ACTION

How can it be? 

How can 1 in every 8 women fall victim? 

What will that day feel like if your daughter, your sister, your best friend comes to you with the news “I have breast cancer”?

How will it feel if you find a lump in your own breast, and learn it’s not what you hoped.

Is this really a statistic we can just brush aside, go on with our lives, and think “I hope I'll never be that one”?

Guess what, I never thought in a MILLION years I would be that one.

How ignorant was I….

Or maybe just poorly educated.

For someone who had all the resources, all the motivation, all the interest in the world on the topic, I was poorly informed… and didn’t even know it.

As I popped daily birth control pills my doc told me were safe, slathered on my aluminum-laden Secret anti-perspirant like my peers, and consumed bokus of sometimes organic meat, cheese and dairy, I never thought in a million years I would be that ONE. 

Never me, as long as I continue my active lifestyle, my high spirits, my fantastic relationships, my supurb veggie-rich diet…

But sure enough, those hot cancerous lumps popped up so quick…. before I knew it I was inviting a plethora of cytotoxic chemicals to be injected right into my bloodstream, straight into my heart.

Look, all this to say….. what I was doing was obviously NOT working.

And with 1 in 8 women getting breast cancer in their lifetime, and numbers only increasing, what WE are collectively doing is obviously NOT working. 

Breast cancer appears to be so random and unavoidable, but it’s not. 

We know more than ever before about this disease…. we know Cancer requires certain conditions, certain inadequacies in our immune system, certain toxic exposures in order for it to occur.

Consequently, we have major control over our risks, and in prevention. 

If we sit back and say… “There was nothing I could do”…then we ARE victims. 

If we stand up, survey our risks, and change our behaviors… we are empowered, educated and STRONG beings that cancer can't touch. 

We are inundated with awareness… with afflicted aunts, sisters, mothers… with ribbons, charity races, and drugs.  It is freaking due time to turn that awareness into ACTION, in the form of EDUCATION, PREVENTION, and VITALITY.

Here are two broad areas where we can all take immediate action:

1)      Reduce the onslaught of TOXINS in our lives

• Chemicals in personal care products 
• Chemicals that are prescription/ OTC drugs
• Chemical cleaners
• Chemical fertilizers
• Chemicals in our food

2)      Amp up our IMMUNE SYSTEMS

• Be aware of refined sugar intake and reduce
• Embrace plants!
• Reduce acid by eating less meat and dairy
• Ensure nutrient and vitamin needs are met, esp Vit D!!
• Breathe, move and sweat!!!
• Understand the spinal columns relationship with immunity, and maximize the nerve supply accordingly

I can’t wait to expand on these ideas with you in upcoming posts. 

For now, here are two of my favorite links to help you get started.

1)    http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ (Thank you, Karrie McNaughton)  Understand the ingredients in your personal care items you are currently putting on you body, see toxicity ratings, and view non-toxic alternatives.

2)    www.maximizedliving.com (Thank you, Kelly Eubanks)... These guys are the docs of the future.  With a proactive focus on wellness, before disease can even take root, the multitude of resources here will provide you with loads of inspiration on how to take control of your own health and vitality.

For the love of our children, for the love of our families, for the love of OURSELVES.... let's up our game. 

Let THIS be the day we make the decision to really take responsibility for our own health.

CHEERS to this Whole Life! 

Much Love,
Angela

Painting (pictured above) by the talented Cory Smith

Fall Food that Warms the SOUL

AWESOME, it’s feeling like Fall! 

Snuggling on the couch with windows open, a crisp evening breeze running through, and a good football game on the tube is in order.  And with the peeps you love, of course… 

Oh, and a warm bowl of fabulous soup.

Check out this dinner idea to amp up the cozy Fallish feeling even more…

Braised Pumpkin with Coconut Milk

AKA “Canh Bi Ro Ham Dua”: Traditional Buddhist Vegetarian Dish

Adapted from The Food of Asia Cookbook

What you Need:
(serves 4)

• 2 whole pumpkins-  cut in half width-wise, bottom halves to serve as bowls, top halves peel and cut into 2 cups worth of cubes 
• sweet potatoes- 2 cups cubed
• mushrooms-1 cup any kind (portabella, shitake, whatever you like)
• 1 whole coconut- crack, drain and set aside coconut water, peel out fresh coconut for garnish, two remaining halves to serve as bowls
• coconut milk-1-2 cups
• cashews- 1 cup (more if you like)
• salt/ pepper to taste
• agave nectar to taste
• Fresh cilantro- garnish
• Fresh grated coconut- garnish 
• Chopped cashews- garnish

1) Place pumpkin, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, coconut water (or sub with coconut milk) in a deep saute pan (cast iron will give it great flavor!)  Bring to a boil and then lower to simmer until colors are vibrant.

2) Place in blender with coconut milk, and cashews.  Blend well.  Add salt, pepper and agave nectar to taste.

3) Serve in coconut and pumpkin bowls with fresh cilantro, coconut and chopped cashews as garnish.  

Serve with salad and whole grain bread.  And your choice beverage.

Full Meal Cost Per Serving= $2.86! 

Enjoy the cooking time, the time with your peeps, and the cost-savings of not ordering-in or eating-out.

And know that your feeding you and your loves whole-food, nutrient-packed calories in a fun, seasonal and memorable way!  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!

Cheers to you, Cheers to Whole Living!

Much Love,

Angela

Must-Reads!

These three foundational resources will BLOW your mind, ROCK your world, and change your life... for the better.

Of the hundreds of books I have poured over on the topic, here are the three I recommend to any person looking for credible, research-based solutions for prevention, and CURES.. yes, CURES.. to fight, and even reverse both minor AND involved disease processes... allowing us the freedom to live our best life.

Book #1: 
Gut and Psychology Syndrome
Dr, Natasha Campbell McBride MD, MMedSci Neurology, MMedSci Nutrition

(Thank you, Jessie Tuggle!)

Book #2:
The China Study, Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health

T. Colin Campbell, PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II, MD

(Thank you, Kelly Hoogenaker!)

Book #3:
Anticancer, A New Way of Life,

David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD

(Thank you, Audrey Boss & Danielle at MD Anderson)

Order them, borrow them, listen to them… whatever... just put 'em in your brain!!

Individually and collectively, these books will revolutionize the way you view AND experience wellness, sickness, disease, your own state of mind, and consequently your decisions, your actions, your LIFE ... and their direct relationship with the foundational sustenance you choose to make a part of your body.

Cheers to you, Cheers to this LIFE!

Lots of Love,

Angela