Today, Saturday the 12th was my young nephew´s choral concert. It was held in a large, beautiful, cathedral in the charming district of Outremont, Montreal. He was one of 225 choralists ages 8 to 18 singing Christmas carols in French and English. Quite a sight and sound! A lovely evening all around.
I packed a goodie bag with a fruit smoothie, dehydrated strips of mangoes, banana and plantain chips and a couple of medjool dates. It wasn´t a latte with cheesecake, but it did the trick.
I got home late, certainly much later than my usual 9pm bedtime. I went to bed right away. At 3:17am I woke up to flames shooting up two feet or so above the bed. There´s nothing like one´s bed being on fire to get a guy moving at super speed. It was touch and go for awhile, but in the end I was able to contain the fire to the blankets on the bed.
Here in Montreal, the older homes don´t have central heating; Each room has its own baseboard heater. In my bedroom the heater runs along the bed. At some point the blankets at the foot of the bed fell over and onto the heater. Eventually enough heat built up that the blankets went up in flames.
First hand experience has shown me how easily a fire can start and how quickly it can move. Please believe me when I say it moves extremely fast. Another minute or two, and I may not have been able to put it out. With no fire extinguishers on hand, the likelyhood of the house going up in flames was uncomfortably high.
At this time of year with the extra lights and decorations and the fireplace getting used more often, it would be good idea to ensure that safety procedures are in place, that fully charged fire extinguishers are on hand and that everyone is aware of the evacuation plan should a fire erupt.
Wishing you a wonderful and safe Christmas Season.
Dec 12, 2009
Dec 11, 2009
Osteopath, follow up
It´s been about 10 days since my first appointment with the osteopath. Today´s appointment was originally going to be a follow up to see how my liver is making out in its new location (See "Me and My Liver"). It turned out to be a session on releasing my jammed-up hip.
At one point the osteopath asked me if I knew how my hip was related to my cancer. "Not really." She went on to explain that when a person´s hip (sacral) is jammed, the temporal bones in their skull (cranial) stop moving as they should. When the cranial sacral system is not functioning properly it inhibits the nervous system. When the nervous system is not functioning properly, the immune system is comprimised.
A poor immune system response means that cancer cells (which everyone has) are not dealt with in a timely manner. The cancer cells proliferate and sooner or later a tumor develops.
The osteopath´s view is that proper structure is essential to good health, much like a solid foundation is essential to a properly function building. That is why the osteopath worked on my hip first.
It´s like the ditty about the ankle bone being connected to the leg bone and the leg bone being connected to the hip bone. The body is very much an interconnected set of systems (blood, nerves, muscles, chemical, hormonal, endocrine, immune, etc.) that "speak" to each other in ways we have yet to discover.
The more we can do to take care of these various aspects of ourselves, the better chance we have of being healthy. This is not limited to the physical realm. It includes the emotional and spiritual as well. Being angry, stressed, worried or anxious all have a similar, debilitating effect on our nervous/immune systems and general health.
Cancer prevention (or cure) is more than just the physical. It´s taking a walk in nature, letting go of one´s anger, listening or playing relaxing music, playng with young children (always a source of inspiration), or sharing a cup of hot coffee tea with a good friend.
What if you were to set aside some time this week to pick one of these suggestions -or one of your own- and give it try? Chances are you´ll like it.
Chances are so will your heart, nerves, stomach, muscles, immune system....
At one point the osteopath asked me if I knew how my hip was related to my cancer. "Not really." She went on to explain that when a person´s hip (sacral) is jammed, the temporal bones in their skull (cranial) stop moving as they should. When the cranial sacral system is not functioning properly it inhibits the nervous system. When the nervous system is not functioning properly, the immune system is comprimised.
A poor immune system response means that cancer cells (which everyone has) are not dealt with in a timely manner. The cancer cells proliferate and sooner or later a tumor develops.
The osteopath´s view is that proper structure is essential to good health, much like a solid foundation is essential to a properly function building. That is why the osteopath worked on my hip first.
It´s like the ditty about the ankle bone being connected to the leg bone and the leg bone being connected to the hip bone. The body is very much an interconnected set of systems (blood, nerves, muscles, chemical, hormonal, endocrine, immune, etc.) that "speak" to each other in ways we have yet to discover.
