Those early outings nurtured my love of handcrafts.  Even today I have but to look at a handmade object to appreciate the time, ingenuity and love that went into its making.

I also learned how handcrafting bonded people to each other, because it took a village to produce the quilts and farm equipment and household goods needed by all.  When illness or death visited the communities, the villagers needed look no farther than next door for support.  Bound together in industry, they instinctively gathered together to grieve and to heal. 

Nowadays we no longer need to produce all our necessities.  But wouldn’t it be nice for those of us navigating life after cancer to be part of a close-knit social fabric?  In the spirit of our wise and comforting heritage, I warmly invite you to join me in a knitting circle for those touched by cancer.  As we work our common craft, we will set healing intentions and create a safe cradle in which to lay down our cares and find loving support. 

This group is perfect for you if you are currently in treatment, a cancer survivor or accompanying someone on their cancer journey.  Your supportive friends and family members are also welcome.

I am grateful to Happy Knits for hosting us in their cozy, centrally-located space.  Will you join us?

Location:     Happy Knits, 1620 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR   97214    map

Dates:      First and third Sundays of each month, starting 5/20/12

Time:     12:30-2:30 pm   

Admission free

Bring your own project, or purchase patterns and materials onsite.  Friendly store staff are available for light project advice; knitting instruction available upon request at additional fee.

Questions?  Call 866.678.8577 or contact me below.  

Please share this announcement with survivors you know.   I look forward to welcoming you into the circle!

The one thing I don’t like very much is looking too closely at the special Passover products in the supermarket.  In an effort to replace everyday foods which are forbidden for ritual reasons, manufacturers have conjured up replacements that contain ingredients terribly harmful to our bodies. (Have a look here:  http://www.realfooddigest.com/foods-to-pass-over/)   No wonder digestive distress, constipation and fatigue are part and parcel of the Passover experience.  But it doesn’t have to be so.

Here are five tips to get through Passover without compromising your health:

5.  Don’t use highly processed products to replicate every day food.  We are commanded to think and act as though we are the ones who were brought forth from Egypt.  Our ancestors didn’t have fake taco mix; do we really need it?

4.  Offer organic grape juice.  Do we really want to fill our kids up with sulfite preservatives?  Organic juice tastes so much better than nonorganic that adults may prefer it as well.

3.  Beware of excess matzah.  Unless it’s specifically made from whole wheat, matzah is a refined carbohydrate product.  Beyond the portions eaten for ritual purposes, holiday breakfast, lunch and dinner menus are laced with matzah in the form of farfel, matzah meal, matzah cake flour, etc.  Besides the immediate effects on the –ahem – digestive tract, we all now know that white flour products are a major contributor to heart disease and diabetes, and this damage starts in childhood.   Matzah moderation allows us to fulfill the great mitzvah of caring for our bodies even as we observe the wonderful rituals.   Build meals around lean protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables and you won’t need the matzah.

2.  Enjoy the bounty of the season in its natural form.  Some Passover symbols – the egg, the sharp horseradish, the parsley – intentionally remind us that it is spring, the season of renewal.  We can extend our appreciation of the season to our entire table by including spring’s colorful natural bounty on the menu: leafy vegetables, fresh asparagus, artichokes, leeks, strawberries…the list goes on and on.   Your guests will compliment you on how colorful your table is (works for me every time). This is also a great antidote to the “excess matzah effect”.

1.   Let go of “preparation perfection”.  Stress is as bad for us as refined carbohydrates.  I used to think I had to outdo myself in menu originality every year.  Then I realized I’m just the conduit – the real credit goes to the One who created the food in the first place.  Whew – what a relief!  Intersperse moments of rest and self-care among holiday preparation sessions.  Who’s at the table is far more important than what’s on the table.

Questions or comments?  Need recipe suggestions?  I hope you’ll contact me below.

A sweet Passover to all! 

The journals who first publish this research have been allowed to protect their subscriber bases by exclusively publishing articles for one year, prior to their posting on PubMed.  However, there is now a bill before Congress to require a fee of $15-30 for each article accessed by readers of PubMed.  In addition to being  yet another factor driving up the cost of medical care, does it make sense that we pay again to access studies we helped pay for in the first place?

(Are you surprised to hear that one of the sponsoring senators has received campaign contributions from a large journal publisher in her district?) 

Please let your Congressional representatives know that you value free access to medical research, and ask them to vote against the bill that would make access cost-prohibitive.   It just takes a moment via this link:  http://www.anh-usa.org/no-science-for-you/

I’d love to hear your comments below.

2 cups daikon radish, grated or julienned in food processor

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 tsp granulated sugar, or substitute liquid stevia to taste

1 tsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)

crushed peanuts, to taste

Place the grated or julienned daikon in a colander over a bowl/sink and sprinkle with the salt. Mix well and let site for 30 minutes.  

Squeeze out any excess water from the daikon, and rinse with cold water. Drain.

In a small saucepan, combine the seasoned rice vinegar, sugar/stevia and mirin.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (only takes a few minutes).  Transfer the daikon to an airtight container and pour the vinegar mixture over.  Stir well to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.  Top with crushed peanuts to taste.

Whatever choice she makes for chemotherapy, I’ve recommended she add regular exercise to her regimen.  Exercise is remarkable medicine.  In addition to cancer prevention benefits, studies have shown exercise to improve survival after breast, colon and lung cancer by 33 to 50%.² Nothing heroic is involved:  this benefit was achieved simply through cancer survivors walking for 30 minutes five times/week.  Exercise at that level costs nothing, has only helpful side effects and confers a far greater incremental benefit than the more aggressive chemotherapy regimen.

