Archives for November 2012

A Simple Christmas Series

November 30, 2012 By

Does Christmas ever seem like it’s just too much? Does it ever seem like it’s just completely lacking in all the qualities it’s supposed to bring: love, joy, peace…?

The solution is to simplify (a familiar refrain around here). And what is simplification but crystallizing the focus, honing in on that, and dismissing all the rest? Christmas is about celebrating Jesus Christ with my family, and nothing else. To that end, I am eliminating (or significantly reducing) anything that interferes with that purpose: no more commercialization, no more excessive spending, no more elusive searches for the “perfect” gift, no more of anything that blurs my focus on the truly important things.

To that end, I will be bringing you 25 tips to help all of us celebrate A Simple Christmas, kind of like the Authentic Simplicity version of an Advent Calendar. Each day, your inbox will bring you one simple tip to help you focus your Christmas celebration on what really matters, and forget about all that other stuff. You will discover ways to:

  • Spend less money on gifts, cards, wrapping, and decorating
  • Focus on your family and loved ones
  • Spend less time in the kitchen
  • Spend less time decking the halls
  • Give generously but intentionally
  • …and much more!

Please subscribe via email so that you don’t miss any of these tips. Let’s all have A Simple Christmas together!

As the series progresses, you can view all the posts here.

 

 

2 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Home, Household Tagged With: ,

Three Easy Ways to Give Back this Christmas

November 26, 2012 By

After the gratefulness of Thanksgiving comes a flurry of commercialism and materialism: Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. I like to shop with the best of them, and I always have fun with my family browsing the good deals on Black Friday, but it’s nice to have a day to turn our attention back to our blessings and those who are less fortunate. (And no matter how dire our circumstances, there is always someone less fortunate than us.)

In celebration of the spirit of Generous Tuesday, I bring to you 3 very easy ways to give back.

1. Pure Charity

Generous Tuesday was actually launched by Pure Charity, an organization that exists specifically to help connect givers and recipients, and not only during the holiday season. Simply create a virtual “account” on their website, then shop through their portal. The benefit to you is that you will receive special personalized deals from retailers you already shop at like Target, Groupon, Walmart and more. A percentage of your purchase is deposited into your account (otherwise known as your giving fund) and when you reach your goal amount, you can choose a charity of your choice to receive the funds! It’s a great way to finish your Christmas shopping and give generously at the same time.

2. Samaritan’s Purse

It’s too late to get in on the action of Operation Christmas Child (but you should really put it on your list for next year if you haven’t already), but Samaritans Purse, the organization behind the Christmas shoeboxes, has a lot more giving opportunities you might not be aware of.

For example, you can:

  • Feed a child in Mongolia for an entire week for $7.
  • Provide school supplies or tuition for a month for a child in a needy country for $15.
  • Supply an entire outfit complete with shoes and coat for $25.
  • Sponsor an orphan, providing their food, healthcare, shelter, education and other essentials for a month for $35.
  • Stock a fish pond for a community for $50.
  • Supply a dairy goat to a family in need for $70.
  • Provide a water filter that will provide a family with a lifetime of healthy water for $100.

Even the poorest of us here in the United States of America have so much more than the majority of people worldwide, and I love that Samaritan’s Purse makes it easy for us to give to those who have need of our generosity. They have many more options besides these, plus you can choose to split larger gifts with other people.

3. Angel Tree

Angel Tree takes the time to reach a forgotten segment of society - the children of prisoners. Parents in prison can sign their children up to receive gifts at Christmas. In turn, churches and other organizations set up Christmas trees with angel tags on them. Each angel tag bears the name of a prisoner’s child and the gift they might like to receive. Anyone interested in participating chooses a tag and purchases a $20 gift for the child, wraps it, and drops it off with the Angel Tree coordinator. Angel Tree takes care of delivering the gifts to the intended recipients.

You can participate with Angel Tree in a variety of ways:

  • Organize an Angel Tree in your church or Christian organization.
  • Contact Angel Tree at angel_tree (at) pfm.org to find organizations or churches with Angel Tree programs already existing in your area, and give a gift to a prisoner’s child.
  • Donate online.

 

2 Comments Filed Under: Home, Ideas, In The Budget, On My Mind, Spend Wisely Tagged With:

My Healthy Eating Plan for the Holidays {Get Healthy and Fit}

November 25, 2012 By

Welcome back to the Get Healthy & Fit series here at Authentic Simplicity! Joining me are 18 other bloggers, all desirous of improving their health and raising their level of fitness. We each have a different goal in mind and a different plan to reach that goal; and you can follow each blogger’s progress here. Follow along on Twitter and Pinterest as well!

