Mind Body connection

Bliz · December 2007

Bliz · December 2007

What do you think of a mind body connection with the onset of your

cancer? I am not thinking of this in a blaming way but as a way of noticing and hopefully making positive mental/emotional changes geared to a long healthy life.

I have always been healthy and relatively happy, although I did end an important relationship right about the time, I believe now my cancer started growing. It was about three years ago and i started having alot of weird health symptoms a couple of months after the end of this relationship. The symptoms were all written off as menopause but I believe now it was the cancer.

Although I made peace with the end of the relationship and actually went on to another even more fulfilling part of my life, it seems the die was cast, if you accept the mind/body connection.

So if there is a mind/body connection in the creation, how do you bring that into play in your healing? I am reading alot of books like Andrew Weil, "Spontaneous Healing" and an old book titled, "You cant afford the luxury of a negative thought."

I am hoping these will get me back to my former confident and optimistic self. What do others think and what have you tried?

I am also seriously debating not doing the hormone therapy. I tried Armidex and was miserable. Supposed to start Femera soon. The hormone therapy has just felt so awful and negative to this point I am wondering if it would be more beneficial to concentrate on a positive healing mental/emotional connection and give up on the hormone drugs. I will still try the femera and hope for the best.

DX 06/13/07 Stage1/Grade1/er+/no nodes/oncotype 20

Anonymous · December 2007

Hi Bliz....In my healing journey, I've been able to take advantage of all of the traditional tools of medicine as well as many complementary treatments and feel that the combination of both is very powerful. I'm not entirely certain where I stand on the chicken vs. the egg controversy and, so, don't have a clue as to why I got cancer, but I very strongly feel that my emotional health is vital to bringing about my physical healing. To this end, I work very hard on becoming a person who is loving, compassionate and responsible in terms of both myself and my world. I use every tool I can to achieve this goal, including meditation and especially guided meditation. Throughout chemo, rads and continuing to this day, the tapes of Belleruth Naparstek have allowed me to envision myself as perfectly healthy and I really believe that these meditations have helped to bring about more complete healing for me.

As an aside, I'll mention the works of Louise Hays in this regard. She has written a great deal on the interdependence between health/disease and mental & emotional states. Amazon carries some of her books: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-1624782-6691652?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Louise+Hay&x=11&y=12

And Bliz, thanks for asking this question....it's an important one, I think.

~Marin

Bliz · December 2007

And thanks for your response, Marin. I do believe in my case there was a connection, even though I felt I handled the relationship issue as healthfully as possible. I still believe it was a wound of sorts, because of the length of the relationship and the final realization it was never going to work and be healthy.

I think that caused a major shift within myself that might have left me open to disease. Possibly that and just the timing and coincedence of menopausal issues at the same time. I feel it is important not to blame myself because I can not imagine what I could have done differently.

So I am looking for that combination of treatments that will make me whole again. I think I am getting there, but have concerns about the hormone therapy as I have mentioned.

It seems particularly toxic to me in ways my onc says they have never seen. On the other hand I do not want to take a Pollyannish approach that I can be miracurously cured without some modern medicine. I did have lupectomy and 5 day rads.

I will check out the authors you mentioned and keep up the alternative approaches. I do believe it is an important question also.

Anonymous · December 2007

Bliz....I'll say this....I fervently believe that all of our answers lie within each one of us and if we listen to our hearts, we will know the right course to take. Knowing myself as I've come to, I made my choices and felt compelled to leave no stone unturned. But if your heart and gut are counseling you to avoid hormonal intervention, then that may be your proper path. No one but you can know that. That's my opinion anyway, FWIW.

~Marin

Bliz · December 2007

I am on a long annual sabbatical, which I usually spend reconneting with nature and myself. Hopefully more will become clear to me as I leave the hospital halls and return to the beauty and calm of the outdoors and blue waters.

ERS2006 · December 2007

Bliz...

Have you tried Thought Field Therapy...Very easy to do and is a mind body thing!...also watch The Secret...very empowering to get you back on track!!!

Harley44 · December 2007

Bliz,

Hope you have a wonderful sabbatical!! It is always so nice to get outside and be close to nature. I always feel closer to God when I am out there, whenever we go, and where ever we go, to the mountains, or the beach, it is so relaxing, and helps me to connect with God.

You will KNOW what is the right thing to do... the answer is within you...

Hugs

Harley

Blundin2005 · December 2007

Hi Bliz,

Whewww! not a short discussion ....

I began a search of similar information maybe 30 years ago. It seems that when I was ready to listen, the teacher arrived.

There is a long explanation behind each on of the books and practices that I'll suggest but instead, I'll just leave them with you and let them be as they may .... it was in this manner they came by me.

