Health Cafe Journey

If you have cancer, remember this no matter what you decide to do: Your immune system is designed to make you well, but it requires work on your part.  You will NOT do well if you expect to get better by following a treatment plan that is done to you without taking care of your body first. In other words, it's important to make the lifestyle changes needed to support a healthy body. Here is an action plan to get you healthy and give your body what it needs, as well as remove from your environment those things that will hinder your health. Clean House Go through your house and get rid of products that are full of chemicals and likely causing major havoc to your health. For example, the laundry detergent that is mostly filler and chemical perfumes. There are many healthy alternatives you can use to replace them—brands such as Planet and Seventh Generation . If you have a pest service, stop it! You don't need that stuff lingering around harming you while you think it takes care o...

I served this dish to my brother and sister-in-law who had just moved into the same new-home community we did a few weeks earlier. Moving is no fun and having a good home-cooked meal can make all the difference in getting back into the move with renewed energy. Running out for a quick meal you may regret eating or trying your luck by buying a quesadilla or pulled pork sandwich from the food truck that shows up each day at 11:30 could halt your progress. I thought this recipe I found in the Costco Connection magazine would be a hearty meal. Trying new recipes on dinner guests is a gamble, but I was game to try it. It did not disappoint. Try it out and see what you think. Cauliflower & Tomato Quiche Recipe from  Costco Connection Magazine yield  8 servings category  Main Dish cuisine  Vegetarian ingredients 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets 4 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, minced 8 organic eggs 1/2 C fresh chopped basil 1 C flour or gluten-free alternative...

When I first got my cancer diagnosis in 2008, I spent a lot of time researching and learning about my condition, the prognosis and cancer alternatives treatments. I discovered the Annie Appleseed Project , a non-profit organization that brings awareness to complementary and alternative treatments for cancer. Founder Ann Fonfa started the website as a resource for her own cancer treatment some 24 years ago since she found there was little information on the Internet about alternative and complementary treatments. Annie Appleseed Project Mission Statement The Annie Appleseed Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, provides information, education, advocacy, and awareness for people with cancer and their family and friends who are interested in complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) and natural therapies from a patient’s perspective. The Annie Apple Seed project has grown to include an annual conference, now in its 11th year. Called the Complementary and Alternatives Medicine (CA...

Ewww! Right? There seems to be an invasion of fruit flies in the Northern California region. Do you have a problem where you live? We recently moved into our new home and found fruit flies constantly plaguing us. You can never catch them. They're so wispy and tiny. As soon as you try to swat or clap them, they seem to be jetted away by the action. Those little buggers have a short life cycle. 24-hours after eggs are laid, new flies hatch and soon begin their harassment, which lasts up to 50 days. After noticing they were everywhere—other homeowners complained about them and you'd see them in stores and other establishments over a wide geographic area—I realized it was time to get serious about getting them out of our house. A simple trap is all you need to entice the little bug-eyes to their last drink. You'll be amazed at how many you catch. And you thought there were only a few in your home. Ha! They were about to take over! Throw out any overripe fruit which become breed...

I recently watched the Essential Oils Revolution 2 Online Event . Wow! Lots to learn. I hope you all took advantage of this awesome educational forum on essential oils. I'm certainly behind on understanding what, when and how to use essential oils myself. Here is a gem from the summit—A liver cleanse formula to rub on your skin over the liver.  The application location is below the right breast at the lower right rib cage. The caster oil is a carrier oil used to deliver the oils to the area. You can also use coconut oil or vegetable glycerin as a replacement for the caster oil (which is sticky and can stain clothing). Use 1 teaspoon of carrier oil for the total 20 drops in this formula. That is a 20% dilution allowing the oils to be massaged into a larger area and absorb slowly. The dilution does not reduce the effectiveness of the oils—they simply enhance the oils and soften any reaction that a straight oil may have on the body. This formula is great for cancer conquerers, whether...

Last month President Obama signed weak and flawed legislation into federal law that addresses GMOs in foods . It is called the DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know) act by those of us who believe we have the right to know what's in our food. It is a win for big chemical and biotech corporations, but a blow to the American family and the hope for a food supply that is healthy and transparent. It is also a stain on our republic as it erases any laws that states enacted (like Vermont) that require food labels to identify GMO ingredients. Plus it seems to be a clear violation of the 14th Amendment, as it would allow corporations to use QR codes instead of clear packaging on labels. Basics of the GMO Labeling Bill (aka DARK Act) Let's break it down: The words "GMO" or "genetic engineering" will NOT be required to be anywhere on the package. 95% of the ingredients that are GMO will NOT be included in the "labeling." The "labeling" that will b...

