The After Cancer Blog

The power of giving Volunteering offers cancer survivors an opportunity to give back to their communities, make a positive impact, and find a renewed sense of purpose . Engaging in acts of service can provide a sense of fulfillment, boost self-esteem , and contribute to overall well-being. By sharing your experience and providing support to others, you can inspire hope, resilience, and empathy. Find the right opportunity When considering volunteering opportunities, you should identify causes or organizations that align with your passions and interests. This could involve volunteering at cancer support centers, hospitals, advocacy groups, or community organizations. By leveraging your personal experience, you can offer valuable insights, emotional support, and practical guidance to individuals currently battling cancer or their caregivers. Keep caring about yourself While volunteering is a meaningful endeavor, it's important to prioritize self-care. Balancing personal well-being with volunteer commitments is crucial to avoid burnout. Set realistic boundaries, establish a manageable schedule, and communicate openly about your needs and limitations. Take time for self-reflection, engage in activities that bring joy, and seek support from loved ones or professionals when needed. Volunteering can be a transformative experience, allowing you to give back and find purpose beyond your own journey. By leveraging your unique perspective, you can offer support, inspiration, and hope to others facing similar challenges. It's essential to find the right volunteer opportunity that resonates with your personal interests and to prioritize self-care along the way. Embracing the power of giving while caring for oneself can lead to a fulfilling and impactful volunteering experience for cancer survivors.

Before Jennifer Dickenson was diagnosed with brain cancer 12 years ago, she was a busy and stressed-out lawyer. With two elementary school-aged children and a supportive husband, she vowed to do everything she could to improve her odds. Based on the tools she used for herself with miraculous results, she shares this information with others. Her book, “ The Case for Hope ”, teaches others how we can restore health. What it is, how it helps us heal and how to use it Meditation is a way to quiet the mind, allow healing , and inspire connection. One way to think about meditation is that it is a way to reclaim space in your mind with focused relaxation. Even though it’s conceptually pretty simple to do, it’s not always easy. Our minds are constantly hopping from one thought to another—some refer to it as monkey mind. Most of us don’t even realize how much we do it. Taking time to meditate allows you to slow down the banter and, sometimes temporarily, quiet it completely. Even if it’s just for a while, the practice of meditation can create a sense of relief and then space, clarity, and relaxation. The body takes these cues to help improve our brain function , nervous system, immune system, and our ability to create oxygen in our bodies. As with any new skill, the more you practice, the easier it is to do, and the better your results become. After meditation, many people feel calmer and more grounded. Occasionally, you may be surprised to receive wisdom or clarity concerning something in your life. When we meditate, we ask for nothing and give nothing. The practice is freeing to the mind, allowing us to simply exist. How to start meditating To begin to meditate, find a calming and quiet environment with the lights low. You might want to add a candle or some pleasant-smelling oils to enhance the space you are creating. Once there, sit down cross-legged, if possible. If that position is not comfortable, find a different sitting position that works for you. Close your eyes to shut out the busyness of the world. Begin to breathe deeply and gently in and out in a rhythmic manner, while continuing your focus on the breath through the meditation. After a few moments, you will start to settle down. Try not to think about anything. This is normally where the monkey mind hops in. Don’t beat yourself up for wandering; just simply and gently redirect yourself to the quiet mind of the meditation. Over time, it will be easier to control the thoughts that seep in. Some people begin the practice of meditation by doing it for five minutes in the morning and five minutes at night before bed. Over time, you might meditate for twenty to thirty minutes once or twice a day. But there are no steadfast rules except that going beyond thirty minutes might be too long for most people. Experiment with what works best for you. Guided meditation Guided Meditation is another form of meditation but, in my opinion, even easiest than standard meditation. In fact, it has been called the “lazy man’s meditation” because all we need to do is pop in the CD, close our eyes, listen to the words and the music in order to receive the benefits. We are introduced to calming sounds and a speaker who gently brings us along on a journey of vibrant images and positive thoughts. Imagine your mind being massaged by a crystal-clear ocean sending healing messages to your thoughts. It’s so easy, yet it can be very impactful. As the listener, your only job is to create a private, quiet location in which you can lie down, try to keep your mind clear, and listen to the music and the healing words. It’s possible to doze off because you feel so calm, safe, and relaxed. (Don’t listen to these meditations while driving a car.) When you are done, you may have the sense that you have shifted some of your thoughts, feelings, and perspectives for the better. The continual use of guided meditation makes that feeling even stronger. My favorite guided meditation CDs are from Belleruth Naparstek at healthjourneys.com . Naparstek pioneered guided imagery. Several studies have reported healing effects for people who listen to her meditations. One of the studies showed that patients using Naparstek’s calming tapes did better during surgery and recovery than those who did not use the tapes. The results showed that those using the tapes lost less blood during surgery and, on average, left the hospital a full day earlier than the control group. Subsequent studies have shown that guided imagery helps the immune system, improves blood pressure, and minimizes allergic reactions. It can also help reduce pain , depression, anxiety , and phobias. Generally, directed meditation can calm the nervous system and allow the body to return to homeostasis or balance. In turn, the body can release the fight/flight response and get back to the business of fighting illness and keeping the body healthy and well. There are many choices for buying guided meditation CDs online, as well as through apps like the Calm app, or at your local holistic New Age store . It can be a great gift for someone in need, including yourself.

