My plan is too make and sell "ICANCERVIVED" tees to raise funds to establish a non-profit.
First off I need to sell them to get the word out there. I am building a website which will allow me to take orders and promote the shirts and other apparel (coming soon) and perhaps develop a website that will promote life after cancer.
Anyone who is in remission knows as I do that it is always in the back of your mind. Having had cancer leaves a tremendous mark on you and your family. But life after chemo and radiation doesn't have to be a hard adjustment.
When I was finally thru my treatments and in remission last year I felt like the world had moved ahead of me by 6 months or a year. Getting back to work was quick for me (i was lucky) but it may not be an easy transition for others.
There are days when I still feel like I lost a year of my life.
I would hope ICANCERVIVED.COM might provide information and inspiration to anyone who has cancer, just started treatment or is in remission.
"IT CAN BE BEATEN!"
Our attitude shouldn't just be "I can survive" but "I can survive... and did!" hence the extra "D"
It's all about beating cancer. It's as much mental as it is physical and emotional.
www.icancervived.com
I have an email address set up icancervived@gmail.com in case anyone wants to reach out and say 'HI" or order a shirt.
I know it's time for me to put being a patient behind me. The threat of recurrence is always there. It's human nature to feel that way. But my doctor told me after my last treatment...
"The cancer is gone, go back to your life, don't think like a patient. Go back to normal"
The underlying message of icancervived is "I had cancer...I am acknowledging it and moving on"
It's all about moving on. Moving forward and making progress.
Be well.
Send me an email.
Remission is not a cure but it's worth the fight.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
T Shirt...
Created this with a friend of mine last night. He has an embroidery business and has just added the ability to make hot press transfers on t-shirts. The thoughts behind "icancervived" is a play on words and is in the past tense. I know remission is not a cure but I have for the most part survived cancer and so the play on words (I CAN SURVIVE) becomes (SURVIVED), therefore the I added the "D." We also added my date of remission which personalizes the t-shirt.
www.icancervived.com is coming soon.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Healthy Eating...
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm
Take time to chew your food: Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Avoid stress while eating: When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry, and stop eating when you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!
Eat early, eat often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.
Bad carbs are foods that have been “stripped” or processed in order to make cooking fast and easy, like white flour, refined sugar, and white rice. They digest so quickly that they cause dramatic elevations in blood sugar, which can lead to weight gain.
Good carbs can’t be digested as easily. This keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly, helping you get full quicker and feel fuller longer. Good sources of carbs include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also offer lots of additional health benefits, including heart disease and cancer prevention.
Sources of good fats
Monounsaturated: canola, peanut, and olive oils; avocados; nuts and seeds.
Polyunsaturated: sunflower, corn, and soybean oils
Omega-3 essential fatty acids: fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds and flax seed oil; beans
Sources of bad fats
Saturated fats: Full-fat dairy products (butter, ice cream, cheese, cream); red or dark meat.
Trans fats: Commercial baked goods, fried foods, anything containing partially-hydrogenated oils
Damaged fats: Oils that have turned rancid from exposure to light, heat, or air; oils heated past their smoking points
The bottom line: The key to a healthful diet plan is to substitute good (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, including omega 3) fats for bad fats (saturated and trans fats).
Tips and strategies for a healthy eating plan
So, how do you actually implement all this information on healthy eating into your life? The following tips can help you ease your way into a healthier diet.
Read the labels – Always look at the first ingredient listed - seeing sugar, corn syrup, salt, or some other unhealthy ingredient high on the list probably means it isn’t the healthiest choice.
Keep a food diary – For one week, write down everything (no cheating!) that you eat or drink every day. If you can, keep track of serving sizes. At the end of the week, review your diary and decide where you need to make improvements.
Set Goals – Your goal can also be as simple as ordering a salad rather than a less-than-healthy appetizer or side whenever you go out to eat.
Take baby steps – Try one small change at a time, and build on it. If you aren’t getting enough fruit, you can add berries to your cereal in your morning. Or switch to low-fat dairy, and easily eliminate some saturated fat from your diet.
Make smarter choices within food groups –For example, choosing whole fruit rather than juice will save calories and earn you extra fiber. Or, switch to whole grain bread or pasta in place of your usual refined carbohydrate choices.
