100 Perks of Having Cancer: Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It (29 page)

I
f beauty is only skin deep, then all the more reason to work on getting

great skin! It’s not just chemotherapy and radiation that can damage your

skin, but cold, sun, and exposure to everyday chemicals like chlorine can

dry you out as well.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body (okay, technically, it’s
on
your

body) and protects you from viruses and bacteria that would kill you if they

ever crossed the skin barrier and invaded your other organs. It also provides

you with your fifth sense, touch, and your sixth sense. Yes, your sixth sense

. . . your skin’s “
arrector pili
muscles” cause those goose bumps you feel when

you sense imminent danger.

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100 Perks of Having Cancer

Skin, also known as epidermis, is made up of a series of layers that

contain your skin cells as well as your sweat glands and hair follicles. But

it’s the oil glands that do the hard work of keeping your skin soft and

healthy. When oil production can’t keep up with demand because of envi-

ronmental factors, or when your skin is damaged as in radiation or sun-

burns, your skin becomes dry, flaky, and may even crack. Getting your

gorgeous silky-soft skin back will not only help you to look fab in that sum-

mer dress, but that skin barrier will be able to do a better job of keeping

you healthy and illness-free.

Skin cells are always rapidly reproducing. We replace all the skin on our

body every thirty days or so. Rapid replacement also means rapid death. In

fact, much of the “dust” you see in your bedroom and on your sheets is

dead skin cells. This is actually good news because you have a chance to

improve the look of your skin relatively fast by including healthy skin-care

habits in your daily routine.

There is an inner layer and an outer layer to your skin. So it would make

sense that you must treat both. To heal your skin from the inside, be con-

scious of what you put in your mouth. An overall healthy diet consisting

of whole plant-based foods is generally good for skin, but these nutrients

are particularly important:

●
Omega-3 fatty acids:
Omega-3s are essential to overall health and are

specific to healthy skin. Omega-3s are found in walnuts, wild salmon,

dark greens, various seeds including flaxseeds and chia seeds, and

edamame or whole soybeans. (Always check to see if it is okay to eat soy

with the type of cancer you have.) You can also take a quality omega-3

supplement. (See Health Tip #10 for more information.)

●
Flavonoids:
Flavonoids are a group of substances that are high in antiox-

idants and help your body to produce healthy cells. In parts of your body

that produce rapidly, like your skin, it is important to provide the “con-

struction crew” with flavonoids so they are equipped with the proper

tools. Look for them in dark red berries and red grapes (here’s where you

can justify that one glass of red wine, too!), kale, broccoli, apples with

the skin on, and yes, dark chocolate! Yippee!

Perk #27: Cancer “Shaved” Ten Minutes Off My Shower Time

113

●
Vitamin C:
Just ask Dr. Linus Pauling, a well-known scientist who

devoted his life to chemistry and uncovering the benefits of vitamin C,

and he would tell you that healthy skin regeneration depends on it. In

fact, my surgeon prescribed 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily after my double

mastectomy to help with general healing. You can find your “C for citrus”

in the logical places, such as oranges, lemons, and limes, but vitamin C

is also abundant in bell peppers (yellow have the highest), kiwi, and

strawberries.

●
Folate:
Folate is one of the B vitamins found naturally in foods like

beans, green leafy vegetables such as kale and spinach, sunflower seeds,

and beets. You may see “folic acid” in the ingredients list of fortified

baked goods and cereals. Folic acid is the synthetic or artificial form of

folate. Folate strengthens and protects skin and has been shown to

enhance the reduced risk of skin cancer when other precautions for skin

cancer are taken, such as wearing sunscreen.

While you’re eating healthy to heal your skin from the inside, you’ll need

to treat the outer layers of your skin by replacing the oils that it so desper-

ately needs. However, if you try to replace your natural oils by slathering it

with “baby-type” oils, you’ll get nowhere. “Baby-type” oils are made of min-

eral oil. Mineral oil is derived from petrochemicals and fossil fuels just like

motor oil and gasoline. Structurally, mineral oil is very different from the

oils produced by your skin, and, since your body does not recognize it, most

of it does nothing for your skin besides smother it. If absorbed, your body

rejects it, and it does not benefit your skin in any way. (That’s why mineral

oil is given as a laxative—it goes right through you!) When you apply min-

eral oil or lotions that contain mineral oil to your skin, it mostly sits on

top of your skin. It looks nice and shiny, and your skin
looks
moisturized,

but that oil does not provide any nutrition for your hungry skin. (By the

way, petroleum jelly is the same thing as mineral oil; it’s just in a jellied

form instead of liquid.)