We compiled a list of 10 books written by Cancer Experts based on their research and experience with patients. “Anticancer – A New Way of Life” by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD. As a physician and cancer survivor, David explores the lifestyle changes that can complement conventional cancer treatment and help prevent recurrence based on scientific research. “Cancer the journey from diagnosis to empowerment” by Dr Paul Anderson. In this book, Dr Paul describes what you can expect during your cancer journey and how to cultivate a positive mindset that will help you have the best outcome, giving practical advice, empowering patients, and teaching loved ones the best way to provide support. “Anticancer living” by Lorenzo Cohen, PhD, and Alison Jefferies, MEd. The evidence says that simple lifestyle changes can make a difference when it comes to preventing or overcoming cancer. In this book, Lorenzo and Alison introduce the concept of “Mix of Six” which are the six key areas of health and wellness that will support cancer treatments or reduce the risk of developing cancer, improving your quality of life. “Crazy Sexy Cancer tips and Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor” by Kris Carr. An actress and photographer decided to document her life after finding out her cancer diagnosis. In this book, she shares the lessons, advice, warnings, resources, and stories that she gathered along the way. "Radical Remission: Surviving Cancer Against All Odds" by Kelly A. Turner, PhD. Dr. Turner, a researcher, psychotherapist, and founder of the Radical Remission Project, decides to interview holistic healers and radical remission cancer survivors to understand their healing practices and techniques. She concludes that are nine common factors between those people, that she now believes may help even terminal cancer patients to turn their life around. “How to starve cancer” by Jane McLelland, Grad. Dip. Phys. Winner of the “Amazing Women Global” Lifetime Achievement 2019 and the New York Big Book Award 2019 , Jane’s journey started when she found out about her cancer diagnosis. When that happened, Jane decided to do research on her own, not on how to cure herself but on how to stop cancer from growing. Remarkably her approach not only stopped cancer growth but made it disappear. “Mindfulness-Based Cancer Recovery: A Step-by-Step MBSR Approach to Help You Cope with Treatment and Reclaim Your Life” by Linda Carlson, PhD, RPsych, and Michael Speca, PsyD, RPsych. This book is an eight-week program based on mindfulness-based stressed reduction (MBSR) combining meditation and gentle yoga, for cancer survivors and caregivers. It can help them improve their quality of life and become an active participant in their own recovery. “Outside the box cancer therapies” by Dr Mark Stengler and Dr Paul Anderson. Two naturopathic medical doctors combine their expertise, based on research and decades of clinical experience, to provide information about the different types of cancer and explore integrative approaches to treatments. "Living with Cancer: A Step-by-Step Guide for Coping Medically and Emotionally with a Serious Diagnosis" by Vicki A. Jackson, MD, MPH, David P. Ryan, MD, and Michelle D. Seaton. A step-by-step guide for patients and caregivers with patients’ stories, this book provides understanding and advice over treatments, procedures, and tests, explaining also how to minimize symptoms and side effects. "The Breakthrough: Immunotherapy and the Race to Cure Cancer" by Charles Graeber. The story of game-changing scientific discoveries in the world of modern oncological science, exploring stories of patients, physicians, and cancer immunotherapy researchers who are on the front lines of innovation.

