Let's talk lifestyle and cancer remission

I hope so, too, Denise! I work with an integrative oncologist, and she has been extremely helpful with guidance just as you've found with your functional medicine specialist. She has me think about lifestyle (exercise, sleep, mental outlook/stress management), nutrition (what to eat, how to measure my blood sugar levels after meals to determine what I can eat while reducing any spikes, anything to supplement, keeping supplements minimal, evidence-based and manageable), reducing inflammation and boosting immune function. I have valued her guidance and work to get myself sweating 3x/week, moving at least a little every hour during my work day, staying up to date on other cancer screenings, etc. We also talk about end of life, how I can/will be supported then, how I want that to unfold to whatever degree I can make choices, etc. This support allows me to live fully now without undue worry. I am wishing you every benefit that this can offer you! Keep writing. Your thoughts are valuable to me.
Gynosaur

Thank you @denisestlouie and @gynosaur42 for sharing your thoughts on healthy lifestyle to encourage cancer remission. It is always helpful to hear different perspectives. Not sure my thoughts below are anything new but thought I would share in case they are helpful to someone. Wishing you both good health.

Eat good sources of protein, drink plenty of water, and exercise daily when possible.
Forgive myself for being sick and acknowledge whatever I feel each day.
Forgive my loved ones if they don’t always offer the exact support I need in the moment.
Be aware of my thoughts and remember my body is listening (mind/body connection).
Try to stay in the present moment and trust in the process of life as best I can.
Respect and listen to my doctors but ask questions and advocate for myself if something doesn’t make sense.
Remember that it is okay if I am not always a perfect patient (whatever that would look like).
Remember that some days I may not be as successful at any of this and to keep trying as best I can.

This is still a new reality for me. I was told I had cancer 2 1/2 months ago. Prior to that news I had been working on my health because I was diagnosed with elderly onset of Crohn's disease. I was prescribed a biologic that suppresses the immune system and is outrageously expensive. I had made my mind up that I would find out what caused my Crohn's and control it without the big cannon drugs. Thats when I learned about functional and holistic medicine. I saw 2 holistic Doctors that were also medical doctors. The first one was not a good fit. She couldn't give up the pharmaceutical side of my medicine.

When I got the news about cancer I was in the best health that I had been in for years. The. Crohn's disease was undiagnosed I believe for nearly 15 years. My symptoms were not digestive it was systemic inflammation which was also not identified.

The surgical oncologist believed we found the cancer in its early stage but nope the pathology shows it was advanced but not metastasize outside the representative system. The pathology also identified the cancer I have mixed cell line both are aggressive and rare.

I am just not ready to face my mortality. I'm just not ready. I'm going to do what I can to stay alive and disease free, but I also know I may not be able to influence that and I might be very disappointed someday.

@denisestlouie - Your determination to do everything you can is inspiring. I can understand the difficulty in dealing with the diagnosis - I am coming up on the 1 year anniversary of the cancer diagnosis and it still feels unreal at times. I also have an autoimmune disorder and successfully avoided getting COVID thru the pandemic and was starting to feel like life could be normal again.

Then the symptoms started, many tests with no diagnosis, ending months later with an ambulance ride and hospital admission. I was discharged 3 weeks later after a diagnosis of a rarer form of an aggressive blood cancer and a week of chemotherapy in the hospital.

As someone who spent a career using logic to solve problems, it is a challenge to accept that I may not be able to solve this one. Waiting now to find a bone marrow donor for a transplant so I am learning each day what patience and trust mean. Reading about other people’s experiences and determination motivates me to keep believing. So thanks again for sharing your story.

I too am hoping to post a good result to this journey in the future to give someone else hope. So with all of that shared, please know that I am sending positive thoughts and wishes for your continued remission.
Here’s to happy endings.

Thank you @denisestlouie and @gynosaur42 for sharing your thoughts on healthy lifestyle to encourage cancer remission. It is always helpful to hear different perspectives. Not sure my thoughts below are anything new but thought I would share in case they are helpful to someone. Wishing you both good health.

Eat good sources of protein, drink plenty of water, and exercise daily when possible.
Forgive myself for being sick and acknowledge whatever I feel each day.
Forgive my loved ones if they don’t always offer the exact support I need in the moment.
Be aware of my thoughts and remember my body is listening (mind/body connection).
Try to stay in the present moment and trust in the process of life as best I can.
Respect and listen to my doctors but ask questions and advocate for myself if something doesn’t make sense.
Remember that it is okay if I am not always a perfect patient (whatever that would look like).
Remember that some days I may not be as successful at any of this and to keep trying as best I can.

Thank you @denisestlouie and @gynosaur42 for sharing your thoughts on healthy lifestyle to encourage cancer remission. It is always helpful to hear different perspectives. Not sure my thoughts below are anything new but thought I would share in case they are helpful to someone. Wishing you both good health.

Eat good sources of protein, drink plenty of water, and exercise daily when possible.
Forgive myself for being sick and acknowledge whatever I feel each day.
Forgive my loved ones if they don’t always offer the exact support I need in the moment.
Be aware of my thoughts and remember my body is listening (mind/body connection).
Try to stay in the present moment and trust in the process of life as best I can.
Respect and listen to my doctors but ask questions and advocate for myself if something doesn’t make sense.
Remember that it is okay if I am not always a perfect patient (whatever that would look like).
Remember that some days I may not be as successful at any of this and to keep trying as best I can.

See Dr William Li ‘s books on the link between diet and disease. Also read “Outlive” for the benefits of exercise in preventing or moderating many diseases.
The more we can connect positive habits to wellness, the more likely we will be willing to change our daily routines. Even small changes can add up quickly!

See Dr William Li ‘s books on the link between diet and disease. Also read “Outlive” for the benefits of exercise in preventing or moderating many diseases.
The more we can connect positive habits to wellness, the more likely we will be willing to change our daily routines. Even small changes can add up quickly!