammogram, colonoscopy, or trip to the dermatologist.

Low-dose CT scans are available for those who smoked or have other risk factors. Click here to check your eligibility and learn more:

https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/saved-by-the-scan

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The second reason why lung cancer is so deadly is because of the STIGMA surrounding it. People simply don’t talk about it, seek second opinions, or get support when diagnosed. By trying to avoid the perceived shame of their illness, many will suffer and not find quality treatment.

Q: HOW CAN THIS BE SOLVED?

A: BY TALKING ABOUT IT!


We can ALL reduce the stigma by normalizing the subject, showing support and caring! Which is what I’m doing right now.

If you want to learn more about lung cancer, or you just want to check out some of the important work being done by the American Lung Association (and me), visit lung.training.

Fridge Oats

So I’m not eating Cheerios anymore, or really anything from the cereal aisle (if we’re being truthful, it’s more of a candy aisle).

But I still like oats! If you can find an organic source, here’s a tasty and quick breakfast recipe — and it is loaded with fiber, aka post-biotics.

These Woodstock Oats are great. Yuka gives them an excellent rating, 100 out of 100.

So I fill up a little jar about 50% full of the oats, then add a heaping spoonful (each) of milled flax seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds. These are all organic, purchased at either Trader Joe’s or Aldi.

Add a couple sprinkles of cinnamon if you like, then stir everything up. Add the milk of your choice and stir again.

If you want to add honey or maple syrup, add it after you stir, and don’t stir any more because it will get sticky and your spoon will get coated. Just put it on top.

Pop on the lid and put it in the fridge. Let it soak overnight or at least for a few hours.

When you’re ready to eat, add some chopped apples, raspberries, or blueberries. You’ll probably also want to add a little more milk as the oats really soak it up!

Pro tip: Check your teeth after eating, because these seeds get stuck everywhere, and you may look a little crazy 🤪 after eating!

Bon Appétit!

What’s Good?

On Saturday, I do my errands and, more and more, I’m returning to a great little store called “What’s Good.”

They offer a variety of non-toxic or very low toxic products, which totally align with my goals now.

I’m regularly buying laundry detergent and dishwasher tablets from them, plus the bar shampoo and conditioner. Today I got some beeswax wraps to re-use rather than foil, saran, or waxpaper.

They’ve got great gifts for kids and adults, rings made from seaglass, composting books, native seeds, etc. They host events and speakers and keep the community informed on environmental topics.

They encourage people to bring glass jars and just refill them for items like hand soap, dishwasher soap, etc.

I encourage you to look in your own area for a shop like this, and then, of course, support them!

https://shopwhatsgood.com/

Sulforaphane

Isn’t it beautiful? Look at those Fibonacci swirls! 🤩

Sulforaphane is a phytonutrient compound found in cruciferous vegetables. Regular consumption is connected with an overall lower risk of cancer, and many studies show that it fights active cancer, too.

Here’s a quick list of cruciferous veggies:

  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Collard greens
  • Bok choy
  • Kale
  • Radish
  • Romanesco broccoli, pictured above
  • Watercress
  • Wasabi

The food that has the most sulforaphane is actually the broccoli SPROUT, which are  delicious in a salad. The sprouts can have 10 to 100 times the amount of sulforaphane than the mature vegetable.

I’ve definitely upped my intake this year, and I’m regularly eating sprouts & microgreens now.

Here are some interesting videos if you want to learn more. Dr. Eric Berg below points out that it has been studied a lot, more than 35 times.

In the video below, Dr. Moss shares that this research is very controversial, because most  chemotherapy drugs do not kill cancer stem cells, but this common, inexpensive vegetable DOES.

Learn more about these veggies: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/vgen/cruciferous-vegetables.htm

Fiber & Post-Biotics

Ok, we all know fiber is supposed to be good for us, but what is it really, and what does it do that’s so beneficial?

What It Is

First off, fiber is a material from plants that WE can’t fully digest, but our microbiome buddies CAN. They love it. It feeds them and makes them feel good, which in turn makes US feel good.

Fiber is actually a form of carbohydrate, but it doesn’t convert to glucose in our bloodstream like other carbs.

Our microbiome buddies actually ferment the fiber to break it down. Then they send out beneficial by-products (called post-biotic short chain fatty acids) into our bloodstream, which do great stuff such as:

● Reduce inflammation

● Regulate metabolism

● Regulate mitochondria

● Improve insulin & glucose levels

● Regulate hunger & appetite

● Protect and repair the lining of the gut, which allows the gut to better protect itself from toxins.