Ani Velasco is a breast cancer survivor who went through multiple health procedures. During her journey, she learned how to embrace her path to live a happier and more fulfilled life. I survived it all In January 2011, I was diagnosed with breast cancer . I had a bilateral mastectomy, did chemotherapy and radiotherapy, went through breast reconstruction, and took hormonal therapy for 10 years. I survived it all. Fear of recurrence At the moment I feel well. I always carry some fear of recurrence , especially because I had metastases and had to remove several ganglia. I always carry that fear that something might have escaped from the Doctors and is growing in some hidden corner of my organism. I was very afraid of dying but I overcame it by drawing on my willingness to live and believing that I was going to be fine. I tapped into joy, faith, and lots of support from loved ones . I always found the strength to fight, laugh, and talk. How I managed some of my side effects Looking back, I can see clearly now that there were things that made it simpler for me to overcome this hard phase of life. And I want to share them with all of you who are currently going through the same. I had all types of side effects: fatigue , sleeping problems , anxiety , weight gain , intimacy issues , lack of appetite, and uncontrollable food cravings for unhealthy things that comforted me. It was so difficult to eat. The smell of food made me nauseous and I lacked of strength to face a simple soup or meat or fish plate. Even picking up the cutlery was heavy. Just thinking about cutting the food made me tired. Oh, how much easier would it be to open a box of ice cream and just eat one tiny spoon at a time? Easy to swallow, no need to chew. I found that for me to eat, food had to be cut into super small pieces and that the plate had to be half-full. In this way, I could focus on the process of eating bit by bit without getting overwhelmed, and that made all the difference. The pain was worst after I had the mastectomy. It was so strong that despite being exhausted, I couldn't fall asleep. I had to sleep almost sitting up. I found out that healing touch and massage helped me a lot. For almost a month, a therapist helped me fall asleep by giving me massages on my back. Her fairy hands appeared at my house at 8.30 pm and stroked me until I fell asleep. It felt so good! I started psychotherapy. My intent wasn’t to cry, to look at my past, or to understand why this happened to me. I wanted to learn to like myself more, to look for what really made me happy. I started doing psychotherapy before I started to feel sad. I think that was my solution to avoid depression. It was a fantastic help once I found the right therapist to support me. I did not get it right the first time, but I ended up finding a therapist with whom I had enormous empathy. Cancer made me realize that it’s time to change I also realized that I had nothing to lose. That despite those difficult moments, I had reasons to be happy, to smile (sometimes even without even noticing it), and to enjoy every minute of my day. Even nowadays, when I think about it, I miss some of those moments, when I was really living in the present moment. Those moments allowed me to collect memories that I used as my daily vitamins. I felt strong being so fragile. I ate without thinking I didn't want to eat. I smiled without noticing it. I laughed when for some people I should have been crying. I lived every day without thinking that I had another day to live. I knew that many people would miss me if I was gone, and that gave me the strength to fight to make sure I’d continue to be here for them. I was able to see a different side of myself and I changed many things in my day-to-day. I changed so many things in my life without making any effort. I just thought that what happened to me was a wake-up call for a new direction in my life. I felt that it was not the time to be angry or upset. It was just time to change . It's possible to turn things around In conclusion, what I would like to pass on as a message to all those, who are suffering at the moment and who still haven't managed to find their way, is that with a team of doctors who take care of us and with the support of our friends and family, it is definitely possible to turn things around.

Donna is a former Hospice Social Worker, a former Elder Law Attorney, and an ovarian cancer survivor. Her website www.survivingtoflourishing.net is coming soon. After cancer expectations It’s easy to think that you get your No Evidence of Disease and that life is good. It is good. It is what we went through treatment for, it was what we wanted, and now we have it. Cause for celebration, or at least a big exhale? Sure is. But then those bad days creep in. Our minds wander with the “what if’s.” We get scanxiety , anxiety about our upcoming scans. We mourn the loss of who we were while struggling to adjust to our new normal and who we are now. If you were like me, and probably like most people who have not had a cancer diagnosis or have intimately dealt with someone who did, you thought that you complete your cancer treatment and you physically get back to your old self. Except that you don’t. It’s not too much of a surprise that you are mentally and emotionally changed because of the emotional toll and the reality of the cancer diagnosis. However your body has changed now too. It may be the scars from radiation or surgery or the port that you had to have. Or it’s the long term effects of chemo. The fatigue , the brain fog , the feeling that you just can’t do what you used to do in the same way you used to do it. It’s frustrating. It’s sad. It can easily lead to the black hole of the “why me?” thinking. So what do you do on those days, when you feel like there’s no hope and when you desperately want your old life back? Learn how to acknowledge your emotions First and foremost, always acknowledge your feelings . It is normal to feel sad, angry, hurt, and frustrated. We have been through a lot so feeling the whole gamut of feelings is valid and necessary. The old adage is true. To get through it, you must GO through it. So feel all the feelings, acknowledge them, express them so they don’t stay bottled up. Write it out. Journal . Talk to someone, be it a trusted friend or a therapist. Especially a therapist if you are depressed. But in order to move through it, you can’t stay there. The key is to acknowledge those feelings and then shift. You can do both of those things while “going” through it. In case nobody ever told you this, we CAN have multiple feelings at the same time. Feelings that may initially seem diametrically opposed but really aren’t. We can feel sad or embarrassed about our physical scars but also look at them as a reminder of our bravery and our courage. They remind us that we did what we needed to do to live. Celebrate that huge victory and smile each time you see the scar for what it represents. Wear it proudly as it does not represent cancer, but victory! Celebrate the small victories While frustration with fatigue is inevitable at least some of the time, try looking back not on where you were physically before treatment, but where you were during treatment and at how far you have come. Perspective. When I was going through treatment I could not hike, something I love to do. Heck, for a long time after my surgery I couldn’t even walk 100 steps. Today I can hike 3 miles. Victory! Celebrate! The fact that I may need to rest for the remainder of the day or maybe even for several days after if it was a difficult hike is a small price to pay for being able to still do something that I love to do. Something that, after surgery and during treatment, I was not sure I would ever be able to do again. As for the brain fog, well during treatment I was too exhausted to even talk to my friends and family. I communicated mostly through text. Now, even though I may sometimes need time to find the right word, I have the strength and stamina to verbally communicate with those I love. Victory! Celebrate! The key for me in getting through the bad days was and is to feel and acknowledge the negative feelings and then shift and focus on the progress and celebrate. Even if it is just a tiny bit of progress. Maybe I walked 50 more steps today than yesterday. Maybe I didn’t need a nap today. Or I only napped for 20 minutes instead of an hour. Those small things represent progress and they are reasons to celebrate. While I won’t tell you that it will erase your bad day, what it will do is elevate your mood even if it is just a little. And sometimes that little glimmer of hope is all you need to get through that bad day. Above all else, always, always, always remember that we fought to be alive. Here we are. Breathing. Living. A cause for celebration.

