No Sugar--WHAT?

Ok so it's been a year since Dr. Northfelt told me to read the book "Anti Cancer" and I decided to give up sugar, white flour and processed food.  I know you are probably wondering if I was able to give it all up? I am proud to say, NO ...... I can say honestly that I have given it up about 90% I still allow myself to have a little treat treat, every once in awhile.  Do I think it will help?  I'm not sure but I did it so that I would have no regrets, if the VILLAIN comes back I can look at myself in the mirror and say "I did all I could to prevent the cancer from coming back" Realistically it's been hard at times to say "NO" but I save up and make sure it's totally worth it before I indulge.  Giving up processed food was easier than I thought, since I never really eat a lot of it anyway.  

Nothing More Manly

A friend of Haleigh's and Katilyn's got baptized last Sunday, I had the privilege of attending.  One of the men who spoke said some things that really stuck with me and I wanted to share.
He said there is nothing more manly than a man who is worthy , or a man who stands up to what they know to be right.  A man who is able to teach his children righteous principles because he shows by example that he is manly enough, no matter what the world's view is on what a man is.  We hear so much about what the woman's role is but not much about the man.  We as woman compare ourselves to other women, to other wives, to other mothers and wonder sometimes if we are doing the best job, especially young moms.   I also think we worry to much about body image, the media has played such a huge role in that.  Did you know that 8 out of 10 woman are not happy with their appearance?
50% of 10 year old girls wish they were thinner
50% of American woman are on a diet any given day
40% 9-10 year old girls have tried to lose weight, this is all according to an ongoing study funded by the national Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
8 million people in the US suffer from an eating disorder
The media has continually told us that skinny is better..... an average 5'11" American model weighs 117 lbs an average American woman 5'4" weighs 140 lbs.  They are relentless, and have put celebrities on a pedestal that not only am I sure they don't want the pressure to be on, but that gives our girls a false idea of what real beauty is.  I know our Heavenly Father sees us so differently than the world sees us.
 Being healthy is not being skinny. Anyone who knows me well knows that I LOVE to exercise it's a mental release for me, but I have realized that since I have not been able to exercise at all since the VILLAIN took over, there is such importance on what we put into our bodies.  I love to Bake and love baked goods and Mexican food and Italian food, and Chinese food, and Indian food, so pretty much I love food. I have had to re-train my body to enjoy all of those things sparingly, to allow myself one day a week to eat what I want and the other 6 to take control of my cravings.  It really works, I have been doing this since May of 2010, after Dr. N told me that refined sugar, white flour and processed foods feed cancer cells, I decided I didn't want to take the chance.
I started this post out about men, and I'm going to get back to that, I have researched this week about men and body image and there are very few articles that even come close to what the media has continually forced on women.  To me, the most manliest men are the ones who love their wives unconditionally, who tell them how beautiful they are regardless of their weight or body type, who encourage and support. There is nothing more manly than a man who cares and is not afraid to show it.

Ginger Molasses Cookies

I did not mention buy one get one free, and I did not share with anyone hee hee♡ it will take me a few days to eat 2 though

Pink breast cancer ribbon, sugar cookies .....

I love this month, October in Arizona always is the start of our cooler weather, pumpkin patches, hunting for the perfect costume, holiday decorations and baking....oh how I love to bake. Jessica Roussel bought me this cute breast cancer cookie cutter, so it would be rude not to use it right? I made my famous sugar cookies.. ask my kids and all their friends...these cookies are famous at our house, they love, love love when I make them, and from the mouth of my daughter "i've waited a long time for you to make these" from the words of her friends "come to mama" not really it just sounds good.... ha ha

I will see Dr. Kreymerman this morning for my pre-op appointment you all know I love Dr. PK and he has been such a huge part of my life this past year, so today is the day I take him some breast cancer sugar cookies, and the baby gifts I made for him and his wife and new baby coming in November. More about that later....

I want you to know I showed great resistance and did not eat one sugar cookie, I didn't even taste the dough or lick my fingers when the frosting took over..... I know, how impressive right???? Well not really, another reason why I love the month of October is that Paradise Bakery always has their seasonal ginger molasses cookies, I have been waiting, and waiting and yesterday I indulged. If you've never had one, don't start because you will not be able to put them down, well maybe you could start out slow, maybe try a chipper. My son will be asking me to send him these any week now, they are his favorite and I am not sure how many I sent him last year ... I will say that the people at Paradise Bakery would say everytime I walked in "hello Monya, how many ginger molasses cookies would you like today?" Oh my, that is bad.....really, really bad.

Then the Guilt took over ....