Ponder on This ...A Compilation. Lugis Publishing Company

Quantum Healing. Depok Chopra

Questioning Krishnamurti. J. Krishnamurti in dialogue

Living Buddha, Living Christ. Thich Nhat Hanh

Why God Won't Go Away. Brain Science & The Biology of Belief. A. Newberg, M.D., E D'Aquili M.D. Ph.D.

Belonging to the Universe. Fritjof Capra & David Steindl-Rast with Thomas Matus

Thi Chi

Light of Life

Yoga

Reiki

A sabbatical is an excellent idea. I can think of several spirituality centers that support your effort.

..about the HT...I battle with this decision ....my choice is to add the edge it gives me with much attention to the fact that it does or not the work it is intended to do. I compliment that with the efforts of those with the mindset of what I suggested above. I'm comfortable with my choice.

The choice is always ours and ours alone to make.

Best wishes to you and all, as always....

Bliz · December 2007

Thanks for everyone's response. I will check out some of the books and ideas. I had some good books here too. Still I find myself getting depressed at times. Things I used to take so much joy in are flat. I realize I am very lucky as far as the cancer dx goes, but still I seem depressed. I started taking the Femera today. Took a 1/2 pill. She only wanted me to take twice a week for starters.

I do not like this person I have become at times, who is so negative and hopeless feeling. I think it is a lot of things, that many have also gone through. Maybe it is just a stage and I will regroup and heal. I certainly hope so.

If any of you could recommend just one book or belief that would help me get through this I would love to hear it.

Thanks for listening to my whining.

Rosemary44 · December 2007

Bliz,

I can recommend a paper for you to read on depression. It's my belief that a magnesium deficiency could be the underlying cause of what you describe. Read the paper, see what you think, and we'll go from there.

http://www.george-eby-research.com/html/magnesium-depression-review.mht

Anonymous · December 2007

I don't have any one resource or method to recommend. So many have been suggested and I believe that any one, or a combination, can lead one to discover her own truth. I will say this in regards to that "flat" or depressed feeling that so, so many of us feel as active treatment draws to a close and we're left feeling like we're alone out there, flapping in the wind. I think that it's all about one's personal power. Our cancer experience chips very hard away at that sense of self-power that we're gifted with at birth and that most of us (except for the most damaged, abused souls) have relied upon throughout our lives. Our realities are truly changed forever, once cancer has had its way with us. So post-treatment becomes a time to try to search for empowerment again. It is certainly far from easy, as we're all finding. That alone is reason for depression, huh? But it's also a reason to rejoice, I think, because it IS possible to find it again....I hope.

Good luck in your search, Bliz, and all who seek the answers now. I'm so glad that we have each other to help in this journey, ya know?

~Marin

joanne_elizabeth · December 2007

I have read a couple times during the last few months that stress is strongly associated with bc AND recurrence. I read that if you have a traumatic event such as death of a parent the odds of recurrence increase. I truly believe stress interferes with your immune system and its ability to eradicate cancer cells. Obviously this does not operate in isolation but in combination with your genes and environment.

Joanne

Bliz · December 2007

This is all good stuff. Thanks again. The magnesium makes sense. I have sporadically been taking a liquid calcium/mag mix. I'll make that more permanent.

The correlation between stress and recurrence is scary as that feeds into my theory of how the cancer began; the stress of ending a relationship.

But we always have stress and our parents do die, so not sure what to do here. On the one hand I feel we have to go through that and feel the feelings, even though it is stressful. Just like I have to bitch and whine and feel down now so that I can get back to joy.

The empowerment component really rang true to me. I had become more empowered than ever in the last few years. I am a single woman who loves nature, exploring, the water, etc. In the last few years, I did several fun and empowering things that have allowed me to enjoy nature more.

For example, buying a little boat and motor I could use in Florida. I felt like I took it all to a new level and was really enjoying life. Finally feeling like I had "arrived' and could do all the exploring things I liked to do, even by myself.

So it is like the cancer threw me back a decade or two where I feel I have lost my center. It is good to hear that I might get it back. I worked on it today walking around in this beautiful climate, enjoying the sunset etc.

I will tell you that having cancer can often make little things like the flat tire I had today, seem very insignificant. In the past, it might have ruined my day.

Rosemary44 · December 2007

Bliz,

To give this a fair chance to work, you have to take magnesium citrate alone, wait 2 hours before you take calcium. Calcium competes with magnesium absorption. If it's a deficiency you'll find yourself getting back to feeling normal without noticing. A low dose of B6 (25-50 mgs) with it will help Mg absorption. I hope it helps.

