ginghamandgrace

When I was first diagnosed with DBC, I asked the question, “Why did this to happen to me?”

Was it a genetic mutation somewhere in the murky depths of my insides, passed down for generations and when suddenly mixed with my cellular garden, decided to grow breast cancer? Or maybe my immune system (that I thought had performed quite well my entire life) became vulnerable and didn’t notice the sneaky unhealthy cells passing through. Unfortunately, in the world of cancer, not all questions can be answered. Even though there have been enormous breakthroughs in the field, many things still remain somewhat of a mystery. For me, genetics were out of the question – I had the testing done and it came back negative. This left me with the unsettling realization that MAYBE my environment and lifestyle had contributed to my diagnosis.

It has been only recently that I started my quest for knowledge and I am still quite green on the subject. I have a few simple questions that I am trying to answer. “What am I putting into my body? Is it healthy and/or what exactly is in it? What SHOULD I be putting into my body to fight against disease and illness?” These questions pertain to the food I eat and the products I put on my skin. They also extend to the cookware I use, cleaning products I buy and household items I never in a million years thought were toxic until now. As I see the research, read the studies and literally uncover the truth, I am shocked but also saddened by the lack of regulation in the USA for toxic chemicals and the lack of awareness of most people (including myself).

Sure, I knew the back of my facial cleanser listed ingredients I couldn’t pronounce and had no idea what they were – but, I thought it was safe, because it was sold at Target and was “dermatologist recommended”. Little did I know, it was filled with parabens – a low cost preservative which countless studies have shown links to breast cancer. WHAT? Why is this on the market? Why is it advertised as “safe”? Why are they allowing people like me (DBC survivors) to slather this on our face? HELLO? Shouldn’t we at least be made aware?

Do I think Cetaphil gave me breast cancer? No, not really. Do many people use this cleanser and live cancer-free lives? Definitely. What’s truly unsettling to me is the greater picture – the amount of toxic chemicals found in so many of the products we use every day – unregulated and marketed as safe. In the 1960’s 1 in 20 U.S. women were diagnosed with breast cancer, today 1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed. Only 10 percent of these cases are related to genes. And so, we ask again, “Why is this happening?”

I want to introduce you to my new favorite website. www.ewg.org The Environmental Working Group is a two decade old, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health and environment. Not only do they provide links and articles on the most groundbreaking research and education, they also have handy consumer guides that you can use to see how your current products rate. You can check the food in your pantry, household cleansers, self-care products, make-up and more. Their app even has a scanner that you can scan items to check their hazard level before you purchase them in stores! The rating scale is 1-10, 1 being a low hazard and 10 being high. Food scores are based on nutrition concerns, ingredient concerns, and processing concerns. Self-care and makeup scores are based on overall hazard, cancer, developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity.

Maybe, it doesn’t matter. Maybe we can fill our bodies with these junky chemicals, lather ourselves up with synthetic self-care products and still lead disease free lives. I truly hope so! I still have MANY of these products in my home. But, as a cancer survivor, it would be imprudent for me to ignore the growing research that points directly at the lifestyle and environmental factors that contribute to the strengthening of cancer. And, my mission in life is to defeat DBC. I never want to hear a knock from that uninvited guest again. My questions now are becoming less about “why” and more about “how”. How can I live a healthier life? How can I make the best, well-informed decisions about what I eat and what I put on my body? This is a journey for me, and I have barely scratched the surface. If I become too over-the-top, crazy advocate lady please feel free to gently let me know. I love you all

Coco turned three yesterday and it was magical.

There is nothing like a pink princess birthday party to soothe the soul and remind me to enjoy all the little moments. I hope I never forget what Coco looked like at her third birthday party, some cross between a ballerina and a mermaid (swimsuit). Her spirits were soaring; and for her – in those hours of cupcakes, neighborhood pals, Disney music and playing in the pool – the world was just perfect. Thank you, God, for pink princess parties and three year old ballerinas. xoxo