2017 Update

I had my annual mammogram in August. The technician was the same gal who scared me silly when I had the questionable mammogram results in 2012. I'm sure my blood pressure skyrocketed when I first saw her - like the 160/90 reading I got in the doctor's office a few weeks later. I'm now also tracking my blood pressure, trying to lose a few pounds with a low-carb diet, and have a follow-up blood pressure check next week.

This year's mammogram results came back with a clear report, thank God. But this technician, used so much force with the mammogram machine that I was speechless.  She was talking the whole time and I was more focused on the conversation than the pain. The gal last year did not apply as much pressure and those results were clear. The thought crossed my mind she was using excessive force that was uncalled for, and trying to create a problem. Mayo Clinic research I read years ago how breast cells that are crushed, even with seat belts can mutate into cancer - but sometimes are just crushed cells and nothing to worry about. The same goes with old age. The report also stated mammograms themselves are suspect of causing cancer.  I would think this technician would have this same information, or she doesn't agree with it.

After the third of four pictures, I said it was too much. I feel bad for saying this, but I find something deeply sinister about this particular technician - that is, a lack of genuine compassion. She was in the middle of bragging about the 30-years she had worked there when I interrupted her.

The 4th picture? I barely felt any pressure and thought I would be called in for a retake. Surprisingly, I wasn't. I told my husband about the excessive force and how I asked her to back off. He said women he works with complain about the same technician.  Hopefully, my concerns related to the Mayo Clinic information will not turn into anything startling later on.

I still don't eat red meat, only have an occasional glass of red wine and no more than 2 per week. I revisit my ph-balancing book and consume things that keep my body balanced - like, less acidic foods that fuel diseases. I was eating a lot of fruit, but my physician pointed me in the direction of more vegetables and low-fat meats to lose a few pounds - and perhaps for other reasons. I probably only need to lose 10-15 pounds, but it's getting harder as I age. I try to stick with organics when I can afford them and it makes sense to.

I thank God and feel happy I have this positive report. I keep up my good eating and exercise, because I know it could change. If you are going through a cancer-scare, I hope you find something in my blog that works for you.

Vitamin Addition

I had a white mole removed 2 years ago from my arm. My doctor was concerned, but to ease my anxiety said it wasn't serious and it hadn't spread - and to go back if more grow like that. The white bump on my forearm grew from a pin size rough patch to the size of a pencil eraser in about a week. I was also drinking 2 beers a-day with my husband, but quit after recalling how my grandmother and uncle both drank a lot and died of cancer. They also smoked, and I don't.

My pathology report said the mole contained squamous cells, but looked nothing like google images. It just looked like dry skin. Anyway, I read about Astaxanathin and how it's made naturally from krill, which makes the skin pink in salmon and other fish. It's been shown to reduce cancer risk. So, I started taking a variety from the whole foods nearest me. So far, the recommended 4 mg. per day has shrunken the few small rough dots that I am concerned about. Astaxanathin is also good for vision, and my husband takes something like it for his eyes. You have to be careful where and how the krill is harvested, and only buy from a store that considers that.

The Do-Over - movie comment

A funny movie with a strong message about oncology and Western medicine. Netflix gives it 5, full stars and my husband and I do, too!

Cancer Free!!

Two weeks ago I had my yearly mammogram at Warren General Hospital. The radiologist informed me my results would be mailed to me. About 5 days later the letter came in the mail and I was called back for diagnostic mammogram, because my breast tissue is at a level 2 density.

Being called back for another mammogram is worrisome. I set up another screening with my doctor's office who calls the order into the hospital, and had a 10-day wait....

My husband met me at the hospital yesterday, and proceeded with me to the three waiting areas (two signature stations, and one changing room). The radiologist allowed Paul in the screening room. He stood behind the leaded, plate-glass patrician with the radiologist. She took only two pictures this time of one side. We waited and prayed. Finally she came back and said all was clear and we could go home!