Don’t be the food police – There’s no need to cut out all of your favorite foods. You can enjoy sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries aren’t!
Get moving – Exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better. While a healthful diet can reduce your risk of many diseases, adding regular physical activity can do even more.
Be Well.
Take time to chew your food: Chew your food slowly, savoring every bite. We tend to rush though our meals, forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures of what is in our mouths. Reconnect with the joy of eating.
Avoid stress while eating: When we are stressed, our digestion can be compromised, causing problems like colitis and heartburn. Avoid eating while working, driving, arguing, or watching TV (especially disturbing programs or the news). Try taking some deep breaths prior to beginning your meal, or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Listen to your body: Ask yourself if you are really hungry, and stop eating when you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly. Eating just enough to satisfy your hunger will help you remain alert, relaxed and feeling your best, rather than stuffing yourself into a “food coma”!
Eat early, eat often: Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can jump start your metabolism, and eating the majority of your daily caloric allotment early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off. Also, eating small, healthy meals throughout the day, rather than the standard three large meals, can help keep your metabolism going and ward off snack attacks.
Bad carbs are foods that have been “stripped” or processed in order to make cooking fast and easy, like white flour, refined sugar, and white rice. They digest so quickly that they cause dramatic elevations in blood sugar, which can lead to weight gain.
Good carbs can’t be digested as easily. This keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels from rising and falling too quickly, helping you get full quicker and feel fuller longer. Good sources of carbs include whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, which also offer lots of additional health benefits, including heart disease and cancer prevention.
Sources of good fats
Monounsaturated: canola, peanut, and olive oils; avocados; nuts and seeds.
Polyunsaturated: sunflower, corn, and soybean oils
Omega-3 essential fatty acids: fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds and flax seed oil; beans
Sources of bad fats
Saturated fats: Full-fat dairy products (butter, ice cream, cheese, cream); red or dark meat.
Trans fats: Commercial baked goods, fried foods, anything containing partially-hydrogenated oils
Damaged fats: Oils that have turned rancid from exposure to light, heat, or air; oils heated past their smoking points
The bottom line: The key to a healthful diet plan is to substitute good (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, including omega 3) fats for bad fats (saturated and trans fats).
Tips and strategies for a healthy eating plan
So, how do you actually implement all this information on healthy eating into your life? The following tips can help you ease your way into a healthier diet.
Read the labels – Always look at the first ingredient listed - seeing sugar, corn syrup, salt, or some other unhealthy ingredient high on the list probably means it isn’t the healthiest choice.
Keep a food diary – For one week, write down everything (no cheating!) that you eat or drink every day. If you can, keep track of serving sizes. At the end of the week, review your diary and decide where you need to make improvements.
Set Goals – Your goal can also be as simple as ordering a salad rather than a less-than-healthy appetizer or side whenever you go out to eat.
Take baby steps – Try one small change at a time, and build on it. If you aren’t getting enough fruit, you can add berries to your cereal in your morning. Or switch to low-fat dairy, and easily eliminate some saturated fat from your diet.
Make smarter choices within food groups –For example, choosing whole fruit rather than juice will save calories and earn you extra fiber. Or, switch to whole grain bread or pasta in place of your usual refined carbohydrate choices.
Don’t be the food police – There’s no need to cut out all of your favorite foods. You can enjoy sweets and fried foods in moderation, as long as they are an occasional part of your overall healthy diet. Food is a great source of pleasure, and pleasure is good for the heart – even if those French fries aren’t!
Get moving – Exercise will make any healthy eating plan work even better. While a healthful diet can reduce your risk of many diseases, adding regular physical activity can do even more.
Be Well.
Immune Health vs Cancer
Here is a link to an interesting page about Understanding Cancer...
http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/flyer.html
(it's actually an ad for something I think but that's not why I mention it)
Some highlights...
Cancer is a perfectly natural process. A very small percentage of cells in every person who has ever lived turn cancerous. And the body usually gets rid of those cancerous cells before they do harm. This process has been going on for eons. It is only when more cancer cells are being created than the body can get rid of that the problem comes. With increased toxins, viruses, carcinogens, etc. our immune systems have become significantly overworked and weakened.
"Cancer, above all other diseases, has countless secondary causes. But, even for cancer, there is only one prime cause. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar."
