Linda Taylor, FM Certified Health Coach

The Chris Beat Cancer coaching program starts a free showing tonight. With cancer affecting 1 in 4 Americans this information can be vital not just for treatment, but prevention. We have found it very helpful in my husbands cancer journey.

3 years, 3 months cancer free. We are very thankful. He had an aggressive B cell lymphoma that without treatment usually kills in months. I did not realize the ways blood cancers manifest. Not in the blood work. For Charles it was anemia, but that was from a slow bleeding lesion in his jejeunum. So after the removal of 8 inches of jejeunum, a pea sized lump on his rib, and spots on his spine that they said were either arthritis or cancer he underwent aggressive chemo with scary warnings like if there were other spots on his intestine the chemo may make a hole in the intestine (the surgeon however was quite confident that would not happen) necessitating his hospitalization for the first two treatments each expected to kill 50% of his cancer. So this was when covid first came out and we were also told they were going to destroy his antibodies (which are part of your B cells). You see why we are so grateful. So yes we deal with some chemo brain and some degree of long covid (without B cells you don’t respond to vaccines either, if you were wondering. Oh, maybe some, but no one really knows and individual results vary).

But we found the information Chris offered helpful. He includes one unit on spiritual and emotional health. Please consider if this investment in time could help you meet your health goals. Whether you or a loved one is dealing with cancer, there is good lifestyle medicine found in this series. Can it help you in your journey?

Another Keto Green 16 challenge has its introductory launch tomorrow (August 16). We eat so seasonally I shall have to sit this one out. Hard to go wrong eating green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, finishing peach crop, and kale. But in the winter will be happy to join.
So many keto foods cause inflammation. And some recent studies of xylitol ( I see a lot of it in some keto foods) at certain levels increasing stroke and heart attack risk. I like Anne Cabeca’s and Will Cole’s approaches that avoid inflammatory foods.

I appreciate Anne Cabeca saying if you can only do one thing, implement intermittent fasting. I will leave you with the same suggestion.

An added benefit of Keto-Green 16 is the limited list of foods you are eating during this period. While not a traditional elimination diet (for example night shades and soy are part of the diet), it does eliminate many common food allergies/sensitivities. As you add them back, you can see how your body reacts. I got that reminder when I ate raw peppers and the joints were sore that night. Hmm. Will avoid them another 2 to 4 weeks give it another trial. That would be a tough loss. I thought it was just raw green peppers that sometime bothered me (there is a chemical change as they ripen, so some people tolerate ripe peppers who can't take them green.)
Dr Anna did mention Biome food sensitivity testing. Not one that I am familiar with but may be worth checking in to if you have concerns.

Excited to have finished Keto-Green 16. By the numbers I lost 8 pounds, 0.5 inches from the waist, and 1.5 inches from my hips. but as great as this is, I am more excited that I feel better. My mind is clearer, inflammation down, so joints feel better and I don't feel as tired in the afternoons. I wish I could say the eczema was gone, but that has always been slow to clear. Charles says it is looks less red. There was a symptom inventory we did at the beginning, and both and I both had significant drops!
All in all, this is a good program to consider if you are willing to put in some extra time to decrease inflammation and to lose weight. She also reports decreased insulin resistance, which I believe is true, but I can't say that from my own experience.
I'd be happy to answer any questions you have or help to get you started.
Also note, she will be running a free menopause program next month if you are interested.

While there is still a menu for the last 3 days if you choose, it was suggested that we try fasting. I don't remember who it was suggested that the over 65 group should not water fast. Water fasting can break down muscles and they are much harder for this age group to rebuild. So, I set out to do the bone broth fasting option and see where that leads. Day one was fine. Today I probably waited too long to have the bone broth and started to feel bad. (Dr. Cabeca also considers it fasting if you drink one of her shakes if you need it or eat the "Not your momma's cabbage soup" recipe in the book).
Well, the rule is to listen to your body. I was sensing I needed something but didn't make it a priority. Doing fine once again after the shake. I had already planned to eat the soup for supper. Social time with hubby is a priority for us.
Now I know I need so carry some things with me to work tomorrow, just in case.
This fasting has kicked up the ketosis to the highest reading. And detoxing must be going on as well, as I can't keep away from the acid in my urine. Glad there is an alkalyzing drink I am now drinking 3 times a day. If not, I feel what they call Keto-flu. And did I mention the support in the Facebook group has been amazing? They make this Challenge so much more doable. Kudos.