PRACTICING FAITH:

I had seen a Facebook posting earlier in the week claiming Ch. 4 in Matthew's Gospel of the King James version of the Bible (p. 859) cures cancer. I read this passage two times before having the 2nd screening done, believing it would clear up any problem. Also, every night before bedtime and every morning before we rise out of bed, my husband and I pray together for our health and my clear x-rays. We also attended Adoration during Lent at St. Joseph Church with the same prayer intentions, among others.

FOOD:

Following are the foods my diet includes. I start by reading food labels, and try to only buy products with:

No preservatives (like BHT)

No Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

No Modified Food Starch

No artificial coloring and artificial additives

No high fructose corn syrup

No alum

No glycol (which is a type of antifreeze)

No (or few) monoglycerides and diglycerides

No sulphites

low in fats and cholesterol

low in sodium

low in calories

high in fiber / multigrains

organically grown (USDA)

fresh fruits and vegetables (or frozen, then canned, when first two are not available)

legumes (not canned)

Earth Balance butter (for cooking and flavoring)

real butter (sparingly, for toast and rolls)

organic green tea (and occasionally black teas)

little or no pop (Diet Pepsi about twice-a-year) Lipton Diet Green Tea (in summer) * I pile on the onions, garlic, peppers, and Portobello mushrooms. We eat Portobello mushrooms, twice-a-week, on top of spaghetti and on pizza.

* We bought local beef from a reputable dealer and butcher and stocked our freezer. However, the doctor said we should only eat red meat once-a-week.

* I do eat fish and chicken, more than once-a-week as a main meal.

* We try to buy fresh eggs from local ranchers, and are looking into fresh poultry at Barry's Barnyard. http://barrysbarnyard.com/

* We also have our own garden, and raid our Uncle Pete and Cousin Davey's gardens in the fall, since they grow big and have abundance to share.

We bake sweets from scratch, including: cakes, pies, and cookies. But I limit these to only a few times a week.

Use glass containers, instead of plastic, for food storage and especially for cooking.

I was drinking two beers-a-day with my husband after work until I had the basal-cell carcinoma on my arm show up in October of 2013. (They removed it all successfully.) I gave up the beer because of that, and I was starting to gain weight. It was fun, but probably not a good idea. I do have a beer or glass of organic red wine on occasion.

EXERCISE:

My husband and I joined SNAP Fitness and we went religiously two times per week during the trial offer. We rejoined, a month later, and will go randomly but will start two times per week again after Easter.

OTHER:

I avoid lotions with preservatives and glycol, and only buy lotions at reputable wellness shops; such as, Whole Foods Co-op in Erie, PA and Herbs 4 U in Warren, PA. http://www.wholefoodscoop.org/home/

SUNSHINE:

I have fair skin and burn easy. So, I wear long sleeves and a hat when gardening and try and avoid long sun exposure without a sunscreen. The sunscreen I use can be purchased at Whole Foods Co-op in Erie, PA.

CONCLUSION: I like to think if there was or is any cancer lurking in my body, our way of life is cleaning it up. I still wish I could do more to find answers.

Updates

Last year about this time, I had a clear mammogram.  So, now I only have to go once-a-year.
I continue to eat well, but stopped pH readings after discussing it with my doctor.  He pointed out that the readings reflect activity from 4-6 hours prior to the test. I haven't checked my pH for over a year.


In October of 2013, I found a tiny bump on my arm.  It's the part that receives the most sunlight when riding in a car.  My doctor excised it and I got 3 stitches b/c it was quite large and grew really fast in 2 months time.  He thought it was Basal Cell Carcinoma.  The pathology report states it was Squamous.  The latter is a bit more serious, but in the same family.  The pathology said there was no indication of spreading and all of it was removed.  This news was quite saddening to me, because it's telling me my body is not dealing well with cancer cells and can't get rid of them.


I had promised to do some research and found a grant to apply for.  My research will involve the poetry writing of cancer survivors and specifically, an aging population.  If you meet these requirements and would like to participate, you can email me a letter of interest to rogus2006@verizon.net.

6 Month Diagnostic Mammogram

I had my 6 month diagnostic today and nothing new was spotted.  The marker and two lead stickers show that the problem area had a couple tiny round calcifications (that may have been on other xrays), which are harmless and non-cancerous.  Krista, the technician of 31 years, assured me there was nothing alarming as we looked at the slides together.  She checked with the doctor and he agreed it was all clear.  So, this is great news! 

