What Did October Mean to You and Your Children?

I’m catching up on emails and come across Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s blog entry on breast cancer awareness month.  Dr. Fuhrman is a family physician specializing in nutritional medicine.  He has been an active leader in the movement to educate the public on nutrition (a.k.a. vegetable-based diet) and healing disease.

As you can see from this blurb, he feels strongly that breast cancer awareness month is for the birds. 

He says, “Hysterical wasn’t it that Southern Cancer Fried Chicken was selling pink buckets of the cancer-causing (junk food fried) chicken to raise money for breast cancer awareness? A skull and crossbones on the chicken bucket would have made more sense than a pink ribbon, but what do I know? I am sure next year we will see a pink Big Mac with a ribbon around it, and we will be encouraged to drink Pepsi for breast cancer awareness. I say let’s have some pink-ribboned cigarettes, and whiskey in pink bottles, too. I wonder if the cocaine pushers will get in on the act. Why not? Maybe even we can get the lawn service technicians that spray toxic weed killer on the neighbor’s lawn to dress in pink.” 

Wow, he is frustrated!  You can read its entirety at http://www.diseaseproof.com/archives/breast-cancer-october-was-breast-cancer-awareness-month-didnt-you-hear.html

After reading Dr. Fuhrman’s blog, I asked my children, ages 9, 6 and 6 what they understood breast cancer month to be.  My oldest said October was about raising money for breast cancer.  When I asked her what cancer is, she said “it’s when you eat wrong”.  My mouth winced.  Hmmm…..  I thought.  Is this all I want her know about cancer because I certainly don’t believe that the definition of cancer is when you eat wrong.  I sat down with my kids and had a ‘kid-style’ reminder of what cancer is.  You may or may not agree with my approach because I am concrete and speak openly with my children.  This is what I told them 3 years ago and what I will continue to tell them until they are older:

Everyone’s body is made of cells, lots of them.  Cells are small circles that you can only see under a microscope.  All cells have jobs, and cells work hard at their jobs every day to make our body work.  Sometimes cells lose their job (they become unemployed!).  They can move into a part of your body and cause trouble.  They might try to get other cells to join them; if this happens they become a group (like a party).  The group can grow slowly or fast.  When the group gets to a big size, it is called a lump or a mass.  If the lump is really sick (it doesn’t want a good job anymore) and tries to stop your body parts from working properly, this is cancer.  Mommy had breast cancer, so I had a party of cells in my breast that were all unemployed!  (they think this is really funny)      

We then discussed some of the things that can put your body at risk for getting cancer.  Things like smoking, eating the wrong foods, lack of exercise, breathing harmful air and stress.  And for those of you out there who smoke, my kids frequently come home and tell me “mommy, _______ had smokes”.  They are watching……!  I have told my kids that the chemotherapy, surgeries and radiation killed my breast cancer; however, mommy has to live a healthful life to keep the cancer away.  And if mommy tries to live healthfully, the whole family has to tryJ.  My oldest also understands that people can die from cancer.  You might think this is sad…. having to discuss cancer with children.  I think it empowers them and has helped with our healing.  There are some great resources out there on educating kids on cancer.  One of these days I will get working on my resource list to share with you.  In the meantime, you can find some good tools on http://kidskonnected.org/.

Breast cancer awareness month can be interpreted so many ways.  For the Waltz Family, we will continue to participate in fundraising to promote wellness, healing, prevention, education and treatment.

I thought you would enjoy seeing our ribbons, Butterfly Kisses and Waltz Warriors and some of the places they toured on the Pink Ribbon Parade.

