Stage IV Cancer – 1 Year Later 17 min read
Jan 21, 2018 by Jenine Kinsella
HELLO BEAUTIFUL! It feels so good to write again. My latest setback with cancer these past couple of months have made my intentions to post on this blog weekly difficult. When the cancer was on a better course, meaning it was almost impossible to see on a CT scan for almost 6 months, I was able to go for my treatments every three-weeks.
In-between treatments I felt completely normal, and actually felt more like myself than I had in a long time. I had more time .… more time for my family and friends, more time to write, more time to read, meditate and do Bible Study. I even time to pursue my holistic skincare, and Young Living Essential Oil business…..in my early days of diagnosis, I never thought this would be possible.
But my scan results this past November showed the tumors had reared its ugly head back into my lungs, and the tumor in my liver grew in size as well. So the course of my treatment changed to a more aggressive chemotherapy. Plus, my treatments are back every two-weeks instead of every three-weeks. The accumulation of the chemo drugs over the past year make my recovery time much longer. Most times I do not feel well for entire week.
Losing two weeks each month to side effects from chemotherapy…..SUCKS.
For those who have been following my journey, you know in addition to modern medicine, I believe in a holistic based approach to healing.
Getting chemotherapy, and living holistically are on the opposite sides of the spectrum.
It may seem counterproductive, but I truly believe supporting my body with nutrition, emotional support, supplements, and a healthy lifestyle is just what I need for my immune system while going through the trauma of chemotherapy.
Balancing Western Medicine With a Holistic Lifestyle
Chemotherapy will only kill the symptoms of cancer, ie, tumors, but diet and lifestyle changes may give me the opportunity to overcome and possibly “cure” cancer. While I am grateful for chemotherapy and believe it will help rid the tumors in my body, it’s also important to support the body mentally, spiritually and physically as well. Despite what the conventional western medical professionals believe, cancer doesn’t just come out of nowhere. It’s not just a case of bad luck.
Instead, it is my conviction that cancer, or disease of ANY kind is an total imbalance in your body, and your immune system. Whether genetic, emotional, environmental, or diet, something in the body is off. Finding the root cause of this cancer while balancing the body with the right diet and supplements, staying away from alcohol, eliminating stress, creating positivity, and staying active is vital when you are fighting a disease. Overcoming and healing cancer is my number one priority.
My Holistic Approach
About every 60 days I meet with my Integrative Doctor who talks with me about my side effects. She examines me and takes a full blood workup, and tests for bacterial overgrowth and inflammation. We meet shortly after with my bloodwork results which is treated with targeted supplementation and diet.
The biomarkers taken is much more examined compared to conventional testing. I am evaluated as an individual and how MY body responds to the recommended diet, and lifestyle recommendations. Of course my chemotherapy drugs are taken under consideration.
My Doctor will then determine what my body is lacking and prescribes and/or suggests supplements to balance my body while making my compromised immune system strong. Currently, I am on supplements and natural compounds which support immune system, colon, liver, kidneys, as well as high doses of essential vitamins and nutrients my body is lacking. Regular coffee enemas to clean the liver, as well as sauna therapy is also strongly recommended. I can talk more about coffee enemas and saunas for healing in another blog post.
While I am grateful for chemotherapy and believe it will help rid the tumors in my body, it’s important that I also support my body mentally, spiritually and physically as well.
Healing Foods & Drinking Butter In My Coffee
One of the biggest revelations I made after I made the plunge into a whole food diet was how food obsessed our culture is. Before I was diagnosed with cancer, eating out was quite a hobby of mine. But the truth is, restaurant and man-made food is full of preservatives, sugar, and heavy oils. Not to mention they are nutritionally deficient.
If you want to heal cancer or any other disease, your diet has to either promote health or promote disease.
I made a choice very early on to make HUGE changes to what I put into my body. And I never felt better! I follow an organic plant based diet. I am NOT 100% vegan because I indulge in fish and eggs a few times a month. Also, Butter Coffee, aka, Keto Coffee, or a Bulletproof Coffee has been my morning cup of Joe. A Butter Coffee is made with unsalted, grass fed butter, and MCT oil added to a brewed cup of organic coffee. I could write an entire post about Butter Coffee so I will just quickly summarize.
Butter Coffee
The idea of a Butter Coffee is to give the body fat to fuel us for the entire day. Technically Butter Coffee was introduced to those who follow a Keto diet. A Keto diet is a low carb diet designed to produce ketones in the liver to be used as energy instead of using glucose as energy. The result and goal is for the body to be a metabolic state of ketosis. Being in a ketosis state is a healthy way to lose weight, produce more brain power and have more physical endurance.