Celebrating by texting my two lovely daughters, calling my husband at work, and enjoying a small, Iced-Cappiciano with my daughter, Gabby was fun.  We enjoyed chatting and allowing her bunny to freely run-around her room.  Bun enjoyed fluffing a bag of spent cedar, to our amazement and laughter, and she also chilled for us to pet her.

Maintaining a diet complete with fruits and vegies, avoiding preservatives and artificial coloring/flavors is still in order.  Remaining stress-free as much as possible, is also a plan.  I will one day conduct research to find out more about why cancer grows in the first place; and especially, find concrete reasons why some people develop cancer, while others (who are often times smokers and carcinogen carnivores) don't get cancer at all.  My pH has still never been in the middle range of 7.0, but runs much lower than that (too acidic). I continue to occassionally check it and continue eating low-acid forming foods as much as possible. 

Thank you, God!

Cancer Fighting Strategies Website Contains Interesting Information, Especically the pH References (I would like to see Research on the products before trying anything...not FDA approved.)

http://www.cancerfightingstrategies.com/ph-and-cancer.html

POSTED ON MORNING JOE - FACEBOOK PAGE

Phil Marineau, former President of Pepsi-cola was on your show today discussing serious health problems related to soft drink consumption with Mika Brzezinski. Marineau said the soft drink industry is interested in what consumers prefer because Pepsi-cola is part of the economy.  Well, here's an idea for you soft drink innovators. Stop focusing on the sugar factor; instead, make a drink that creates a base inventory in the body and not an acidic environment. In other words, San Pellegrino and Apollinaris bottled water are carbonated AND affect the body's pH in a healthy way. Homemade ginger tea is pH balanced. Research conducted by Dr. Susan Brown shows that consuming pH balanced food and drink mitigates the symptoms of arthritis, cancers, allergies, asthma, and diabetes. Americans need healthy alternatives in their diets and the time is now. Schools and consumers would buy it because the shift is toward better health, as long as it's marketed as a fun drink and healthy for you. Those with chronic illness and organic consumers will buy it for other reasons. For more information about pH balancing and the affects on the body, read the "Acid Alkaline Food Guide," by Dr. Susan Brown and Larry Trivieri. Also, visit my blog at http://researchingcancer.blogspot.com/ for my own personal reasearch into the important issue of health and pH balancing.

Yesterday I explained why I have not been posting, but today my pH was 6.75, which is in the optimal range. So I would like to share yesterday's menu with those interested. (The portions are for 1-person, since I ate alone all day.)

BREAKFAST:  1 fried eggwhite in Country Crock margarine; bran flakes, organic oats, Bob's(R) flaxseed; 3 celery stalks (quartered), 1 generous size slice of watermelon (quartered), 1 cup of organic green tea, and 1 glass of tap water with half a lemon (squeeze juice into water) + 1 multi-vitamin and 1,000mg. vitamin C.

MID-MORNING: 1 generous size slice of watermelon (quartered) and 3 celery stalks (quartered),
and 1 cup of nettle tea. One glass of tap water.

LUNCH: Whole grain rice (1C.) and sweet potatoes w/ tsp. Country Crock margarine (cooked and mashed), and a glass of iced tap water.

MID-AFTERNOON: 1 generous size slice of watermelon (quartered) and 3 celery stalks (quartered),
and 1 glass of homemade cold, ginger tea (thinly slice fresh ginger, boil in a quart of water for 20 minutes - and refrigerate)

DINNER:  1 whole cooking onion sliced into rings and simmered in 2 C. low-sodium beef stock until tender, topped with 1 slice Rudi's Organic Multi-grain Oat Bread (toasted and broken into bite sized pieces) and a sprinkle (3 tsps.) of shredded mozzerella cheese, 1 tsp. of frresh, dried dill (smells heavenly), then microwaved until the cheese melted. One glass of ice water from tap.

