Cinco Vidas

During chemo, my father had extremely dry hands and feet, and brittle nails that almost fell off. His doctor failed to warn him about these effects.

Chemotherapy can create a myriad of side effects. One of the purposes of this blog is to tell you about them, and help you to alleviate them, naturally. Recently, many patients told us: “The doctor didn’t tell me about this [or that] side effect.” Did he think you already knew? Or maybe he didn’t want to scare you? Perhaps he just didn’t know how the treatment would affect you, since everyone is different.

Most survivors agree—it’s better to be informed. With that in mind, here are a few of the side effects your doctor may have neglected to tell you about. You may or may not experience them—everyone is different, and all treatments are different—but just in case.

Eyelash and Eyebrow Thinning: You probably already know about hair loss, and you may have already gotten your wig. What you may not have thought about are your eyelashes and eyebrows. Chemo targets all hair cells, so to be prepared, get yourself an eyebrow kit (read our post), and consider investing in some synthetic brows or lashes. (more…)

If you’re avoiding cosmetic or personal-care products that contain toxic chemicals while dealing with cancer…did you ever think about what you put on your wig? Even though synthetic hair and wigs are not actually part of your body, the products used to cleanse and style them will come in contact with your skin, where toxic ingredients may be absorbed. While you’re going through treatment, your scalp and skin are extremely sensitive and compromised, so wearing anything toxic against your scalp for a long period of time (like a wig) isn’t a good idea.

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Take a walk down the laundry aisle of your neighborhood grocery store, inhale, and…choke, cough, wheeze? It’s true—your senses know best. Most popular laundry detergents are filled with toxic chemicals that can be harmful to the skin, sinuses, and even body cells—something you definitely want to avoid when going through cancer treatments.

How can laundry detergent affect our bodies? We clean our clothes every week, sometimes more often. The clean clothes then carry traces of detergent in their fibers, including surfactants, brighteners, and fragrances—all of which can harbor suspected toxins. Since clothes come in contact with our skin for hours every day, skin can absorb those chemicals, say nothing of the airborne particles that enter the sinuses. (more…)

Dealing with cancer can not only be emotionally devastating, physically exhausting, and spiritually overwhelming, but it’s darn expensive, too! Every penny counts in a tough economy and unfortunately, many cancer fighters find their paychecks going to treatment plans, medications, and insurance bills. How can you possibly choose toxin-free products with organic ingredients, when the cost of natural brands may sometimes be more expensive?

Luckily, you don’t have to sacrifice safety, because there are many clever ways to save money while still using non-toxic, safe products. (For more on why it’s important to choose chemical-free ingredients, please read “Toxins and Skincare 101.”) Whether or not you’re a cancer fighter, survivor, or caregiver, it’s important to research the products you expose yourself to, so you can help prevent future cancers or negative reactions from dangerous carcinogenic ingredients. (Read more about navigating packaging labels here).

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Okay, so you know that you should take care of your hair during cancer treatment, but can you still dye or perm your strands?

Unfortunately, although coloring or processing may make you feel beautiful and confident during a difficult time, while dealing with cancer, it’s not a good idea. (more…)

In your quest for chemical-free, more natural products to use on your sensitive, compromised skin, you don’t always have to search online or at the far corners of the skin-care shelves. Sometimes, you can find the best products right in your own kitchen!

Following are several homemade remedies you can try. Be sure to test each one on a small area of skin first, to prevent any allergic reactions. (more…)

Choosing a wig can be a daunting enough process when facing cancer-related hair loss, but finding the perfect wig salon seems to be even more overwhelming. Although visiting a wig salon in person may not seem important at first, “Mimi’s Wig Boutique” believes that purchasing hair pieces online or through a catalog will do more harm than good, as well as potentially waste your money. Take the time and effort to research wig specialists in your area, and find a place that will work with you to ensure that you find the right color, length, and cut for your face. A blogger from the Women’s Hair Loss Project explains the importance of buying your first wig in person: “What you think will look good and what actually works for you are completely different things. If possible, take a trip to a larger city and plan to spend a few hours trying on as many wigs as you need to.” (more…)

For a few years now, you’ve probably heard about the great health benefits of green tea. So far its list of credits include reducing the risk of esophageal cancer, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, helping cancer patients to survive longer, lowering total cholesterol, easing arthritis, boosting the immune system, controlling blood sugar, reducing the risk of heart attacks and stroke, encouraging weight loss, and preventing tooth decay. (more…)

If you’re struggling with cancer, you’re no stranger to fear. You may be asking, “Will I be able to handle the side effects of treatment? How will my family get through? What if I don’t make it?”

“Fear is imagination based for the most part,” says Jacqueline Wales, author, life coach, and Cinco Vidas expert. “It leads you to imagine the worst. You’re mind is on overdrive with, ‘Oh no, I’m going to lose my looks and feel all this pain and what about my family and I could die and…’ On and on with the worst-case scenario. Don’t listen to the gremlins in the mind. Reverse it. Think, ‘Right now my body is fighting these cells, and it’s producing new and healthy ones, and I can see what they look like. I can see a picture of me with all the hair on my head, and I’m thriving.’” (more…)

When even the grocery store starts providing anti-bacterial wipes to use on shopping carts, you know that as a culture, we’re terrified of germs. However, we seem oblivious when it comes to makeup. Old makeup puts our health at risk just as much as a neighbor’s touch—perhaps even more so when we’re going through cancer treatment and our defenses are down. (more…)