In chemistry, alkali solutions (pH over 7.0) tend to absorb oxygen, while acids (pH under 7.0) tend to expel oxygen. For example, a mild alkali can absorb over 100 times as much oxygen as a mild acid. Therefore, when the body becomes acidic by dropping below pH 7.0 (note: all body fluids, except for stomach and urine, are supposed to be mildly alkaline at pH 7.4), oxygen is driven out of the body thereby, inducing cancer.
When adequate mineral consumption is in the diet, the blood is supplied the crucial minerals required to maintain an alkaline pH of 7.4.
However when insufficient mineral consumption is in the diet, the body is forced to rob Peter (other body fluids) to pay Paul (the blood). In doing so, it removes crucial minerals, such as calcium, from the saliva, spinal fluids, kidneys, liver, etc., in order to maintain the blood at pH 7.4. This causes the de-mineralized fluids and organs to become acidic and therefore anaerobic, thus inducing not only cancer, but a host of other degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, etc
Nuff said!
Be well.
http://www.advancedhealthplan.com/flyer.html
(it's actually an ad for something I think but that's not why I mention it)
Some highlights...
Cancer is a perfectly natural process. A very small percentage of cells in every person who has ever lived turn cancerous. And the body usually gets rid of those cancerous cells before they do harm. This process has been going on for eons. It is only when more cancer cells are being created than the body can get rid of that the problem comes. With increased toxins, viruses, carcinogens, etc. our immune systems have become significantly overworked and weakened.
"Cancer, above all other diseases, has countless secondary causes. But, even for cancer, there is only one prime cause. Summarized in a few words, the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen in normal body cells by a fermentation of sugar."
In chemistry, alkali solutions (pH over 7.0) tend to absorb oxygen, while acids (pH under 7.0) tend to expel oxygen. For example, a mild alkali can absorb over 100 times as much oxygen as a mild acid. Therefore, when the body becomes acidic by dropping below pH 7.0 (note: all body fluids, except for stomach and urine, are supposed to be mildly alkaline at pH 7.4), oxygen is driven out of the body thereby, inducing cancer.
When adequate mineral consumption is in the diet, the blood is supplied the crucial minerals required to maintain an alkaline pH of 7.4.
However when insufficient mineral consumption is in the diet, the body is forced to rob Peter (other body fluids) to pay Paul (the blood). In doing so, it removes crucial minerals, such as calcium, from the saliva, spinal fluids, kidneys, liver, etc., in order to maintain the blood at pH 7.4. This causes the de-mineralized fluids and organs to become acidic and therefore anaerobic, thus inducing not only cancer, but a host of other degenerative diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, lupus, etc
Nuff said!
Be well.
THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH US!!!!!
Not only do I NOT like Corn as a veggie ( I hate it)...I am convinced as is this documentary (which I have yet to watch) that "HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP" is what is making us FAT and making us SICK!
"hello...Carbs!"
Someone once told me to watch out for multi-grain bread...which is supposedly healthier for us.
His point..."they feed grain to cattle to fatten them up!"
King Corn...(documentary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiCRwMMh9k8
This clip is from CNN...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4JfDrbytoM&feature=related
This is one of those things that I am convinced is making us sick...bringing on obesity, heart disease, cancer etc.
We can't escape it but my wife and I try. We check every label looking for either HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) or the word HYDROGENATED.
(Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine. Changing the degree of saturation of the fat changes some important physical properties such as the melting point, which is why liquid oils become semi-solid. Semi-solid fats are preferred for baking because the way the fat mixes with flour produces a more desirable texture in the baked product. Since partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are cheaper than animal source fats, are available in a wide range of consistencies, and have other desirable characteristics (e.g., increased oxidative stability (longer shelf life)), they are the predominant fats used in most commercial baked goods. Fat blends formulated for this purpose are called shortenings.
Health implications
A side effect of incomplete hydrogenation having implications for human health is the isomerization of the remaining unsaturated carbon bonds. The cis configuration of these double bonds predominates in the unprocessed fats in most edible fat sources, but incomplete hydrogenation partially converts these molecules to trans isomers, which have been implicated in circulatory diseases including heart disease (see trans fats). The catalytic hydrogenation process favors the conversion from cis to trans bonds because the trans configuration has lower energy than the natural cis one. At equilibrium, the trans/cis isomer ratio is about 2:1. Food legislation in the US and codes of practice in EU has long required labels declaring the fat content of foods in retail trade, and more recently, have also required declaration of the trans fat content. Further, trans fats are banned in Denmark and Switzerland.)