Later in the evening, I drank *3 Straub Beers (no preservatives) and switched between "She's Having a Baby" and "Kate and Leopold" on tv for a much needed rest. I also typed poetry I had handwritten a couple of weeks ago.

EVENING SNACK: 1 C. bran flakes, organic oats, and organic pumpkin seeds (mixed together)
and 1 Cuties(R) mandarine orange, and 3-5 glasses of iced tap water.

Exercise included walking a total of 40 minutes (20-min. each direction) to and from my part-time job downtown in the afternoon with the B&P Railroad's property management office. I also used a lot of mental energy reading and grading college papers in the morning, and fielding email.

*Adding a beer to meals on a daily basis does not lower acidity in pH readings for me. Two-three, one night per week do lower readings. Sad news for beer lovers, but everyone is different.

I also mentioned that timing of readings has a lot to do with the outcomes. The directions indicate 6-8 hours between going to bed and then taking the reading in the morning, assuming you sleep 8 hours and don't use the bathroom during the night. I am up several times because I drink a lot of water in the evenings. So I am never quite sure when to take the reading. The directions suggest the reading be taken upon awakening, and that's when mine are registering low numbers. I may try each time I get up to see if there are fluctuations.

5/4/2012
I am working on having a book published, based on pH balanced recipes since the information discovered is too much for only a blog.  Also, concerns over pH levels not remaing in the healthy range of 7.0 have me worried. I have been trying to figure out if the 5.5 and 6.0 readings are because of the time of morning the samples are read in relation to the last meal eaten, or if it is related to food choices from the previous day.  In other words, I don't want to print information that is not true, or misleading in any way.

As it stands now, I feel better and breathe easier since I try and eat 80% of each meal green. By green I mean green vegies; such as, celery, broccoli, curly kale, and cucumber.  I also include seasonal fruits in the 80%. At the present time, the Cuties(R) mandarine oranges are about out-of-season, but cantelope, pineapple, and watermelon (all low, acid-forming fruits) are available, though not raised locally in northwestern PA.  I breathe easier because my allergies are almost entirely gone and I don't feel the need for an antihistamine anymore. My allergy to almonds, which produces exzema on the back of my neck and elbows, has ceased since finding out the rash is realted to almonds. Exzema is known as atypical dermititus, a name similar to my cellular condition.

Photos of meals will be published soon, so visitors' time is not wasted.  Your patience is greatly appreciated. 

A typical, pH balanced breakfast consisting of SALAD: cucumber, culry kale, broccoli, celery,and topped with Cuties(R) mandarine oranges; DRINK: Organic Green Tea; CEREAL: bran flakes, organic oatmeal, and topped with Bob's Flaxseed; 1 eggwhite fried in Country Crock margarine.

I look forward to my own vegetable garden, which won't yeild a whole lot, but will keep me active. Onions are a plus to pH, which I am planting tomorrow, weather permitting.

3/30/2012

PH Levels have been flucutating between 5 and 6.
I am having a difficult time eating 2/3 of my meals with green foods; in part, because I keep running out of green food, and other times preference for cereal and meat win. I was able to raise the level to 6.5, so I know with harsher discipline I will get there. This is my birthday weekend, so I am taking it easier on myself, and my husband took me out for a fish fry and I chose the greasy, deep fried instead of baked. I find the irony in all of this and feel stupid for even mentioning it because if this doesn't work; that is, the PH balancing, relaxing more, reducing stress and cortisol levels, and exercising more, there may not be any more birthdays.

I do keep drinking organic, green tea and 1/3rd of our food bill is organic. Organic food is very expensive. I look forward to our local Farmer's Market opening in June, but the growers are not certified organic like the Whole Foods Co-op in Erie. Sadly, even local growers use fertilizers and pesticides.

*ON A DIFFERENT NOTE
I find myself becoming increasingly concerned with our governement's recent health care regulation for women and birth control, especially with the amount of hormones that will flush into our water shed. If I'm not mistaken - hormones, such as those found in birth control pills and hormon therapies, are not dissolved in water. Water tests do not specifically test for hormone levels in water, which is strange because high levels of estrogen cause cancer in human tissue.