The more we can do to take care of these various aspects of ourselves, the better chance we have of being healthy. This is not limited to the physical realm. It includes the emotional and spiritual as well. Being angry, stressed, worried or anxious all have a similar, debilitating effect on our nervous/immune systems and general health.
Cancer prevention (or cure) is more than just the physical. It´s taking a walk in nature, letting go of one´s anger, listening or playing relaxing music, playng with young children (always a source of inspiration), or sharing a cup of hot coffee tea with a good friend.
What if you were to set aside some time this week to pick one of these suggestions -or one of your own- and give it try? Chances are you´ll like it.
Chances are so will your heart, nerves, stomach, muscles, immune system....
Dec 6, 2009
Week Five Summary
Week five has been as interesting as it has been unexpected.
In the post, "Me and My Liver," I wrote about how at my Wednesday appointment, the osteopath, using visceral manipulation, was able to free my liver which was stuck to my diaphram. It felt great to be able to breathe so much more freely.
After the hour and a half session, I decided to go downtown and run a few errands. By the time I got home around 7pm, however, I was feeling pretty tired. Nausea had set in and I wasn´t feeling that good. Thursday, I felt nauseous as well so I took it easy, passed on the morning exercises and went to bed early. Friday the nausea went away, but the tenderness in my adbominal area was still there as was a general sense of being tired, even weak.
Saturday, was essentially a repeat of Friday with a bit more energy. Today, Sunday, has been good with more energy and clarity, but my abdomen, particularly higher up near the sternum area, is still quite tender. Interestingly enough, it feels much like one would feel a few days after being punched in the stomach. (Some would say the cells are in the process of releasing the cellular memory of the trauma, hence the similarity to the original sensation.)
All of this time, I´ve taken a break from my morning exercises and have been sleeping twelve to thirteen hours each day.
In hindsight, I should have realized that having my liver release from my diaphram and drop back into its proper place after forty years, is a pretty significant development. Not only are the diaphram and liver having to function from a different position, most of the other internal organs have to shift around to make room for the recent arrival of my liver. It´s no wonder I´m feeling tired and tender.
All in all, it has been a welcome adventure which will no doubt speed up the cleansing/healing process. I have an appointment this coming Friday and I´m curious as to what the osteopath will have to say.
In the meantime, here are my stats for the week:
11/29/09 12/06/09 Change
Weight 146.8 lbs. 141.8 -5.0 lbs.
Last week I suggested that my weight loss would likely slow down, but that hasn´t been the case. Another 5 pounds this week which surprises me. Not so surprising is that I feel lighter, more agile and have a better sense of well-being. Having approximately 20 pounds less to haul around all day can to that to a person.
Body Fat 29.4 lbs. 26.1 -3.3 lbs.
Once again a significant portion of the weight loss is fat.
BMI 20.0 18.4. -1.6
The weight loss is reflected in the Body Mass Index calculation. 18.4 is at the low end of the low range, but I expect that as the naturopath advised, my weight, and hence my BMI index will drop even further before rebounding back to my ideal weight.
Body Fat 23.0% 22.2 -1.0%
Same as above but as a percentage.
Water 58.4% 59.6 +1.2%
Here, too, I´m surprised. Even though I´m making slow progress in drinking the recommend 8 glasses of water a day, my water percentage keeps rising. Over a full percentage point from last week.
Bone Mass 6.5% 6.5 No change
With very little exercise this week, I wasn´t expecting any change.
In the post, "Me and My Liver," I wrote about how at my Wednesday appointment, the osteopath, using visceral manipulation, was able to free my liver which was stuck to my diaphram. It felt great to be able to breathe so much more freely.
After the hour and a half session, I decided to go downtown and run a few errands. By the time I got home around 7pm, however, I was feeling pretty tired. Nausea had set in and I wasn´t feeling that good. Thursday, I felt nauseous as well so I took it easy, passed on the morning exercises and went to bed early. Friday the nausea went away, but the tenderness in my adbominal area was still there as was a general sense of being tired, even weak.
Saturday, was essentially a repeat of Friday with a bit more energy. Today, Sunday, has been good with more energy and clarity, but my abdomen, particularly higher up near the sternum area, is still quite tender. Interestingly enough, it feels much like one would feel a few days after being punched in the stomach. (Some would say the cells are in the process of releasing the cellular memory of the trauma, hence the similarity to the original sensation.)