Bliz · December 2007

Thanks, Rosemary. I will give that a try. Wonder why they usually put calcium and magnesium together in a supplement. Kind of weird if the calcium inhibits the magnesium absorption. No wonder we are all confused.

One thing I have noticed about my moods is, if I have a good day, I think I am "cured". Of my depression that is. Then when the next day is bad, I feel hopeless again. I have to find a way to keep on a positive path. It does seem a lot better if i get out of the house and do something.

Harley44 · December 2007

Bliz,

I agree... getting outside and doing something, even just going for a walk, is very helpful! I always feel MUCH better if I make myself get up and go outside and get active!

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Hugs

Harley

Blundin2005 · December 2007

Bliz,

....the magnesium gave me a new lease on life so to speak...so it's worth trying to balance the biology ...

...even if the biology is out of kilter, it can take a bit to absorb the impact of all that you are going through....but you will achieve this in time....remember to breath

...and in the meantime, try the magnesium. I must sound like a broken record to most here who read my comments on this issue....but really...it helped a lot.

....while you are waiting for the magnesium to kick in .... some massage therapy, combined with a walks in nature, or any of the other excellent suggestions given here would be a good idea.

....I noticed that someone else here would be happy to walk in your shoes of a sabatical....so maybe take a few notes while you are there and share them back to us.

...I almost bought a property in Key Largo several years ago (almost 10). Florida Keys are beautiful...except for the sharks in the bay...yike! But the sunsets are beautiful....almost as nice as here....and the food.... almost as good as here too! (LOL)!!!!

Best wishes to you and hope that you are feeling better soon .... mag or antidepressive or beautiful sunsets...

Best wishes to all as always....

Bliz · December 2007

Just noticing the different changes I am going through will help, hopefully. I will look for the magnesium citrate at the Health food stores.

I am in the lower Keys. Saw a small osprey yesterday in the dead tree outside my house. Also saw a turtle swimming near the seawall while jogging by the airport in KW. The little nature things really help me.

This kind of reminds me of getting over a bad break up or a death. I have to remember that things do get better. I am a big believer in allowing yourself to feel all the feeling. So even though I am down at times and it is painful, I feel like I have to go through it.

Good news is the boat motor is finally working. Looks like the mechanic did not use the proper proceedure when storing it. So no charge, which is good, but a few days of boating lost. (I am hoping this babbling qualifies under what is going on here and is not boring). Boating really helped me up north.

Jellydonut · December 2007

Comment deleted by Jellydonut.

althea · December 2007

Bliz, have you read any of Deepak Chopra's books? I've read several over the years. I think it was easier to believe in the mind/body connection before bc than now. I like to think that if the mind body connection really worked I never would've gotten bc in the first place. I do believe so much in mind over matter when it comes to health issues. I am related to some people with toxic behavior, however, and I divorced a toxic man in 03 only to be diagnosed with bc in 04. So maybe that was my downfall. I dunno. In any case, I do like chopra's books, even though I think the quantum physics section make my brain cells short circuit. How can anyone 'know' that stuff, let alone think of it in the first place?? It fascinates me nonetheless.

Many of his books overlap as he discusses the ancient indian medical wisdom of ayruveda. My stomach has never been the same since chemo, and I believe the things I've learned and practiced from his books have been helpfu. I keep telling myself I'll start yoga again, but haven't yet. I have been doing the abyanga (sp?) for over a year now. It's a routine of massage yourself from head to toe with sesame oil before bathing. I find it soothing to my scar tissue (problem with keloids), and I'm hopeful that it will also reduce my risk of lymphedema. At this point, I just like it and plan to continue no matter what. I always feel like I'm practicing good self care when I do the massage. You might like it too. Since you're on sabbatical, you have time to pamper yourself with excellent self care.

Blundin2005 · December 2007

Hi Tx,

I've found doctors who are not educated beyond western medicine are very defensive of their knowledge base. I've never understood why they are defensive when the practice of mind body disciplines are affective and have been proven so.

What I appreciated the most of Depok Chopra's writing is that he never suggested that healing was one discipline over the other but the combination of both to be of value.

Also, he wrote very clearly that blame was never at issue. We get sick and eventually we die. This is fact. The practice that is taught in eastern philosophy is how to live well incorporating the power of the mind into the healing of the body.

Best wishes to all .... as always

Bliz · December 2007

I have read or mostly listened on tape to many of Deepok Chopra's books. I think that is one of the hardest things for me. I was doing all the right things. I had even cranked it up a few notches in the last several years.

If there is a mind/body connection to the cancer, I am not sure what else we can do. Unhappiness, grief, stress; it is all going to come. I cant think of anything I could have done differently. I had therapy at the time, massage continued etc. But sometimes the stress of life is a wound. So now trying to heal that wound.

Mind Body connection

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