Jenn is the Founder of Warrior Heart Wisdom, a holistic healing practice where she serves as a Spiritual Development Coach, Healing Guide, Intuitive Wellness Coach, and Energy Healer to clients around the globe. She also hosts empowering, healing retreats. You can learn more at www.warriorheartwisdom.com . Being diagnosed as a high-school senior When you envision your senior year of high school, you typically think of prom, preparing for college, and enjoying the last moments of youthful freedom before moving into adulthood. The last thing that I expected to face was cancer. Yet, I was diagnosed with metastasized Thyroid Cancer only a few weeks into the start of the school year. My treatment plan included aggressive surgery, and radiation, in hopes that I would walk away with a positive prognosis for a long life. And that I did. But I also walked away with the painful, scary memory of having been a cancer patient, facing my mortality, changes to my physical body , and the fear of recurrence . Everyone celebrates the moment you are declared cancer free; few talk about the lasting effects that cancer has on your body, your mind, and your spirit. Like many, I couldn’t run away from my cancer experience quick enough, hoping to never look back. However, for years I was plagued with a myriad of symptoms that grew until I could no longer ignore them. Anxiety, depression , fatigue , insomnia , gut problems, and topping the list, the pain , and tightness in my neck, and shoulders where the cancer had been. I thought to myself, “ What was the point of surviving cancer if this is what life is going to be like ?” This less-than-ideal state of being pushed me to seek help. I tried talk therapy, medication, and other traditional approaches. After ample time, and little change, doctors were out of options, and I was left feeling defeated. So, I began to look for other ways of healing. I recalled my grandmother using complementary, and holistic modalities to stay free from bladder cancer for 15 years. I began taking care of my physical body with diet, supplements, and movement. I noticed some small changes, but my symptoms still lingered. I continued to dig deeper and came across an article that talked about the effects of trauma. That word, trauma, scared me but something told me to read on. The Trauma of Cancer & Its Effect on the Body Only 4 paragraphs in and I had chills. It was all beginning to make sense. I was shocked to learn that any type of trauma, big or small, physical, mental, or emotional, leaves an imprint on our body, our mind, and our spirit. When trauma feels overwhelming or we do not have the proper support, we will suppress it. This happens on a subconscious level, so we’re not aware that we’re doing it but the effects are palpable: Our body gets stuck in a state of stress with tight and painful muscles, fascia, and tissues Our nervous system gets stuck in a perpetual fight, flight, or freeze state Our mind gets stuck in a constant state of worry Our spirit feels deflated Over time this drains our energy, depletes our health, and can lead to a variety of symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, gut problems, insomnia, and the list goes on. After more in-depth research on healing the body from trauma, I turned to massage therapy . The Power of Healing Touch As luck would have it, I happened across a massage therapist named Hope who specialized in neuromuscular reprogramming and trauma release. She had a calm, nurturing energy and greeted me with a warm and welcoming hug. Before getting on the massage table, she listened intently to my story and my struggles. Before beginning the massage, she explained that the body cannot be forced to relax or heal. You must slowly and gently work with it, to help it feel safe enough to let go. This approach was a far cry from being prodded, and poked during cancer treatment. Hope told me that our body holds our story; this is also explained in the New York Times best-seller The Body Keeps Score . A great reference book if you are looking to learn more. I could immediately feel a drop in my anxiety when Hope put her hands on me. It felt like she was communicating with my body; sensing things on another level. As she approached my neck, the site of my cancer, and where I had experienced debilitating pain, and tension, she asked if she had permission to touch this area. I had guarded this area so tightly, yet in her presence I felt safe and agreed. As she touched my neck very gently, tears began to flow from my eyes. I didn’t know exactly what was happening, all I knew is that when I left the session, I felt different, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I continued to see Hope regularly. Part by part, she guided my body in telling its story, in releasing the fear it was holding onto, and ultimately returning to a state of ease, and balance. This experience gave me the first-hand knowledge that while an experience like cancer can negatively impact the body, healing touch and other holistic modalities can help return the body to wellness, and balance. It gave me great hope that the effects of cancer are not a life sentence, yet an experience to learn from, and to find great strength, and self-love through.