All of this time, I´ve taken a break from my morning exercises and have been sleeping twelve to thirteen hours each day.
In hindsight, I should have realized that having my liver release from my diaphram and drop back into its proper place after forty years, is a pretty significant development. Not only are the diaphram and liver having to function from a different position, most of the other internal organs have to shift around to make room for the recent arrival of my liver. It´s no wonder I´m feeling tired and tender.
All in all, it has been a welcome adventure which will no doubt speed up the cleansing/healing process. I have an appointment this coming Friday and I´m curious as to what the osteopath will have to say.
In the meantime, here are my stats for the week:
11/29/09 12/06/09 Change
Weight 146.8 lbs. 141.8 -5.0 lbs.
Last week I suggested that my weight loss would likely slow down, but that hasn´t been the case. Another 5 pounds this week which surprises me. Not so surprising is that I feel lighter, more agile and have a better sense of well-being. Having approximately 20 pounds less to haul around all day can to that to a person.
Body Fat 29.4 lbs. 26.1 -3.3 lbs.
Once again a significant portion of the weight loss is fat.
BMI 20.0 18.4. -1.6
The weight loss is reflected in the Body Mass Index calculation. 18.4 is at the low end of the low range, but I expect that as the naturopath advised, my weight, and hence my BMI index will drop even further before rebounding back to my ideal weight.
Body Fat 23.0% 22.2 -1.0%
Same as above but as a percentage.
Water 58.4% 59.6 +1.2%
Here, too, I´m surprised. Even though I´m making slow progress in drinking the recommend 8 glasses of water a day, my water percentage keeps rising. Over a full percentage point from last week.
Bone Mass 6.5% 6.5 No change
With very little exercise this week, I wasn´t expecting any change.
Dec 3, 2009
Me and My Liver, follow up
Note: Please read the previous post in order to put the following content into its proper context.
From the previous post....
"On my seventeen-year journey toward being cancer free, I have had dozens of MRI,s PET scans, CAT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. I have tried a wide variety of approaches: reiki, healing touch, chiropractic, accupuncture, as well as over 100 hours each of rolfing and cranial sacral therapy. In all that time, my liver issue was never identified or addressed."
This is not a criticism of the the therapists, all of whom are extremely talented and who I recommend whole heartedly. This is a reminder that each modality sees the world through it´s own lens. It´s like the adage about a man with a hammer. To him everything looks like a nail.
Each specialty offers its heartfelt solution to your problem. The surgeon sees a tumor and wants to cut it out. The radiation specialist will recommend radiation. The chemo specialist will suggest chemo, and so on. Nothing wrong with that, so long as one remembers that the specialist´s opinion is just that -an opinion.
I believe that the solution to cancer, or any other serious or chronic health issue, is rarely a single, silver bullet. The human body is a complex and profound interweaving of organs, tissue, chemical processes, genetic predispostion, emotions, feelings, nutrition and on and on. Before taking any drastic course of action, it would be advisable to explore alternative approaches.
It may turn out that surgery is the best approach, but you won´t know that until you´ve done a bit of homework. In the end, surgery, or whatever, may be the best option to start with. Don´t stop there, however. Think of it as just one tool among many. Don´t be afraid to break open the tool box and see what´s inside. Besides a hammer, who knows what else you might find.
P.S. Until a few months ago, I didn´t know what an osteopath did, other than it was something to do with bones. Bones don´t really have anything to do with my type of cancer, but when I heard the osteopath´s name mentioned, there was an intuitive feeling that I needed to see this lady. I followed up on that and now my breathing and my liver are both functioning better.
Interestingly, more breath, i.e. more oxygen, is related to cancer because cancer can´t live in an aerobic environment. Liver is related to cancer because the immune system won´t get to the cancer if the body, due to a sluggish liver, has a backlog of toxins to deal with.
At the end of the session, I made an appointment for next week and the week after that. It will be interesting to see what else turns up. In the meantime, me and my (tender) liver are very grateful.
From the previous post....
