Cinco Vidas

For most people, a cancer diagnosis is a definite downer. Surely no one would admit to feeling “happy” about their cancer. But is it possible to feel happiness and joy while going through cancer? And if so, what’s the secret?

Strangely enough, according to many survivors, cancer can be a catalyst for more happiness, for one reason: It teaches us to be grateful.

“I woke up early one morning and realized I was happy,” says two-time breast-cancer survivor and writer, Betty Rollin. “The weird part is, I realized that the source of my happiness was, of all things, cancer—that cancer had everything to do with how good the good parts of my life were.” (more…)

There’s a cleaning process going on in your body everyday. The intestines, liver, and kidneys are all involved, whisking away toxins from the environment, stress, and the food you eat—waste products that, if left in the body, can build up and cause problems—and flushing them out where they can no longer pose a threat.

If you’ve been going through chemotherapy or radiation treatments, however, most likely you’re system is overloaded with waste products. Excess toxins are known to cause fatigue, stomach bloat, headaches, muscle aches, poor memory, a suppressed immune system, even bad breath. (more…)

Chemotherapy and radiation can play havoc with your skin. You look in the mirror and go, “Ugh, how can I bring some life back into my face?”

One surefire way to brighten your look is to choose colors that are best for you. A brunette with fair skin, for example, will look washed out in pastel pinks and yellows, but deep purples will make her stand out. A blonde with hazel eyes will appear nondescript in a maroon dress, but put her in a peachy number and she’ll wow the crowd.

Why does it matter what colors you wear? When you have the right ones, your skin tone will appear more radiant, your eyes will brighten, your hair will reflect highlights, and most likely you’ll get compliments. In the wrong colors, you’ll look tired and drained, and your eyes may show dark circles. (more…)

“My name is Bob, I’m 53 years old and just recently diagnosed with a grade 4 GBM.”

“I was diagnosed yesterday,” says anne99, “still in shock. Usual things flying through my head why me, what have I done wrong.”

“Hi,” says mirrie, “I’m 40 years old and I was told last Thursday that I had breast cancer, and have spent the last weekend in a blur!”

It reads like the beginning of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. People of all ages standing up to say, “My name is so-and-so. It’s happened to me. Can anyone help?” (more…)

There may be some clothes hanging in your closet that you just can’t throw in the washer. That favorite linen blouse, expensive suit, or leather jacket. Dry cleaners use chemicals, though. You can smell them when you get the garment back. Is there any way to avoid more toxins in your home and still get your favorite outfits cleaned?

Most dry-cleaning shops use a chemical called “perchloroethylene” (perc) as the primary cleaning solvent. According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, “Short-term exposure to PERC can cause adverse health effects to the nervous system that include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, sweating, incoordination, and unconsciousness. Long-term exposure can cause liver and kidney damage.” The International Association for Research on Cancer classifies perc as a probable carcinogen. (more…)

If you’re going through cancer treatment, applying makeup can be risky business. One slip with a pair of dirty tweezers could set you up for a serious infection. One tug with the eyelash curler could leave you with no eyelashes at all. Suddenly that set of styling tools has gone from a harmless batch of brushes to a dangerous stash of weapons!

Okay, so we’re being a bit dramatic, but the point is, you have to be a little more careful while your immune system is waging the fight of its life. Here are a few tips for choosing the safest makeup tools to use on your fragile skin. (more…)

If you have breast cancer that hasn’t responded to treatment with other drugs (like anthracycline and taxane), you may be taking one of the newer drugs on the market called “ixabepilone,” brand-name “Ixempra™.” The FDA approved it in October of 2007 after a quick 6-month review, so it’s still fairly new, and usually used in combination with capecitabine to treat metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer. Basically, it slows or prevents the growth of tumors by preventing cell division.

Some of you have asked us—what’s the low-down on this drug? (more…)

You’ve probably never thought about it when spreading yellow mustard on your favorite sandwich, or when marinating your steaks in Worcestershire sauce, but turmeric—a main ingredient in both these condiments—could help you avoid cancer.

A part of the ginger family, turmeric has long been used in foods for its flavor and ability to turn recipes yellow. According to the culinarycafe.com, it’s been used as a dye, flavoring, and medicine since 600 B.C., and is currently grown in India, China, and Indonesia. The root is the source of the food, which is then boiled, steamed, dried, and ground. The flavor is usually described as pungent, buttery, and slightly bitter. (more…)

As we consider ways to live healthier and reduce our risk of cancer, we need to be aware of chemicals that act as “hormone disruptors.” These are synthetic ingredients that we’re exposed to in various personal-care and household products that can interfere with the natural hormone systems in our bodies, potentially causing cancer.

Hormone disruptors imitate our real hormones, so the body is “fooled” into thinking they’re the same thing. (more…)

Sometimes the science behind food and cancer can get really confusing. After all, if we avoided every food that was ever suspect in a study we’d probably be stuck with bread and water. (Make that whole-grain bread.)

Still, when a U.S. study from the University of Southern California and the University of Hawaii looked at 50,000 post-menopausal women and found that eating just a quarter of a grapefruit daily raised the risk of breast cancer by up to 30 percent, women couldn’t help but ask the question: Have I just eaten my last grapefruit? (more…)