Tag: Well-being

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Get Screened the Healthy Way


Pink October

As October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there is a lot of push for women to go get mammograms in order to detect any signs of breast cancer. There’s an estimated 200,000 new cases of breast cancer every year in the United States. One in eight women will take on this disease and it is the leading cause of death in women from ages 40 to 55. Therefore, it’s not an issue to be taken lightly.

Taking care of yourself and taking precautionary measures in preserving your health are things that should be done, but have you ever questioned if the methods in which you do so could actually be hazardous to your health?

Studies in the past few years have shown that techniques such as mammograms might actually increase your risk of getting cancer. One mammogram can potentially give you as much radiation as 1,000 chest X-rays. 1,000! A Premenopausal breast is even more sensitive to this radiation and each rad of exposure can increase breast cancer risk by 1%. A decade of screening increases your risk to 10%, and some radiologists fear that it’s even more than that. In other words, by getting checked with mammograms annually starting at the age of 40, by 50 you are at least 10% more likely to get the disease that you are attempting to avoid. That means 37 million women are increasing their breast cancer risk every single year.

Important points to note about mammograms and detecting breast cancer:

  • If you don’t have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, you increase your risk every time you check again.
  • If you don’t have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram but receive a false positive, you increase your risk even more with repeat, unnecessary screenings.
  • If you do have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, the compression of the machine can actually spread those cancerous cells.
  • If you do have breast cancer when you receive a mammogram, it might not save you anyway.

A study from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark suggested that those who had received mammogram screening only had a 1% reduction in risk of death as opposed to women who had not received screenings, whose risk was 2%. When you consider that you are increasing your risk 10% by just going to these screenings over the years, it starts to become apparent that you may, in fact, being doing much more harm than good.

So, are there other, safer alternatives to breast cancer screening? The answer is: of course.

Breast Thermography is a 15 minute, non-invasive method of testing one’s physiology in order to detect indications of early stage breast disease. It is a technique that was first introduced in 1956 and approved by the FDA in 1982. Thanks to technology advancement over the years, it is becoming a more reliable tool for detecting breast cancer. This procedure uses high resolution, digital, infrared cameras to detect heat patterns that may be indicative of breast abnormalities. The imaging can show very minute changes and patterns in temperature related to blood flow that might be related to the progression of tumors.

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One study at the University Hospital for Tumors showed that Breast Thermography was even more sensitive and detected more changes than Mammography. Out of 26 patients, 31 changes were detected by mammograms while 37 were detected by Breast thermograms.

A standard Breast Thermography procedure goes a little something like this:

  • Complete a breast health history form
  • Meet with staff to go over procedure
  • 15-minute wait to allow your body to reach a steady temperature
  • Positioned in front of imaging system to capture your imaging results
  • Meet with Thermologist to go over results

The findings can be rated in the below categories:

TH 1- Normal uniform non-vascular

TH 2- Normal uniform vascular

TH 3- Equivocal (questionable)

TH 4- Abnormal

TH 5- Severely Abnormal

It is important that you discuss the findings thoroughly with your Thermologist so that you understand what your results mean. You can also use the results to determine what your next best course of action is. At any rate, and even if you have to get a mammogram as a follow up, it is still safer to get 10 Thermology screenings prior to that mammogram, instead of increasing your risk of breast cancer 1% with every mammogram screening that you have instead.

Your body is a temple and should be treated as such. Ask yourself if traditional, conventional methods are worth putting your health at risk.

This October, protect yourself the healthy way! Look into Breast Thermology clinics near you.

 

 

Sources:

“Breast Thermography”. Pacific Chiropractic and Research Center. Last modified June 20th, 2016. http://www.breastthermography.com/breast_thermography_proc.htm. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

“What is Breast Thermography?” American College of Clinical Technology. http://www.thermologyonline.org/breast/breast_thermography_what.htm. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

Kolaric D, Herceg Z, Nola IA, Ramljak V, Kulis T, Holjevac JK, Deutsch JA, Antonini S. “Ruder Bosković” Institute, Centre for Informatics and Computing, Zagreb, Croatia. Published June 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23941007. Accessed September 14, 2016.

Mercola, Joseph M.D. “Your Greatest Weapon Against Breast Cancer (Not Mammograms)”. Published March 3rd, 2012. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/03/experts-say-avoid-mammograms.aspx. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

Sircus, Mark, M.D. “3D Mammogram Technology – Dangerous or Safe for Breasts?” Published October 7th, 2015. http://drsircus.com/medicine/3d-mammogram-technology-dangerous-or-safe-for-breasts/. Accessed September 6th, 2016.