Breathe Cure Conference

Dr.Bridgitte Lee and Vision Optique

Pearland Chickfila

Kelley's Country Cookin'

Dobie High School

We also had the opportunity to visit The Breast Summit at United Way, Lights in the Heights and Komen Race for the Cure.
Be Well,

Living With Cancer

Hi Everyone,

If you or a loved one is living with cancer, read this.  This is a wonderful article by Kris Carr who is full of hope, motivation and spirit.  Almost 9 years ago Kris was diagnosed with a stage IV incurable liver cancer.  She dramatically changed her lifestyle and now travels the world spreading her knowledge and zest on preventing cancer.  Love, love her book Crazy Sexy Diet!
http://www.oprah.com/own-supersoulsunday/blogs/A-Note-from-Kris-Carr#ixzz1bHQJbdCU

I hope you are participating in breast cancer awareness month.  The Waltz Warrior and Butterfly Kisses ribbons continue to tour Houston.  Today they are at the breast summit at United Way.  Here is a photo from a recent trip to Vienna, Austria.  This enormous pink ribbon is currently displayed on the parliament building in downtown Vienna- love it!

Be Well,

Giuliana Rancic

This story is sounding all too familiar.  Pray for Giuliana and her husband Bill.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/44928433#44928433

Be Well,

Happy Birthday

Hello Everyone,

Happy Birthday from Celine Dion http://morebirthdays.com/artist/celine-dion and bravo to the American Cancer Society for fabulous marketing on the blessing of a birthday.  Here’s to getting older- CHEERS!  

I was at my old stomping grounds yesterday The Methodist Hospital of Houston for an educational program on breast cancer.  (I just love this art that is in the foyer of the hospital)

The program's panel of docs included Drs. Barbara Bass, Angel Rodriguez, Aldona Spiegel, Bin Teh, Luz Venta and Jenny Chang- three of whom were part of my treatment team.  I was surprised how comforted I was to see them again.  Part of me wanted to scream “I’m still alive!”  The panel led an interesting and important discussion on breast cancer.  I found the following especially mucho importanto!

Henda’s Law.  Two years ago a woman in Dallas by the name of Henda Salmeron was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.  She had had a mammogram earlier, but it missed the 4 cm tumor in her breast due to the dense tissue.  She never was informed of the density of her breasts.  As a result, she lobbied lawmakers in Austin to approve a bill that would require institutions to provide patients with information about dense breast tissue.  Basically, letting patients know that if they have dense breasts additional scans might be beneficial.  Cancer and density appear white on a mammogram so detecting a tumor can be difficult.  According to the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN), 40% of all women undergoing screening mammography have dense breasts. Breasts tend to become less dense as women get older, but some women continue to have dense breast tissue throughout life. Over 50% of women under the age of 50 and one-third of women older than 50, have mammographically dense breasts.

If a tumor is missed year after year on a mammogram, it is often discovered much later when the tumor is large enough to be felt. This delayed diagnosis can take years and cancers caught at a later stage have been proven to be both less treatable and survivable. Newer breast imaging technologies have been developed and can see right through breast density. With the supplement of newer imaging tools, such as Ultrasound, MRI (which Dr. Venta described as the Bentley of all scans), or Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI), tumor detection has increased when compared to mammography in women with dense breasts.  WOW!  Ladies, ask your doc if you have dense breasts and if you do, request (demand) additional screening.   Need I say more??  I will. 

I had my first mammogram the summer of 2007 which was ‘normal’.  My tumor was detected by me at the end of January 2008- then 1.5cm.  I was told I had dense breasts after my diagnosis.  Hmmm, Henda where were you when I needed you!  I have to wonder would my cancer have been caught earlier had I been informed on the density that summer of 2007.  Henda’s Law passed in the state of Texas on September 1, 2011 and will be fully implemented by January 1, 2012.  In my opinion, this is empowerment at its best.  And no, density does not care how large or small your breasts areJ. 

Currently, a woman living in the US has a 12.15%, or a 1 in 8, life­time risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer. In the 1970s, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer was 1 in 11. This increase in the likelihood of being diagnosed with breast cancer is due to longer life expectancy, as well as increases in breast cancer incidence due in part to changes in reproductive patterns, menopausal hormone use, the rising prevalence of obesity, and increased detection through screening.