These Buddha bowls are a meal from Keto Green 16 we plan to keep. Maybe alternate with the Chris beat cancer super salads for lunch. It was filling and easy to make ahead. Win!

Weight is coming down again. 6 pounds in these 12 days. Something to be thankful for. I hadn't realized that doing the vegetarian option is likely not going to result in as much ketosis (vegan protein has more carbs) and therefore one might not lose as much weight. Our modified approach seems to be working well. Charles struggles a bit to keep weight up, I am losing weight and we both are feeling the detoxifying/hormone balancing effects we wanted when we started Keto-Green 16.

So, what do you do with Keto-Green 16 if you don't have a weight loss goal but want better health. That is actually where Charles is right now. So, he will widen his "feeding window" an hour or 2 to add another meal. Decrease the fasting window from, you guessed it, 16 hours to 14 or 15. You don't have to do this diet to benefit from intermittent fasting. Simply don't eat after supper that you finish around 6 or 7 pm until breakfast at 8 to 10 am. The idea being to give your body more time to rest, which is when detoxing and autophagy take place. We live in such a toxic world it is hard to escape the need for detoxing. This can be one of many ways to accomplish it.
Autophagy has to do with your body removing abnormal cells. Our body is constantly renewing itself. Giving it more time to work on this before it goes back to digestion and making energy is beneficial. When we were focused on cancer, we learned that most of us have cancer cells that need to be removed on a daily basis! Crazy, huh. And if our bodies are functioning well, it is no problem to remove them so that there is no issue. It is when they start to build up and develop that we come to have a cancer diagnoses. Slow growing cancer can be present for 10 years before it diagnosed and/or becomes problematic. Aggressive cancer develops over months. This was quite a new perspective for me. The challenge period of this diet has lots of veggies that target liver health. About 50% of people have genes that slow liver metabolism. My family has that issue, so I am thankful for the added support.

I chose Keto-green to detox. Once before, my thyroid was sluggish and I was handed a Synthroid prescription. I declined to take it and did my first detoxing and normalized my thyroid levels. While my last detoxing was majorly herbal, I now see more and more how important what we eat is in determining our health. I will be interested in seeing how this diet has affected my thyroid.
One aspect of detoxing I wasn't expecting. Anna Cabeca, MD asserts that this diet also supports emotional detoxing. The two go together. And yes, I do smile more this week. I feel more able. Someone else describes feeling more present (compared to prior struggles with Adverse Childhood Events drawing the brain to survival mode. And there are assignments to consider your intentions, to be mindful, to be thankful and to express it. Less than a week to go. Right now, I am not sure I want to end at 16 days. We shall see. The first week necessitated some grit, but now I am so thankful I could persevere, and have the support of my husband in this process.

Keto-Green 16 has several "16s." One is 16 minutes of exercise. Actually, 16 one-minute segments of exercise. HIIT in nature, so you work aerobic one minute and work you muscles the next minute. Another reason weight loss stalls can be building muscle, as the same mass of muscle weighs more than of fat. I am definitely working muscles I haven't in a while. All an interesting experiment for us. At the end, I will remeasure the hip and waist. See if some body fat came off. That alone would be very pro health. Another 9 days to go.