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Kristin’s Story


For those of you who missed the AFA 5K on July 23rd and the interview with cancer survivor Kristin, below is her story.

 

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At forty three years old, Kristin was doing better than ever with her health. A few years prior she had been sixty pounds heavier and struggled with high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and depression. She went on a mission to tune up her body. She became a vegan. She became a health coach. She practiced a healthy, naturally-focused diet and lifestyle. The pounds shed off and she felt fantastic, finally headed in the right direction along the tracks of life.

Unbeknownst to her and despite how great she felt, this train would quickly derail and come to a screeching halt. She started noticing that her hair was thinning and that she began to have nail ridges, which she had never had before. Suspecting that it might be due to a thyroid issue or stress, she went in for a routine physical to figure out what was going on. At the request of her doctor, Kristin agreed to get a mammogram although she wasn’t entirely sure that she needed one. Something inside of her told her to just check in case. That little voice of intuition must have been guiding her with good intent, because the results showed that she had breast cancer.

She was floored. She didn’t understand how this could be, as she was incredibly health conscious and spent so much energy on maintaining her vitality. The doctors said that they believed it to be Stage 1 Breast Cancer, guessing that the tumor itself was around 1 centimeter in size. They recommended getting a biopsy and she complied. The results showed that the tumor was in fact cancerous.

On October 22, 2014, a Lumpectomy was performed. The tumor was not 1 centimeter; the Tumor was 7 ½ centimeters and had spread into her lymph nodes. In a split second, everything had changed. What they thought was Stage 1 Breast Cancer was actually Stage 3 Breast Cancer. This was far more serious. Due to her age, they recommended aggressive chemotherapy and radiation and wanted her to begin with these therapies in 8-12 weeks.

She was caught in a storm that she could not escape. She knew how serious the diagnosis was but also had a strong desire to stay committed to her natural lifestyle. Could she fight the disease in a holistic manner, without the commonly-used and highly-recommended traditional methods? She wasn’t sure. Experts were telling her one thing. Her heart was telling her another.

She had more fear about making this choice than she did about dying from the disease. “When I was with the oncologist there was a spirit of fear. Every time I went to the oncology building there was just a spirit of fear. And I understand it because cancer is a scary thing. But I was just not willing to make the decision from a place of fear”. So what did she do? She refused to accept that she had to use traditional therapies to win this war. She dug her heels into the ground, and said no.

During those following weeks that she would have otherwise been preparing for chemo and radiation, she started researching places that would provide her with the alternative treatment goals that she preferred. After searching in other states and even in other countries, she suddenly recalled a place right near home. The Total Health Institute in Wheaton, Illinois, was a place that she was already familiar with. She had gone there in 2011 somewhere near the start of her health journey but because she was doing okay at the time, she had never continued on to use a treatment plan. How strange that life somehow brings us right back to the beginning…

Total Health was founded by Dr. Keith Namac who has traveled around the world researching and discussing alternative methods with some of the top healing minds in our time. His belief is that God created humans to live in total health and that we can do so by repairing the very connections that make us who we are. In essence, along with physical changes that need to be made, there are a number of intangible issues that need to be handled as well. Kristin says that “the whole theory behind the treatment is getting mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual alignment so that your body can do what it is designed to do, which is heal itself”.

Their belief at the institute is that we all have cancer cells, but when our body is out of balance, we are unable to keep these cells from proliferating. Therefore, they set in place an intensive six month program to get her realigned and heading down the right tracks once again. She began a number of treatments designed to fight the cancer at many different levels. Along with an intensive, raw, vegan diet, she also took many supplements for deficiencies in vitamins and minerals. She began a nine-part therapy program that involved Biophoton Laser Therapy, Colon Hydrotherapy, Lymphatic Drainage Therapy, IV Vitamin C Therapy, PEMFT (Pulsed Electrical Magnetic Field Therapy), NeuroVisceral Therapy, Heart Brain Entrainment Therapy, NeuroHormonal Therapy, and Oxygen Therapy. Each and every one of these separate pieces work together in harmony to mend the whole.

