I’m driving to work this morning, listening to holiday
music. The sun is shining brightly. It's a beautiful day. There’s a herd of
deer grazing in the sunlight next to a white rail fence. I’m suddenly filled
with emotion; it strikes me how peaceful and wondrous the sight is.
I’d like to challenge you today to see if you can experience
the sensual in every moment.
What I mean is, to really see and feel clearly.Become open to smells in the air, the food you
eat. Be open to touch. Notice what it feels like to be in your body. Notice the taste of things.
Slow down. Smell
the food, taste it with the tip of the tongue and then let the taste permeate
other regions. Different tastes occur on different parts of the tongue. Some
tastes stimulate the tip of the tongue, some on the side of the tongue and some
in the middle of the tongue and some in the back of the tongue. Ayurveda
recognizes 6 tastes. Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent and astringent.Take time to notice, where do you taste your
food? How does it feel in the mouth and on the tongue?
This is sensual. Can you heighten your senses in moving
throughout the day? We are told that the blind have a sharper sense of hearing,
smell, taste and observation. They are not blinded by mere sight.
How
can you fully experience what it feels like to live on this earth in your unique body?
Here’s to the holiday music and to a sensual holiday season!
I plan to spend as much time as possible with my grandson. Is there anything more precious then the scent and feel of a baby?
Carpe Diem!
Lisa
PS, My gift to you are my favorite Holiday desserts. Click HERE if you don't have them already.
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
You can own your cancer or you can own your life…your
choice.
This sentence strikes hard for me. As I’ve been immersed in cancer
the last several years, both personally and professionally, there is one thing
I’ve noticed. Those that refuse to own their diagnosis, heal.
You are not your diagnosis. You are not whatever label
family or society may give you. You are your own unique self and you are far
more powerful than your family, society or doctor will let on.
You have the power to
heal from within.
The power of your mind is profound. The power on your plate
is profound.
According to Dr Kelly Turner, after radically changing your
diet, the #2 most powerful common trait amongst those who’ve achieved Radical Remissions is taking
control of your health.She describes
this in three parts: not being passive, willingness to change, and dealing with
resistance.
All of this takes real courage…to go against the grain…to
know and believe that you are not a statistic, not a number, but a unique individual. Yes, it is easier to remain passive; to do
what the doctor tells you to do; to be the good girl or boy. Sure, everyone
resists change. Yes, it takes great courage to question your doctor or not
worry what others think of your decisions.
Those who achieve radical remissions
refuse to believe in the statistics. The patient who takes healing into their
own hands, often will find resistance from the medical community.
Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is facing the fear and moving forward in spite of it. We either react out of fear or we respond out of love. I'm talking about self love and self preservation. What is the most loving choice you can make for your unique body?
Dr. Turner describes Shin, a Japanese gentlemen who was sent home
to die after doing surgery, radiation and chemotherapy for his renal cell
carcinoma. He then started to take control of his own healing. First, he followed his
sense of smell and realized his tap water was making him ill.
He did simple
solutions. He consumed only clean water, he learned to breathe deeply, he fasted and employed high
dose IV nutrition so his digestive organs could heal. He practiced and
experienced gratitude. He faced his fear of dying and replaced it with immense
gratitude for each day he was able to breathe. Shin discovered how to open up
his chakras (energy centers) in his body.He rediscovered his love for music. He practiced deep healing breathwork
and immersed his body in oxygen and exhaled toxic waste.
Shin did just the opposite of conventional
medicine. Instead of declaring war on his body, he sent love to his
tumors.He realized that his lifestyle
and toxicity played a role in his cancer development and he chose to treat his
body like a wounded child. He felt that this was his baby that he created
and needed to nurture and heal.To
his pain he said,
“Thank you very much for saying you are hurting. I love you,
my child.” I touched this (points to his kidney) and said to my cancer, “I love
you, I love you, I love you.” And pain decreased! That’s why I sent love to my
cancer always, from morning till night…Unconditional love, that’s unconditional
love. I said (to it). “Thank you very much for existing.”
Shin has been full of love and cancer free since 1988.