IT IS ALMOST EVERYWHERE!
We are DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.
Adam and Eve didn't have this problem.
My problem is that I have not been able to shake the weight I put back on after the cancer went into remission. I am not active enough, I know that. I just can't make the time with the work hours I keep which is also beginning to have an effect on how poorly I eat.
Especially in the morning.
I need to be at work very early. And in a house with two kids I don't get to bed early enough to wake up with enough time to eat a sensible breakfast.
But I am sick of being overweight. Not to mention my oncologist reminds me every time he sees me for a check up. I want to see him in October a few pounds lighter. It would be nice to mark my birthday a few pounds lighter as well. (I think we'll skip the cake this year)
I need to avoid and I plan to avoid all unnecessary sugar from here on out, that includes reading labels and not consuming foods that are processed and have anything hydrogenated or sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
Damn the man! He's trying to kill us.
I have posted about this before but I am back in the rut I was in before cancer...I am working a full time job, I am sitting in my car for an hour each way...I eat in the car on my way to work. I pack my own lunch but I am not paying as much attention to what I eat as I was last year.
I need less of a commute, more time in the morning to eat a healthier breakfast...I need more time in the evening to walk and get some exercise. I have some adjustments to make and that may involve changing jobs to boot.
This is my health we're talking about here. Money is just money and work is just work. I do not want to fall into a pattern where I am a couch potato at night because I have exhausted all my energy at work. But I see that happening...
What's left for me and my family?
If I keep this pattern up more health problems in the future and more grief because of it.
Ugh!
Trying to be well.
"hello...Carbs!"
Someone once told me to watch out for multi-grain bread...which is supposedly healthier for us.
His point..."they feed grain to cattle to fatten them up!"
King Corn...(documentary)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiCRwMMh9k8
This clip is from CNN...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4JfDrbytoM&feature=related
This is one of those things that I am convinced is making us sick...bringing on obesity, heart disease, cancer etc.
We can't escape it but my wife and I try. We check every label looking for either HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) or the word HYDROGENATED.
(Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine. Changing the degree of saturation of the fat changes some important physical properties such as the melting point, which is why liquid oils become semi-solid. Semi-solid fats are preferred for baking because the way the fat mixes with flour produces a more desirable texture in the baked product. Since partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are cheaper than animal source fats, are available in a wide range of consistencies, and have other desirable characteristics (e.g., increased oxidative stability (longer shelf life)), they are the predominant fats used in most commercial baked goods. Fat blends formulated for this purpose are called shortenings.
Health implications
A side effect of incomplete hydrogenation having implications for human health is the isomerization of the remaining unsaturated carbon bonds. The cis configuration of these double bonds predominates in the unprocessed fats in most edible fat sources, but incomplete hydrogenation partially converts these molecules to trans isomers, which have been implicated in circulatory diseases including heart disease (see trans fats). The catalytic hydrogenation process favors the conversion from cis to trans bonds because the trans configuration has lower energy than the natural cis one. At equilibrium, the trans/cis isomer ratio is about 2:1. Food legislation in the US and codes of practice in EU has long required labels declaring the fat content of foods in retail trade, and more recently, have also required declaration of the trans fat content. Further, trans fats are banned in Denmark and Switzerland.)
IT IS ALMOST EVERYWHERE!
We are DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED.
Adam and Eve didn't have this problem.
My problem is that I have not been able to shake the weight I put back on after the cancer went into remission. I am not active enough, I know that. I just can't make the time with the work hours I keep which is also beginning to have an effect on how poorly I eat.
Especially in the morning.
I need to be at work very early. And in a house with two kids I don't get to bed early enough to wake up with enough time to eat a sensible breakfast.
But I am sick of being overweight. Not to mention my oncologist reminds me every time he sees me for a check up. I want to see him in October a few pounds lighter. It would be nice to mark my birthday a few pounds lighter as well. (I think we'll skip the cake this year)
I need to avoid and I plan to avoid all unnecessary sugar from here on out, that includes reading labels and not consuming foods that are processed and have anything hydrogenated or sweetened with high fructose corn syrup.