For the most part she felt okay during these treatments. On her best days she had to remind herself that she even had the disease as she physically felt well. On her worst days, she had exhaustion and nausea from the detoxification that was happening in her body. She pressed on, though, determined to heal herself in the most natural ways possible. Throughout the ordeal, Kristin began processing her experience and emotions in healthy ways such as through counseling, writing in her journal, light exercise, and praying. She recognized that many illnesses are directly influenced by outwardly issues. “When we internalize what’s going on in our world, it has to be expressed somehow. Our emotions have to be expressed. And if we don’t handle them in a healthy way, our body will get them out somehow and it’s usually through illness”. She believes that her trapped emotions expressed themselves genetically through cancer, just as others will experience illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes when they fail to release present and past burdens on the mind and soul. “For me, that was key. I really had to address that”.

She also counts on her faith and connection to Christ. As a spiritual person, she prayed and attended church. After a year and a half, her prayers have been answered as she has had three clean mammograms. She also had large fibroids that decreased fifty percent in size despite the doctors saying that these would be sticking around until they could be removed. She believes that if she continues, these will be completely gone as well.

This is not to say that it was an easy road. On top of the taxing physical and emotional aspects of her recovery, she also racked up $20,000 in bills for her treatments. Her insurance would have covered half a million for conventional therapy, but wouldn’t contribute a dime towards a natural, alternative approach (and one that has helped her tremendously). She reached out to the community and to family and friends for support and created a GoFundMe account to assist with the colossal debt that she has acquired in simply trying to get better.  After hearing from a friend about Answers for Angels, she reached out to us as well. She then became the tenth recipient of the AFA grant.

Kristin’s costs for supplements and organic foods are still very high.  Please help her make ends meet by going to her GoFundMe account to donate.  If you’d like to receive a tax receipt, donate to AnswersForAngels and mention Kristin Sauer in the memo; we will send Kristin 100% of the funds.

Kristin, we are so happy for you and are proud to assist you on your journey and fight against cancer. We fully support your alternative approach and your healthy, optimistic views on healing. We will be with you every step of the way. Here’s to your happiness, health, and to reaching five years of clean mammograms!

Poking around at Integrative Medicine


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Acupuncture use can be traced back at least 2,000 years to China where it was commonly used to relieve pain, combat disease, and improve overall health. The ancient acupuncture practitioners believed that a life force or energy called Qi flowed throughout the body and that an imbalance or disruption in this energy would lead to disease or to a decline in health. To balance this energy and adjust its ability to flow would lead to optimal health.

In acupuncture practices, there are 12 meridians (or pathways) within the body and each one is associated with a respective organ. There are hundreds of points along these meridians that can be adjusted with needles that pierce the skin and allow energy to flow more freely and effectively to the targeted areas. The adjustments can improve both physical ailments (headaches, joint pain, abdomen pain, etc.) or mental ailments such as anxiety or depression. There are vast benefits of acupuncture on the mind and body and the impacts can be incredible. In fact, it is sometimes still used in China as the sole anesthetic during surgery!

There are many theories on how acupuncture works, whether the needle insertions alleviate pain by stimulating the release of endorphins or if pain impulses are blocked due to needle stimulation affecting the CNS. Others believe it to be a simple placebo effect. Regardless of how it works, the general consensus is that in some way, it certainly can.

When dealing with cancer, many patients and their families look to holistic means of recovery as one’s own mind and body can be extremely strong sources of support in healing. Due to its effectiveness in general pain relief and other common ailments, many hospitals, hospices, and clinics use acupuncture in their care. Patients are administered acupuncture to combat dry mouth, fatigue, breathlessness, hot flashes, and other uncomfortable issues. Many say that on top of the physical relief that they experience, they also find a greater sense of wellbeing and peace.

Acupuncture has not been shown to cure cancer, but it has been helpful in treating the symptoms of the disease and side effects of the medication. For cancer patients who would really like to look into alternative methods of treatment, acupuncture is a great place to start. Align your energy. Align your mind and body. Align your health. Align your life.

Keep checking us out on our blog and on our Facebook page for updated posts and event info.

We are committed to improving quality of life for those struggling with cancer and would love to help take away some of the burden from the patient and from their loved ones. If you are a patient and would like to try acupuncture at a clinic near you, please contact us for more information on how we can help cover the cost.

Here’s to fighting the fight together!

Sources:

“Acupuncture”. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/acupuncture. Accessed on July 10, 2016.

“Ancient Chinese Acupuncture”. Academy of Classical Oriental Sciences. http://www.acos.org/articles/ancient-chinese-acupuncture/. Accessed on July 10, 2016.

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Kicking Cancer’s Butt


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We have all heard that “Mind Over Matter” is a great phrase to remember while getting through tough times. Well these days, that theory is based in scientific fact. In 2014, Canadian researchers published a study that documented the overall benefits of using meditation in Cancer treatment. Those who used the practice had higher levels of telomeres than those who did not.