Plant-based oils are best for moisturizing your skin. In particular,

coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil. These oils

and others like them contain very similar fats to your own skin’s oils,

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100 Perks of Having Cancer

which allows your body to absorb them and use them as nourishment for

repair.

For wonderfully moisturizing body oil try this recipe. Use organic oils

when possible. You should be able to find all these oils in your local super-

market:

●
2 tablespoons coconut oil

●
4 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or macadamia nut oil)

●
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place all oils in a glass measuring cup and microwave on medium heat

30 seconds at a time, stirring after each 30 seconds until the coconut oil is

melted (about 1 to 2 minutes). Pour into a clean 4-ounce plastic bottle with

a flip top. (You can usually buy empty plastic “travel” lotion bottles at phar-

macies.) After you step out of the shower,
while you’re still wet
, apply
thin

lines of oil to arms, legs, and shoulders, paying extra attention to rough

knees and elbows, and massage in well. (This recipe is probably too heavy

for use on your face.) Avoid applying to your feet as there is a danger of

slipping if you apply it to your feet after showering.

Take your time massaging the mixture in for a minute or two, as your

skin needs time to absorb the oils. Then, gently towel dry. You

won’t ever need to apply any lotion after this. Continued use

Your skin is a vital

will keep your skin smooth, supple, sexy, and, more important,

organ. To keep it

healthy. And you don’t have to worry about
these
ingredients

healthy, make sure

being absorbed into your body. Food for your body, food for

you’re feeding it

your skin!

right.

If you want to look for a good commercial lotion to use,

please check the ingredients list. If “mineral oil” is on the list,

keep looking. A good lotion will contain plant-based oils, botanicals, and

no synthetic fragrance, coloring, or chemical preservative like parabens. If

you wouldn’t put it in your mouth, it doesn’t belong on your skin.

Your poor skin gets attacked from every angle. One of skin’s environ-

mental hazards is chlorine. Chlorine is present in all tap water as a byprod-

uct of disinfection and purification. Chlorine exposure from bathing dries

Perk #27: Cancer “Shaved” Ten Minutes Off My Shower Time

115

your skin out terribly. Installing a chlorine filter on your showerhead will

filter out this harsh chemical and prevent damage to your skin, hair, and

nails. Chlorine-filter showerheads are easy to install and maintain, and there

are many on the market. Just search the Internet for “chlorine filter show-

erheads” or visit a home improvement store and choose the one that best

fits your style and pocketbook.

Chlorine exposure from swimming pools can also affect your skin. If

you just swim once in a while in a chlorinated pool, not much damage is

done. But if you swim daily or several times a week for exercise, it can be

very drying, and you may be absorbing that harmful chlorine through your

skin. You might want to consider applying the oil recipe mentioned above

to your skin before you swim. This will provide a layer of protection to your

skin while you’re exposed to the chlorinated water. If you have a chlorinated

pool at home, you may want to check into one of the chlorine-free options

for keeping it clean, like salt or ozone purifiers.

Perk #28

Cancer Allowed Me Time

to Do the Things I Love to Do

I
will be the first to admit that not every day with cancer is a good day. But

there were days between chemo treatments that I felt “almost normal.”

During those days I took advantage of my time off work to do the things

that I
love
to do: gardening, reading, writing, or sometimes just grabbing a

snack and watching Netflix. Before getting cancer, I was reluctant to allow

myself such guilty pleasures, but I came to view these activities as a necessary

part of my survival plan. I continue to make “me” time an important part

of every day.

Make doing the things you LOVE to do

an important part of your survival plan.

HEALTH TIP #28

I LOVE Pooping

Y
eah, I’ll admit it. I love pooping. I’m proud to say I’m #1 at #2. I like to

think of myself as the “Kung-poo Master.” I’m proud because bowel

habits tell the story of overall health. If your diet and lifestyle are healthy,

chances are you won’t experience any bowel issues like constipation, diar-