3/24/2012

UPDATE

pH: 5.5 (up a point from yesterday)

I ate the same foods, w/ a few minor variations from first menu post, consisting of:

Breakfast (fried eggwhite, clementine, 1/2 whole grain cereal, green tea)
Snack (whole grain cereal, 6 almonds, handful of raisins - saved half of snack for afternoon)
Lunch (rice w/peppers, black turtle beans, spinach, garlic, and chile powder,1/2 C. canned pinapple)
Snack (other half of morning snack)
Dinner (a "Chick Filet" salad with vinegrette dressing,  a slice of multi-grain bread)
PM Snack (2 celery, 1/2 med. cucumber, handful of curly kale, 1 Straub lager)

I dare say, eating more green is helping.
The difficult part is consiously making these choices over other options.
Knowing it is affecting health helps with those kinds of decisions.

Note - other beverages included 6-8 bottles of water, 2 Tim Horton's unsweetened iced teas, and a bottle of Lipton's Diet Green Tea, which has little artificial coloring and flavoring listed in the ingredients. (I was on the road a lot yesterday. Otherwise, I would be drinking homemade, unsweetened green iced tea.  I also like chewing gum, especially after meals. Most sugar-free chewing gums contain BHT, a preservative known carcinogen, so I now buy Spry, or Glee chewing gum, which uses Xylitol as a sweetener, and not aspartame. Spry and Glee do not contain BHT. )

March 22, 2012

WEEKLY STATUS REPORT

pH Level: 4.5 - Extremely Acidic (7.0 is normal)
Time: 8:00 am
Method of Testing: Twice - Saliva and Urine, using pHion's Diagnostic Test Strips
Results: Two, separate test strip and chart comparisons in the 4.5 - 5.0 range.

Emotions: calm and stable

Stress: High
1.) Father in-law is in hospital undergoing kidney dialysis after major surgery.
2.) Reading, correcting, and making suggestions to 150 college papers, but enjoying student progress.
3.) Waiting answer from IUP Ph.D. Graduate & Teaching Assistantship committee and start date.

Energy: High

Physical Exercise: Limited to everyday activities due to time constraints.

Activities of Enjoyment: Judged inner-city, elementary student Poetry Readings at Erie Art House this week, and teaching LENG112 at Gannon University. Weather has been un-seasonably warm and sunny; that is, it's been more like summer and it's only spring. Also singing in church choir and practicing singing to tapes while driving 2-hours to and from Erie to teach. In addition to singing, also listening to local radio stations, MP3 player, and Bellaruth Naperstack's Affirmations, breathing guide, and Guided Imagery. Also spent time with husband, dog, kids, and Gabby's bunny this week; in addition to, keeping in touch with friends.

Sleep: 6-8 hours

Diet: This area needs tweeked since pH is extremely acidic. Two articles, one by Robert Challum's Better Nutrition article titled "Do you Pass the Acid Test?" and Molly Siple and Brian Leatart's Natural Health provide food suggestions for neutralizing the acidic climate within the body. Challum writes fruits and vegetables will neutralize pH, and Siple and Leatart provide a slide-chart of fruits and vegetable with varying degrees of effectiveness of specific vegetables. This will take some practice with food preparation and grocery shopping to select and change diet. For example, Siple and Leatart suggest "eggplant, string beans, sauerkraut, mushrooms, cauliflower, corn, broccoli, peas, onions, sweet potatoes, squash, asparagus, carrots, spinch, and sweet peppers" in the vegetable section. Fruits include "melon, papaya, avocado, dates, figs, and persimmons." Effective grains include "whole grains, buckwheat, hominy, and millet. Legumes - "soybeans and lima beans." Animal products "seafood, eggs, and duck." Dairy is limited to "most cheeses, milk, and butter" and NO yogurt as it converts to sugar in the body, and sugar creates acid in the stomach and kidneys. Natural sweeteners that neutralize best are "maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and honey." Condiments include "dutch processed chocolate, garlic, and hot peppers." Beverages list "mineral water, tea, and beer." (Wine is out, beer is in.)

