Happy Thanksgiving!

Tomorrow Brett and I will host a group of about 50 family members and friends for a thanksgiving feast.  We have a colorful menu planned with a wide representation of the food guide pyramid.  In my head, I have visualized the perfect anticancer thanksgiving plate- spinach salad with berries and onions, roasted mushrooms with garlic, and a medley of steamed brussels and broccoli tossed in olive oil.  Of course there is a glass of fabulous red wine along with walnuts and dark chocolate for dessert.  But, this is only a vision.  I am sure tomorrow I will also enjoy tasty turkey and a few potatoes! 

Have you thought much about what you are eating tomorrow?  If you are normal, yes, you have planned, obsessed, salivated and dreamt about your thanksgiving meal.  Will your grandma make her famous creamed corn casserole with bacon bits on top?  Or maybe fry that turkey in peanut oil?  What about some instant potatoes made with cream and butter?  Many of our families have food traditions.  Unfortunately, the evolution of processed foods and factory farms has hampered on many of these kitchen creations.  It’s hard to know exactly where our food comes from, where that turkey that you will eat tomorrow came from.  Last week the NY Times ran a story about slaughtering your own turkey.  It was an interesting read focusing on one farms commitment to minimizing the discomfort of the animals and the importance of knowing where your food comes from. 

Food for thought. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/nyregion/21citycritic.html?_r=2&ref=dining

Have a wonderful day filled with many discussions on giving thanks.  I’ll share with you that I am thankful for another year.  Another year of breath, parenting, and purpose.  I know I’ve said this before, that I’m glad to grow old.  And speaking of, my grandma turned 99 yesterday!  Can you believe?  Here I am pleading with God to make it to age 39 and here she has 61 years on me!  It’s good to know there are some longevity genes somewhere in my body!

Love,

Longevity!

Today I stayed in my PJs until it was time to pick up the kids from school.  It was such a productive day!  I caught up on emails, returned phone calls, made appointments and did a little holiday organizing.  For me, a task oriented gal who is easily stressed and overwhelmed, this was a huge lift of neck and shoulder tension.

A.C. (after cancer), I have spent a good amount of time learning how to manage stress.  As any cancer survivor would say, there are plenty of stress triggers added to life after a cancer diagnosis.  My stress enemy is body aches.  Any new pain or discomfort sends me in a obsessive tizzy.  These are the times when I cling to prayer and get back to the basics of managing stress.

When I was going through chemotherapy I started meditating to visualize the chemo working in my body.  I imagined that there was a pac-man inside my body.  He usually started at my toes and ate all the cancer cells.  He worked extra hard in my torso and brain.  I even imagined him making the pac-man eating sound.  Do you remember that from the video game?  It was sort of a quick gobble-gobble-gobble-gobble.  Anyway, this little pac-man helped me (and still does) through some preeety anxious moments. 

And exercise.  Exercise has always been important to me, but even more so now.  I practice yoga as much as I can.  There is such a powerful healing element to yoga.  The breathing, the strong poses and moments of still.  Yoga is for you!

And what about socialization to combact stress?  If you recall, I have discussed the book The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner.  It's a great read full of interesting facts on the people who live the longest.  And yes, they have low rates of cancer.  Dan studied all areas of the world and found pockets where people live well into their 100s.  Based on his research he recommends 4 behaviors towards longevity:
1. Move Naturally – Make your home, community and workplace present you with natural ways to move. Focus on activities you love, like gardening, walking and playing with your family.
2. Right Outlook – Know and be able to articulate your sense of purpose, and ensure your day is punctuated with periods of calm.
3. Eat Wisely – Instead of groping from fad diet to fad diets, use time-honored strategies for eating 20% less at meals. Avoid meat and processed food and drink a couple of glasses of wine daily.
4. ( I LOVE this one) Belong to the Right Tribe – Surround yourself with the right people, make the effort to connect or reconnect with your religion and put loved ones first.

When my kids started school this year, I made a promise to myself that I would start off every Monday with calm.  I decided I would meet for tea after morning drop-off and then head to a yoga class.  Longevity Monday (as I call it) has been refreshing and important for my Monday mental health.  I meet with some gals from my tribe and we drink tea and coffee and chat about life.  I hope I have added a few days to my life from the effort made to start my week off in calm.   

As the holidays approach I am reminded by my other self that I must relax and keep balance.  Oh, this is hard, really hard.  But something has to give, right?!  Take a look at this list MD Anderson emailed out this week.  It's called the 5 Minute Holiday Stress Relief.  I actually think it has some validity to it as I have practiced several of these behaviors and felt peace:

• Sit with a straight, relaxed back.
• Focus your attention on your breath and let all other thoughts disappear.
• Do a few, slow, deep breathes (breathing with your lower belly instead of your chest).
• Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts. 
• Focus your attention on each muscle in your body.
• Move your tension downward, from your face, down your neck, shoulders, stomach, legs and out of your feet.
• Imagine all your tension is now on the floor.
• Feel your muscles relax and soften. 
• Concentrate on the center of your chest, imagining a deep calm and peace at your core.
• Spend a few minutes in this state of tranquility, focusing on your center and slow breathing.

You should try it now

6 Foods to Fight Cancer

Hi Everyone,
The Today Show just ran a segment on 6 foods to fight cancer.  I thought it was an accurate and simple explaination of how these 6 foods work in the body to fight cancer:
1. Broccoli- raw is best
2. Black raspberries- berries in general are great, but black raspberries are best
3. Tomatoes- cooked is best, especially good in fighting prostate and endometrial cancers
4. Walnuts- good in fighting breast and prostate cancers
5. Garlic- fights the nitrates in processed foods, good in fighting colon cancer
6. Black & navy beans- also good in fighting breast and colon cancers

Foods that promote cancer, avoid high consumption of these:
1. Animal fat- meat, dairy and cheese
2. Alcohol
3. Processed meat- hotdogs, pepperoni and lunch meat

See more at http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/39987565#39987565