I discussed my personal goals at length the first week, but to sum up, this is what I’m hoping to do in the course of these 12 weeks:

  • Kick my sugar habit
  • Lose approximately 10 lbs. and a few inches
  • Fit in my clothes
  • Develop sustainable habits like eating more proteins and fewer carbs

As we head into the holidays, I realize I have to have a plan in place to prevent me from over-indulging in all the sweets that are so prevalent this time of year. I don’t want to avoid them completely, because seriously - where’s the fun in that? I just need to be wise about it and make good choices so that when January rolls around, I won’t be regretting the whole season when I step on the scale.

Here’s my battle plan for avoiding extra weight creeping on during the holidays:

  • Focus on proteins and healthy fats. When going to a party or holiday dinner where there’s a spread of food, my plan is to focus on the proteins and fats available. My goal is to fill my plate mostly with those types of foods, and keep the carbs to a minimum as much as I can.
  • Eat carbs sparingly. I love carbs, but that doesn’t mean I need to load up on them. I will just choose carefully and pick my favorite carb among the ones available and eat that. I will eat just enough to satisfy my craving, but no more.
  • Don’t bake so many sweets. Part of the problem - for most of us, not just me - is the amount of sweets I make to give as gifts and to bring to holiday occasions. But having all those sweets around the house means that I indulge unnecessarily. A couple years ago, I made bread and jam to give as gifts, and they were met with just as much enthusiasm as the sweet goodies I typically prepared. This year, I plan to whip up a bunch of batches of gourmet-type popcorns to give as gifts. It’s still a carb, but it won’t be quite so tempting to me.
  • Eat sweets sparingly. There will always be delicious-looking sweets at all the parties and other events, so my aim is to eat the sweets there and not at home. And also, I will do my very best not to eat TOO many sweets while at those parties… but I can’t make too many promises.

I put this plan into practice over Thanksgiving weekend, and I didn’t do too badly, actually! I ate pretty healthfully at most of the meals; it was the in-between snacks that got me, so I need to be prepared for that as we head into December.

What’s your plan for sticking to your healthy goals during the holidays?

Find out how the other ladies are doing with their weight loss efforts and other goals by clicking on the image below.

2 Comments Filed Under: Home

Happy Thanksgiving

November 22, 2012 By
image source - This Heart of Mine

Earlier this year, my Certain Little Someone struggled - as we all do occasionally - with the little monster of materialism (otherwise known as “the gimmies”). Those toy company marketers really know what they’re doing, don’t they?! With every toy he received, there was a little slip of paper, brightly colored and filled with pictures of even more wonderful and amazing toys that he suddenly simply had to have. No trip to the store was complete without a stop by the toy section, followed by polite (or not-so-polite) requests to purchase this, that, or the other wonderful amazing toy. The denial of said polite request was usually followed by much weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Frankly, I was getting sick and tired of the constant begging for this that and the other amazing toy that he simply could not live without. I couldn’t seem to get him to understand how richly blessed he was: whenever I pointed out how many awesome Cars characters he had at home, he could always give me another lengthy list of the Cars characters he did not have.

It struck me one day that the antidote to envy, greed and discontent was gratitude. And that the only way to eliminate a bad habit was to replace it with a good one. That thought process led to a simple but effective practice that continues several months later with great success.

All I did was ask him every morning at breakfast to thank Jesus for one thing in his life (besides the food in front of him). Already being in the habit of thanking Jesus for his food, it was easy enough to add one more “thank you” into his little breakfast prayer, although to be honest, he balked at it the first few days. My only condition was that it had to be something different from the day before, and something specific. Not just “I’m thankful for my toys”, but “I’m thankful for my Thomas trains”. Sometimes, he’s just thankful for the beautiful day (which is particularly touching when I consider it to be a rainy, dreary day!), and that’s OK. As long as he’s expressing gratefulness in an appropriate manner, the mission has been accomplished.

After a few weeks of diligently practicing gratefulness every morning, it dawned on me that we had experienced little to no episodes of “the gimmies” during that period of time. Maybe a little bit of whining when we left the toy section once or twice, but no begging for this that or the other wonderful amazing toy, and no lengthy lists of the Cars characters he did not have.

It occurs to me that I could stand to develop this habit myself. My attitude is far too often one of envy and greed or discontent, when the truth is that I have been richly blessed in many ways. The only way to eliminate “the gimmies” or “I wannas” is to replace
them with “I already have” and “Thank you”. So as I celebrate Thanksgiving with my wonderful family, I am indeed grateful for God’s many blessings on my life, not the least of which is you! I hope you also have a very Happy Thanksgiving - made happy not by your circumstances but by your gratefulness.