My mission is to inspire wellness and empower you with education so you can trust and believe in the power to heal from within. Yesterday I completed my certification in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition. This is a complete program to teach you how to identify hidden stressors while building health through fundamental principles. We don't treat, diagnose or cure you. In fact, no one can cure you. Your body cures itself, if you follow fundamental principles of building health.
We merely help you identify and remove the roadblocks.
One big roadblock to optimal health is fear. There is nothing so fearful in our society today than a cancer diagnosis. I know this intimately well. I started this blogpost after my daughter was diagnosed with lymphoma over 5 years ago. My goal is to help turn fear and overwhelm into empowerment.
Now her husband, Brad at 35 years old, has been diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer with metastasis to the lung, liver and the spine. It is very hard not to be in fear mode. I'm told that I can't possibly know this fear. What I do know is to find peace and joy, you have to overcome fear. To heal and repair, you have to move from "fight or flight" to "rest and repair." (See previous post)
Brad and Dana have started a website that includes a podcast that was originally started to discuss fear that interferes with the goal of fully living an authentic life. It was based on the movie. "Defending your Life"
Little did they know that Brad would indeed be defending his life. www.defendingyourlife.us
Every moment of every day we have choices on how to live our life. We can react out of fear or respond out of love. There can be tough choices that feel scary. There are so many conflicting thoughts and opinions. In the conventional world there are three tools, surgery, radiation and pharmaceutical drugs. The alternative world preaches radical changes in nutrition, detoxification, meditation and self-healing modalities. My goal is to bridge the gap.
You cannot create war on yourself and war on the body without rebuilding health as the foundation. (see previous post). My daughters oncologist said, "Getting rid of cancer is the easy part, keeping it gone and rebuilding health, is the challenge." This is why we must change the terrain that allows cancer to grow. We must detoxify the body, heal the gut and build up the immune system.
This is not about diet or deprivation. We must overcome this "no pain, no gain" mentality. Optimal health can and must be decadent and delicious or we will not stick with it. In today's fast pace world, we need support to "rest and digest."
Optimal Health is not complicated
How do you prioritize time for your own self healing? This is difficult when you are busy fighting in the war on cancer. Our pharmaceutical healthcare system is not set up to support rebuilding health. It does not pay for functional medicine testing, for health coaching, supplements, yoga or meditation. It does not yet recognize these vital fundamental principles to support a strong foundation for healing.
When Dana was diagnosed, we took a leap of faith and went to Arizona to an integrative program. My fear was that she would not survive chemotherapy in the winter in Detroit at 5'10" and 110 pounds. I believe we were right. Dana radically changed her diet and underwent multiple therapies including a few weeks of low dose chemotherapy. She got a clean Pet scan in 10 weeks. The proof is in the pudding. Unfortunately, none of it was covered by her insurance. We paid $70,000 out of pocket. We were fortunate to have this available.
Every cancer patient has the same dilemma. They can do everything in their power with conventional medicine to kill the cancer, but how to rebuild health? Unfortunately, our healthcare system is only based on killing cancer through surgery, radiation and drugs.
Health building strategies are not covered. Supplements, organic juices and food, bodywork, yoga, meditation, infrared, hyperbaric oxygen, nutritional IV therapy, detoxification methods, are all considered "value add" "nice to have" and not covered by insurance. I pray for the day when we have freedom of choice on how we spend our healthcare dollars.
In the meantime, my twin sister has started a new business and she and her partner are donating a percentage of their profits to helping others. Next Friday we are having a celebration to her business and fundraiser for Brad. As a reader, I invite you to join us, (but please RSVP!).
I've never asked for something from my followers. But it's the end of the year, if you are looking to give a personal gift please consider one for Brad. http://www.defendingyourlife.us/contribute.html
Here's a quote from Thich Nhat Hanh's book,
Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm
Without fear, we are able to see more clearly our connections to others.
Without fear, we have more room for understanding and communication.
Without fear, we are truly free.
Here's to courageous warriors who can take the Road Less Traveled.
