It was early November and there was an itch near the top of my breast that would not go away. I vividly remember how annoying the itch was and thinking I felt a lump. During a boot camp workout, I asked my friend what she thought it might be, and of course she said what… Read more »
On July 15, 2019, I celebrated my third Cancerversary (a special word in the cancer world to celebrate another year of being cancer-free). It reflects the day that I finished chemo, weekly doctor appointments and that safety net of support. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful to be alive, so I… Read more »
In my work as a massage therapist and energy medicine practitioner I consider this question every day. Every client–each person–has a story. We are each on a healing journey. The details vary, but the quest is the same for all: we are searching for wholeness. What helps? What constitutes success? Recently I had a personal… Read more »
The hardest part of cancer? That’s a loaded question, but telling my kid about it ranks up there at the top of that list. Lauren had just turned 10 when my husband and I found a lump in my breast. A few days later, an oncologist predicted that I had three months to live. “We… Read more »
Support comes in many forms, especially when someone is going through cancer. We think about how awful everything that they must endure is – treatments, doctor appointments, fatigue, stress and so much more. Hopefully, the person going through cancer has a good support system and a caregiver that will be by their side through thick… Read more »
Cancer patients and survivors often experience significant problems with pain, fatigue, sleep, stress, anxiety, trauma and grief associated both with the cancer diagnosis and side effects of treatments. Hypnosis can be powerfully effective for the physical, mental and emotional fallout that comes with the disease – and after, when life is often profoundly different. Cancer… Read more »
Siddhartha Mukherjee, MD, an oncology fellow at the time, wrote a detailed biography of cancer in his 2010 book Emperor of All Maladies. In it he reports that early in human history, cancer was a very rare disease. As we all know, cancer has become increasingly common, especially since the industrial revolution. This increase cannot… Read more »
In January I was told I have breast cancer. The overwhelming news brought tears and the urge to crawl up in a ball and stay there forever. I didn’t want to face what lay ahead – more doctors, more tests, and many life-changing decisions to be made. How could this happen to me? You can’t… Read more »
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. behind lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 22 (4.49%) for men and 1 in 24 (4.15%) for women. And while colorectal cancer rates have dropped overall, the numbers… Read more »
Each year, as December 31st approaches, people start talking about goals, especially fitness-related ones. I feel everyone has the best intentions, including myself, to lose the weight, eat clean, or detox. I like to sit down with my cancer Warriors and have a goal-intention setting night. After cancer, your body has the innate ability to… Read more »
There’s no denying it—having cancer (or any other life-threatening disease) definitely changes the way one looks at the future. So it’s only natural that, after a diagnosis of cancer, the nature of patients’ New Year’s resolutions changes as well. I can say that from my own experience (diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2016, treated… Read more »
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. A health care team may provide a variety of treatment options, but it is up to the patient to prioritize and focus daily on their nutrition, which is the foundation of health. Malnutrition (lacking adequate nutrients) is a serious side effect of cancer and cancer treatments. In fact, at… Read more »
Shay Moraga is a triple negative breast cancer survivor and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… It is the most wonderful time of year. Festive tunes on the radio, everyone you meet seems excited about upcoming vacations and family coming into town to celebrate the holidays. However, to a cancer… Read more »
Cancerous tumors, due to their fast metabolism, exist best in a ‘low oxygen’ environment. While chemotherapy is, by nature, dominantly an oxidative process, there are non-toxic oxidative therapies available in out-patient environments that are proving to be effective as a complement to chemotherapy and radiation or as stand-alone holistic treatment options. Both hyperbaric oxygen therapy… Read more »
Here we are again at another holiday season, and whether you observe religious or spiritual traditions or take part in a more cultural expression of the holiday spirit, it is time to prepare yourself emotionally for what that means as you navigate your cancer treatment at this emotionally charged time of year. Between the planning,… Read more »
Shay Moraga is a triple negative breast cancer survivor and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… I HAVE CANCER… Those are the dreaded words you never want to hear from a family member or friend. The person telling you those words is more than likely completely overwhelmed and in shock.… Read more »
Shay Moraga is a triple negative breast cancer survivor and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… Do you ever wonder why so many people turn to yoga after a life changing experience? It is because yoga heals us in so many ways. Yoga and cancer both teach us to accept… Read more »
Shay Moraga was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the beginning of 2016 and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… If a cancer diagnosis has changed your life like it has mine, then you have been immediately thrown into the world of doctors, treatments, surgeries, fears, and overwhelming opinions… Read more »
When someone is in the midst of medical treatment for cancer, they may not have the strength or desire for vigorous exercise. But gentle forms of movement such as yoga, tai chi, and qigong can be extremely beneficial in a treatment plan that addresses spirit, mind and body. Gentle movement can also be beneficial post-treatment,… Read more »
Shay Moraga was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at the beginning of 2016 and shares her journey with Desert Health® readers in an ongoing column… In this New Year, I look forward to reviewing my goals from last year and reflecting on how the past year has played out. However, the goals I set… Read more »