Welcome to the Sisters4prevention Breast Cancer Resource Podcast. I am your host Judy Fitzgerald and it is my pleasure to bring you the latest survivor strategies and news for the prevention of breast cancer. I am a ten year bi-lateral breast cancer survivor living with NED…No Evidence of Disease and an active advocate for raising awareness of the need for additional research funding for primary prevention breast and ovarian cancer clinical trials. 2021 will an exciting year for breast cancer…it will be the year we will launch the phase I clinical trials for the first preventive breast cancer vaccine. To read all about it please visit my website www.sisters4prevention.com. A special thank you and shout out to Feedspot.com for the honor of listing our podcast in the top 35 breast cancer podcasts to follow in 2021.
Day 1: Drink Water with Lemons/Lines
As I said in my book and on my profile, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2009, I read every book written by cancer “survivors’ who had successfully overcome the disease. What I discovered was that there were many common elements in their diet and lifestyle changes.
This strategy is simple and something we hear all the time. Drink lots and lots of filtered water. The critical twist is to add slices of organic lemons and limes to it. Water is the best internal cleanser and cancer hates the alkaline environment created by adding lemons and limes to your water.
From NaturalNews “A glass of warm lemon or lime water first thing in the morning is surprisingly helpful in several ways. This Yogic or Ayurvedic ritual is primarily for stimulating digestion and eliminating ama, the Ayurvedic term for toxic slime that builds up in the gastro-intestinal or GI tract. This ritual has even more health benefits.”
To learn more, visit: http://www.naturalnews.com/033383_lemon_juice_digestion.html#ixzz27xUiXx2A
Many sources recommend drinking it warm, but any way is better than not. I take a large BPA free water bottle and fill it with filtered water at night. I add several slices of organic lemons and limes and place it in the frig before I go to bed. Then during the day while I’m running errands or working, I can easily take it with me. I keep refilling it throughout the day using the same fruit slices. In the evening I discard the fruit, rinse the bottle and start all over.
Lemon/lime water has several benefits including purifying the liver, helping with digestion (restaurants offer lemon water for this reason), maintaining a high body pH (alkalizing effect), is high in magnesium and potassium and helps the body eliminate toxic waste. All these wonderful things can happen by drinking a simple glass of water. Drinking water before meals also helps your brain send signals to your stomach that you are satisfied with less food. Who knows…you may even lose a few pounds.
So…for today, it’s pretty simple. Drink at least 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water. While you’re at it, supercharge it with lemons and limes.
Prevention Strategy 2: Grab Your Sneakers and Get Walking
This strategy is also a simple one but requires motivation. Now that you’ve brought your lemon/lime water bottle to work or prepared it to enjoy during the day at home like I do, get your sneakers or comfortable walking shoes on. Exercise is something that can become an enjoyable habit, especially if you recruit a walking buddy. I recruited my husband and it’s a time in the day when we’re not distracted by the television or cell phones. It may seem hard to get started, but once you make it part of your everyday routine, it will become easier.
Walking is the simplest form of exercise and one that can be achieved anywhere. One thing that may help is the purchase of an inexpensive pedometer. It’s fun to keep track of progress and is a great motivational tool. Aim for 10,000 steps per day or 30 minutes of brisk walking. No need for expensive gym memberships, although going to the gym would be an excellent choice. Walking is cheap, easy and effective.
According to the Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project for example, (many studies are available on the internet on this topic), statistics show that walking three hours per week, or a half hour per day, improves breast cancer survival rates by as much as 50% and reduces risk of developing the disease by 30%. This is an easy goal to achieve, and matches the minimum exercise levels recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Walking for a half hour per day will also reduce risks for other cancers, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
According to cancer.gov: Researchers have established that regular physical activity can improve health by:
· Help to control weight
· Maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints
· Reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes
· Promote psychological well-being
· Reduce the risk of death from heart disease
· Reduce the risk of premature death
Guidelines recommend working up to a “brisk walk” which equates to 3-4 miles per hour. Of course walking outside is preferred, not only for esthetic reasons, but to take advantage of health benefits of the vitamin D gained from sunshine. When the weather is bad, create an indoor path in your home. This is when a pedometer is especially helpful for measuring progress, distance and maintaining motivation.
Thank you for tuning in today. If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave me a rating and review on Apple podcasts or on Feedspot.com. Your feedback is so important to selecting future topics to help navigate the journey of breast cancer. To stay updated on the latest news about the vaccine clinical trial, please subscribe to my website www.sisters4prevention.com.
Please note that the topics discussed on this site in not meant to be used in lieu of medical advice. I am not a medical doctor nor do I claim to be. I am merely sharing what I have learned from personal experience, fellow survivors and many hours of research..
For now I’ll leave you with my Mantra: Cancer is a word not a sentence.
May God Bless you and Keep you till next time.