7 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Children, Home, On My Mind, Reflections Tagged With:

How to Substitute Stevia for Sugar

November 18, 2012 By

Welcome back to the Get Healthy & Fit series here at Authentic Simplicity! Joining me are 18 other bloggers, all desirous of improving their health and raising their level of fitness. We each have a different goal in mind and a different plan to reach that goal; and you can follow each blogger’s progress here. Follow along on Twitter and Pinterest as well!

I discussed my personal goals at length the first week, but to sum up, this is what I’m hoping to do in the course of these 12 weeks:

  • Kick my sugar habit
  • Lose approximately 10 lbs. and a few inches
  • Fit in my clothes
  • Develop sustainable habits like eating more proteins and fewer carbs

 

After going to Allume and pigging out on the goodies there, I fell off the wagon for a week or so and indulged my sweet tooth way too often. I’m back on track now, though, and really disciplining myself to almost eliminate sugar completely. I allow myself to enjoy it on the weekends (mostly Sunday) and a few chocolate chips here and there throughout the week, but for the most part, I’m sweetening with only stevia and occasionally some raw honey.

How to Substitute Stevia for Sugar

When I first started using stevia as a sweetener, I pretty much just played it safe and used it mostly in my coffee. I wasn’t really sure what else to do with it, so for a long time, I did nothing else. Then when I got serious about reducing the sugar in my diet, I started experimenting a lot more with stevia, and found out that it wasn’t as complicated as I thought. In fact, I’ve discovered that replacing sugar with stevia in most recipes is really as simple as this:

A few notes to clarify the information on the chart:

  1. The 1 cup:1 tsp. ratio works well in fractions, too: a 1/2 cup of sugar is a 1/2 tsp of stevia, a 1/4 cup of sugar is 1/4 tsp. stevia, etc.
  2. The measurements for stevia are base measurements, by which I mean you may want to increase them slightly depending on your taste. For me, 5 drops is a perfect replacement for a tablespoon of sugar, but I know many people prefer a few more drops.
  3. These stevia measurements are for both liquid and powder forms.
  4. Different brands make their stevia products differently, so you may have to experiment. I use mostly NuNaturals glycerine-based liquid stevia.
  5. While these conversions are pretty reliable, they may not work in every recipe. Some recipes require the bulk that sugar gives, so you may have to adjust other ingredients (namely the ratio of liquids to dry) to compensate for the difference. This should be easy to adjust if you’re working with a recipe you have used before, because you’ll know if the batter is right or not. If it’s too dry, add some more liquid; if it’s too wet, add some more flour. I recommend experimenting with your own tried-and-true recipes and allowing yourself to become accustomed to its usage before attempting to convert brand-new recipes from sugar to stevia.
  6. The measurements for tablespoons and teaspoons also work for converting honey to stevia. The cup measurement is a little more iffy because of the other qualities besides sweetness that honey brings to a recipe (namely, the fact that it’s liquid). In a recipe that calls for larger amounts of honey, start by replacing half of it with stevia (according to the conversion rates on the chart), and then go from there. Be prepared to adjust the recipe as necessary.

21 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Basics, Health, Home, On The Table Tagged With: ,

Treating Cancer Naturally {Touched by Cancer}

November 16, 2012 By

Touched by Cancer - a series at Authentic Simplicity Have you been touched by cancer? Maybe not you personally, but a close friend or family member? Then this series is for you. In honor of a dear friend of mine who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, I dedicate this small space of the internet to spreading hope and compassion in the face of a terrible disease. Hope for prevention and treatment, and compassion for those suffering. Please share the posts in this series with anyone you know who has been touched by cancer.

When I was a teenager, or maybe in my early twenties, I decided for myself that if I ever had cancer, I just wouldn’t treat it. The side effects of the treatments seemed to me to be worse than the disease, so I figured I’d just let the disease do its thing and go home to Heaven a little earlier than I might have liked.

Then I had kids. And that kind of changed my thinking a little: I decided that undergoing those treatments would be worth it for the sake of my children.

And then, oddly enough, I read a fictional series (about the Amish, no less!) of books written by Beverly Lewis, in which one of the characters underwent treatment for cancer at a holistic cancer treatment center. I was fascinated! And then I decided, if I ever get cancer (although I’ll do my best to prevent it), that’s the route I want to take: the holistic, natural route.

To a lot of people, it’s a strange concept, and I can understand that. But set aside your skepticism for a minute and browse through the resources I have collected here, if only for curiosity’s sake. Perhaps you might find yourself considering a similar treatment method for yourself or a loved one if you ever find that you have been touched by cancer.

Treating Cancer Naturally

But Does it Work?

