I'll get to the point of the title. As I think back about how I've been living (healthwise, that is), I really have no regrets. I seem to have done everything right. I've posted quite a bit about little dietary changes that I've been trying, and keep trying. These are great adjustments. And I've been more intentional about exercising everyday, consistently. But I've been thinking about the way that I ate and lived before this whole ordeal happened, and I'm really quite happy about it. Thai food does seem to satisfy most of my new healthy requirements for eating. So when I get back to life on my own, I do think I'll get back to that. And of course I'll add juicing to the mix. But in general, I'm satisfied that my lifestyle was pretty healthy -- exercising most days, eating right, low stress. . . you name it, I might have done it. So what will I do differently to fend off a return of this nasty disease? Maybe take up the piano? :-)
Here are the things I've been learning about staving off cancer:
1. Eating -- my new philosophy is that I have to recognize my foods as something that I could have picked, gathered, milked, hunted, or fished (I think this is the Schwarzbein Principle) (I leave red meats out entirely now, as they seem to be cancer promoters. Green tea has become my favorite drink).
2. Exercise -- 30 min per day, preferably strenuous enough to produce a little sweat.
3. Stress -- zero. I generally have figured out a way to do that, which is that I don't really remember the things that are stressful, so I don't even think about stress usually. It's a gift, methinks :-)
4. Sleep -- hmm, I used to do pretty bad at that. I guess I should improve to 9 hrs per day, enough for the old immune system to kick in over night, without becoming a sloath. All I read tells me that sleep is the time the body heals itself. Perhaps it's the time the immune system kicks out those nasty cancer cells too. Just a theory. Anyway, if I'm only in bed for 8 hrs, I figure only 7 of those are actually sleep time.
5. No number 5
6. Stress again -- I forgot that I think massages are anti-cancer, but maybe that's just the metro side of me ::-) (that's a smiling spider with 4 eyes. Sydney's going to correct me and say "spiders don't have four eyes". Get over it).
There's Adam's unscientific list of cancer provention protocol. It might have worked for me if I didn't have the FAP gene. But for me it was essentially inevitable.
7. Faith in God -- No, not a cure all, but he will get me though it.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron. (Ps 107: 8-10)
Dear Adam,
ReplyDeleteHow well you are (or appear to be) taking the buffeting to your body and spirit! A lesser man, or a man with less faith in our Lord, would by now be in pretty bad shape. Judging from reports and your blogging, you are in far better health than one would expect. By that I mean, in spite of the evil thing you carry about in your lowers, a devil which has thus far shown little evidence of relinquishing its hold, you maintain good eating and exercise routines, and, from appearances at least, you radiate courage, serenity, patience, and optimism --- all very healthy attributes. My prayer is that, no matter what, you may have a sense of the presence of the Almighty, especially at those times when you are called on to fend off yet another blow from the evil one.
Uncle Henk
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ReplyDeleteI love #5.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly have a unique mind, Adam.
I can appreciate that! Very funny.