I have launched into an investigation into healing, cancer, liver disease, diet and nutrition, and living well. It started with checking out Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips by Kris Carr from the library and reading it straight-through. She gives a lot of great ideas about how to live with the diagnosis and to take a healing and wellness attitude toward it. That has affected me the most. She also underlines the need for a good, nutritious diet that is plant-based. She started out vegetarian and is now completely vegan. There are a lot of links to other informative websites and books, so I've been branching out from there. Kris is a young cancer survivor (diagnosed at 31) so she has a spunkiness and vitality that I needed to hook up to. She has a Facebook page (Crazy Sexy Cancer), so look her up. Especially if you have cancer and need a lift and some inspiration to fight back.
Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman (MD) is one of the first diet books I read about veganism and using it to cure -- yes, cure as in heal and get rid of -- diseases and afflictions. He covers heart disease, high cholesterol and other indicators of oncoming heart disorders, diabetes, cancer, and many other chronic conditions that are a result of the Standard American Diet (SAD). It is SAD! We can all make adjustments to our diets to make them healthier without having to go all the way vegan. Add more fresh fruits and especially green vegetables to your diet today. Try to get organic, but if you can't, just eat the fruits and veggies you like and can find. Frozen ones are good, too. And cut out sodas - they deplete your bone density with this stuff called phosphoric acid that's in every soda container! Seriously. Hey, I still drink coffee and love my Starbucks, but I just do it moderately. You know? But not the sodas.
Right now I'm reading a book by Uri Geller (you know, the spoonbender?) about mind power and he has some very unique things to offer everyone. His mind and abilities have been studied at the National Institute of Health and his intuitive and mental powers have been used by the FBI, the CIA, and even our State Department in important international negotiations. All he has to do at those meetings is to sit there and send positive thought waves to our opponents on important points! His book is called Mind Power. I don't like the writing so much, a bit dry and technical in some places, but he had someone helping him write it. His own voice doesn't come through as clearly as it should. A good, informative read, though, for anyone trying to get a better grip on life.
I choose every morning when I get up to be happy and to have a good day. That is my mental workout. I have a lot to be happy about and grateful for. Today, I am thankful for everyone who read this post. Oh, what did this vegan have for breakfast? Ezekiel sprouted whole wheat bread toasted and spread with organic peanut butter and a blackberry fruit spread (no sugar), two Cutie oranges, and a green drink made by Bolthouse (sort of like Naked Juice). Yum!
Be well. And happy.
Hi Dana. I came across your blog when I googled *primary sclerosing cholangitis joel fuhrman*. A friend of mine is about to be a live donor for her sister who has the disease. I just gave her Dr. Furhman's book, Eat to Live.
ReplyDeleteI come from a family of very unhealthy eaters and have spent my life trying to do otherwise -- in a world of ever-changing messages, most thanks to the food manufacturing industry. Despite my efforts, at 55 I found myself with high blood pressure, high cholestrol and told I needed to have my right knee replaced. (None of this begins to compare with what you are going through.) Point is, I discovered Dr. Furhman and the dim, confusing light of reason came on loud and clear!
I hope you don't mind if I follow your blog. I think this diet could cure your Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. It is, afterall, an autoimune illness, for which Furhman has had much success. I am a HUGE fan and he is so right: give yourself a chance and you will LOVE your fruits and veggies. You can, technically, eat anything else you want, but soon you'll feel so good, you won't want to. Guaranteed.
Joyce in Seattle
Hi Joyce,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for writing to me and yes, please keep reading my blog! I think it's interesting what you googled and that my blog showed up. I started out writing about PSC and other chronic illnesses that lots of other people struggle with. But then I was diagnosed last fall with breast cancer and that put a different light on everything. And I felt I had to DO something. I started reading and reading and reading. And I spent about a week and a half with friends who have become vegans and one of the books they read was Dr. Fuhrman's book. It's been the best one about diet that I've read. I immediately started following the diet - or at least working my way into it. I was lucky because of that stay with my friends, eating their food, and noticing how much better I felt in a short time.
I hope you are trying the diet. You don't have to become a vegan overnight, but you can work your way into vegetarian and then take the next step when you are ready. I have absolutely no desire to eat meat and though some days I'm not a complete vegan (I love broccoli cheddar soup at Panera!), it's fairly easy to do it, even if you live alone.
Thanks again for your comment, and I wish the best to your friend being a live donor for her sister. And remember this, don't compare your medical situations to someone else and diminish what you are going through. I would hate to have knee pain and I do believe the diet can even help that. You deserve the best care and compassion no matter what chronic situation you find yourself in. And treat yourself like that!
Dana