The keto-green program includes testing your urine at least daily. Anna says to test, not guess. So, I was surprised to see the elevated uric acid level. (One strip tests ketones, pH, and uric acid, as well as a mysterious white square that tests nothing.) It can be disheartening when you work so hard on health to see results out of range. No, I don't have gout. Investigating showed me that 20 % of people are estimated to have elevated uric acid levels and 80-90% of people with elevated uric acid levels are not symptomatic. So says the traditional doctors. I don't have gout, true. But those symptoms I listed initially? Yep, functionally speaking, a precursor to disease. Indeed, elevated uric acid levels are associated with metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease. You get the picture. It is often elevated 10 to 15 years before disease is seen. And while it may not be the direct cause of these things, I ask you, why wait for the disease?

And then I got happier. This is confirmation that my body is out of balance as I suspected and something this diet is meant to help. And I am glad it is gradually going down toward desired levels. I am doing a good job of listening to it. My vague symptoms are something traditional medicine doesn't worry about. Glad I have functional medicine for treatment of chronic illness in development as well as diagnosed. I did learn that (or was reminded, chemo elevates uric acid and Charles had to deal with this) I need to drink more water. Uric acid is excreted in the urine. Elevations in uric acid are another thing that our genes may predispose us to, but we can deal with, to keep it from being a problem. Hence the test, don't guess which is one of Anna's tenets. This plan should also help me become more balanced. I will be interested to see where this goes over the next couple weeks.

So again, not uncommon for weight loss to stall as your body detoxes. Also on work days I get less sleep. We know adequate sleep is necessary for weight loss. We all have our struggles. It hasn’t helped that I have had headaches yesterday and the day before required an extra upper cervical adjustment. Much better on that front today. I especially however am looking for the detoxification effects. Uric acid is looking better and the sore joints are feeling better. Replaced by sore muscles from the exercise (strength and cardio) which I am enjoying (although listened to my body and walked only or skipped these last two days. Still happy with the experience overall.

Apparently I am one of many who are detoxing on keto-green 16 making us more acidic instead of the desired alkaline. Staying alkaline decreases the side effects from traditional keto diets and is one reason I prefer this diet. I also like the number of vegetables you eat in your “feeding window”. Becoming acidic also decreases weight loss. So adding that baking soda to my am beverage and waiting. Still down a good 3.5 lbs since Monday. I’ll take it. I will persevere through this challenge and be better for it. I like the less achy shoulders and hips.

So, why am I part of the Keto-green 16 challenge this month? For me, I have felt that I have some underlying inflammation. It has made me more sluggish, especially in the afternoons, my elbows have the eczema back I haven't seen in more than 5 years, and joints are achier (but nothing compared to what I know some experience). All this while we are eating a largely vegetarian diet.

My husband is joining me because of a rather irritable bowel and brain fog after his last round with covid. Yes, Anne Cabeca has a focus on Menopause and hormone changes, but the diet is great for guys too. Just that my husband will have to eat more of the great foods.

Plus, face it, winter makes it harder to get the exercise we need. There are so many 16s in this plan (no, it isn't just a diet). She alternates cardio and strength exercises (although for us, sometimes that line gets blurred). One minute of each, some repeat, some don't. We have added twisting to the marching (improves lymph flow in the abdomen (apparently another issue for my husband). I hope to share more of our experiences with this program as we progress through it.

So, I have been off my coaching page for some time. We have been dealing with my husband's B-cell lymphoma (now in remission). We felt his major risk factor was stress, which he has denied for many years. When you never knew a stress free life, how do you recognize that is what is going on? We are thankful for progress on this front. I am thankful I have been able to help him with my training, and how my training has helped me to keep my sanity, helped me to pull back where I could, and grow through difficulty.