When a person first hears the word "cancer" it feels as if they have been thrown into a hurricane, things happen fast and they often feel a loss of control and fear. It is appropriate to have episodes of anxiety and depression feelings during diagnosis, treatment, and sometimes into the uncertainty of survivorship. We now have evidence-based guidelines for treating these symptoms with mindfulness-based interventions. These include yoga, music therapy, acupuncture, tai chi, qigong, and relaxation therapies. Patients and their families are grateful to have methods for treatment that do not involve medication and give them some control. Anxiety and depression in cancer patients Anxiety (worrying about what could happen or cancer coming back) or depression (feeling sad about a cancer diagnosis) are common emotions during and after cancer treatment. Guidelines have just been published that give recommendations based on evidence for ways to deal with these emotions without taking a prescription medication. Integrative oncology is a patient-centered, evidence-informed field of cancer care that utilizes mind and body practices, natural products, and/or lifestyle modifications from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments. Integrative oncology aims to optimize health, quality of life, and clinical outcomes across the cancer care continuum and to empower people to prevent cancer and become active participants before, during, and beyond cancer treatment (Society of Integrative Oncology). How to manage anxiety and depression The Association of Clinical Oncologist (ASCO) in collaboration with the Society of Integrative Oncology (SIO) have just published evidence-based recommendations to healthcare providers on integrative approaches to managing anxiety and depression symptoms in adults living with cancer. Specific recommendations include: Mindfulness based interventions help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients during active treatment and post-treatments. These interventions include - meditation , gentle movement, didactic teaching about stress, coping and the mind-body connection, and group support and discussion. Yoga , in particular therapeutic or restorative Hatha yoga classes, may be offered to people with cancer for both anxiety and depression symptom reduction across the treatment trajectory. Music therapy , relaxation therapies, and reflexology may be offered to reduce both anxiety and depression symptoms during cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Hypnosis and lavender essential oil inhalation may be recommended to help specifically with anxiety symptoms during diagnostic and treatment procedures. Tai chi or qigong programs may be considered to help alleviate symptoms of both depression and anxiety post-treatment. Reflexology may be recommended to reduce anxiety symptoms. Acupuncture may also be considered for women with breast cancer to reduce anxiety. About Dr. Chasse Bailey-Dorton Dr. Chasse Bailey-Dorton, MD  is a 21-year breast cancer survivor and the Medical Director of The After Cancer. Her mission is to provide reliable information for someone with a cancer diagnosis, being treated for cancer, recovering from treatment, seeking cancer recurrence risk reduction strategies, or at high risk for cancer.

Radiotherapy is a common treatment for many types of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and prostate cancer. While radiotherapy is an effective way to destroy cancer cells, it can also cause long-term side effects that can affect a patient's quality of life. Here are some of the main long-term side effects of radiotherapy that cancer patients and survivors should be aware of: Skin changes One of the most common side effects of radiotherapy is skin irritation and changes in the skin, including dryness, redness, and itchiness. In some cases, the skin may become darker or more sensitive to the sun. These side effects can last for months or even years after the treatment has ended. Fatigue Radiotherapy can also cause fatigue , which is characterized by a feeling of extreme tiredness and a lack of energy. This side effect can last for several months after the treatment has ended and can be especially challenging for patients who are trying to resume their normal daily activities. Lymphedema Lymphedema is a condition that can occur after radiation therapy for breast cancer. It is caused by damage to the lymph nodes, which can result in swelling in the arm, hand, or breast. Lymphedema can develop several months or even years after the treatment has ended. Sexual dysfunction Radiotherapy can also cause sexual dysfunction in both men and women. In men, radiotherapy to the pelvic area can damage the nerves and blood vessels that are responsible for erections, while in women, it can cause vaginal dryness and narrowing, making sex painful or uncomfortable. Bone and joint problems Radiation therapy can also cause long-term bone and joint problems, such as osteoporosis, joint pain, and stiffness. These side effects can occur years after the treatment has ended and can be especially challenging for older cancer survivors. Heart and lung problems Radiation therapy to the chest area can cause long-term heart and lung problems, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and an increased risk of heart disease. These side effects can develop months or even years after the treatment has ended. Digestive problems Radiation therapy to the abdomen or pelvic area can cause digestive problems, such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. These side effects can last for several weeks after the treatment has ended and can be especially challenging for patients who are trying to maintain a healthy diet. Cognitive problems Radiation therapy to the brain can cause cognitive problems , such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and confusion. These side effects can be especially challenging for cancer survivors who are trying to return to work or resume their normal daily activities. It is important for cancer patients and survivors to be aware of the potential long-term side effects of radiotherapy and to discuss any concerns with their healthcare team. While some side effects can be managed with medication or lifestyle changes, others may require more specialized care. By working closely with their healthcare team, cancer patients and survivors can take steps to manage these side effects and maintain their overall health and well-being.