Ok, so today I got productive and made like a million Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, click here and scroll down for the recipe. I got all the ingredients from Walmart got them all out and ready while Recker was taking a nap this morning, when I pulled out the oil it smelled rancid..... wow that was disgusting. I have not baked anything for so long the oil went bad, and I had to run to Walmart again and get oil, it's a little frustrating to have everything you need but one ingredient. I told Eric (who was laying with Recker... so cute) that I needed to go get oil then he said to me "are you going to eat any of these cookies?" of course I said "no" he quickly replied "then why bother making them?" I thought about that question while I was running through Walmart, I think I want to bake something for my family, just because I am not eating sugar and flour does not mean they need to go without. RIGHT? besides I love to bake and I feel like it's that time of year, I missed out on it last year. They smelled so good baking in the oven, I could not resist ..... I did eat one and it tasted so good to me, then the guilt took over and I was done. I have this love/hate relationship with the NO SUGAR NO FLOUR thing. I love that my body feels clean and renewed, I hate that I love the delicious combinations you can create with sugar and flour, I am such a baked goods girl.
It wore me out making all those cookies, my body is not what it used to be and I wonder if it ever will be again.

Oh yeah, and some people have asked about my recipes ..... when you open my blog if you click on the button that says cookbook it will take you to my recipes, I now have almost 1,000 recipes on there. I love that my girls can get a recipe whenever they need one, it's been so fun.

Givin' Up Sugar

just a few of my favorite desserts with lots of sugar and white flour.......
lemon bars

german chocolate cake

my favorite creme brulee'

homemade cookies

cannoli

brownies with nuts

coconut cream pie

I decided to cut out sugar and white flour from my diet. This all started on Monday. So since Monday I have lost 8 pounds, I am amazed at the amount of sugar I eat, and until you cut it out you don't realize it. I have not eaten anything with sugar, no salsa, no sauces, nothing with sugar... when you read some of the labels of food you regularly buy you may be surprised how many foods have sugar in them. So I am getting all my sugar naturally from fruit, which I also love.
The white flour has not been as big a problem for me, but I also have no cookies or cakes in the house, anyone who knows me knows I love to cook, I love to bake, usually baking includes sugar and flour. I am not going to omit these completely from my diet I will allow myself one day a week to indulge. Probably Sundays will be the best since my family all comes over for dinner and I usually make a dessert. I don't promise to stick to this but I am sure going to try. The 1st couple of days I had a major head ache, but it has passed now and I feel so much better, my body feels stronger and detoxed.