Are natural cures for cancer effective? There’s no point in even pursuing natural treatment for cancer (however gentle it may be) if it’s not effective. The tricky part is that there are not, to my knowledge, any well-documented comprehensive studies comparing the success rates of conventional vs. holistic cancer treatments. That makes sense if you think about it: all the studies are funded by people who have a vested interest in current treatment methods and naturally-based protocols simply aren’t on their radar. They’re looking to chemicals and surgeries for a cure, not foods or supplements or other seemingly simple methods of treatment. Henceforth and therefore, not much exists in the way of evidence supporting (or not supporting) natural treatments.

However, those who administer natural treatments keep careful records - of course! - and are happy to compare their success rates to those of conventional treatment providers (commonly referred to collectively as SEER) because they usually come out on top. Here are some sites I’ve found with information on the success rates of natural cancer treatments:

Oasis of Hope Hospital in Mexico (half an hour away from San Diego, CA) has detailed information on the survival rates of their patients compared to patients of more conventional treatments. They boast a survival rate that is two to five times higher (depending on the type of cancer) than the SEER survival rate.

CAM-Cancer is a European website that aims to analyze the available scientific data on a variety of natural and alternative cancer treatments in an effort to determine their efficacy. Although their research is thorough, their site is kind of difficult to navigate, as you have to go to each specific treatment method and then click on the link “Does it Work?” to get to the page where they discuss the results of the various research available on that treatment. And then, it’s kind of frustrating because honestly, there’s not much scientific data available, and what data is available is often suspect because of its source (i.e., conventional medicine/pharmaceutical companies that have a vested interest in disproving any method aside from their own) or the inherent limitations of the research itself. But it’s worth a look-see if there’s a particular treatment you’re interested in learning more about.

Survivor’s Tales

I’ve come across a few blogs written by those who have met cancer, fought it naturally, and won.

Green Drink Diaries is the tale of Cortney, who lives to tell about her fight with Hodgkins Lymphoma. She is now a champion of holistic/alternative cancer therapies and her blog is incredibly informative.

One of my readers mentioned the blog Chris Beat Cancer: a Chemo-Free Survivor’s Health Blog, written by a young man named Chris who followed up his cancer surgery with natural protocols rather than chemo. He has been cancer-free for almost 10 years!

Cultivating Courage is the ongoing story of Emily and her son, who has leukemia. His treatment combines both conventional and alternative treatments.

Treatment Centers

I’ve also come across a few treatment centers, some that sound a lot like the one I read about in that fictional series I mentioned! One is the Oasis of Hope Hospital in Mexico, and there are a few others:

Natural Horizons Wellness Centers offers care for cancer, as well as several other diseases and conditions. What I like is that they are not too far away from me. Just in case!

The Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, FL, sounds amazing! And incredibly affordable, especially when compared to the costs of conventional treatment.

The Living Foods Institute in Atlanta, GA, teaches its students how to heal themselves through diet and lifestyle changes.

For More Information

Cancer Killers is a new eBook authored by a man who was cured of stage 4 colon cancer by natural methods. It was recommended to me by a good friend, and is on my reading list (which, unfortunately, is rather lengthy, which is why I haven’t read it yet).

The American Anti-Cancer Institute is leading the charge against conventional cancer treatments. Their site is a wealth of information, and they also host a variety of events that aim to bring awareness to alternative cancer treatments.

Cancer Tutor is a website that is absolutely packed with all the information you would ever want to know about cancer. Some of the claims seem a little extreme and even perhaps exaggerated, but it’s still the best source of information on the topic, and a great place to start learning about the different kinds of therapies.

So what do you think? Would you be interested in trying a natural cure for cancer if you were ever diagnosed?

10 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Health, Home Tagged With: ,

Dealing With the Side Effects of Cancer Treatments

November 15, 2012 By

Touched by Cancer - a series at Authentic Simplicity Have you been touched by cancer? Maybe not you personally, but a close friend or family member? Then this series is for you. In honor of a dear friend of mine who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, I dedicate this small space of the internet to spreading hope and compassion in the face of a terrible disease. Hope for prevention and treatment, and compassion for those suffering. Please share the posts in this series with anyone you know who has been touched by cancer.

Cancer. It is a word that brings fear to the depths of your soul…especially when it is being experienced by you or a loved one. I know this fear that can grip you. We have experienced cancer in our own family several times. My family has always approached it differently than most and sought natural help for cancer and chemo side effects.

I am always happy to share with others information that may help them on this new and frightening journey, but am careful not to overstep any boundaries. You have to know someone well and sense if they are open to your suggestions. If you put the information out there and they want to know more, they will ask. If not, they have made the decision that they believe is best for their family.