Where to Get It

Ok, I want it! I’m convinced! How do I get it?

I’ve learned a lot from Dr. Casey Means, through watching her interviews on YouTube, reading her book Good Energy, and taking her online class called “Eating For Good Energy and Healthy Metabolism.”

She recommends doubling the paltry USDA guideline of 25 to 30 grams per day. To be healthy, shoot for 50 to 60 grams of fiber daily.

Here are the sources she recommends:

  • Chia seeds
  • Basil seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Beans, lupini in particular
  • Nuts, tiger nuts and pistachios in particular
  • Artichokes
  • Avocados
  • Raspberries

Here are a few others:

  • Organic oats (please don’t eat the non-organic oats as they are drenched in glyphosate)
  • Broccoli
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Kale and other leafy dark greens

To Sum it Up

So, when you eat fermented foods (probiotics) you are actually bringing in new, good bacteria. New microbiome buddies.

When you eat fiber, you are feeding your microbiome buddies, and they ferment that fiber inside you to create post-biotics.

Interesting Fact

Dr. Means also points out that our microbiome creates our neurotransmitters. Did you know that schizophrenia and depression can be diagnosed by analyzing a person’s microbiome? Huh!

The Mighty Mighty Bar Code

An election is right around the corner, but you know, voting is really an everyday thing.

Every day in this country, we vote with our dollars as we shop and purchase items.

The restaurant with crummy food gets voted out of office. The restaurant with great food and service grows and expands.

Every item at the store is competing for shelf space. So when it’s little barcode or UPC symbol gets beeped at the checkout, the stocking software is updated. New orders are electronically placed. It’s like magic.

Help me vote for healthy foods and products. Thank you!

You Ain’t Special

One of the first things you realize after getting diagnosed is that, unfortunately, everybody’s got something going on.

A friend of mine has Myasthenia Gravis. She just finished chemo for throat cancer. Now they’ve found a new cancer.

A neighbor is mourning the sudden loss of her husband.

A friend’s son just got married to a girl who had beaten cancer once. Now it’s back (they’re only 25!!! 😫).

Two of my coworkers have diabetes. Another just had to have her gall bladder removed. They are all younger than me (and it’s a small company, maybe 25 employees).

People used to say that “1 out of 4” people would have cancer during their lifetime. Now the rates are 1 out of every 2 men (50% 😵‍💫) and 1 out of every 3 women (33%), at least in developed countries. (In places where people eat traditional foods, the rates are much lower.)

So yeah, I’m not special. I’m just one of the gang now. The CLL gang. The cancer gang. The chronic disease gang. Dammit.

Really hoping that we reach a tipping point soon, though. A point where the average person gets angry and wants answers and results and change. Not ribbons and awareness, not a fun run, but actual results.

Maybe we could demand that farms stop spraying glyphosate.

Sedentary Lifestyle

I’ve been using a watch lately to track my steps and check things such as heart rate, blood pressure, and O2 level. Don’t go thinking I’m all posh with an apple watch… this is sort of a dumb watch, and I like that. I like that nobody’s looking at my data.

So, I’ve been using it for just a few weeks.

● Most days, I’m getting close to 4,500 steps in. This is with a desk job and no commute.

● On the weekend, I’m getting close to 10,000 steps in! Errands, chores, raking leaves… I feel great and have more energy on these days.

● Today was a total dud, and I fear this is indicative of my first few winters in this northern climate… at 6 pm, my step count was 300 steps! Went out to walk the dog (it was already cold and dusky), did some kitchen chores, and now I’m at 1225 steps. Still very low.

My sister sent me an awesome rebounder, which I’m going to use to add to the count. Sending out a big “thank you” to her. ❤️

What about you? Have you counted your steps? Do you have a desk job? How do you get that activity and exercise to balance out the sedentary time?

Leave a comment and let me know. Thanks!

Full House Filtration

Looked into various water filters today at Lowe’s. Found the small ones for one single faucet, but also found this whole home system for $339.

Ok, that’s more expensive than the single faucet systems, and it would need to be installed between the main water line and the hot water heater by a professional, which could cost a bit, BUT it filters for the entire house. And you change the charcoal only once for each 6 years (assuming a 4-person household).

Lowe’s also has some DIY water testing kits. Though neither the basic kit ($13) nor the ultimate kit ($29) includes a test for glyphosate, it does cover quite a few other types of chemicals and contaminants.

I like these tests because you don’t send them off to the lab. You actually just get the results immediately using a litmus-type strip.