100 Perks of Having Cancer: Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It (67 page)

Perk #68

Cancer Allowed Me to

Feel Like a Movie Star

A
nd the Oscar for best supporting actress

in the role of dog lover goes to (drum roll

please
. . .
)

When I first started my “Perks of Having

Cancer” blog, I was interviewed by the NTV

Evening News, and, believe it or not, it made

me feel like a real movie star! Although they

aired only about a three-minute clip on the

program, the whole production took well

over an hour to film. The interview part was

real, but I will let you in on a secret, I was

pretty much acting for the rest of it. Me gaz-

ing out the window with a wistful look on

my face: acting. Me holding up a smoothie and saying “cheers”: acting. Me

playing with my dog, Patches, and looking lovingly into her furry face: big-

time acting. Now don’t get me wrong, I do love and appreciate Patches, but

I certainly didn’t appreciate her licking at my face (especially after seeing

what she was licking before my face). But I must admit, I looked like a real

natural in the news clip! Which is why I think I should be nominated for

an Oscar. Oh, gotta run, I think that might be the paparazzi outside my

door . . . never mind, it’s just the paperboy.

If cancer is getting you down, let your imagination go wild! Pretend you

are a famous actress or a country superstar, whatever turns your crank.

Whether you have these experiences for real or just imagine them,

the same “feel-good” hormones will course through your body.

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100 Perks of Having Cancer

HEALTH TIP #68

And the Winners Are . . . Envelope Please

K
nowing that you probably love lists as much as I do, I’ve compiled my

favorite list of cancer-fighting foods. There are many more I could add,

but I’m keeping this list to ten. Keep in mind that eating a well-balanced

diet consisting of whole, unprocessed, colorful foods is cancer-fighting in

itself, even if the food is not on this special list.

1.
Lemons:
Vitamin C and limonene in lemons strengthens immunity and

helps stimulate cancer-fighting cells in the body. Lemons and lemon juice,

while being citrus foods, promote alkalinity in your body. It is widely

believed that a more alkaline system prevents cancer and may even cause

regression.

2.
Garlic:
Allicin, a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and allixin,

a tumor fighter, are the reasons this delicious bulb made the list. Just be

sure to eat it raw as much of the benefits are reduced in cooking.

3.
Berries:
The darker the better, although all berries have cancer-fighting

properties and contain ten or more cancer-fighting plant chemicals. Get

black and blue (berries, that is) for the most benefit.

4.
Avocado:
Great for your liver, the organ responsible for cleaning toxins

out of your system, avocados provide plenty of potassium and beta-

carotene and are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.

5.
Chile peppers:
The hotter the better as it’s the “hot

stuff,” or capsaicin that is thought to attack

cancer-causing substances in your body.

6.
Broccoli:
Lutein and zeaxanthin are

the powerful cancer-fighting sub-

stances found in all the cruciferous

veggies: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Not the

most loved group of veggies, but they should be!

Perk #68: Cancer Allowed Me to Feel Like a Movie Star

281

7.
Raw Carrots:
Beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor and a potent anti -

oxidant, and falcarinol, a cancer preventative, are abundant in carrots.

Eating them raw gives you the most benefit. Shred them in your salads

or use them to dip into something healthy like hummus.

8.
Mushrooms:
Specifically shiitake, maitake, reishi, and

Think of foods as

turkey tail, which are strong immunity builders and potent

your medicines to

cancer fighters because they are are high in beta-glucans and

fight and prevent

polysaccharide-K (PSK).

cancer, and take

9.
Red grapes:
Loaded with bioflavonoids and ellagic acid,

your medicine

which helps prevent cancer, as well as resveratrol, which is

every day.

an immunity booster.

10.
Olive oil:
While a diet high in fat was shown to be a risk factor for

colon cancer, those who ate a diet high in fat that consisted of olive oil

showed no increased risk, suggesting that it provides some protective

factor. Organic extra-virgin olive oil is the best of the best.

Be creative and see how many of these foods you can eat today!

Perk #69

I Could Finally Admit

I Believe in Angels and Fairies

H
aving cancer allowed me to feel comfortable being the REAL me. I even

came out of the “spiritual closet” and admitted that I believe in angels and

fairies, without people calling me crazy . . . well at least not to my face.

My name is Florence and I am a Certified Angel Therapist. There, I said

it. Not only do I believe in angels, but I also talk to them, and they com-

municate back through signs and symbols (such as a butterfly or a white

feather). Before getting cancer, I would never have admitted this publically

for fear that people would think I was cuckoo. After all, I am a professional

psychologist with a reputation to uphold. However, once I had cancer, it

didn’t really bother me if people thought I was weird. In fact, it was kind

of a relief to show my true colors.

Up until about five years ago, I figured that angels, like Santa and the

tooth fairy, belonged to the realm of childhood imaginations. Then one day,

while browsing a bookstore in England, I came upon an interesting book

called
The Psychic’s Bible
by Jane Struthers. As I flipped through its pages, I

stopped upon a picture of a white, fluffy feather with this caption: “Angels

often leave a white feather as their calling card.” Although I didn’t believe

in the existence of angels at that time, I was intrigued by this little book,

and so I decided that it would make a good read on my return flight home

to Canada.

Just the next day, I got the opportunity to put my angels to the test! My

friend and I were gearing ourselves for the grueling journey through Heathrow

Airport with my four-year-old son, when we discovered a mix-up in our depar-

ture time. Anyone who has ever visited this busy airport will know that at

least two hours is required to check in, clear security, and make it to your

gate. However, we found ourselves at our hotel with only one hour to depar-

ture and a half an hour drive to the airport, with no cab in sight. Even if we

did manage to get a cab, I knew that it would be practically impossible to

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Perk #69: I Could Finally Admit I Believe in Angels and Fairies

283

navigate the long lineups of Heathrow in less than thirty minutes! Suddenly

I remembered what I had read in
The Psychic’s Bible,
and in desperation, I

whispered a prayer to enlist the help of my angels. Soon after saying the

prayer, I was surprised to see a white, fluffy feather on the ground at my feet.

An amazing coincidence,
I thought. However, through what I can only describe

as a series of small miracles, we made the flight. From then on, I have been

a believer.

Now I talk to my angels on a daily basis. My angels have also become

an important part of my survival plan as I call upon them to administer

healing to my body and spirit. As I listen to my guided angel meditation

CDs, I can actually feel the energy of their presence (
Angel Therapy Medita-

tions,
by Doreen Virtue, 2008).

You don’t have to wait to get cancer to be the real you,

but if you have been holding back, now is a great time

to start. Who cares if everyone thinks you’re nuts?

HEALTH TIP #69

Did Somebody Say “Nuts”?

Good Reasons to Grab Your Nuts and Go!

N
ot those nuts!

Nuts are giant seeds that are covered in a hard shell. They supply all the

compact nutrition of any other seed and also are an excellent source of pro-