I was 13 years old when my mom told me she had breast cancer. I had no idea at the time how bad it was and how close I came to losing her. She had stage 4 breast cancer. The doctors gave her 6 months with chemo and radiation.My parents had always sought out alternative practitioners when possible. This was no exception. So, they went to Mexico for treatment. This was before all the options there are in America now. She did have surgery and a little chemo, because her cancer was so bad that even the natural doctors recommended it… on a smaller scale. Thankfully, her side effects from chemo were not as bad as most people experienced.

I am very thankful that I still have my mother with me…24 years later. My brother recently experienced thyroid cancer and beat it naturally.

Hopefully you will find some things to help through cancer, chemo and radiation. Although I believe that cancer is largely preventable, many people still choose the conventional route for numerous reasons. Conventional treatments usually overload the system with many toxins.


To help the body deal with the side effects of these toxins, there are things that can be done to help detox and relieve the side effects of cancer treatments:

Water ~ Drink lots pure water. This is the most natural way to flush out toxins. Add fresh lemon or a pure, therapeutic grade Lemon Essential Oil to boost the immune system and stimulate the lymphatic system. Other beneficial essential oils are Grapefruit, Tangerine and Orange. Add 1-2 drops to water during the day. These oils are high in limonene and effective against cancer and help to boost the immune system. Peppermint Oil will give you energy and stimulate the immune system.

Detox Baths~ Epsom Salt baths are very beneficial. Toxins are flushed from your system as your body absorbs the magnesium it needs to help heal. Add baking soda to the bath to make your skin smooth, while neutralizing the effects of radiation. Apple Cider Vinegar added to the bath helps soothe sore muscles and joints. Add Lavender Oil to help you relax. Rotate with a Bentonite Clay Baths using Living Clay to help pull out toxins and heavy metals.

Boost the Immune System~ All of these things in this post will help boost the immune system, which is crucial to healing. A supplement that can help is Inner Defense~ an oil blend of Clove, Cinnamon, Lemon, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Oregano, Thyme, and Citronella in an Olive Oil Base in capsules. Frankincense Essential Oil is also very beneficial to boost the immune system, calm the nerves and may kill cancer cells. It can be taken internally, rubbed on the feet and problem area. *NOTE~ the only oils that I am referring to are Young Living Essential Oils due to their pure, therapeutic quality.*


Alkalize the Body~ A person who is going through cancer, chemo, or radiation has a very acidic system, which makes the body even more susceptible to disease.

  1. Eliminate Sugar & Processed Foods~ Sugar feeds cancer. Stay away from artificial sweeteners also. Use Stevia, an herb, to sweeten drinks or food. Avoid white flour and food coloring. Our bodies do not know how to deal with these chemicals.
  2. Eat Raw Foods~ Avoid meat during this time, especially red meat. Eat lots of green vegetables~ have a salad with every meal and use a lemon/olive oil dressing.
  3. Drink Green Juice or a High Quality Green Nutritional Drink~ It is important to feed the body what it needs as it is fighting cancer and dealing with side effects. Juicing is the best way to help the body heal and get rid of toxins. The “greens” are so beneficial~ spinach, kale, parsley and cucumbers. Add in ginger and carrots. It is not always possible to make high quality juices, nor does the person feel like the effort involved. My brother used Nutritional Dreams three times per day. It is a green superfood drink that you mix with water. It is flavored with stevia and peppermint, so it is yummy. It is a normal part of our routine to keep us healthy year round.
  4. Ningxia Red~ an antioxidant drink that helps reduce the acid in the body. Helps with heart and liver function as it energizes and fortifies the body.

Ginger ~ Ginger helps nausea and vomiting. Put it in a smoothie or make a tea from it.

Stop Using Synthetic Personal and Cleaning Products~ Our skin is the largest organ. When we put chemicals on our skin that we would not eat, we are adding to the toxic overload in our body. Avoiding using antiperspirants. These contain aluminum and is very damaging to our body. Try to find a natural deodorant or use coconut oil and lavender oil.

Exercise~ Although one may not feel like exercising. It is very important to help cleanse the lymphatic system. T-Tapp is a 15 minute fitness routine originally designed by Teresa Tapp to help cancer patients deal with the effects of chemo. Her mother died of a brain tumor and she had a desire to find a way to help people. It was discovered that is was helping heal from the inside out. It cleanses the lymphatic system, boosts the immune system and gets oxygen flowing through the body. Inch loss is a plus! The lymph system has to have help to cleanse itself…ie T-Tapp, rebounding and body brushing as recommended through T-Tapp. T-Tapp is now used by all ages and health situations, not just cancer and chemo patients.