This past spring I listened to the 2016 Food Revolution Summit created by bestselling author John Robbins and his son Ocean Robbins. At the summit, John interviewed 24 of the world’s top food experts, including 16 medical doctors. More than 230,000 summit participants heard these enlightening interviews. For me they were very instructional and I learned new stuff. For others it was surely helpful for discovering a healthy lifestyle. For the next week (and maybe longer), the Food Revolution Network is replaying for FREE three of those interviews—In fact, the three most popular presentations from the summit . You’ll hear Joel Fuhrman, M.D. offer penetrating insights into exactly what foods to eat to achieve optimum nutritional excellence. Mark Hyman, M.D. will tell you about the science of nutrition and how to take advantage of the best elements of paleo and vegan diets. And Neal Barnard, M.D. will share breakthroughs in scientific understanding of how to not only prevent disease, bu...

There are 14 million new cancer cases each year with an expected 70% increase in the next 20 years. But did you know that 90% of cancers are preventable? Natural cancer treatment and prevention is possible. In the post Health Sites You Should Subscribe To , I identified six websites you should sign-up to receive email updates. Here's another to add to that list: Cancer Tutor . The “Cancer Tutor” website is a product of the natural medicine cancer researchers of the Independent Cancer Research Foundation, Inc. (ICRF). Every one of the 350+ articles and chapters was written by a natural medicine cancer researcher. If you are in the throes of dealing with cancer, discover your natural cancer treatment on Cancer Tutor . As background, check out  14 Questions and Answers About Cancer that could save your life.

When you were a kid did you not like mixing your food? I'll bet some of you didn't like different foods to even touch on the plate? Or were you the type that mixed it all up when you ate? My father used to say, "It all goes to the same place..." so it doesn't matter that you don't mix the food, it gets mixed up eventually. Here's a recipe that you can mix or not. Those with "do to touch" requirements... well... you can get a bigger plate. Vegetable Mélange with Tamari Ginger Dressing from Inspired by Food Matters yield 6-8 servings category Salad cuisine Vegan ingredients 1 C farro, soaked for 6 hours & rinsed 1-2 C filtered water 1/4 red cabbage shredded 2 tsp apple cider vinegar juice of 1/2 lime 1 C cooked garbanzo beans 1 avocado, thinly sliced 1 large carrot, grated or spiralized 1 large zucchini, graetd or spiralized Dressing: 2 Tbsp tamari 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 2 Tbsp sesame oil 1 tsp garlic sesame seeds, aka Gomasio directio...

Recently I changed my juicing/smoothie routine to maximize the nutrition I get. Seasonal fruit boosts the nutrition of your smoothies with added fiber and antioxidants. First, I juice veggies (kale, chard, mixed baby lettuce, carrots, celery, cilantro, beets, ginger, etc). Then I transfer the juice to my blender and add a piece or two of fruit (apple, cantaloupe, mango, pears, fresh berries, etc) and blend for one minute. What this combination accomplishes is a highly nutritious drink with concentrated nutrients from the veggies and blended fruit with all the benefits of eating whole fruit. Adding a variety of fruits to your diet has great benefits. They provide essential nutrients and vitamins including potassium, Vitamin C, and folate. Fruits also provide necessary fiber, which helps moderate the effect their sugar has on insulin, thus reducing diabetes and heart disease. In addition, fruit adds such beautiful color to any meal! Best to get fruit from a local source and in season, wh...

Tip Turmeric and Black Pepper is a cancer-fighting dynamic duo. Turmeric is naturally high in a powerful anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin. Black Pepper contains an alkaloid called piperine that significantly enhances the bioavailability of curcumin. Spice up your food with these two power house health condiments, which is found in curries and thus many recipes in Indian cuisine. ( Source:  foodmatters.tv )

For that occasional  time you want a sweet treat, this raw chocolate raspberry bark is very easy to put together. And quilt-free to eat. I buy organic cacao nibs and grind them to make the cacao powder using a coffee grinder I dedicate to making nut and seed flours. Coffee beans leave too much oil and residue behind. So it's best to have another grinder you use for grinding anything but coffee. A square glass pyrex pan works great to freeze the chocolate mixture into a bark. Rubbing the bottom and sides with coconut oil before pouring the mixture will make removing the frozen cut squares easier. Enjoy this delicious dessert anytime and get the heart healthy benefits of antioxidants, magnesium and healthy saturated fats. Raw Chocolate Raspberry Bark from Food Matters yield 24 pieces category Dessert cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian ingredients 1/2 C raw cacao powder 1/4 C maple syrup 1/2 C coconut oil, melted 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 C almond butter 1/2 C raspberries 3 Tbsp chopped rolled oa...