Butter coffee must be made with organic coffee free of synthetic pesticides. When soil is natural, coffee is more nutritious, resulting in healthier plants and beans. Butter coffee is made with a french pressed cup of coffee, blended with unsalted grass-fed butter, and MCT oil. MCT Oil is a concentrated form of coconut oil.
It’s easy to digest and metabolize. The combination of organic coffee, the fat in the grass fed butter, and the MCT oil make an amazing, healthy, and energizing cup of coffee. Actually, it makes me feel like superwoman each morning. And the best part, you are not filling up your cup with sugar or other artificial ingredients to make the coffee taste better. It is decadent, and DELICIOUS I promise.
Read more about the health benefits and how to make it here.
Making a Decision to Promote Health in Every Bite I Take.
Very early in my diagnosis I cut out beef and chicken from my diet. Later I ditched dairy, processed sugar, junk food, and gluten. Juicing and smoothies have become part of my daily diet as well. The results of eating this way have given me a ton of energy, improved my mood, and make me rebound from chemotherapy nicely. My hair thinned incredibly from treatment. I had to shave my head back in April, but I did not lose my hair entirely. It’s actually growing in a ton lately! Not losing my hair is a true testament to how strong my body still is.
While I have learned a lot about the body during my healing journey. I do not believe in a one size fits all approach to disease, especially cancer. A lot of people ask me for advice on what diet to follow, but what works for me many not work for others. Some people will thrive including meat in their diet, while others really should stay away. It’s the same with fermented foods like homemade Sauerkraut.
Eating fermented foods do wonders on my gastrointestinal system, but some people have told me they suffer gastrointestinal pain from ingesting fermented foods. One strong belief I will share with you is this…..filling your plate 80% organic vegetables at every single meal, eliminating processed sugar, gluten, ALL dairy milk and cheese, and taking the time to feel what your body needs/wants after every single meal will change your life. This means also ditching junk food and take-out food. #sorry
The Mind Body Connection To Cancer
Research shows that cancer formation thrives on negative emotions. Negativity includes constant stress, resentment, anger, bitterness, etc. Research also shows that there is a “cancer personality”, and that 90% of disease stems from negativity, and stress.
Whatever your belief system is, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that suggests the mind-body connection and disease is very strong. Look, everyone has stress, and negative emotions, but it’s how we react to our emotions that could make all the difference. When you are depressed, or stressed, and in a fight or flight mode, your body is pumped and full of adrenaline ready to fight a tiger.
But instead of fighting a tiger, we are similarly stressed over seemingly everyday annoyances like work, traffic, etc.. The amount of adrenaline in modern society is unnatural and causes imbalance in our bodies. Daily meditation, yoga, exercise, and good night’s rest, are just some easy steps you can take to control innevatable stress we all face in this day and age.
Doing Yoga vs. Learning Yoga
I have been practicing Yoga for 15 years. From Hatha to Hot Yoga, Vinyasa to Qigong, I have tried them all. There have been years I’ve consistently done yoga daily and years where I didn’t practice yoga at all.
But my interest in practicing yoga every single day even my chemo days has never been more important than it is now. A few months ago I read a book by Brad Willis called “Warrior Pose: How Yoga (Literally) Saved My Life”.
Brad Willis, a News Foreign Correspondent healed and cured his broken vertebrae, addiction to alcohol and painkillers, and ready for this…….Stage IV throat cancer with yoga, diet, and ayurveda medicine.
Now, don’t get me wrong the author didn’t just roll out his yoga mat one day and presto he was healed. Instead, after hitting rock bottom and on the brink of death, NEVER practicing yoga, he became open-minded. And not only did he practice yoga poses, but the yoga philosophy, and language as well. Yoga became his way of life….his breath, his religion. Whether you are a Yogi or not, this book was an INCREDIBLE read. It gives us all encouragement and inspiration on how magnificent our bodies truly are. It also shows us how it is never too late to change our ways and heal. Our bodies are just incredible. I encourage you all to read it!
My Best Intentions
There is so much I learned over this past year, and intend to use this website as my platform as much as I can. It’s makes me feel good to possibly inspire someone who is going through cancer. I also want to encourage cancer survivors to take control of their health.
When you are first diagnosed with a cancer, you are like a deer in headlights….this is natural.
But once you get your bearings, there are some really positive steps you can take to heal your body. Take control of your body and do whatever it takes to fight. Stay open and take a close look at your life…..diet, lifestyle, your environment, toxic chemicals, etc. Our bodies CAN heal. Nothing is impossible! God Bless you all.
