Dancing with Cancer©
Complementary Care & Wholeness Resources

Find something to feel good about and get out of the way, and allow the cells to receive what they’ve been asking for. That is the key to healing.
Abraham-Hicks

Exceptional patients refuse to be victims. They educate themselves and become specialists in their own care. They question the doctor because they want to understand their treatment and participate in it. They demand dignity, personhood, and control, no matter what the course of the dis-ease. Dr. Bernie Siegel

Having successfully navigated my journey of healing from breast cancer, I’m offering resources from my personal regimen for wholeness. (You can read my amazing breast cancer story here.)

Please note that this list is not intended as any kind of medical advice or recommendation, but simply as a sharing of my own preferred healing resources. Please do your own research in addition to what I’ve provided here… the resources available on any given subject are unlimited. Use good judgment and discernment, however; cancer is a very charged subject!

I’ve used these strategies in combination with Western medicine, including surgery. Be aware that chemo and radiation are not always necessary, even when the doctor says they are. Many doctors are following a “standard of care” regimen and don’t ever deviate from that. Please do your due diligence and use your own best judgment, always!

I offer some links that have been informative to me.

Nutrition

  • Fresh, organic, daily juicing
  • Organic foods: fruits/vegetables as well as pasture-raised meats, dairy, eggs
  • Anti-angiogenic foods (see TED talk by Dr. William Li)
  • Alkaline diet – testing PH of saliva and urine
  • Hydrate with lots of high-quality water and green tea
  • High quality sugar-free dark chocolate – Coco Polo

Avoid or use in extreme moderation:

  • Sugar, agave, honey, molasses, artificial sweeteners (stevia & xylitol are okay)
  • Simple carbs: bread, pasta, white flour, etc.
  • Processed foods of all kinds (boxes, bottles, cans, jars, packages)
  • Restaurant/fast food (unless organic and/or very high quality)
  • Wheat & gluten (very inflammatory and hard on digestion)
  • GMO foods
  • Alcohol (minuscule amounts of red wine may be okay)

Supplements

  • Bloodroot/Black Salve (internal or external) USE WITH CAUTION!
  • Turmeric/Curcumin
  • Chlorella (cracked cell wall)
  • Proteolytic enzymes
  • Bromelain/Quercetin
  • Selenium
  • Iodine

Cleansing & Detox

Immune Enhancement

Environmental/Product Toxins 

  • Get rid of any personal care products containing Sodium Laurel Sulfate, parabens, chemical fragrances, etc. Check your toothpaste ingredients. I found I was massaging sodium laurel sulfate into my gums! Read the labels of everything you put on your skin/hair/teeth as well as what you eat. Be especially wary of “natural” and “organic” brands, as there can be a tendency to trust them without reading labels. I was horrified to learn that Tom’s Natural Toothpaste contains SLS and that many “organic” body products contain cetyl alcohol as a cheap preservative.
  • Be mindful of EMF‘s (PLEASE don’t EVER carry your cell phone in your bra!!)

Exercise (3-4 days a week)

  • Pilates
  • Gentle stretching-warm up and flexibility/cool down
  • Walking/jogging
  • Weight training for upper body
  • Cardio/Interval training (Peak 8’s)

Rest & Sleep

  • I like to get 8 hours per night and I go to bed early and arise early.
  • Here’s a study on the relationship between cancer and sleep.
  • Here’s another study on the relationship between cancer and sleep.
  • It’s vitally important to take time to slow down and just “be.”

Emotional Support

  • Stress reduction
  • Meditation
  • Friends and family support system
  • Support groups
  • Counseling
  • Healing sessions with trusted professionals (massage, chiro, acupuncture, Reiki, etc)
  • Look inside yourself for YOUR personal relationship with your cancer journey
  • Ask yourself what this dis-ease has to teach you
  • Step into the fears, including the fear of death. By embracing them, they can no longer run you.

Spiritual Connection

I consider this aspect to be deeply personal and individual.  For me, I see myself being guided back into aspects of my spirituality that have been set aside for many years as well as new guidance coming in. I welcome a renewal of my connection to God/Goddess and the prayers on my behalf from around the world. I am also welcoming a state of surrender into the care of others and the care of Spirit.

Education

The best resource I’ve found on complementary cancer care is Michael Lerner’s Choices in Healing: Integrating the Best of Conventional and Complementary Approaches to Cancer. You can find it at amazon.com.

I video-blogged my whole experience from diagnosis to post-surgery, and you can see those videos here.

When I announced my diagnosis, I was flooded with alternative “cures” and info on cancer. Do your own due diligence and determine what works best for you. Every person’s situation is unique. I invite you to consult your own inner authority and wisdom for answers in addition to seeking outside council. Breathe through the fear and feel your feelings, but don’t let the fear be your driver.

Wishing you love and blessings on your healing journey, Amrita