Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back. Part 2

Check out the fun new additions to the blog! Many thanks to Joe, my cousin! I feel like I've joined the 2011s now.

How many parts will be in this series? Well, at least 2 and probably 4 or 5. Maybe 6 just to make it an even number. I haven't decided yet. So it will be a surprise for all of us!

My 6 month post-chemo check up was Wednesday afternoon. I waited almost 3 hours to see my oncologist. It was frustrating, but I brought a Droid smartphone to help pass the time until it died.

The good news is that my oncologist isn't worried about me. She did a physical exam- always fun to have my feet in the stirrups. We went over my side effects and rated them. We decided on what tests I'll have at my next check-up in July. That was the extent of the appointment. My oncologist was having a bad day, or just a really long day. I'm not sure which, but she wasn't at her best. It was irritating, but after venting about it to my Mom and another friend, I decided to be understanding.

I was hoping my oncologist would say something positive about my weight loss. I've lost 8 pounds. I was hoping to get to ask her about glutathione and a couple other 'little' things. It's okay, though. I know I can call and talk to her nurse next week. I'm not losing weight so my oncologist can give me a high five. I'm losing weight for me, to improve my health. I'm sure my next appointment will have better communication.

Silly me, I got caught up in being disappointed in the whole experience that I missed the most important part. I'm fine! After the exam, she didn't express concern over anything she felt or saw. No scares, nothing to be concerned about at all. It was just a check-up. Whoohooooo!! Relief!! 


I am thankful that this successful post-cancer check-up can be a beacon of light to my fellow Survivors!!

I made those kale chips tonight. I love them. My almost 3 year old niece spit it out. I bet if I sprinkle on Parmesan cheese she'll eat them.

Amazing & Delicious Kale

This is what I'm drinking, besides beloved filtered water, these days. I add just 1 packet of Sun Crystals and enjoy the refreshing anti-cancer slightly sweet tea the rest of the day. It's been a wonderful substitute for soda! Did you notice the tea kettle? It's one of my Ikea finds from trip to Texas. It's microwave-able and dishwasher-able. My life is better now.

 I made Diana Dyer's Kale-Bean Salad. It is absolutely divine. It's one of those recipes that taste so good that it's hard to believe it's a healthy anti-cancer food. 

Gather all veggies that need chopping. Grab the rest of the ingredients, too, as long as you're organizing.

These dressing ingredients = awesome. 

Cut the stalks off the kale. I used the standard supermarket variety of kale. I wish Whole Foods was closer so I could have gotten organic kale. I'll make a point to do that next time I make this salad. I assure you that it WILL be soon.

Ta-da!!

One bunch is LOT of chopped kale. The roses are my Valentine's Day gift from a special man. They smell wonderful and are oh so pretty. 

What, did you think I was going to elaborate on the special man? Ha! 

Back to the salad....

I followed the recipe's instructions and used the blender for the dressing. I don't think it was really necessary though. Next time I'll just use a whisk and a medium bowl and burn off a few calories.

Here is the finished salad. When I tossed it most of the beans and veggies went to the bottom. Luckily, I have a long spoon. A truly amazingly delicious and pretty easy to make anti-cancer salad.

What makes kale such an important anti-cancer food? It's rich in organosulfur compounds which are also known as glucosinolates. These compounds are broken down into potent anti-cancer compounds called isothiocyanates. These bad boys are powerful inducers of cancer destroying enzymes. Scientists have found that sulforaphane (which is a glucoisnolate formed when kale is chewed or chopped) works by altering gene expression which helps to clear carcinogenic substances from the body. 

That's a lot of long words to say that eating kale helps clean out cancer and other toxic cells out of your body. That excites, motivates and inspires me!! How about you!If you'd like to read even more long words and in depth info about kale kicking cancer's booty click here. Or you can watch 2 short clips of the Dr. Oz show. He recently talked about glutathiones and their power and importance.  http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/superhero-antioxidants-pt-1 

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/superhero-antioxidants-pt-2

Post a comment and tell me if you're inspired to eat more kale!