Namaste. With Love & Gratitude,
Lisa
About Lisa Jackson, RN, CHC, RYT-500, FDN
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
Happy Thanksgiving! I am so very grateful for all of you interested in optimal health and healing from within. Here's a secret... I really hate to shop, unless it's Black Friday with my daughters. We were crazy enough to get up at and drive from Virginia to New York City and back.
This year I want calm. This year I want peace. There is no need to drive our adrenals to the ground over the holiday season. After all, we now have Cyber Monday!
So here are my favorite things that I can offer you from my website:
PRODUCTS:
How to look and feel your best at any age?
Use non-toxic skin care and deodorant that really works Health Food for the Skin:
Free Shipping on orders over $50.00
Here's my custom Chakra Mala Beads that I had designed and handmade for you by a beautiful custom jeweler in Laguna Beach, CA:
Amethyst is a quartz crystal said
to increase spirituality, enhance intuition, promote peacefulness, happiness
and contentment. It is also said to bring emotional stability and inner
strength.
Lapis is said to open up and calm
the mind, clear the chakras and stimulate dreams. It’s a universal symbol for
wisdom and truth.
Adventurine
is associatedwith the heart chakra,
said to bring wealth and abundance, to relieve anxiety and to help with sleep.
Good for entrepreneurs and leaders.
How about an Eco Friendly Custom Yoga Mat?I can't tell you how many times I've left and lost yoga mats at studios. This one can't be confused with someone else's and it has great lines to use in your yoga practice:
Or consider essential oil from my Daughters website: https://www.mydoterra.com/margobracken/#/ SERVICES:
GIVE THE GIFT OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS TO
YOURSELF AND OTHERS
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
We humans are complex. We, like nature are not linear. We are
multi-dimensional. We are also like snowflakes. No two of us are exactly
alike. So why do we think that there is one diet, one treatment, one
solution that cures all?
The United States spends more money on
healthcare than the next 15 countries combined. Yet, we are one of the sickest
countries on the planet. Chronic disease in the United States is
epidemic. Cancer is the number one killer for those under 65. Heart disease is
number one for 65 and older.
Dr. Deborah Norris, PhD says we are the only country that looks at
cancer like a death threat. I concur. The biggest threat to health and wellbeing is the
fear surrounding the diagnosis. Both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda
view cancer as fear stuck in the body. Some ascertain that kidney dis-ease
is stuck anger. We are, in fact, energetic beings.
The good news of course, is that there are many ways to heal.
The beauty of committing to work with a health coach is that it affords
you the opportunity to explore the many different
options available. It affords you time and space to explore what your
unique body needs. It’s necessary for personalized health care.
Conventional medicine is a linear model. Optimal
healthcare is multi-dimensional. You can eat all the broccoli in the world
and still self-destruct with pent up anger and emotions. Fear keeps us
stuck in “fight or flight” mode or sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
overdrive.
See the photo from my book:
As I’ve said so many times before, it is physiologically
impossible to heal and repair while we are in the sympathetic nervous
system. The parasympathetic nervous system is the “rest and digest” or
“mate and ovulate” mode. It is literally like a light switch, you are in one or
the other. We need both. We need both light and darkness. If our light is too bright, we are blinding. If our
flame is too big, we burn out. We need adequate darkness and sleep to heal and repair.
To reduce the fear and mystery around cancer and disease, let's
simply look at the body like an automobile. As I write this, I am here in
Detroit with my daughter and son-in-law, so it makes sense to do so. This is a
functional approach and the wave of our healthcare future. Each part is
connected to the other and serves a function in the body.
The kidney, the liver and the lungs are like the fuel filter and
carburetor. They keep the engine (body) clean and running. Food and
oxygen are like the gasoline you put into the car. Engines can run
on different types of fuel. They are built differently. You need diesel fuel
for a diesel engine. The car cannot run without a fuel filter. It will sputter
and spit and eventually stop running. It doesn’t matter how hard you press on
the accelerator. Eventually it will not go. A car that has a stuck
accelerator (stuck in SNS drive) will either run out of gas or crash
and burn. This sometimes is called adrenal stress and fatigue.
Nutrition is NOT the food you eat. It is what is absorbed. If you
have a hole in your gas tank (aka leaky gut or intestinal permeability), it
doesn’t matter what you eat. Not only does the gas not get to the engine, it
can create other problems in the car. Gas on a hot engine can create a fire.