Remarkable reduction of cancer recurrence risk alone is a great reason to exercise.  Here are 9 more for all of us:

2.  Exercise increases circulation and oxygen supply to muscles.  Think of a house that hasn’t been ventilated: it gets unpleasant with stale air and trapped odors.  We’d want to open windows to release the musty air and allow fresh air in.  Tissues only function properly in a well-oxygenated environment.  When our circulation doesn’t bring in adequate oxygen, toxic wastes accumulate and cell function deteriorates.  Even genes may malfunction, contributing to the development of cancer and other diseases.

3.  Exercise increases energy.  If you’ve found yourself huffing and puffing while going upstairs, it’s not just “getting older”.  It’s a sign that your cells aren’t efficient at making energy.  With professional guidance this is typically correctable – at any age.

4.  Exercise improves immunity.  Regular exercise increases the activity of natural killer cells and killer T cells, critical elements of an efficient immune system.  These cells protect us from a gamut of illnesses, from colds and flus to cancer.

5.  Exercise supports natural detoxification.    It supports optimal function of the liver and bowels, both critical to ongoing detoxification.

6.  Exercise improves hormonal function.  It regulates production and disposal of our stress-management hormones as well as male and female hormones.  Studies convincingly link regular exercise to improvement in menopause-related symptoms.

7.  Exercise prevents and reverses excess blood sugar and insulin resistance.    By creating greater muscle demand for glucose and regulating the insulin-dependent mechanism which delivers it, exercise is a critical strategy against these conditions. If you’re prediabetic or diabetic or have a family history of these conditions, exercise (along with healthful nutrition) is your ticket to good health.

8.  Exercise strengthens bones.  Exercise is a potent antidote to osteoporosis, another scourge of Western society and a common side effect of cancer treatment.  Osteoporosis is much easier to prevent than to treat, so it’s never too soon to incorporate weight-bearing exercise into your health plan.

9.  It looks good. Exercise improves metabolic efficiency, so we store less fat and become lighter and more toned.  I can see on my patients’ faces whether they’re exercising regularly or not:  those who exercise regularly express a vitality that those who don’t can’t match.

10.  It feels good.  Exercise releases endorphins, which elevate mood.  It produces a feeling of accomplishment.  It’s even an effective antidepressant, without the side effects of pharmaceutical antidepressants.³

Want more joy and freedom from physical complaints, but not sure how to start?  Give me a call:  I’ve got lots of ideas to get you moving, and have fun doing it.  We’ll cheer together as you celebrate the health benefits you achieve!

© 2012

¹  Stated recurrence risks are compared to absence of conventional treatment; ie, not taking chemotherapy.

²  For example:  Irwin ML et al, Physical activity and survival in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: results from the women’s health initiative, Cancer Prevention Research, 2011 Apr; 4(4): 522-9.

³  Chen X et al, Exercise, tea consumption, and depression among breast cancer survivors, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2010 Feb 20; 28(6): 991-8.

Life is never the same after cancer treatment.  Routines, goals and relationships that used to work for you may no longer fit as well.  Treatment centers provide little guidance or transition support for what comes  next.  You may feel like you’re waiting alone for a train that hasn’t shown up.

What if some friendly people showed up at the station, and understood what you were looking for?  What if you found it easy to talk to them, and they helped you find a bus instead that would take you exactly where you wanted to go?

If you’re a woman and this sounds familiar, “The Heroine’s Journey: Thriving After Cancer” may be just what you’re looking for.  In 8 sessions over four months, we’re going to build an intimate circle of trust in which we look at what you’d like life after cancer to look like, and how you can get from here to there.  You’ll enjoy the support of women with common experiences and language as you gain new tools for healing physically, emotionally and spiritually.  You’ll have a safe and joyful place to explore possibilities and opportunities that fit the wiser woman you’ve become.  And we’ll walk with you and cheer you on as you confidently move forward in your new, fully authentic life.

Ready to join us?  You’ll find all the information you need to register here:  “The Heroine’s Journey: Thriving After Cancer”

See you on the bus!

PS -Here’s  the original blog post, for your reading pleasure:  click here

copyright 2011, Shani Fox, ND, LLC 

What contribution will you make to healing your local economy as you do your holiday shopping?  Leave a comment and tell us all about it…and thank you in advance for your compassion and caring!

(Don’t forget that I offer gift certificates – perfect for anyone who STILL hasn’t found an answer to their chronic medical issue and needs a fresh approach!)

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Here is the conclusion:  Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy and an herbal mixture containing the herb Astragalus live significantly longer than NSCLC patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy alone.  This effect was observed at 6 months, 12 months, 24 months and 36 months, at statistically significant levels (for example, 35% higher survival rate at 12 months).  No toxic side effects were ascribed to the Astragalus compounds. (View the report abstract here)

To put this in perspective, trials of new drugs for highly lethal cancers often make headlines when they increase average survival by a month or two.  A drug associated with a 35% increase in survival rate after a year would be heralded as the highlight of a generation…and such drugs often have notable side effect profiles.

Astragalus has been used by Chinese medicine practitioners for thousands of years to treat a variety of conditions from colds and viruses to cancer.  It is highly nourishing to the immune system, which may help explain its efficacy as an anticancer herb.  It also supports the body’s ability to cope with stress.

It is exciting to see such positive results when a traditional herb is put to the test of multiple (65!) clinical trials.  It is time for Western medicine to collaborate with experts in traditional medicine to bring the best of all available remedies to patients.

Note:  Astragalus has the potential to interact with certain medications and other herbs, and should be taken only under the supervision of a professional expert in its use.