Factors that increase the risk for breast cancer in women:

• Age (65+, although risk increases across all ages until age 80)

• Biopsy-confirmed atypical hyperplasia

• Certain inherited genetic mutations for breast cancer (BRCA1 and/or BRCA2)

• Mammographically dense breasts

• Personal history of breast cancer

• High endogenous estrogen or testosterone levels

• High bone density (postmenopausal)

• High-dose radiation to chest

• Two first-degree relatives with breast cancer

• Alcohol consumption

• Ashkenazi Jewish heritage

• Early menarche (<12 years)

• Height (tall)

• High socioeconomic status

• Late age at first full-term pregnancy (>30 years)

• Late menopause (>55 years)

• Never breastfed a child

• No full-term pregnancies

• Obesity (postmenopausal)/adult weight gain

• One first-degree relative with breast cancer

• Personal history of endometrium, ovary, or colon cancer

• Recent and long-term use of menopausal hormone therapy containing estrogen and progestin

• Recent oral contraceptive use

Whew!  Give a girl a break!  MD Anderson lists suggests some ways here to reduce your risk-

http://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/issues/2011-october/bustbreastcancerrisk.html?utm_source=Bronto+at+MD+Anderson&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Get+advice&utm_content=Amylwaltz%40yahoo.com&utm_campaign=Test+-+Focused+on+Health+Oct.+2011

And, as you know I strongly believe that lifestyle and environment play a huge role in any kind of cancer.  Pick up a copy of Anticancer: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber and Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr.

Finally (I know this blog entry is way too long!) here are some fun things I have seen this month that support efforts to fight breast cancer.

 

 

 

Be Well and if you are in Pearland, visit Chickfila this weekend to see Butterfly Kisses!

Food Rules

Hi Everyone,

Michael Pollan, guro on food is answering your questions this week.  You can read the questions he has answered thus far in the New York Times Magazine.  I love his passion and committment towards clean eating for all!  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/02/magazine/29mag-food-issue.html?ref=magazine&ref=magazine#/pollan  ( I found it very interesting that he won't eat tomatoes that have been in the fridge )

His expanded version of Food Rules comes out on November 1, you can pre-order your copy on Amazon.  http://www.amazon.com/Food-Rules-Eaters-Michael-Pollan/dp/1594203083/ref=sr_1_1_title_2_h?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317586239&sr=1-1

Fall is in the air.  Look for these fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables at your market:
shell beans
long beans
broccoli
cauliflower
brussel sprouts
broccoli rabe
green cabbage
arugula
spinach (buy organic)
chard
kale (buy kale)
sweet potatoes
beets
celery root
turnips
rutabagas
radishes
PUMPKIN
kabocha squash
fennel
leeks
green onions
tomatoes (don't put in fridge)
chiles
avocados (a good fat)
mushrooms (superfood )
artichokes (yummy in salads)
blackberries
raspberries
cranberries
limes
blood oranges
tree fruits- apples (buy organic), etc.
grapes (buy organic if imported)

My family will soon be telling me "no more soup mommy!".  I love soup and the cool weather means the Waltz soup kitchen is open for business.  The reasons I love soup:
1. Easy
2. Inexpensive
3. Loaded with antioxidants
4. Leftovers
5. Can feed alot of people

Typical soup in the Waltz kitchen:
Heat chopped onion and garlic in broth (I purchase organic free range chicken broth, Pacific brand.  Costco has it in bulk at a great price)
Add sliced carrots and celery (add more broth as needed)
Let veggies cook for a bit then add the entire quart of broth, plus one more
Add 1/2 can of diced tomatoes (or whole tomatoes )
Cook on low and add any other veggies you love (mushrooms, cabbage, kale, spinach, etc)
Add pasta or brown rice
Add kidney beans
Depending on the flavor you are going for you can add cilantro or basil
Salt & pepper (maybe some tumeric)
Eat with crackers, corn bread, tortilla chips or tortillas:)
Yummy!

Have a great week and be well,

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Hi Everyone,

Pink is in the House!  Tomorrow marks the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  If you didn’t know, BCAM was founded in 1985 between the American Cancer Society and a pharmaceutical company that was making several anti-breast cancer drugs.  The pink ribbon was first used to symbolize breast cancer in 1991 at a Susan G. Komen race.  It formally became the symbol for breast cancer when Estee Lauder established The Breast Cancer Research Foundation in 1993. 