Mouth taping. I have been doing it myself for several months. Why am I excited about it? Yesterday I went to the dentist. Fastest cleaning EVER. If you are a mouth breather, you tend to develop plaque on the front teeth I am told, and I didn't have any. Very health gums too I was told. It creates a healthier biome (yep, we have healthy bugs in our mouth too, and you can now purchase throat probiotics if you think you need it). If you had bad breath, this can help. Crazy huh?
Right away I found I dreamed more (a sign of deeper sleep). That was what originally hooked me, but the appointment yesterday was so affirming.
There are more reasons according to the specialists, such as stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system to promote rest and repair, smooth muscle relaxation. If you care to read more, here's a dentist recommending the practice.
https://askthedentist.com/mouth-tape-better-sleep/
See if it is right for you.

Mouth Tape: The Secret to Better Sleep and a Healthier Mouth Mouth taping is not dangerous if you’re doing it right, and it might just change your health forever. Have you tried to mouth tape?

“You cannot heal in fight-or-flight. As you calm down the body’s physiology, symptoms resolve.” – Dr. David Hanscom

This is why I, as a health coach, chose to focus on Stress Mastery. As a former orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hanscom’s focus is back pain. Part of this discussion shows how stress triggers inflammation, which triggers pain and disease.

David Hanscom, MD - Healing back pain and preventing unnecessary surgery Dr. David Hanscom quit his surgical practice to teach patients and medical providers how to heal chronic pain without surgery.

Living or Not Dying.
Which are you trying to do today?

Intrigued by the book, 10 Mindful Minutes, by of all people, Goldie Hawn who has a foundation to support the MindUP program in schools. In the forward, Dan Siegal, MD suggests we need 3 more "Rs:" Reflection, Relationships, and Resilience. There is part of me that whole-heartedly agrees. There is part of me that says, this is what parents are supposed to do. But that begs the question, what if the parents aren't doing it? She wrote the book for all who have relationships with children. The parts I glanced at look great. Has anyone read it? Have you heard of her MindUP program before? Looking forward to reading this book.

How many vegetables were on you Christmas table this year? Trying to keep Charles cancer free we have cut way back on meat centered meals. So this year we served red and green soups. Cauliflower kale soup ( onion, garlic and of course kale and cauliflower). Meatball soup (tomato, green beans, zucchini, and asparagus and more onion). Served with a Merry Mary from Beat Cancer Kitchen (tomato, celery, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, hot pepper). Then there was a small veggie tray with hummus that had spinach in it. You’ll be glad to know dessert came from Autum Smith of Paleo Valley, gingerbread bliss balls (pecans, dates, collagen powder, cocoa powder, spices, and a touch of maple syrup). I think that puts the count to 13. Yeah for us.

Why does this strike me as such a beautiful picture of traditional medical care versus functional medicine? You see, there is a place for both. Sometime you are too deep in the river to get out and traditional medicine is where you need to be (surgery, heart attack come to mind). But often, if you correct the upstream problem you can get out of the river yourself and are much better off without the more radical treatments or symptom control offered later (things like pre-diabetes, fatigue, inflammation, endometriosis, PCOS). Are you willing to modify you lifestyle so you can get out of the river?

Wow, this statement is so spot on for my life experiences. I have a great relationship with my friend who grew up in an unpredictable environment. The times we have trouble, are when he isn't here now. Uncharacteristically unkind words come out, strong emotions, things my "present" friend would not express. As we are learning more about trauma, and Bessel Van Der Kolk is the best, my friend is seeing that sometimes he isn't talking to me at all, it is someone past he sees. All these years, we never figured it out. Thankful for people who has dedicated their life to helping this problem that so many experience.

Free Series: The Latest Interventions for Treating Trauma A 5-Module Series on the Treatment of Trauma

Why are we more afraid of hurting someone else than of hurting ourselves? Would you be comfortable saying these things? Do you need to practice them, so they flow comfortable off your lips? Do you need to meditate on how you would receive these? I find myself more comfortable with people who have told me "no" as I trust they won't say yes if it is going to hurt them.

Positively Present

Sad, but true. How often we don't even know we are carrying past trauma with us. Then we add on day to day life. Our heart is breaking. It is bad enough when other people who scrutinize our actions, but too often it is our own brain. Instead of helping with the heavy load, or even acknowledging its existence we kill ourselves. I know a master of self-deprecating humor. He says he might as well beat others to the punch. Please don't be that person. There are people who will help you unload this burden.