The Acid-Alkaline Food Guide: A Quick Reference to Foods & Their Effect on pH Levels by Larry Trivieri Jr. and Susan E. Brown PhD (Aug 15, 2006) looks helpful - available at Amazon.com.

Relaxation Ability: Not a problem. Awareness of tension withing the body is becoming more easily identified and removed for better energy flow, with the breathing and relaxation exercises of Dr. Andrew Wiel and Bellaruth Naperstack.

Qi Gong is also proving helpful for relieving tension and creating positive energy flow within the body. Six repetitions of three, basic-beginner exercises www.taichi18.com are practiced 2-3 times daily.

3/18/2012

Breakfast 9 am (same as yesterday, but not as much water)
- 1 Eggwhite gently fried in Earth Balance organic butter substitute (made from sunflower oil)
- 1/2 C. combination of Aldi's bran flakes, Kashi organic shredded wheat, & 1 tsp. of Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal
- 1 clementine
- organic Green Tea
- 12 oz. glass of tap water *added 1 tsp. of lemon juice to first, morning water

Lunch 1 pm
- tossed salad with organic boc choy, iceburg lettuce, tomato, onion, celery, organic sugar snap peas, organic daicon, organic Shitake mushroom, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil & redwine vinegar
- 1/3 C. chopped beef (leftover from Thursday's Beef on Weck) warmed in the microwave in a ramekin
- 1 C. of bargain basement barbecued potatoe chips
- 1 Poppy Seed and Almond muffin, with angel-cream filling (from Bi-Lo)
- 24 oz. iced tap water

Snack 3 pm
- 9 almonds, small handful  of walmuts, 1/2 pear

Dinner 5 pm
- small tossed salad (leftover from lunch)
- Corn Beef, organic cabbage, and carrots
(nibbled on chicken flavored ramon noodles, and a handful of carob)
- 24 oz. iced tap water
- 3 Pamela's Mini organic Ginger Snapz

- 9 Willie Wonka Gobstoppers (It's Sunday, and in addition - it's Lent so sweets are only an option on Sundays. Potato chips are only consumed on Sundays or special occassions, as well.)

- caffiene free Green Tea

1 Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM (with 2,000 IU Vitamin D3) Supplement
600 mg Calcium Supplement

3/17/2012    HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Douglas Dupler writes abouit Qi Gong (Chee-Kung), which is similar to Tai Chi and in short, respects the energy and meridians within the body (www.tqhi.org). There is an example of Qi Gong at www.taichi18.com. The video mentions an unheard of herbal supplement, but the excercises look safe. Incorporating the exercises into a daily routine seems challenging, but possible in the morning.

Dr. Andrew Wiel and Bellaruth Naperstack's stress reducing CDs are helpful, but doing the guided imagery before bedtime is not effective; in fact, stimulates and promotes wakefullness, not sleep.

A preliminary, (pre)cancer-fighting food list (from today's menu):

Breakfast 8:30 am
- 1 Eggwhite gently fried in Earth Balance organic butter substitute (made from sunflower oil)
- 1/2 C. combination of Aldi's bran flakes, Kashi organic shredded wheat, & 1 tsp. of Bob's Red Mill Whole Ground Flaxseed Meal
- 1 clementine
- organic Green Tea
- 24 oz. bottled water (awakening until snack) *added 1 tsp. of lemon juice to first, morning water

1 Multi-vitamin, 1000 mg Vitamin C Supplements

Morning Snack 11:00 am
- combination of 12 almonds, 1/4 C. whole walnuts, 1/2 fresh pear
- Choice Black Tea with 1 tsp. honey

1 Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM (with 2,000 IU Vitamin D3) Supplement
600 mg Calcium Supplement

Lunch 1:30 pm (leftovers from yesterday's lunch)
- celery; green, red, and orange fresh peppers; gently chopped, fresh Shitake mushroom; fresh garlic, 1 whole fresh gently chopped tomato; 1 tsp. hot green chile pepper w/ dash of chile powder, sauteed in and Earth Balance butter - then added 2 C. of pre-cooked rice, and a dash of sea salt & pepper.
(re-heated in microwave)
- added a 1/2 can of cold, boneless & skinless sardines in olive oil,
and sprinkled a handful of raisens on top
- decaffienated Green Tea
- 3 organic Pamela's Simplebites Ginger Mini Snapz cookies
- 24 oz. +/- of bottled

another 600 mg Calcium Supplement (to equal 1,200 mg daily)