Taffie Lynn Butters is a board-certified health coach at The After Cancer. She's a breast cancer survivor and is passionate about helping others recovering from cancer with lifestyle interventions. As a child, I was fortunate to be a great sleeper. I liked to sleep . I liked the feeling of a warm cozy bed, soft sheets, fluffy pillows, and the cool breeze of a fan blowing the air ever so softly across my skin. I can remember as a teenager sleeping until noon or later and making my room a haven to sleep. Although I didn’t understand the importance of sleeping then, my body has always known. The importance of sleep Sleep and cancer have a dependent relationship. While lack of sleep is not necessarily responsible for the onset of cancer, it can be a contributor in healing and reducing the risk of recurrence. Sleep is usually disrupted during treatments and can continue to be affected even after cancer. When you are sleep deprived inflammation and cortisol levels rise, which can lead to insulin resistance and weight gain which can be huge factors for cancer. According to a 2004 study, up to 80% of people affected by cancer are affected by fatigue and/or insomnia, which can impact the cells of the immune system. To quote the “Cancer Revolution” by Dr. Leigh Erin Connealy , “One study showed that insufficient sleep might contribute to breast cancer recurrences among post-menopausal women and the development of more aggressive forms of breast cancer. ” The good news is consistent sleep hygiene can improve the quality of your sleep and protect and help defend your health. Studies also reveal that a disruption to your circadian rhythm may affect your body’s ability to produce melatonin. This vital hormone not only aids in your sleep quality but has increasing research to support its importance on helping stop cancer from growing. If you asked all the Marvel characters, they would tell you that sleep was their secret weapon. We don’t even have to learn how to do it. As fetuses we sleep, and our body innately reaps the benefits even before we are born. So why as adults do we play it off as a luxury and often discard the importance? Somewhere along the way our peers and society view productivity and an active body as a sign of success. We are made to believe that maxing out our days and having the ability to “function” on a couple of hours of sleep is some kind of badge of honor. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. So, what exactly happens when we sleep Just like our computers, we need constant software updates and need to clear out the malware and viruses. Unlike a computer, this update needs to happen every day. Especially when you are defending against cancer. When you sleep, your body not only rest and slows down the whole operating system, but it preforms an essential clean-up process. This is essential in repairing and removing and damaged cells including cancer! Your brain literally cleans and washes itself from all the activity of the day. The millions of cells that were created are sorted and damage cells are taken out for the trash through the lymphatic system. And God bless our liver! Our liver is a powerhouse. Toxins get an invitation to visit the liver, so that it can remove them and send them on their way. And although our digestion is active all day long, during our sleep is when the information from the nutrients is extracted and waste is made. See if you can relate to this…. It’s 3am. Why the heck do I keep waking up at 3am every single night?! It’s so frustrating. I want to sleep until 6am or even 7am, but my body is just not cooperating. I have been arguing with my husband for the last several weeks, and I am worried about the effects it’s having on my health. I talk to my functional medicine doctor, and she is concerned that I am not sleeping. Well, I am “sleeping”, but it’s not restful and my body is not getting the time it needs to restore and repair. You see for this process to happen; you need to have a minimum of 6 consecutive hours of uninterrupted sleep. This is when the magic happens. This is when your body is doing essential healing. Sleep is an important part of healing from cancer. It’s a major lifestyle intervention that often needs attention. Want to know something crazy? Sleep starts as soon as you wake up! Our gut and our brains are synthesizing and producing hormones that will affect the quality and quantity of sleep from the moment you open your eyes. Recommendations for a good sleep hygiene Let me ask you, what is the first thing you look at when you wake up? Is it your phone or is it the daylight? If you answered your phone, you may be having trouble sleeping at night. As soon as you wake up, your body is preparing for the next thing. By taking the time to expose yourself to the rising sun or natural daylight for 20 minutes, you are signaling your body to produce serotonin and melatonin that will be stored for use later that night. So, what can you do to improve your sleep hygiene and set yourself up for the best sleep? The CDC makes great recommendations. You may be asking why the heck does the CDC care about sleep? And the answer is because the Center for DISEASE Control is just that - trying to help you prevent disease. Sleep is on the forefront of disease prevention, including but not limited to cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including the weekends. ( backup 6-8 hrs from your wake-up time, that’s when you need to be activity sleeping. 30 mins before that is your bedtime) Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature ( use an eye mask if needed, ideal temperature is 65-68 degrees) Remove electronic devices, such as TV’s, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom ( blue light tricks your brain into thinking it needs to be awake and a smart phone emits Electronic Magnetic Field that disrupts sleeps) Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime ( ideally last meal is 3 hrs before bedtime, all three of these things contribute to reflux) Get some exercise . Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night. ( light yoga before bed can relax the body and reduce stress ) I would add to this list some sort of relaxation techniques. Stress is a major sleep disruptor and culprit for diseases including cancer. Ideas include yoga , meditation , deep breathing exercises, adaptogens, melatonin supplements, detox bathes, and herbal teas. While working on sleep can sometimes seem impossible, consistently is key It won’t happen overnight (pun intended), but knowing the effects and necessity are strong arguments to consider prioritizing it. Working with a Health and Wellness Coach can make the difference. A coach will partner with you, so you can achieve your sleeping goals and improve your sleep hygiene. Together we will identify challenges, set goals, use intuitive resources and tools, and developing a strategy to implement these changes. Coaching allows you to be in control and experiment to get you to your goal.