Damn the man! He's trying to kill us.
I have posted about this before but I am back in the rut I was in before cancer...I am working a full time job, I am sitting in my car for an hour each way...I eat in the car on my way to work. I pack my own lunch but I am not paying as much attention to what I eat as I was last year.
I need less of a commute, more time in the morning to eat a healthier breakfast...I need more time in the evening to walk and get some exercise. I have some adjustments to make and that may involve changing jobs to boot.
This is my health we're talking about here. Money is just money and work is just work. I do not want to fall into a pattern where I am a couch potato at night because I have exhausted all my energy at work. But I see that happening...
What's left for me and my family?
If I keep this pattern up more health problems in the future and more grief because of it.
Ugh!
Trying to be well.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Only took a week...
It only took slightly longer than a week and two calls to my oncologists office to find out that my recent PET/CT was normal. I am still in remission with no reason to believe that will ever change. At least thats what the doctor who returned my call implied. Dr L was off when I finally got my call back and another dr actually called me to say...
"What ever you had is gone- your CT was normal."
"Oh no this scan was my 3rd one post treatment, it was just a check up, I've been in remission for 15 months"
"Good for you, looks like it's not coming back either."
The actual conversation escapes me now but that was the gist of it. He also worked in that I should be around for another 40 or 50 years. It happened so fast I'm surprised I remember this much.
The scans are getting to be old hat, but hearing that I am still in remission is good news. I just wish my oncologist would call sooner with that news.
But anyway...
Spent the weekend at Point Pleasant Beach. Drove down late Friday night and stayed at a small motel in Brick township about 15 minutes from PPB. Had a picture perfect day at the beach on Saturday. Spent about 6 hours in the sun (with plenty of sun screen on) and then spent about 4 hours on the boards that night playing a few games and letting the kids ride the rides til about midnight.
One unfortunate thing is the amount of trash washing up on shore- its horrible. And another thing...despite the amount of shells the kids collected mostly with my wife's help...all of the shells are in small pieces, except one. For the most part everything they picked up was a sliver or a chip of a shell. Nothing was intact.
This seems odd to me.
It rained this morning but we hit the boardwalk again anyway as my 4 year old son wanted to get some pictures of the sea gulls. Even though it was raining but it wasn't a hassle. If the kids weren't with us I would have sat my ass down an people watched all afternoon.
It was a fairly relaxing weekend all in all.
Got have more of those.
It's 9:31 PM as I type this and I am already plotting out the rest of night as it relates to tomorrow morning.
Back to the grind.
Be well.
"What ever you had is gone- your CT was normal."
"Oh no this scan was my 3rd one post treatment, it was just a check up, I've been in remission for 15 months"
"Good for you, looks like it's not coming back either."
The actual conversation escapes me now but that was the gist of it. He also worked in that I should be around for another 40 or 50 years. It happened so fast I'm surprised I remember this much.
The scans are getting to be old hat, but hearing that I am still in remission is good news. I just wish my oncologist would call sooner with that news.
But anyway...
Spent the weekend at Point Pleasant Beach. Drove down late Friday night and stayed at a small motel in Brick township about 15 minutes from PPB. Had a picture perfect day at the beach on Saturday. Spent about 6 hours in the sun (with plenty of sun screen on) and then spent about 4 hours on the boards that night playing a few games and letting the kids ride the rides til about midnight.
One unfortunate thing is the amount of trash washing up on shore- its horrible. And another thing...despite the amount of shells the kids collected mostly with my wife's help...all of the shells are in small pieces, except one. For the most part everything they picked up was a sliver or a chip of a shell. Nothing was intact.
This seems odd to me.
It rained this morning but we hit the boardwalk again anyway as my 4 year old son wanted to get some pictures of the sea gulls. Even though it was raining but it wasn't a hassle. If the kids weren't with us I would have sat my ass down an people watched all afternoon.
It was a fairly relaxing weekend all in all.
Got have more of those.
It's 9:31 PM as I type this and I am already plotting out the rest of night as it relates to tomorrow morning.
Back to the grind.
Be well.
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