Afternoon Snack 4:30 pm
- combination of 12 almonds, 1/8 C. whole walnuts, 9 Kashi organic shredded wheat
- 1/2 over-ripe banana
- 12 oz. bottled water
- 24 oz. diet pepsi

Dinner 7 pm
- Little Ceasar's Buffalo Chicken Wing Pizza, no dressing or celery (2 med. slices)
- 1/2 C. cold, fresh organic Sugar Snap Peas (absolutely delicious!) - Whole Foods Co-op (WFC)
- 1/2 C. peeled and sliced organic cucumber
- 12 oz. glass of iced tap water
- hot, Alvita caffeine free Red Clover Tea w/ 1 tsp. local, organic Honey Red Bamboo honey (WFC)
- 3 organic Pamela's Simplebites Ginger Mini Snapz cookies

Bedtime Snack 10 pm
- combination of 1/4 C. whole wheat oat cereal, 2-3 T. organic regular-cut oatmeal, 2-3 T. bran cereal, 9 Kashi organic shredded wheat, 1 T. Bob's whole flaxseed
- 1/2 over-ripe, cold banana (other half consumed earlier in the day, this half refridgerated)
- 12 oz. glass of iced tap water

3/14/2012

Fresh fruits and veggies are the best way to balance PH, and I am still in the process of learning which foods fall into the Alkaline side, and which foods will tip to the Acidic side of the scale. Of the many food lists I've looked at, it seems cucumbers, onions, and garlic raise PH (Alkaline side) and oranges, walnuts, wheat products, pasta, dairy, meat, and eggs lower PH (Acidic). I am still looking for a credible and reliable source for the food list.

In the meantime, I shopped for fruits and veggies at Whole Foods Co-op on 16th Street in Erie today. They sell organic, chemical free produce and products. A lady in front of me said she spent 200 bucks the last time she was in there. You can buy a share of the store for $100 (one time fee) and receive 15% off your total bill, once-a-month. 

3/13/2012
(corrections made to this post on July 24, 2012)
It's been a month since my biopsy.

A friend lended me her stress reduction CDs.
Doctors Andrew Weil and Martin Rossmann, and Bellaruth Naperstack use guided imagery.
I find it lends itself to a new perspective on the mind & body connection and I honestly feel much better after listening.

I spend 15-30 minutes with guided imagery before bedtime.
Naperstack's CD includes affirmations, which can be done in the car.
Guided imagery cannot be done in the car or while operating machinery.

POOL / BODY CONNECTION
I made a connection to my swimming pool today.
PH levels are important and are checked weekly in the summer.
The phamphlet reads that a pool with high pH creates scale (barnicles), and low
pH (too acidic) is corrosive and creates holes. I think it's the same with the body.
So, yes - I checked my pH by peeing on a test strip (Phion Test Strips).
My pH happens to be on the low side. 

I had a hunch pH could be related to ulcers and cancers.
My father-in-law had a serious ulcer and I wondered if his pH was
also too low. Because I was brought up in a home where both parents
were hospital professionals and was surrounded by medical books,
I mentally compared my father-in-law ulcers to the corrosion you would find in a pool
if the pH were too low. (God Bless his soul, he was going through all of this as I
was having all of my tests done.) In comparison, I thought my pH would be high because I
defined my calcifications as growths. In other words, at first I thought of
my unusual cell growth as liken to the scale growth in a pool.  But that is wrong.
High alkalinity leads to scale.  My body is not alkaline but the opposite.
That is, my pH registers as too acidic, which causes corrosion or, holes in pipes.
Nevertheless, I am still led to believe that a correct pH balance of 7 is necessary for good health.