In a March post Learn How to Heal Cancer Naturally , I outlined what you can expect in the future from this blog to help you be more knowledgable about your health—how you can achieve it and maintain it. Become your own advocate for health. All while feeling amazing and loving the food you eat. Truly! There's nothing more delicious than REAL food—plant-based (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, intact grains, spices and herbs). ...But I digress. The following are sites that I subscribe to and I recommend you do too: The Truth About Cancer I hope you had a chance to view the 9-part video series The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest . If you did, you were likely blown away with all the non-harmful treatments and protocols out there that can heal cancer (and BTW often heal any other health issues you might have). Ty Bollinger and his team continue to bring you health articles, doctor interviews and occasional recipes. Subscribe to their email newsletter at The Truth About Cancer  at the...

If you watch any TV, you are continually bombarded with ads for drugs. Did you catch the ad for Opdivo in the barrage? This immunotherapy drug for lung cancer is the first of many to hit the market. It promises to significantly increase the chance of living longer versus chemotherapy. But if you pay attention to the ad, you'll learn that the drug could cause severe organ damage and death. If the patient survives all that, they may only live three months longer . What? Only THREE months? And at what quality of life? Watch the commercial, but don't be distracted by the older folks that look so hopeful, happy and even healthy. Instead read the fine print that appears on the bottom and then listen as they rattle off the side effects. This stuff makes me crazy. I do not understand how anyone would find this good! The commercial finishes with a sick (IMO) tribute to the patients who participated in the trial for approval—some of whom died while others experienced serious reactions or...

For Memorial Day weekend we took a road trip up the state (California) to the college town of Chico where my husband Bob earned his finance degree. He always raved about Bidwell Park, which followed Big Chico Creek through a portion of the town. There are miles of paved trails under a shady canopy of large trees and lush greenery bordering the creek. Picnic benches dot the route offering an invitation to stop and enjoy the cool creek. We brought our mountain bikes for the purpose of riding the trials. So off we went. We rode from Lower Bidwell Park all the way to Upper Bidwell Park where you can opt for more adventurous single-track, dirt trails. We saved the dirt trails for the following day when we spent several hours navigating up and down slightly technical trails (filled with protruding rocks of all sizes) getting a great workout—ending with a stop along the upper creek with a chilly dip for our weary feet. Since I may not find healthy food to eat on trips, I always plan ahead and...

Tip Cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables are shown to prevent a number of cancers. However, if these veggies are cooked or frozen, the cancer-fighting phytonutrient called sulforaphane is unavailable. But wait! If you add a little ground mustard powder after cooking, you replace the enzyme needed to release the suforaphane. (Source: Foodmatters.tv )

I hope you were able to watch and learn from The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest docu-series. Perhaps you even invested in the videos— I did —and plan on watching again to get the maximum benefit and so you can pass the videos on to friends and family. I hope you got that there is not just one way to heal from cancer without harm to your body, but multiple. You can put together a protocol that works for you—with or without the help of a practitioner. I told you I would be passing on valuable educational opportunities so you could be as knowledgeable as me about your health. If you look to the so-called healthcare system (really should be called disease management ) you may not succeed in getting healthy. You really are in control of your health. Talk About Food Getting to the heart of how we become healthy and heal from disease or avoid disease in the first place, we must look at food . Coming up this weekend is the start of the Food Revolution Summit . Are you worried about what’s...

Tip Drizzle tomatoes with a little olive oil. Besides being a tasty combo, you get great nutritional benefits. Tomatoes are naturally rich in lycopene, which is a carotenoid believed to protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Olive oil actually helps us absorb lycopene. So pour it on! ( Source: Foodmatters.tv ) PS Don't forget there's still time to see Episode One of The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest .

Okay, dear readers, here's your first step to being an expert at healing cancer. First, you need to understand your risk of getting cancer. Most people have just a fuzzy picture (at best) of what their personal risk of getting cancer really is. This powerful quiz will give you a much clearer picture... and it takes only 42 seconds! Even better, you'll find out how to best prevent cancer based on your results. Take this quiz that will take less than a minute to discover your personal risk for cancer. What you may be SURPRISED to discover after you take this 42 second quiz is there are now many (non-drug, non-surgery) advances in fighting and preventing cancer. You'll want to know about them, you probably haven't heard of most of them yet, but the bottom line as you'll see is... You can prevent cancer.  And you can defeat it if you have it. It starts with discovering your current cancer risk level, so take this important quiz right now . It may just be the best 42 ...