Same with the human body. Food and chemicals that get into the bloodstream
create inflammation in the body. The body sends cholesterol and iron to the
bloodstream (the highway) to put out the fire. Cholesterol and iron are
the firemen and are markers of inflammation that you can monitor in blood
tests. Elevated homocysteine is another (blood test) inflammatory
marker and is also a sign of needing more vitamin b12 and folate (gasoline) in
the diet.
This is new medicine. This is the new paradigm. Neither I nor most doctors were taught nutrition in nursing or medical schools. Functional medicine is beginning to change that. Functional Diagnostic Nutritionists are
trained to do functional tests to look for subclinical hidden stressors in the
body. Often you can see evidence of erosion long before you get an actual
hole in metal (and the body). The earlier the detection, the easier the prevention.
For instance, an elevated MCV(mean corpuscle volume), or the size
of your red blood cell is also a clinical sign of the need for essential nutrients,
again vitamins B12 and folate. Anything over 90 is suboptimal. It is also
subclinical, meaning it won’t be flagged on the test result, so your
doctor or nurse may not recognize this important healing opportunity
for you.
Education is empowerment. Understanding the functions of the human
body can empower you to be your own healthcare advocate and healthcare
detective.
Why is folate (not to be confused with synthetic folic acid) and
vitamin B12 important? The body uses them for energy production and detoxification. They are actually
produced and assimilated in the gut (the gas tank and the fuel lines). The body
eats them up when you are under stress. Signs and symptoms of deficiency
include anxiety, depression, brain fog, neuropathy and more. Don’t waste your
money on cheap vitamins that have folic acid in them. Look for
bio-available forms like methyl-tetrahydrofolate or methyl-cobalamin
instead. This is fuel that the body can actually use. Folate is necessary to
prevent miscarriages. It is also necessary for energy production and
detoxification. You need it to make the car run. Folate deficiency has been linked to cancer, cardiovascular disease, cognitive dysfunction and birth defects. [1]
Some people have a genetic snp where you cannot
convert synthetic folic acid to folate. This can add to toxicity in the body.
It can clog your fuel filter. If your fuel filter backs up, so does your carburetor. It effects your liver.
The liver, the lungs, the kidneys and the skin are your major
detoxification organs. When they are clogged, this indicates toxicity
in the body. These are your warning lights on the dashboard. This is your
wake up call. This may mean the wrong fuel or
needing some additives (or supplements) to make the fuel more efficient. It may mean an oil and filter change to clean out the system (detoxification).
This is why the power on your plate is profound.
You also need the right fuel mix for optimal performance. If you
are under stress and in fight or flight mode, you do not produce
the necessary stomach acid required for B12 and iron absorption. Almost
all of our patients who have iron deficiency anemia are taking proton pump inhibitors.
These also prevent the body from secreting stomach acid which you also need to break
down proteins into amino acids (in addition to B12 and iron absorption). You need amino
acids for growth and repair.
Can you now see the direct connection in your thoughts (fear) and
your ability to heal and repair? Our thoughts are like the master control that control the functions in the body. Breath, like air, is also essential to the
right fuel mix in the gasoline to make the body and car run.
The body follows the mind. The mind follows the breath. (Cancer
cells are anaerobic, they live without oxygen and feed on sugar, like
fermentation. Oxygenate the body to kill them.)
1.Change your breathing patterns to consciously change your mind and
your body.
2.Drink clean filtered water.
3.Eat the right diet for your unique body. Eat clean fuel,
free from toxins, pesticides, fungicides and GMOs so you don't gum up your
systems.
Lisa is an author, inspirational speaker and coach with a mission to inspire others to feel and look their best at any age.
She is also the Executive Director of the Integrative Wellness Program for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Lisa's book, Savvy Secrets: Eat, Think and Thrive outlines her seven step process towards optimal health that is fun and transformational.
Lisa is part of the New Self Health Movement and the Wellness Inspired Network. When she is not coaching, speaking or writing, you can find her practicing yoga and joyfully sharing Carpe Diem Dance.