Before Jennifer Dickenson was diagnosed with brain cancer 12 years ago, she was a busy and stressed-out lawyer. With two elementary school-aged children and a supportive husband, she vowed to do everything she could to improve her odds. Based on the tools she used for herself with miraculous results, she shares this information with others. Her book, “ The Case for Hope ”, teaches others how we can restore health. The importance of laughter One of my favorite tools I used fighting illness was prioritizing joy in my life and, more specifically, laughter. This simple practice can help us let go, relax, give ourselves a break from the challenges of our lives, and laugh-ourselves silly just because it’s fun to do! But laughter is no laughing matter. The bible says in Proverbs 17-22 “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine, but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” So, even when things are not ideal in our lives, it is important, like “a medicine”, to find some laughter somehow. Research has shown that laughter can enhance our health and mood by relieving stress and stimulating our organs by introducing more oxygen intake, thereby supporting our heart, lungs, and muscles. It also increases endorphins released from the brain which help create natural pain killers in our bodies and allow us to feel happy and relaxed. The consistent use of laughter can also improve our immune system and increase personal satisfaction as we are more able to deal with difficult situations. There are plenty of ways to enjoy good-hearted laughter. There are plenty of ways to enjoy good hearted laughter. I personally enjoy listening to and watching stand-up comedians. My favorite ones make me laugh so hard my stomach hurts and I am left with a big smile on my face. At the end of this blog I have a list of top stand-up comedians you can explore for yourself. Easy ways to find these acts are on TV, streaming services, satellite radio (like Sirius in your car), the internet, or buying their DVD’s and CD’s. Spending more time with friends and family members who are particularly funny can be a good source for more laughter. Funny board games (like Mind the Gap or Twister), movies and tv shows like Seinfeld, The Office, and Caddyshack can be hilarious too. Funny podcasts, certain humorous books, joke books and just telling jokes to each other can help us get more of this good stuff. Have you ever played knock-knock jokes with little kids? That can also be a real hoot. Listening to humorous books on CD’s can be another way to feel the joy of laughter. In fact, my friend who has a great sense of humor, bought me a bunch of used funny books on CD when I was sick. I listened to them on my way to my doctors’ appointments, at home, anywhere really, since it made me feel happy and better prepared to manage my situation. One of them , Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern (the book was a #1 New York Times Best Seller), was an instant classic for me. I’m smiling just thinking about it! It is interesting to me that we can fake our laughter and still receive the healing benefits from real laughter. Laughter yoga , is similar to yoga but incorporates the action of laughing to create energy, oxygen and relaxation in our body and mind. Those who subscribe to this technique believe that the mind and body can’t discern whether we are faking our laughter or genuinely doing it. But often the fake laughing becomes the real thing which is funny to watch. It might seem a little strange but there could be something to it. When I was in high school one of my teachers, probably sick of these annoying teenagers, started class one day by playing a laughter track. It started quietly with just a few chuckles from the track, and then more and more, until the voices on the track were filled with laughter. It was contagious for the kids, and the whole classroom, normally filled with teenage angst, was now filled with laughter as we were mercilessly powerless to stop it! My teacher clearly won that day! But really, we all did. So don’t wait to dive into yet another healing tool easy to incorporate in your life that will help you on your path to wellness, joyfulness, and balance…and start laughing! Comedians recommendations Some well-known stand-up comedians you may want to explore: Little to no profanity Some profanity Profanity Oldies but Goodie Brian Regan Sebastian Maniscalco Dave Chappelle Bob Hope Jerry Seinfeld Kathleen Madigan Bill Burr Jack Benny Nate Bardatze Wanda Sykes Eddie Murphy Red Skelton Jim Gaffigan Joan River Chris Rock Bob Newhart Ellen DeGeneres George Carlin Johnny Carson Jeff Foxworthy ​ Richard Pryor Phyllis Diller Ray Romano ​ Ron White Redd Foxx

My name is JJ Singleton I'm a colorectal cancer patient from Canton North Carolina. I was diagnosed in 2015 at the age of 27, been on chemo for life since 2016. I'm an advocate for colorectal cancer and breaking down stigmas and hurdles around screening and talking about colorectal cancer as well as mental health and the hurdles of living with cancer. Feeling I'm not alone is important, but not enough Positivity, encouragement, motivational quotes prayers, good thoughts and so on are all good things that most of the time I love seeing receiving and feeling as I go through this life with cancer and everything that comes with it. There is a huge and important need for that and to make sure individuals hear that feel it and know they’re not alone . But sometimes I don’t want to see or read or even feel those things and why I feel this way I think is important and not talked about much especially if others feel this as well. Sometimes I feel the world and society and expectations of us is to always look on the bright side, no matter what your dealing with or going through the expectation is positivity and hopefulness or to still be an inspiration or motivational tool and that’s all well and good when you feel like it and when you want to be in those things to yourself or to anyone in the world. I need to lean into my negative emotions There are times I need to stay in that feeling of sadness or anger or disappointment, depression , frustration, tiredness and any other feeling emotion or mood that comes along. I need to lean into these times to begin to process and understand what they mean to me and my mental health. Most importantly for myself is if I don’t accept and feel these and I end up pushing it all away and numbing myself to all the preconceived bad thoughts emotions and feelings, which in turn build up and will eventually blow up and land me in a dark place and spiral that scares me. We don't have to be a positive inspiration every day This isn’t meant to say don’t send positive and loving messages or gestures don’t quit putting motivation and love in the world and especially to people dealing with so much. It’s that those feelings emotions and thoughts that the world doesn’t like to hear, they can and do serve a purpose and it’s okay to lean into and feel them and experience them and to not want to be positive and outgoing and to not on the brightside everyday or be anyone’s inspiration. Note: JJ gave us permission to repost this article from his blog .