Emotional Health~ The emotions play a huge role in our healing. A person experiencing cancer is on an emotional roller coaster. Fear, dread, anger, sadness, worry, guilt all play a part of this roller coaster. Our thoughts can be as toxic as pollutants or the cancer itself. It is important to take every thought captive and not be controlled by them. Prayer, reading scripture, meditating on worship music are the most important helps in this. A book I highly recommend is Who Switched Off My Brain? by Dr. Carolyn Leaf. It is full of helpful tips and scripture to learn how to deal with emotions and thoughts. Essential Oils that are helpful in this area are: Valor, Peace & Calming, Joy, Harmony, White Angelica, Acceptance, Forgiveness, Hope.

Get Plenty of Rest & Accept Help~ Two things that are very hard to do. Rest when you need it. This is very important for your body to heal. Accept help, even though it may be hard to do. Now is the time to focus on your health and getting better. If people offer to bring meals, help with the children, clean your house….let them. Accept the gift.

I hope that these suggestions will help you or someone you know in this journey of cancer. Start with one or two things and add to them as you can. Any step you take toward your healing is better than nothing.

Disclaimer: This isn’t intended to diagnose, treat or cure any condition. This is for educational purposes only. Consult with your doctor.
Mary is a farm girl and homeschooling mom to 2 sons. She has been married to her sweetheart for 14 years. She is passionate about her faith and family and strives to find balance in home life, farm life, homeschooling, and healthy living. She blogs at The Encouraging Home where she tries to encourage others and offer a variety of resources for life. She also helps to educate people on the health benefits of pure essential oils through her Young Living Essential Oils business, beautiful skin through Nerium AD, as well as help other moms establish a home business. Mary hopes that you will find a place of renewal and refreshment when you visit her blog, as well as many help from the many resources she has researched for you.

2 Comments Filed Under: Health, Home, Knowledge, On My Mind Tagged With: ,

4 Ways to Prevent Cancer {Touched by Cancer}

November 12, 2012 By

Touched by Cancer - a series at Authentic Simplicity Have you been touched by cancer? Maybe not you personally, but a close friend or family member? Then this series is for you. In honor of a dear friend of mine who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, I dedicate this small space of the internet to spreading hope and compassion in the face of a terrible disease. Hope for prevention and treatment, and compassion for those suffering. Please share the posts in this series with anyone you know who has been touched by cancer.


Annually, ten million people are diagnosed with some form of cancer, and approximately seven million die from the cancer. Cancer is alarmingly on the rise with numbers increasing each year. I believe this calls for a reason to stop and evaluate our modern-day lives. If cancer is not something contagious, but a disease that develops in the body, is there a way to prevent it?

One of the biggest culprits is poor diet.

Years ago when cancer was rare, people depended on wild food, fresh fruits and vegetables that they grew for a large portion of their diet. These foods contained living enzymes and nutrition. Today our food comes from the nearest drive-thru or a box off a shelf, which contains almost no nutrition.

Suppose you filled your car with rocks, dirt, or jet fuel? Would you expect it to run correctly? We all know the car would have major problems! When our body does not have the proper nutrition that God designed for it to have, our bodies will not be o.k.. Poor nutrition leads to poor health, which results in disease and possible cancer.

So what does a healthy diet look like? The ideal diet is all organic, and at least half being raw foods; never going to a fast food restaurant, never purchasing something in a box…. This kind of diet is not realistic for most. I encourage people to start where they are and do what they can.
Do you eat out all the time? Begin making homemade meals more often than buying something from take-out.
Do you eat things from a box often? Start making most meals from scratch.
Do you never eat fresh fruits or vegetables? Train your body to eat and enjoy fresh food. Work toward eating at least 50% raw.
Do you eat whatever, not considering with what’s in it? Learn to be an ingredient reader. Avoid foods with harmful ingredients like MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and aspartame.

Many people get discouraged because they can’t jump straight into an ideal diet; don’t be. Start where you are and begin making changes. You will notice a great improvement in your health as you work towards that ideal diet.

Cleanse yearly.

Because of environmental toxins and toxins from personal care products, the average person has a very serious need to detox on a regular basis. It is said that the average person carries 10 lbs. of waste in their bodies! Cleansing the body clears toxins, and creates an environment that is more resistant to disease.

The cleansing order recommended by many health-care professionals is:
Colon
Parasite
Kidney
Liver/Gallbladder
Blood

I also love to take bentonite clay baths! Bentonite clay pulls toxins and heavy metals from your body, leaving you feeling so refreshed and clean!

Exercise faithfully.

We’ve all heard for many years how important it is to exercise, and that’s because it is! Exercise rejuvenates cells and gets the lymph system moving.