A New Way of Life

We made it home from beautiful Hawaii. On the last day we were all lying under some palm trees on a grassy area at the beach. I couldn't help but think about going home and returning to reality. It has been so fun to spend the time with Kaitlyn and Brian but I know when I get home things will not be so easy-going. I watched the white fluffy clouds pass in front of the Sun, making it a little darker and less hot then suddenly the clouds would move and again make it brighter, I could again feel the warmth on my skin. So much like my life has been this past year, clouds of darkness have made it hard to see the future, sometimes waiting for the cloud to move made me feel alone and helpless, then with the Help of Heavenly Father he would lift those clouds and I would feel warmth and comfort, knowing that HE loves me and will never leave gives me hope and a feeling of relief. I really hate the waiting game that VILLAIN patients have to live. I know I don't want to live in fear of everything I eat, and everything I expose myself to, but I also can't treat this as if it were a bout of pneumonia or a broken bone this is not a thing of my past the VILLAIN is now a part of my life, my new life.
I finished reading the book ANTI CANCER by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. I was totally intrigued by the information in this book and wonder why more oncologist don't suggest it to VILLAIN patients. I will refer to some of the information I learned in this book in future blogs, just because I think it is so important.
Did you know:
1. Cancer feeds on sugar, cane and beet sugar, corn syrup etc
2. bleached flour including white bread, white pasta etc
3. vegetable oils such as soybean, sunflower, corn and trans fats
It so happens these three sources contain none of the proteins, vitamins, minerals, or omega-3 fatty acids we all need to keep our bodies functioning properly. They directly fuel the growth of the VILLAIN.
Tests have shown that women with high blood sugar levels (or who are diabetics) are 7 x more likely to develop breast cancer.
We have become a nation of people who do not want to take the time to prepare home-cooked meals for our families, it is much easier to get "take out" I believe with all my heart that we need to get back to basics and we need to be aware of what we are putting in our children's mouths. Processed foods, which is at every fast food restaurant in America, feeds cancer cells. A list of recommended foods from the book are:
1. green tea, this helps to reduce the growth of new vessels needed for tumor growth and metastases and it is a wonderful antioxidant and detoxifier.
2. Olives and Olive Oil black olives are richer in antioxidants than green. Olive oil should be cold pressed extra virgin, you should get one tablespoon of oil daily, used in cooking fish, tofu, meat veggies or in a salad.
3. Turmeric and Curry: these are the most powerful natural antiinflammatory, In laboratories it was proven to help enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy and reduces tumor growth. It can be added to olive oil with a pinch of black pepper then add to veggies, soups, salad dressings add a few drops of agave nectar to remove the bitter taste.
4. Ginger: a very powerful anti inflammatory and antioxidant much more effective than vitamin E. It acts against certain cancer cells, and it also can help with nausea from chemo therapy and radiation.
5. Cruciform Vegetables: cabbages, (brussel sprouts, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, etc) they contain anti cancer molecules. They prevent precancerous cells from developing into malignant tumors.
6. Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Shallots, Chives: Garlic is one of the oldest medicinal herbs dating back to 3000 bc During WW1
they used in to prevent infections. They all promote cell death in colon, breast, lung, and prostate cancer as well as in leukemia.
7. Vegetables and Fruit rich in Carotenoids: Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkins, tomatoes, persimmons, apricots, beets and all bright colored fruits and vegetables (orange, red, yellow and green) these all have the proven ability to inhibit the growth of cells of several cancer lines including brain cancer. A study that tracked breast cancer patients for 6 years showed that those who consumed the most foods rich in carotenoids lived longer than those who consumed less.
8. Soy: they block the stimulation of cancer cells. Asian women who have eaten soy since adolescense have fewer cases of breast cancer, the ones who do have breast cancer, it is much less aggressive.
9. Mushrooms: A study done in 2009 showed that women who consumed 10 grams of mushrooms per day reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by 64 %.
10. Herbs and Spices: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, and mint are rich in essential oils and they help reduce the spread of cancer by blocking the enzymes they need.
11. Seaweed: slow down the growth of breast cancer cells, prostate, skin, and colon cancer also.
12. Berries: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries are all good for eliminating cancer cells.
13. Plums Peaches and Nectarines: Researchers have proven that these are just as powerful as the berries and at a much less costs. They had a great effect against the growth of breast cancer.
14. Citrus Fruit: oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruits contain anti inflammatory flavonoids.
15: Pomegranate Juice: an incredible antioxidant and has been used in Persian medicine for thousands of years, it reduces the development of prostate cancer, daily consumption slows the establishment of prostate cancer by 67%
16. Dark Chocolate: needs to be more than 70 % cocoa it contains antioxidants, the molecules in dark chocolate slow the growth of cancer cells. You need to eat at least 20 grams a day (one fifth of a bar) AVOID ANY MILK CHOCOLATE
17. Vitamin D: Skin cells produce vitamin D when they are exposed to the sun. It has recently been proven that a significant supply of vitamin D reduces considerably the risk of several types of cancers by more than 75%. 20 minutes of noon day sun exposure to the entire body is sufficient. Be aware that over exposure can lead to skin cancer.
18. Omega -3's: The reduce the cancer cell growth in a large number of tumors lung, breast, colon, prostate, kidney. They also act to reduce the spread of tumors in the form of metastases. Keep in mind that the larger the fish, the higher it is in the food chain and the more contaminated it is. Smaller fish are much healthier for you. Flaxseeds are also rich in omega-3's.
19. Probiotics: Organic yogurts and kefir are good sources of probiotics I purchase them at Sprouts. These are the good bacteria that your intestines need, garlic, onions, tomatoes, asparagus, bananas and wheat are great source also.
20. Foods rich in Selenium: Selenium is found in the soil, vegetables and cereals grown organically contain large quantities of selenium. Selenium boosts the immune system and the effects of antioxidant mechanisms on the body.

Anyone who has a history of cancer in their family should take note of all this information and consider establishing a new way of life. We could all probably improve our lives and our families lives by changing a few things we eat and introducing some new foods to our children.

SEES Candy

Monday was chemo and I have been really sick and my bones, breasts, and muscles ache. No matter how much I wish it away or pray for it to not be, I awake every morning hoping this is a horrible dream and yet it is still part of my life I'm learning to embrace. Sometimes I reward myself with an extra long bubble bath, or a sweet treat, today while I was at the Mayo I bought a SEES candy bar with toffee chips, I was so ready and excited to bite into it, when I put it to my lips I was dreaming of the smooth taste of Chocolate, one that only SEES can offer. (I am not a big chocolate eater) I was instantly disappointed, not because SEES didn't deliver the finest of chocolate, but because the CHEMO delivered the nastiest of tastes. I sometimes forget that the CHEMO is doing it's job on my body, but on my taste buds I wish it would "give me a break" OH how I wanted that chocolate to taste remarkable, something I could rely on. Ha Ha probably a good idea it didn't I might be getting hand packed nuts and chews by the pound full if it worked.
Today I had an appointment in the cardiovascular department at Mayo. Lately I have had some heart palpitations, so just to be safe they hooked my heart up to a monitor that I have to wear for one month. Then next week I will go to the Mayo Hospital for and echo. The monitor will record any unusual heart beats and report them to my oncologist. I'm pretty sure it's just a weird reaction to some of the medicines I am taking, I think my heart is the strongest organ on my body. I am not looking forward to one month of monitoring. The echo will show any blockages in the arteries, and show actual pictures of my heart and arteries, so there are no surprises.