In conclusion, because my pH is well below 7, I now think of a calcification as corrosion
that was created by a high pH, and then the cells that rushed in to fill the void became suspicious matter because the new tissue did not respond correctly to the corrosion and filled in the space all wrong (because of a pH that is too acidic and couldn't deal with it).
You can compare the process to a black hole to some extent, in that even a hole has content.

I could be all wrong in this hunch, but the events have helped me to pay closer attention
to the foods my family and I consume, the removal of un-necesssary stress, and exercise.

3/7/2012

I had an MRI at Hamot's Heart Center in Erie. It took about 20-minutes.
Classy FM was playing into the headphones as the machine clanged, pinged, and caboomed
as I prayed a full rosary. My doctor wanted a baseline, in addition to regular mammograms.

THE BEGINNING - Monday, February 13, 2012
My radiologist told me I needed a breast biopsy to identify a suspicious microcalcification in my left breast. The film revealed a tiny jagged, white spot among smaller white spots. They were not in a cluster, but spread out like planets in a night sky.

BACKGROUND - Emotion/Stess/Diet
The news alarmed me because I am in a Ph.D. program and had my life planned out. But I had been ingesting crazy chemicals, like 20 cups of cheap tea ($1/box at Walmart) with two packets of equal and a couple tablespoons of cheap creamer per cup. In addition to that, I ingested a cup of Cool Whip per night with some frozen fruit. I don't eat a lot of high fat or sugery treats, other than one, cream filled donut on Sundays and 20-30 pieces of Willy Wonka's Gobstoppers on Saturdays. I have two slices of Little Ceasar's pizza on Saturday nights and two glasses of red wine on Friday nights with a small snack or meal.  My emotional status was high stress, but is now waning. I was constantly fighting with my dear husband about stupid things, like closing the drapes to maintain heat and lower bills. I prefer the sunshine - to which he has succumbed to as of late. I had returned to college in 2005 and graduated in 2009 with a teaching degree, then started a Master of Arts in English program and graduated in 2011.  I am currently an adjunct professor and teach two freshman English Critical Analysis and Composition classes. I also work in a low to moderatly-stressed railroad administration office. In 2010 and 2011, I worked for Chautauqua Institution in a very high-stressed job. Over the past 7 years, I would agree my stress levels have been high, but manageable and not uncomfortable except when I slept only 5 hours per night during my student teaching for a year. I taught religious education during this time, which was relaxing and fun for me. I also attend church regulary and volunteer for those in need. I wrote once-a-month for a newspaper supplement, but gave that up when I started my master's program. I have two children in college now, and a loving and caring husband who cooks and does laundry. He is also the primary bread winner in our family, but I wrote out the bills, until lately. I went through menopause without a lot of hoopla. We began practicing Natural Family Planning around the mid 1990's and I have not taken birth control or used devices since the early 80's. A family doctor had prescribed birth control pills to regulate menstruation when I was 16, and I stopped taking them when I was 20 when I found they were making me feel depressed. I had a copper-7 IUD, which was later replaced with a plastic IUD, which failed. The IUDs spanned a period of one year. Realizing my partner had no interest in the same values I did, I threw away the birth control and left. Ten years later I met my current husband, and had two normal childbirths. I didn't take any hormone replacements during menopause, or feel the need to. My hot flashes were only at night, and mood swings were sometimes troublesome, but nothing to run to the doctor about. I didn't have a lot of breast swelling or tenderness. Because I have low blood sugar, I eat 6 small meals a day and aim for foods high in protien. At times I consumed power bars high in fat and calories, until I realized I was gaining weight and so became more consious of nutrition labels on power bars. For the past 30 years, I have chosen whole wheat bread over white, multi-grain cereals, fruits, and vegetables. I use a microwave oven for most cooking. I drank 4-5 glasses of soy milk per week from 2005 until now. When I read more than once that soy could be responsible for raising estrogen in the body, I gave it up. More on that later. I was an aerobics intructor from 2008 to 2010 in the colleges I attended, occassionally ride a bicycle and swim in our pool in the summer months, and now ride an recumbant bicycle for 15-minutes (5 miles) per week with a target heart rate of 135.

I discussed work related stress problems with my doctor when I was in my early twenties.