"On my seventeen-year journey toward being cancer free, I have had dozens of MRI,s PET scans, CAT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. I have tried a wide variety of approaches: reiki, healing touch, chiropractic, accupuncture, as well as over 100 hours each of rolfing and cranial sacral therapy. In all that time, my liver issue was never identified or addressed."
This is not a criticism of the the therapists, all of whom are extremely talented and who I recommend whole heartedly. This is a reminder that each modality sees the world through it´s own lens. It´s like the adage about a man with a hammer. To him everything looks like a nail.
Each specialty offers its heartfelt solution to your problem. The surgeon sees a tumor and wants to cut it out. The radiation specialist will recommend radiation. The chemo specialist will suggest chemo, and so on. Nothing wrong with that, so long as one remembers that the specialist´s opinion is just that -an opinion.
I believe that the solution to cancer, or any other serious or chronic health issue, is rarely a single, silver bullet. The human body is a complex and profound interweaving of organs, tissue, chemical processes, genetic predispostion, emotions, feelings, nutrition and on and on. Before taking any drastic course of action, it would be advisable to explore alternative approaches.
It may turn out that surgery is the best approach, but you won´t know that until you´ve done a bit of homework. In the end, surgery, or whatever, may be the best option to start with. Don´t stop there, however. Think of it as just one tool among many. Don´t be afraid to break open the tool box and see what´s inside. Besides a hammer, who knows what else you might find.
P.S. Until a few months ago, I didn´t know what an osteopath did, other than it was something to do with bones. Bones don´t really have anything to do with my type of cancer, but when I heard the osteopath´s name mentioned, there was an intuitive feeling that I needed to see this lady. I followed up on that and now my breathing and my liver are both functioning better.
Interestingly, more breath, i.e. more oxygen, is related to cancer because cancer can´t live in an aerobic environment. Liver is related to cancer because the immune system won´t get to the cancer if the body, due to a sluggish liver, has a backlog of toxins to deal with.
At the end of the session, I made an appointment for next week and the week after that. It will be interesting to see what else turns up. In the meantime, me and my (tender) liver are very grateful.
Dec 2, 2009
Me and My Liver
A couple of weeks ago I went to see an osteopath. It was mostly an intake session where I listed all the "bruises" over the years: Vehicle accidents, getting kicked in the head by a horse, motorcycle mishaps, broken bones, etc. Turns out the last half century has been a bumpy ride!
At the start of today´s appointment, I told her about an additional three incidents, one of them a situation in Grade 9, almost forty years ago. It was the start of school and I was standing making conversation with a few guys in my class, when someone walking by sucker punched me real hard in the abdomen, just under the sternum. It knocked the wind out of me. I dropped in a heap on the ground. I didn't have any air, nor could I breath. It was a horrible feeling.
The osteopath had already noticed that I breathe quite high up in the chest, so after my story she figured she´d start with a look at my abdominal area. Turns out my liver was totally compressed and stuck to my diaphragm.
After about an hour of visceral work it released. It was a lovely sensation. I could feel the breath going so much further down. Breathing into my belly, which has always been very difficult was absolutely effortless. I felt like I was getting 30% more air with each breath. Belly breathing is now a piece of cake. My yoga teacher will be impressed!
On my seventeen-year journey toward being cancer free, I have had dozens of MRIs PET scans, CAT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. I have tried a wide variety of approaches: reiki, healing touch, chiropractic, accupuncture, as well as over 100 hours each of rolfing and cranial sacral therapy. In all that time, my liver issue was never identified or addressed.
I´d like to share some thoughts on that in my next post.
At the start of today´s appointment, I told her about an additional three incidents, one of them a situation in Grade 9, almost forty years ago. It was the start of school and I was standing making conversation with a few guys in my class, when someone walking by sucker punched me real hard in the abdomen, just under the sternum. It knocked the wind out of me. I dropped in a heap on the ground. I didn't have any air, nor could I breath. It was a horrible feeling.
The osteopath had already noticed that I breathe quite high up in the chest, so after my story she figured she´d start with a look at my abdominal area. Turns out my liver was totally compressed and stuck to my diaphragm.
After about an hour of visceral work it released. It was a lovely sensation. I could feel the breath going so much further down. Breathing into my belly, which has always been very difficult was absolutely effortless. I felt like I was getting 30% more air with each breath. Belly breathing is now a piece of cake. My yoga teacher will be impressed!