Telomeres are protein caps at the end of our chromosomes. The shortening of these chromosomes correlates with an increased Cancer risk. Therefore, the more you have, the better. Those who did not participate in the meditation in the study had lowering numbers of Telomeres. Interesting, right?

The mind is a powerful thing, and that’s why in the most difficult battle of our life, you should learn to utilize it. You’re not only soothing your mentality and soul with meditation, but as we now know, you’re also healing your physical body. The body works best when it’s working with the mind. The more connected you feel to yourself and to your inner strength and peace, the more your body feels it.

Here are a few other benefits to practicing meditation:

  • Increased awareness, including self-awareness
  • Improvement in emotions
  • Improvement in focus
  • Improvement in relaxation
  • Improvement in anxiety
  • Improvement in relationships (with self and others)
  • Improvement in confidence
  • Improvement in pain management
  • Increase in meaning and peace in your life

At the end of the day, you have two options when dealing with this fight. You can let the fight overcome you, or you can put your foot down and say that you will try. Whether you are trying meditation, trying positive affirmations, or simply trying to think positively, you are trying. With trying, you have already won.

If you or someone that you love is interested in giving meditation a try, here are several online links where you can listen along:

Cancer Healing Visualization/Guided Meditation

Healing Cancer Guided Meditation

Cancer Wellness Meditation

A few others can be found at:

https://www.doyogawithme.com/content/guided-meditations-help-fight-cancer

Thank you for reading and please take a moment to check out our website at http://answersforangels.com/ to see how we help Cancer patients fight their battles. If you know anyone who needs help, please direct them to us. You’re not in this fight alone!

You can also find us on our Facebook Page.

 

Article Sources:

Macdonald, Fiona. “World-first evidence suggests that meditation alters cancer survivors’ cells”. Science Alert. http://www.sciencealert.com/world-first-evidence-suggests-that-meditation-alters-cancer-survivors-cells. Accessed 6/27/2016.

Linda E. Carlson PhD, Tara L. Beattie PhD, Janine Giese-Davis PhD, Peter Faris PhD, Rie Tamagawa PhD, Laura J. Fick PhD, Erin S. Degelman MS, and Michael Speca PsyD. “Mindfulness-based cancer recovery and supportive-expressive therapy maintain telomere length relative to controls in distressed breast cancer survivors”. Wiley Online Library. Published November 3, 2014. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.29063/full. Accessed 6/27/2016.

Dr Tomislav Meštrović, MD, PhD. “Telomeres and Cancer”. News Medical. Published November 19, 2015. http://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Telomeres-and-Cancer.aspx. Accessed 6/27/2016.

Penny Widmaier, RN. “How meditation can benefit cancer patients”. Botsford Hospital. Published December 19, 2011. http://www.botsford.org/blog/index.php/2011/12/19/how-meditation-can-benefit-cancer-patients/. Accessed 6/27/2016.

Watch this cancer docuseries


You or someone you know who has cancer will benefit from watching this docuseries called the The Truth About Cancer, The Global Quest.  I watched it The Truth About Cancer - A Global Questthe first time a few months back, and was blown away with the information brought from around the world.  Its vision is that cancer does not have to be a death sentence and that there are ways of treating it using less toxic methods.

Ty Bollinger tours all over the world to interview 100+ doctors, scientists, researchers, and cancer survivors who are breaking their code of silence to reveal to you insights and solutions that you have never heard of before.

Just click on this link, The Truth About Cancer – A Global Quest and enter your name and email address to watch it.   The first picture you see is a hyperbaric oxygen tank which is something that Tara Hill is using as part of her cancer treatment.  You may recall reading about her in our previous article a few weeks ago.  You can reread about her alternative treatment here.

The series starts next Tuesday, April 12th and runs for 9 days.  You will not want to miss the wealth of knowledge coming from these people.  Write down their names, research them, sign up for their emails and follow them.

Thanks Ty, for bringing us this information!

 

A nonprofit grant that you will love!


At last, a nonprofit grant that you will l♥ve because it promotes the well-being of the cancer patient seeking alternative or integrative treatments!

A case in point is this summary of a phone call I received last week from a woman who has cancer. Briefly, this is what transpired from our 30-minute conversation. She consulted with a conventional doctor about the treatment plan he had for her which included surgery, chemo, and radiation. The woman did some research beforehand and knew enough to ask about the food that she should and should not eat and specifically if she should eat sugar. He said ‘eat whatever you want’. For her, this conversation confirmed, she did not want to use the conventional chemo and radiation treatment.
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Soon afterwards and to her amazement, she saw Answers for Angels’ brochure at Energy Nutrition in Frankfort, which prompted the phone call! She was in seventh heaven because she did not know that 1) there are integrative cancer clinics in the Chicagoland area and b) Answers for Angels provide a grant that can help her pay for the consultation to an integrative doctor and for some of the prescribed supplements and treatments!

