100 Perks of Having Cancer: Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It (10 page)

the concept of giving up my maid’s uniform to Kaitlyn, I spotted Donovan

out of the corner of my eye taking a load of laundry upstairs. Up until that

point, I could have sworn he did not even know that there was a laundry

room in our house.

I suppose in a way that learning new skills such as cooking and cleaning

was a perk for them. For example, Kaitlyn can now prepare an awesome

Thai stir-fry, and Donovan has completely mastered the art of cooking

chicken nuggets (flipping them at just the exact right moment!). It was def-

initely a perk for me to experience the proud feeling of having my teens

step up to the challenge when I needed them, and to hear others tell me

how lucky I am to have such thoughtful children. Cancer is a family disease,

I 28 J

Perk #6: Cancer Introduced My Teens to ALL Major Household Appliances

29

and sometimes I needed to be reminded that I was not the only one

affected. Following my diagnosis many people commented on how well I

coped with having cancer. I think it is my children who really deserve the

accolades.

A difficult part of having cancer is relinquishing the

role of caregiver to your children. Allowing them

to help is like sowing the seeds of responsibility.

HEALTH TIP #6

Don’t Just Sow Your Seeds, Eat Them, Too!

S
eeds hold an amazing amount of potential. Just look at a tiny acorn and

think how huge that potential is! The potential for nutrition is just as

big, and with the variety of seeds available to you, you’re sure to find some

that you can easily use to enhance your healthy diet. Because seeds act like

tiny little energy confetti, you only need to consume a small amount to get

maximum benefits. Seeds all have their own unique flavor and work well

with different kinds of foods. Sesame seeds, for example, work well with

Asian dishes and are wonderful in salads, while sunflower seeds are great

for snacking.

There are some extraordinary seeds that up until now were hard to find.

Don’t get me wrong; I love good ole sunflower seeds just as much as the

next person, but I tend to look beyond the ordinary and toward the
extra
-

ordinary to find the most powerful seeds with the most efficient form of

cancer-fighting effects. Following are my top three “super seeds” with a brief

rundown on what makes them so special:

Flaxseeds:
Flaxseeds are light brown in color and look like a larger version

of sesame seeds. When eaten whole, without being ground or crushed,

flaxseeds provide a special kind of fiber in your diet that can help with

constipation, which is great. But the real benefits are seen once they are

30

100 Perks of Having Cancer

ground, as they release cancer-fighting lignans and omega-3 fatty acids. Lig-

nans can act as anti-estrogens, and it is believed that they can have some

preventative effect on all cancers but especially breast and other hormone-

related cancers. The best way to take advantage of all the health benefits

of flaxseeds is to crush or grind them and use within twenty-four hours.

After being ground they start losing their beneficial effects. Flaxseed oil can

also be taken as a supplement as it contains the omega-3s but not the

potent lignans. It’s the lignans that are the potent cancer protectors, espe-

cially for hormonal cancers.

One ounce (about two tablespoons) of seeds has 150 calories, 12 grams

of fat, 6,388 milligrams omega-3, 1,655 milligrams omega-6, 3 grams fiber,

and 5 grams protein.

Big benefits of flaxseeds: omega-3s and healthy bowels.

Chia seeds:
Cha-cha-cha-chia. Okay, you’ve got to remember Chia Pets! Yes,

all those years of playing with those seeds (that got everywhere, and then

Mom would yell) and we never realized what a nutritious, healthy toy we

had. No one ever thought, back then, that we would be buying these to eat

for our health! Chia seeds look a lot like poppy seeds. The chia gets its name

from the Mayan word for “strength.” When left in a liquid like juice or water

for about fifteen minutes, they will absorb the fluid and thicken its consis-

tency. That can make for better smoothies, but it also means that they

expand in your stomach, making that “full feeling” last a bit longer, and

that can be helpful if you’re trying to lose weight.

One serving (one ounce) of tiny little chia seeds provides you with 42

percent of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) for fiber (11 grams)

and 177 milligrams or 18 percent of your RDA for calcium. That’s
three times

more calcium per ounce than milk. You don’t have to consume one whole

serving in one meal, as these tiny little things can be sprinkled just about

anywhere and in any food throughout the day.

One ounce (about two tablespoons) of seeds has 137 calories, 9 grams

fat, 4,915 milligrams omega-3 (that’s equivalent to about ten omega-3 sup-

plements!), 1,620 milligrams omega-6, 11 grams fiber, and 4 grams protein.

Big benefits of chia seeds: omega-3s, calcium, and fiber.

Perk #6: Cancer Introduced My Teens to ALL Major Household Appliances

31

Hemp seeds:
Yes, hemp—but don’t think “pot” when you see these. The

hemp plants grown for food and textiles like clothes and fibers are com-

pletely different from pot plants and don’t contain THC (the drug com -

ponent of the marijuana plant), so the high you get will be from knowing

that you’re eating healthy, not from anything in the seeds. Hemp seeds

usually come shelled and are small and light. They have a bit of a nutty

flavor and are great in cereals and oatmeal. Most people who are allergic

to nuts and gluten can eat hemp seeds without a reaction. They are very

high in protein so it’s a good protein source if you’re switching from eating

animal-based proteins to a more plant-based diet.

One ounce (about two tablespoons) of hemp seeds has

162 calories, 13 grams fat, 2,436 milligrams omega-3, 7,728

Just a little spoonful

milligrams omega-6, 1 gram fiber, and 10 grams of protein.

of any of these seeds

Big benefits of hemp seeds: high protein, no allergens.

here and there can

add up to big health

Again, the easiest way to include these seeds in your diet

benefits for you.

is to add a sprinkle here and there as any amount is bene-

ficial. If you want to include one serving of chia, for example, measure out

one to three tablespoons in a small bowl and set it out so you’ll be reminded

to add a bit to your food during the day. When the bowl is empty, you’re

done.

These certainly are not the only seeds to provide a boost to your health.

Take the time to explore other seeds like caraway, fennel, poppy, and pump-

kin. (See more on pumpkin seeds in Health Tip #39.)

Perk #7

I Didn’t Have to Go to Work

O
ne of the most unusual perks of having

cancer for me was being off work for

more than a year. I work in the field of edu-

cation, so every year since I was five years

old, I had been heading back to school in

September. It felt strange when September

rolled around and I found myself putting

the kids on the bus and going back home

. . . strange, but GOOD! I couldn’t resist the

urge to skip down the driveway and sing,

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

I got to enjoy the luxury of having the

whole house to myself and really focus on

getting well.

Recovering from cancer became my full-time job. It required secretarial

skills, such as scheduling and rescheduling numerous appointments. I also

kept detailed notes of my doctor visits and copies of my tests and scans.

My research skills had never been better, as I combed the Internet in search

of information to help me better understand my diagnosis and make

informed decisions about my treatments. I educated myself on diet, nutri-

tion, exercise, and the use of supplements. I also became a practitioner of

alternative healing modalities, as I administered Reiki and angel therapy

sessions to myself in my own personalized healing sessions. Not only did

I make recovery my full-time job, but I also promoted myself to CEO of

my own health!

If you are fortunate enough to have sick leave,

why not use it? Make getting well your full-time job.

I 32 J