Ciao miei amici,
I recently returned from a much needed respite. Funny how we don’t realize how stressed our
minds and bodies are until we physically escape our present stressors. After my family’s transitions over the past
year, it was no secret that I was emotionally challenged. And being a cancer survivor, oh my, it's stressful
just trying to be stress-free.
Sounds a little crazy, huh?
Off I went with two friends to Europe. We flew into Paris for a short stay, then
made our way to Florence and the Tuscany region of Italy. My anticancer radar was on (always on),
observing the lifestyles of the French and Italians. My conclusion was this: the French and the
Italians get bonus longevity points for socialization, large amounts of
vacation time, their faith, walking everywhere and access to local and ‘organique’
food.
Cafes in Europe seem to always be filled no matter what time
of the day with friends and family.
Laughter, wine, amazing food- my friends and I fit right in. We inquired several times about the food and
where it comes from. Particularly in
Tuscany, we were told that food is assumed organic, farms are small and markets
are abundant. Unfortunately, much
different from most cities I have been to in America. At our cooking class in Florence, Chef
Barbara told us that their public schools get organic food and kids are served
meat only twice a week. Parents get
detailed schedules of what is served and caloric breakdowns. Wow, we shook our heads as we shared with
Barbara, what lunches are like in most American public schools.
The pace of life in Tuscany was refreshing. At the top of a hill at our hotel Castelletto
di Montebenichi, we experienced true rest.
The calm and breathtaking surroundings were just like what you see on
postcards. Surely these folks live long,
simply because of their environment.
When I returned to the states, I did an online search of cancer and
Tuscany. I found a place called Post-Cancer Empowerment in Tuscany. As stated on their website- “Integrative cancer care and psycho-oncology
were little known terms a decade ago. Today these approaches have grown in
importance as ever more patients claim their right to be considered as
something more than just a malfunctioning organism. Cancer survivors deserve
emotional support as much as detailed information about possible causes of
cancer and the lifestyle changes that could make a difference. No cure is
complete without the empowerment of the patient to make informed choices about
their life and any aspect of it that has been affected by cancer.” Hmm,
I never considered myself a malfunctioning organism… sounds like a
sophisticated way of saying broken body
or bad cells gone wild! In any case, I love, love the focus on empowerment
and healthy long term cancer survivorship.
And who wouldn't want their onco to prescribe post-cancer treament in Tuscany. Ahhhhhh, the life. On the website for Empowerment in Tuscany, it links Anti-Cancer A
New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber and Foods to Fight Cancer by Richard Beliveau. Both of these books are excellent and must
haves for your library. Foods to Fight Cancer also has a cookbook that you can purchase.
I really love getting out of my Houston bubble and learning
about other cultures. It’s humbling and
fascinating. And no matter what country
I am in, the people there really love their country with pride, just like we
Americans do!
Voler bene! and happy socializing for the 4th
of July!
Tuscany
Castelletto di Montebenichi
Walking the streets of Florence, Italy
Morning tea in Florence, Italy