Rebounding is considered to possibly be the best exercise for rejuvenating the lymph system. Rebounding is simply jumping on a mini-trampoline. This exercise not only increases the lymph flow, it also strengthens the immune system and gives more oxygen to the blood. It is recommended to rebound 10-15 minutes a day.

Add healthy herbs and supplements to your body.

A few suggestions are:
Flax
Coconut Oil
Red Raspberry Leaf
Nettle
Alfalfa
Red Clover

Green Tea

Elderberries
Indian Gooseberry/Amalaki

I personally love making different mixtures of herbs into teas! I keep at least a gallon {sometimes two gallons} of tea in my fridge all the time for my family to drink often.I also enjoy a cup of hot tea in the winter months! Flax and coconut oil are great to add to oatmeal for its amazing health benefits!

What natural things do you do to help prevent cancer?

Jill is a
Christian and has been married to her dear husband for 12 years. She’s
a homeschool mom of 4 and is thankful for God’s goodness in her daily life. As a certified family herbalist, her passions include reading and researching about health and home remedies, and sharing
with others the knowledge she gains. You can find her blogging at and connect with her on and Pinterest.

8 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Health, Home, Knowledge, On My Mind Tagged With:

How to Help a Loved One With Cancer

November 11, 2012 By

Touched by Cancer - a series at Authentic Simplicity Have you been touched by cancer? Maybe not you personally, but a close friend or family member? Then this series is for you. In honor of a dear friend of mine who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, I dedicate this small space of the internet to spreading hope and compassion in the face of a terrible disease. Hope for prevention and treatment, and compassion for those suffering. Please share the posts in this series with anyone you know who has been touched by cancer.

When someone we love faces a terrible diagnosis, we are often paralyzed by the fear of saying and doing the wrong thing. We want to help, we want to be a blessing, but we just don’t know how. So we either bumble our way through, trying to help without interfering, or we simply do nothing.

What our suffering loved ones really need is truly quite simple. When my friend was diagnosed with colon cancer, her family and friends gathered round her in an amazing, beautiful way to show how much they loved her. She has expressed on multiple occasions her appreciation for all that has been done on her behalf, and I know that the heavy load she carries has been made lighter by the care of those who love her.

Chances are, at some point in your life, someone you love will be dealt such a diagnosis, and you will be left wondering how to help a loved one with cancer. Although everyone is different, I imagine just about anybody would appreciate the following gestures of support:

praying woman

Prayer

Never underestimate the power of prayer! Prayers for healing, for comfort, for wisdom on behalf of the doctors, for wisdom on behalf of the family that is suffering as they choose treatment options and doctors and medications, for the children affected by the diagnosis, and on and on it goes. Even if you can do nothing else… you can pray!

Visit

When it became clear that my friend was going to be bed-ridden for some time and unable to adequately care for her family, a cousin took the time to set up a Care Calendar where anyone could sign up to visit with her. In her case, these visits were physically necessary - my friend needed someone to be with her at all times. But soon, those visits became very dear to her - even though at first it was hard for her to swallow her pride and accept people’s offering of time - because, as she put it, “Those visits kept me out of my own head.” She feels that she would succumb to depression if it weren’t for the cheering and encouraging visits of her friends when she needed that encouragement the most.

If your friend is going to need such care for the long-term and doesn’t have anyone else to set up such a schedule, go ahead and offer to coordinate it! I know the Care Calendar has been a huge blessing to my friend and her family as they juggle her care, her children, and meals for all of them.

Whether or not it’s necessary to set up such a schedule in your situation, you can be sure that your friend will still benefit from a neighborly visit. It should go without saying that you might want to call and set up a good time instead of just showing up, but don’t let fear keep you from taking the time to go and chat with your friend. And don’t worry about what to say, either! Just go and chat like you normally would. Just be the friend that you already are.

Care for Children

If a parent is diagnosed with cancer, particularly a mother, someone is going to need to help provide care for children, especially young children. In my friend’s case, this care was also arranged through the Care Calendar, where people could sign up to take the children and watch them for a day. Even if your friend doesn’t need childcare on a regular basis, there are bound to be occasions when you could lend a helping hand by baby-sitting for a few hours:

  • to give the patient time to rest and recuperate
  • when they are at doctor’s appointments or undergoing medical tests
  • so the parents can spend time together

Fruit Stewed Beef and Salad

Meals

A meal is always welcome, whether or not you’ve undergone a tragedy in your life. I will warn you, though: people often decline a friendly offer such as this out of sheer politeness and maybe a touch of pride. My suggestion? Say, “I have a meal ready to bring you. What time is good for me to drop it off?” Make sure your meal is freezable and reheatable so that they can pop it into the freezer if their meal for that night is already prepared. But trust me. They will appreciate your kindness (just so long as your meal is a yummy one!).