Tuesday thoughts

Imagio Dei. What a beautiful thought for us. Wouldn't it be a great end to a meditation? It would keep us grounded for the day. It would help us relate to others, because Imagio Dei applies to them as well. When we look at them, and at ourselves, what should we see, but the image of God, Himself. Might you find joy in being made in the image of God.

While I don’t know this person and can’t therefore recommend the course referenced, I love the content of this post. Hiding from uncomfortable situations and suppressing your emotions and needs increases cortisol which increases your risk for chronic illness. Nathan Crane reshaped my thinking to see cancer as just another chronic illness. It is such an encouraging thought as we work on keeping Charles’ cancer away. Yes it is a job, but the rewards are great.

⚡️ Learn to break the pattern of people-pleasing Grab my *discounted* Speak Your Truth course today

So we are listening to the "Becoming Cancer Free" masterclass with Nathan Crane. His interview with Chris Waryk was so meaningful for us. We should know lots about forgiveness, but he really challenged us in so many ways. He asserts forgiveness comes first and the feelings of peace and forgiveness. Now he isn't saying don't have feelings, in fact he was suggesting exploring your feeling to find our things you haven't forgiven and get busy and ask God to help you forgive, and then give God the problem. Don't carry it any more. He also talked about how when we experience shame and guilt, it usually means we have something we need to forgive ourselves for, likewise giving it to God and not carrying it anymore. Early in his cancer journey, he focused in hard on forgiveness, and found it so very beneficial. Feeling of bitterness, resentment, and anger are not compatible with the state in which our body heals. Your body has the God given ability to heal if you take ownership and work on healing. Both speakers really insist that emotional healing is just as important as physical healing in order to heal from and keep cancer away. There are times our best efforts won't heal or keep cancer away, but more times than not it can. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14). But it does usually take some effort to keep the cancer from returning. Doing the same things that led up to cancer is generally not productive. We got many of the body things right, but the mind has carried scars for a long time. So proud of Charles for working on them. Thankful how it has helped our relationship in the process. And thankful how it has pushed me to do some dealing of my own. Each baby step helps. So we are both happy to be working on forgiveness, some obvious, some hidden for a time, but all known by our heavenly Father. If we ask, He is willing to help us, and heal us. Who do you need to forgive? Challenge yourself if nothing is obvious. Forgiveness matters, not just to the recipient, but to you.

Has anyone struggled with perfectionism without really knowing it? It isn't always striving to do things perfectly. It is being disappointed with ourselves when things don't "go right." And since we don't like negative emotions, we don't call it disappointment. We just feel a sinking feeling inside. It is so subtle we never guess we are one of those perfectionists. It is much easier to see in others than in ourselves. Recently I had one of those sinking feelings, expressed and it was loved by the response: 'you may not always love perfectly, but you always love." I needed that. Hope you are stopping to notice feelings and getting to know yourself better. How else can we grow?

Grateful for our awkward, brave and kind community today. Happy Friday!

How we react is a crucial gauge of what's really going on inside us. And unhealed hurt often becomes unleashed hurt spewed out on others.

Please know… when people or issues or situations bump into our happy, it's not wrong to feel annoyed or even hurt. But if that annoyance leads to a reaction out of proportion to the issue at hand, we can bank on the fact that there’s unaddressed pain at the root of our eruption. As my counselor Jim Cress says, “If our reaction is hysterical, it is historical.”

Let's pay attention to our reactions and look for indicators of anything we need to ask the Lord to begin healing in our hearts today.

The quicker we recognize what’s going on inside of us, the quicker we can invite God in to help us address our pain. We can make sure not one bit of the hurt done to us is multiplied back out by us.

Laughter is good medicine. This one thanks to Revive Upper Cervical.