Cinco Vidas

Have you ever used creative writing to help in your battle with cancer? We were deeply interested in the healing power of creative writing for cancer patients, and were privileged to interview educator and author Sharon Bray, founder of the Writing Through Cancer workshops. Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer herself in the year 2000, and was able to share her journey with us in the following exclusive interview.

1. What kind of response did you receive from cancer patients, after developing the Writing Through Cancer workshops?

“From the beginning, the response from those who participate in my workshops has been overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic.  (more…)

Mom may have told you to drink milk or water instead of sugar-laden soda, and she was right. Scientists say too much sugar can weaken our defense systems. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, studies done in 1973 and 1997 linked sugar intake to a suppressed immune system.¹

When you’re going through treatment for cancer, you want to do everything you can to help your body fight and kill cancer cells. Your immune system runs your internal army, and its only fuel is what you eat and drink. Research shows that sugar puts that army to sleep, so to speak. For example, downing 75-100 grams (about 20 teaspoons of sugar, or the amount in two average 12-ounce sodas) can suppress the body’s immune responses-for up to five hours after ingestion! (more…)

Laura Kupperman, certified yoga teacher and therapist.

Want a new treatment for side effects like insomnia, mood swings, constipation, and other aches and pains? Never mind the drugs. Your body has had enough. Instead, try taking yourself to a yoga class.

“Something magical happens when you do a total and complete class,” says certified yoga teacher and therapist, Laura Kupperman
(also a Cinco Vidas expert).
(more…)

Cancer has a devastating effect on the body, mind, soul, and life of a fighter…but have you ever imagined carrying another life, while undergoing treatment? Many brave women are diagnosed with cancer while expecting a baby, and are forced to choose the best treatment during pregnancy.

According to the article “Pregnancy and Cancer“, the majority of cancers diagnosed during pregnancy are unrelated to the expectancy itself. A recent study done by The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center believes pregnancy does not impact cancer growth negatively. (more…)

CALLING ALL THOSE WHO LOVE BROADWAY SHOWS! Though this is mostly good news for New Yorkers, it may apply to you if you’re coming to New York  for a visit. If your plans include seeing a Broadway show, this may be a great way to purchase your tickets.  (more…)

Happy Tuesday! I wanted to share with you a quarterly magazine regarding cancer and Women’s Health: Women & Cancer. This publication is the premier women’s health and wellness magazine, delivering breaking news about topics critical to women who want to make informed decisions about their own and their family’s health. It emphasizes cancer prevention, early detection, management, and survivorship. Best of all, it offers COMPLIMENTARY subscriptions to ALL cancer patients. How great is that?

Please let me know how you enjoy the magazine and if you have any comments or stories to share with us.

Photo courtesy of Women and Cancer

How can you use the power of the mind to help yourself heal, bolster your strength during treatments, or shore up your endurance while caring for an ill loved one? Experts recommend clearing out negative emotions. We’ve included two guided imagery exercises below to get you started.

“Once we wake up and acknowledge that thoughts and beliefs wield power,” says Fran Greenfield, author, mind/body healing teacher, and Cinco Vidas expert, “we can create a new relationship with life and with ourselves: a relationship that infuses us with a stream of energy that changes our body chemistry and instructs every cell and organ to ‘Choose life.’”
(more…)

I was at Barnes and Noble today and purchased a great book that caught my eye: Anticancer: A New Way Of  Life, written by David Servan-Schreiber. David is a dedicated scientist and doctor who was diagnosed with brain cancer. He underwent the recommended surgery and returned to his usual routines. Five years later, his tumor returned. In the course of enduring a second surgery and a round of chemotherapy, he finally experienced his wake-up call: his high-stress and low-exercise lifestyle along with his highly processed diet full of sugary foods and red meat, were no longer (more…)

Do you feel like you have absolutely nothing to wear after undergoing a recent surgery for cancer? Like most women, you may feel uncomfortable with the effect breast cancer can have on your body, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. Not only are there many women dealing with the same wardrobe issues on a daily basis, but there are a wide range of tips and tricks to help you deal with the problem.
(more…)

Author Prentice Melford, in his book entitled Thoughts are Things, says this: “We need to be careful of what we think…. Because thought runs in currents as real as those of air and water.”

As real as air and water? Are thoughts really that tangible? And if so, how can we use them to heal ourselves?

(more…)