On my seventeen-year journey toward being cancer free, I have had dozens of MRIs PET scans, CAT scans, X-rays and ultrasounds. I have tried a wide variety of approaches: reiki, healing touch, chiropractic, accupuncture, as well as over 100 hours each of rolfing and cranial sacral therapy. In all that time, my liver issue was never identified or addressed.
I´d like to share some thoughts on that in my next post.
Dec 1, 2009
First Month Overview
Here I am at the one month mark. Amazing!
I thought I would take a moment to share some observations. In no particular order:
Christmas blessings everyone.
I thought I would take a moment to share some observations. In no particular order:
- I believe the only way I´ve gotten here is with the moral support and advice of my sister, and the decision to take it one day at a time -sometimes an hour at a time.
- Interestingly, physical hunger has not been a big issue. The big challenge has been psychological, particularly the first couple of weeks. After the third week, what people were eating and the fact that I couldn´t have hot food or a coffee seemed to bother me less and less. Don´t get me wrong. It´s still a day-by-day affair. I still have to talk myself out of having a coffee or a oatmeal raisin cookie (they taste great and all things considered are pretty healthy... oatmeal, raisins... how bad can that be...).
- I´ve lost 15 pounds or so since leaving Edmonton Oct. 27th. As a result, my pants have been riding quite low, much like the baggy jeans style of the younger teenage set where more is seen that most adults care to see. That kind of style on a fifteen-year old may be appealing to some, but at fifity-five, definitely not a pretty sight. To the relief of many, I now sport a brand new leather belt.
- I´ve noticed that after a two or three weeks the food started to taste better. (If memory serves me right, the cells of our taste buds are replaced every two or three weeks). I´m preparing more of my own food, and consequently paying more attention when I´m eating it. I´m eating slower and enjoying it more, all of which helps out with digestion.
- It´s been mostly green salads, albeit with everything in it. It´s become a bit tedious, however. In the coming weeks, I will need to get on the web and search out some new raw food dishes.
- I tire easily. On average I´m sleeping eleven to twelve hours a night. It seems this cleansing process takes a fair bit of energy. If you have a serious condition, don´t wait till the last minute when you´re too weak to give raw food a try. With this approach there are no serious side effects, but that doesn´t make it easy. A Raw Food Diet is NOT for sissies!
- So far the investment in equipment has been limited to a Vita-Mix blender and a Green Star juicer, both of which are high-end units. You can get by with cheaper versions of course, but if you´re looking at a lifestyle change, then you can´t go wrong with these two. (I´ll be looking at equipment in more detail at a later date).
- The Christmas season is fast approaching. It will be interesting to see how I make out Christmas Day when all the dishes are out on display: the turkey sitting on the counter all basted and browned, the yummy, creamy, rum-spiked eggnog making its rounds, candy and chocolates at every turn, gorgeous-looking, mouth-watering desserts in the pantry, the smell of baked goods wafting through the air....
Christmas blessings everyone.
Nov 29, 2009
Week Four Summary
This past week, my fourth, has been pretty good overall. I'm feeling a bit stronger and alert in the mornings. Every once in awhile I have the energy to go later into the evening than say a couple a weeks ago when I was bushed by 8pm or so.
This past week I finished a five-day grape fast. It went well. I was pleasantly surprised by how well I was able to maintain my activities without a major drop in my energy levels, despite eating only grapes the entire time.
11/22/09 11/29/09 Change
Weight 147.6 lbs. 146.8 -0.8 lbs.
Doing the fast last week skewed the results somewhat. Accordingly, this week´s weight loss is minimal. I suspect weight loss here on in will be much slower as I reach my ideal weight.
Body Fat 30.1 lbs. 29.4 -0.7 lbs.
Virtually all of the weight loss is fat, which is great.
BMI 20.4 20.0 -0.4
The weight loss is reflected in the Body Mass Index calculation.
Body Fat 23.2% 23.0 - 0.2%
Same as above but as a percentage.
Water 58.1% 58.4 + 0.3%
Up again, ever so slightly, which is great. Still having difficulty remembering to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Bone Mass 6.5% 6.5 No change
No more loss which is a good thing. Hopefully, we will see an increase in the weeks and months to come.
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