Again, if long-term care is needed, it might be beneficial to the family to organize your community to help out with the meals on a regular basis. Take Them a Meal is a great web-based resource that will help you do just that! Here’s a sample schedule so you can see how it works.

Transportation

Cancer patients, no matter what treatment protocol they choose, have lots and lots of doctor’s appointments, and may need transportation depending on their situation. If you have a fairly open schedule and a reliable vehicle, just offer yourself as a regular mode of transportation. Or, even if you’re not available all the time, just say, “Any time you have an appointment on Monday afternoon, I’d be happy to give you a ride.”

Share Connections & Knowledge

This one is a little tricky. No one appreciates unsolicited advice, but if you truly have valuable information and insight to offer… then offer it. And don’t be offended if your friend chooses to ignore it. That’s her prerogative. But I will say that my friend was very grateful for the people who told her little things like the lozenges that help you through the chemo side effects, or the cancer center in our area that provides all kinds of free services for cancer patients, or the friend who had a fancy-schmancy walker that she no longer needed and was happy to lend it out. She was also grateful for her friends in the medical community who knew this or that doctor, and/or this or that approach to medical care, and could help guide her in her decision.

But like I said, this one’s a tricky business. If you have no personal experience with a product or medical technique or xyz-whatever other than a blog post you read somewhere or something you heard on the radio, then just zip it. Just be a friend, not a pseudo-expert.

And in the end, that’s what it’s all about. There’s nothing really complicated about it once you get past the fear factor. She was your friend before, she’s still your friend now, and the C-Word doesn’t change that. It just makes it richer and all the more meaningful.

If you have ever been a cancer patient, what are some meaningful ways people have helped you?

9 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Health, Home, Ideas, On My Mind Tagged With: ,

Touched By Cancer - New Series

November 10, 2012 By

Touched by Cancer - a series at Authentic Simplicity Have you been touched by cancer? Maybe not you personally, but a close friend or family member? Then this series is for you. In honor of a dear friend of mine who was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year, I dedicate this small space of the internet to spreading hope and compassion in the face of a terrible disease. Hope for prevention and treatment, and compassion for those suffering. Please share the posts in this series with anyone you know who has been touched by cancer.

I was so saddened when I read of the loss that you, my readers, have experienced at the hands of cancer. It intensified my desire to move forward with this series in the hopes that future generations can be spared the devastation. And since I personally know nothing about cancer other than what I have learned vicariously through my friend’s experience, I have asked a couple of my fellow bloggers who are more knowledgeable than I to share their expertise.

Mary from The Encouraging Home, who has personally dealt with cancer in her own immediate family, will be sharing with us how to deal with the side effects of conventional cancer treatments. Most people will choose surgery and chemotherapy, but the side effects of those treatments can seem worse than the disease itself. Mary will teach us how to deal with those side effects using natural methods that will also hopefully counter-effect the damage of the treatments.

Jill from Jill’s Home Remedies will be sharing with us things we can do in an effort to prevent cancer. (Many experts suggest that cancer is largely preventable with a few important lifestyle changes.) As an herbalist, Jill has much wisdom to offer in the realm of prevention and natural treatment of disease.

And if you are interested in natural treatment options for cancer, I will be compiling a list of excellent trustworthy resources for your information.

In discussing this topic of cancer (or any debilitating or terminal illness) with friends of mine, they all expressed one huge concern: “What do I do when someone I love is diagnosed?” We all want to help our friends and family in anyway we can, but when we have no prior experience with something so big and huge and life-changing, we feel a little stymied as to how we can best be an encouragement and support. This is one area I feel qualified to write about, especially since I took the opportunity to ask my friend what has been most helpful to her since her diagnosis. I will be kicking off the series with a post that will give you the confidence and tools you need to encourage and bless your loved ones who have been diagnosed.

I would also love to take the time to mention my sponsor for this series, Crystal from Survivors Collection, an Etsy shop that specializes in cancer awareness jewelry and wine charms. Crystal, a cancer survivor herself, also created a website, Faith Hope Cure, that is dedicated to all those who have been touched by cancer. Please check out their products and share their encouraging website with anyone you know who might benefit from it.

And even if you don’t currently know anyone struggling with the disease, I believe this series will be very helpful for you, and I encourage you to subscribe, read along, and share, because I have learned to my sorrow that eventually… you will be touched by cancer.

 

4 Comments Filed Under: At Home, Health, On My Mind, Reflections Tagged With: ,
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