Moral of the story…know your cancer treatment options and know that we are here for YOU and because of YOU!

If you are a cancer patient or you know someone who is, then check out our grant opportunity from Answers for Angels. The grant program helps cancer patients visit integrative oncologists and complementary health practitioners that many health insurance policies do not cover. Answer for Angels’ grant is meant to promote physical, mental, and emotional health and to balance the mind, body, and spirit.

To apply for the grant, visit the Answers for Angels’ website at http://www.AnswersForAngels.com, and click on the Grant Application page.

Kind regards,

Katie Davis

The Truth About Cancer – A Global Quest


We wish you good health, which is why we’re forwarding this info about natural & alternative solutions to preventing & healing cancer in this 9-day docu-series ‘The Truth About Cancer – A Global Quest’ which airs tonight, October 13, 2015 at 8pm Central time in the U.S.

Here’s a sneak peek video & sign up is free. https://go.thetruthaboutcancer.com/sneak-peek/?a_aid=

This series has 100+ doctors, scientists, & survivors (including Chris Wark from ChrisBeatCancer.com & another from surviving pancreatic cancer) from 27 countries who’ve integrated to show you that cancer can be prevented & reversed.

Answers for Angels researched & read a dozen books for the past few years to find the answers as to why we get cancer & how to best heal from it. All that information is summed up in this 9-day series.

Some of the topics discussed in the docu-series are:

1. The True History of Chemotherapy & The Pharmaceutical Monopoly including Dr. Patrick Vickers from Northern Baja Gerson Wellness Clinic (Tuesday, October 13th 8pm Central time)
2. Cancer Facts & Fictions, Breast Cancer, Hormones, Skin Cancer & Essential Oils (Wednesday, October 14th 8pm Central time)
3. Cancer-Killing Viruses, Cancer Stem Cells, GMOs, Juicing & Eating the Rainbow (Thursday, October 15th)
4. Excitotoxins that Fuel Cancer, Nature’s Pharmacy & Healing Cancer with Sound & Light (Friday, October 16th)
5. Cancer Causing Blindspots, Toxic Vaccines, Homeopathy & The Power of Emotions (Saturday, October 17th)
6. The NOCEBO Effect, Healing Vaccines, Advanced Detoxing & Going Inside A German Cancer Clinic (Sunday, October 18th)
7. Heal Cancer with Clean Electricity, Unique Water, Natural Sunlight & Combining Superfoods (Monday, October 19th)
8. Cannabis, Nature’s Epigenetic Switches, Peptides & Healing with Micronutrient Therapy including Dr. Burzynski who’s well-known for curing brain cancer (Tuesday, October 20th)
9. Cancer Conquerors & Their Powerful Stories of Victory including Chris Wark from ChrisBeatCancer.com & a woman who had pancreatic cancer (Wednesday, October 21st)

All episodes start at 8pm Central US time on the date listed above & is available for approx. 23 hours, after which time the next episode is loaded for your viewing pleasure 🙂

Thank you for being a part of Answers for Angels’ family & friends & for supporting our mission to help cancer patients pay for out-of-pocket expenses for these treatments. There was a lot of work put into bringing this series to us, so sign up at the bottom of this link. https://go.thetruthaboutcancer.com/sneak-peek/?a_aid=

Kind regards,

Katie Davis, President

At last, a nonprofit grant that you’ll love!


At last, a nonprofit grant that you’ll love because it promotes the well-being of the cancer patient seeking complementary or alternative treatments!

Are you a cancer patient or do you know someone who is? Then check out this new grant opportunity from Answers for Angels, a non-profit organization that offers programs and services to support individuals and/or families impacted by cancer.

Answers for Angels offers a unique grant program that helps cancer patients visit integrative oncologists and complementary health practitioners that many health insurance policies don’t cover. Complementary health practitioners help cancer patients manage the side effects from chemo, radiation, and surgery such as cognitive dysfunction, pain, nausea, etc. Answer for Angels’ grants are meant to promote physical, mental, and emotional health and to balance the mind, body, and spirit.

To apply for the grant, visit the Answers for Angels website at www.AnswersForAngels.com, and click on the Grant Application page.