If you are participating in the Houston Race for the Cure tomorrow, look out for the life size pink ribbons that are part of the Pink Ribbon Parade.  Waltz Warriors and Butterfly Kisses will be there.  I’ve attached photos below of both of them from the press release at City Hall held two weeks ago.  Mayor Annise Parker along with municipal and state politicians, members of the press and family and friends gathered to kick off the inaugural parade.  Checks were presented to the charities benefitted by the sales of the ribbons.  Waltz Warriors and Butterfly Kisses were honored to be a part and handed our funds over to Pink Ribbons Project with joy.

I haven’t spoken much about the Waltz Warriors ribbon because I have been so taken back by the process that Isabella and Hailey have gone through with Butterfly Kisses.  They have grown so much and this opportunity has molded them in ways I never imagined.  The WW ribbon has always been in the back of my mind and I always knew that my friend and artist, Kermit Eisenhut would paint it.  I had a vision for this ribbon of warriors marching through a breast cancer storm- armed in pink camo, ready to take on the stormy skies.  On the other side of the ribbon, I wanted the warriors to continue their march as cohesive heroes that had overcome strife.  Kermit took my vision and created a beautiful piece of art that reflects the battle with cancer.  If we had the time, I would have him draw faces of all of you as the warriors. 

This month as we all think about how we have been touched by breast cancer, I encourage you to participate in a local or national event to help spread the word about breast health.  It will touch your spirit in a great way!  More importantly, schedule your mammogram.  If you are young, talk with your physician about when to have your baseline scan.  My gynecologist recommends age 35, which I had and was glad I did.  Consider a mammogram party with your friends where you go in together for your scans.  Methodist Hospital has several clinics that will host you!

Be Well

We Made It!

Hi Everyone,

We made it!  We have raised over $10,000 for the 2011 inaugural Pink Ribbon Parade!  Our wine tasting event at Nos Caves Vin brought in much more than we had hoped.  As you can imagine, we are thrilled! 

I want to acknowledge individuals and businesses that contributed to our fabulous silent auction:

Central Market

Nicole Choi

Commercial Cleaning Solutions

Loubel Cruz-Galik

Emily Eager Interiors

Kermit Eisenhut

Kevin & Katy Holt

Lora Meier

Darrell & Kathleen Pennington

Rob & Tara Tomicic

Melanie Smith

We cannot thank you enough for your support to Waltz Warriors in our mission to support breast health organizations. 

I also want to give a HUGE thank you to the following individuals who helped with our wine tasting event:

Fielding Cocke who introduced us to Brent Sloan with Nos Caves Vin

Fredna Manney who provided us a delicious food menu

Golden friends Tara and Kathleen for helping with yet another fundraiser

Mark Garza with Delectatio Wines

The Pink Ladies of Pearland

And finally, to the Waltz, Longoria and Moore families.  For seeing the vision of Waltz Warriors with me through this past year.  You held your to tongue and always supported me with only positive answers!  The cooking, the lemonade stands, the mailings, the art events, the emails, the sewing, the raffle tickets, the marketing and on and on.

I love you Brett and I am so proud of how we have guided our children through the world of cancer.

Tomorrow, September 13 at 9:30, the Breast Health Collaborative of Texas will host a press conference at Houston City Hall to kick off the Pink Ribbon Parade.  The seven foot tall ribbons will be gathered around the reflection pool in Hermann Square. 

Waltz Warriors and Butterfly Kisses will be presenting checks to Pink Ribbons Project, the beneficiary of the funds we raised.  We will also be acknowledging our artists, Betsy Miller with Colors of the Heart studio in Friendswood and Kermit Eisenhut of Houston.  Stay tuned!   

For I know that plans I have for you says the Lord.  Plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.  Jeremiah 29:11

                               

                                     

                                     

 

Be Well,