What Is The First Thing To Do After A Cancer Diagnosis?
Cancer is such a weighted word and most people think of the worst case scenario when they are diagnosed with cancer, but there’s more to cancer than just the worst. The word cancer causes a numbing feeling that can’t be explained.
When I was diagnosed with cancer in December of 2023, just 3 days before Christmas, I was so numb. I had a hard time talking, a difficult time praying, and I really didn’t think much. I was scared, of course, but I didn’t quite know what to do with myself. My husband was a great support for me, and he helped me process the news. The first thing we did when I was diagnosed, was stop and sit in the diagnosis. It’s important to just take a breather and recognize that something unfathomable has been spoken into existence, and it’s time to reflect and accept the word cancer. However, it’s also important to then stand up, and start living.
Life is worth fighting for!
It’s a lot to take in, and it’s helpful to have a little bit of time to process, and reflect on what was just discovered. However, the best “first step” is to recognize that the cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean life is ending, it simply means it’s time to live in a way to prove that life is worth fighting for.
Maybe your cancer was a slow progression from poor nutrition choices, or maybe it sprang out of nowhere when you felt like you were doing everything right. The source of the cancer is important to research and understand, but cancer is simply a warning sign that changes need to be made.
Can I live a normal life with cancer?
Cancer is the warning sign that something in the body isn’t functioning correctly, so changes definitely need to be made. Living a normal life with a cancer diagnosis is definitely possible, but you will find that it’s best to create a new normal.
Normal for you might be eating fast food and drinking sodas while watching a movie, but your NEW normal might intel cooking from scratch, and drinking a hyper-nourishing smoothie while watching a movie is more impactful for your future. I have become much more active since my cancer diagnosis, so sitting on the couch isn’t that much fun anymore.
My old normal was 20 pounds heavier, and focusing on eating way too many carbs. My new normal is 20 pounds lighter, and focusing on stabilizing my blood sugar, while hyper nourishing my body to feel healthy while I enjoy moving my body more.
First steps to a new normal with cancer
Once you have recognized your cancer diagnosis, now it’s time to put action into the fight. Whether you choose treatment or not, you have a life to live and cancer is just a chapter of your story. Let’s get personal. After my cancer diagnosis, I made drastic changes to my life. While I already ate a healthy whole foods diet, I needed to clean up other areas of my life to align with the 8 laws of health. I wanted to make sure that the fundamentals of my life were toxic free, so I focused on clean water, clean air, organic foods, toxic free cleaning supplies and personal care products.
Air Purifiers
I needed to be breathing in clean air to provide the purest oxygen to my body. The FIRST purchase I made after my diagnosis was an air purifier for my bedroom. We spend more time in our bedrooms sleeping, than we do anywhere else. Mold spores are linked to cancer, and mold spores can develop in our homes. I researched the top air purifiers and decided to purchase an Air Doctor. I am so happy with my purchase, so I saved up and purchased their largest model for my kitchen and living room, and an additional one for my daughter’s room because of her allergies. We have seen amazing improvements in our health and rarely suffer from allergies and head colds.
My affiliate link automatically applies sale prices. Check out Air Doctors HERE.
Clean Water
Drinking a lot of water while going through cancer is vital, especially if you’re undergoing cancer treatments. I underwent 6 months of chemotherapy, so the first few days after chemo I focused on drinking a lot to flush out the toxins.
We purchased 2 water filtration systems for our home. The big blue water filtration system on our main water line that runs water through every sink and shower was our main objective. We also purchased an additional reverse osmosis water filter for our kitchen sink. My husband switches out the filters for us and it’s nice knowing that we are drinking clean water. The caveat to that is you have to replace the minerals, so eating a diet rich in vitamins and minerals is important. We also take supplements to help our bodies take in minerals daily.
Purchase the Big Blue Water Filtration System on Amazon. It might be helpful to have someone from Culligan come out and install it up for you. We initially had them come install ours.
You can also purchase the Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System on Amazon. We love having this connected to our kitchen sink to fill our water bottles.
What is the best cancer diet?
I truly believe eating real foods is the most important and practical diet you can eat. I used to eat strictly plant-based, but I found I wasn’t eating enough protein and I gained way too much weight eating “fiber” aka: carbs. Since going through cancer I have adjusted my diet and I am a much happier person. Here’s the foods I focus on eating daily and what I stay away from.
Foods I focus on:
- Blueberries and matcha green tea – antioxidants
- Chia seeds, walnuts, flax seeds – omega-3’s
- Sauerkraut, Coconut Cult probiotic yogurt, sourdough bread – probiotics
- Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, etc. – vitamins and minerals
- Pasture-raised protein sources: beef and chicken, eggs, organic beans, and organic nuts and seeds – protein
- Apples, carrots, avocados, and beets – fiber
Foods I avoid:
- Seed oils – highly inflammatory
- Ultra-processed foods like Doritos, cereals, and candy
- Sodas – spikes blood sugar levels
- Sugar – I focus on fruit sugars, pure maple syrup, and raw honey to sweeten homemade treats
Non-Toxic Cleaning Supplies
It’s so easy to use what we’re used to using for cleaning dishes, mopping floors, and doing laundry, but many of those products can contribute to weakening our health. You can definitely go the all natural route and use baking soda and vinegar, but if you’re looking for a non-toxic cleaning company, I recommend Branch Basics.
I was looking for a new way to clean the shower without using bleach, and I was amazed with Branch Basics. I cleaned my shower so well and without a lot of effort.
Branch Basics Cleaning Supplies and use my discount code: AIMEEGUESS
I will create another article soon about the personal care products that I use. I hope this article encourages you, and helps you in your first steps as you embark on this journey no body ever wants to be apart of. A cancer diagnosis is unsettling, scary, and confusing, but there are practical steps we can take to help in the healing process.
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