Donna is a former Hospice Social Worker, a former Elder Law Attorney, and an ovarian cancer survivor. Check out her website: www.survivingtoflourishing.net When I completed my cancer treatment, I expected myself to return to normal fairly quickly. I was quite surprised when that didn’t happen. What did happen was that I improved slowly over time, but I have never returned to what was my old normal. I have had to adjust myself to this new normal even though I didn’t know what that new normal looked like because it kept changing as my body was healing from treatment . Learning about your needs I was not the only one that had a challenging time adjusting to the new normal, those around me had a challenging time adjusting too. See, the further away I was from treatment, the more other people expected me to be able to do things the way that I used to do them. But often, I couldn’t do it and didn’t even know it until I got into situations that I couldn’t handle. Like the time I went on a Ranger led hike in a State Park only to have a complete ugly meltdown because I couldn’t keep up. So how do you take care of yourself when you don’t know what your needs are and what you can do and can’t do, and how do you express those needs to others? So not only you but also the others around you, expect you to be like your old self One of the difficulties in the after cancer is that you start to look like your old self. So not only you but also the others around you, expect you to be like your old self. But we all know in life that how we appear on the outside can be very different from how we feel on the inside, both physically and emotionally, and that is not truer than in the after cancer . You need to figure out your limitations The first part of aligning your expectations with the reality of what your abilities are at this moment in time is trying to figure out your limitations. I had to learn that I COULD do a hike in a State Park, but probably not with a Ranger or a group of others because I needed to go slower and take more frequent breaks than most people. My husband had to learn that my not answering a question immediately did not mean that I wasn’t listening or didn’t hear him. Sometimes, especially when I was tired, I needed time to either process what he was saying or to find the words to express my answer. It took and still takes patience on both of our parts. Communicating ahead of time can help keep expectations in check Now there were and are times that I didn’t know what to expect or what I was capable of, so it was difficult to directly and specifically express my needs to others. For instance, I would respond quickly with a “Yes!” when invited to something, only to realize when the time came that I was having a really bad day, or I was too fatigued to participate . Then comes the difficult part of telling people you aren’t joining them after all. It can cause hard feelings if they don’t know the reason has to do with your recovery, not them. Tell people about your recovery and set expectations I have found, and sometimes forget, that communicating that you still have trouble with fatigue or your recovery or whatever it is that you are having trouble with and that you hope to join or attend but cannot firmly commit, can spare both hard feelings and your own feelings of low self-worth and disappointment. Share as much or as little information as you feel comfortable sharing. Not everyone needs to know exactly everything about your journey and directly communicating your needs does make you vulnerable. But that vulnerability also makes you real. Realness ultimately helps you connect with others. And we do need others in so many different ways to help us get through this journey. We sometimes forget that we don’t owe an explanation to everyone For me, when invited somewhere, there is also the anxiety about how my verbal communication will come across . Sometimes I use the wrong word, or I can’t find the word I am looking for at all. Or I lose my train of thought mid-sentence. It can stop conversation in its track and make me and the other person uncomfortable. Once I realized this was happening my initial reaction was to not to attend events and to politely decline invitations. What has been healthier for me, however, has been to dip my toes in the water slowly. Join small groups for a limited periods of time with people I trust and see how it goes. I also try and let people know that I may have to leave early. This has helped me regain my confidence and realize that most of the time now, I can do okay. The verbal difficulty shows up more often when I am tired, so I try to mitigate that by making sure I am rested before events. Over time this has helped me to become more open to joining others. But it has been a process and that process has been difficult for me to communicate to others that I am not intimately familiar with. So sometimes, still, it’s a polite, “No thank you”. Period. We sometimes forget that we don’t owe an explanation to everyone. And those who know us will understand. A new normal Adjusting to the new normal after cancer can present so many challenges, not the least of which is that new normal is fluid and changes as we get stronger and learn our limitations. Managing expectations and reality requires you to have patience with yourself but also that our family, friends, and loved ones also have patience with us as we navigate the after cancer. While we don’t always like to admit our limitations, communication is the key to managing expectations, avoiding hurt feelings and disappointment, and learning and accepting what our life looks like now.