Lots To Live For, Inc. is Dedicated to Delivering Comfort During Cancer

Lots To Live For, Inc. is a curated collection of cancer resources dedicated to delivering comfort to individuals who are battling the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation.

The Daily Voice recently wrote an article describing the inspiration for the launch of Lots To Live For, Inc. and the most popular products sold on the website.

Lots to Live For was created by Margot Malin as a loving tribute to her mother and grandmother, who both fought cancer so bravely. As a firsthand witness to the debilitating effects that their treatments took on her relatives, Margot saw the need for personal care products that would comfort cancer patients during a difficult time.

"Malin's dream was to create a one-stop shopping site for products that would reduce and relieve the side effects of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery."

 “Since 2000, there have been so many products introduced to help cancer patients,” Malin said. “A lot of them have been created by individuals who have gone through treatment.”

Products sold reduce and relieve side effects in a variety of categories including: skin care, radiation burn care, oral care, hair care and nutrition. There are also many curated thoughtful gifts which are both thoughtful and useful, and certainly welcomed by the recipients.

To read the full article in the Daily Voice: click here.  
Upper Saddle River Woman Sells Products That Comfort Cancer Patients

To shop for products on the Lots To Live For website: click here.

Creating the Best Chemo Goody Bag - Helpful Items to Bring to Chemotherapy Treatment

by Margot Malin, Founder and CEO of Lots To Live For, Inc.

This is a condensed version of the post entitled GREAT CHEMOTHERAPY GIFT IDEAS AND HOW TO CREATE YOUR OWN CHEMO GOODY BAG which appeared in the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog on February 11, 2014

It is important to try to be as comfortable as you can during chemotherapy treatments. There are many things that can cause discomfort ranging from feeling chilly to feeling nauseated. We have put together some suggestions of items to bring to chemotherapy treatment to help you feel more comfortable. Its a great idea to make a checklist, buy a nice bag with several compartments for organizing, and keep the bag ready to take to treatment.

PHYSICAL COMFORT

Taste changes are a very common side effect of chemotherapy. Your sense of smell might also change, and you might become overly sensitive to fragrances.  You might get chills frequently or constantly feel cold. Your mouth may develop sores and feel very dry. You may feel nauseous. Here are some ideas to combat these effects.

Warmth:  Be sure to include a warm fuzzy blanket, soft and warm socks, fuzzy gloves, a hat or other head cover such as a scarf or head wrap.  Wear comfortable clothes.

Oral Care:  Drink plenty of fluids. Carry a water bottle. Bring a thermos with organic tea or broth. Mouth moisturizer products such as Mouth Kote oral moisturizer and Biotene dry mouth gum can help dry mouth.  Be sure to include a lip balm or lip moisturizing product because you lips can get very dry. Bring a disposable toothbrush for gentle brushing and hydration.

Skin Care:  Different chemotherapy medications can cause a variety of skin issues.  Dry skin is very common. We suggest a hand moisturizer such as a tube of Atopalm Moisturizing Hand Treatment. If you are experiencing hand/foot syndrome we suggest CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm.  Lindiskin face serums (lavender or citrus) are very helpful for acneform rash. 

Antinausea Products (to combat CINV):  Biobands are clinically proven, effective acupressure wristbands that provide relief of nausea associated with chemotherapy. Queasy Drops are also an effective way to relieve nausea associated with chemo. They also help to alleviate dry mouth symptoms.

Overall Physical Comfort:  Bring a travel pillow.  Don’t forget individual packs of tissues. Don’t forget to pack a small hand sanitizer.

Create a Chemo Goody Bag to Enhance Comfort During Chemo Treatments

SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL COMFORT

In addition to personal care products to alleviate physical discomfort, we offer suggestions to boost your mental, spiritual and emotional state of mind.

To Pass the Time:  Ask a friend or relative to sit with you during treatment if they have the time.  If you will be alone, be sure to bring a variety of things that can help you pass the time.  You might not feel like concentrating too deeply so bring a variety of different types of distractions – some that might require focus, some that require less engagement.  Choose as many or as few of the following:  An ipod, an ipad or tablet, a Kindle, a book, magazines, and/or a journal. If you like to draw, bring a sketchbook. We also suggest bringing pictures on electronic media or a photo album to surround yourself with pictures of loved ones.

Spiritual and Breathing: There are a number of CD’s, ipod downloads, and cell phone apps that can help with visualization and breathing.  Both can be very helpful during chemotherapy treatment.  Whip Cancer is an example of a visualization app which can help empower patients and reduce stress. The Breathe With Purpose CD is helpful for stress reduction, visualization, and meditation. There are numerous other apps for visualization, stress reduction, and meditation to explore.

THINGS TO AVOID

Many oncologists recommend that cancer patients avoid refined sugar. Therefore baked goods and candy should not be consumed. Well meaning friends and relatives like to gift these items (not knowing that they should be avoided), but we feel strongly that more healthy food options should be considered.  Sugary drinks such as soda are not recommended either.

A cancer patient may become very sensitive to smells so we do not suggest perfumes or flowers.

IN CONCLUSION

We have researched and reviewed products for many years to find personal care products that are effective in reducing and relieving the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy treatment. We invite you to visit our website at www.LotsToLiveFor.com to see all of the products that meet our high standards. 

To read the full blog post on the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog: click here

To view Chemotherapy Gift Ideas please click on the following Chemo Goody Bag Collections below:
Chemo Gift Kit
Deluxe Chemotherapy Gift
Ultimate Chemotherapy Gift

Ultimate Chemotherapy Gift

Tips To Prepare for Chemotherapy and Radiation

Select Your Teams, Organize Your Medical Records and Do Your Research

by Margot Malin

Have you or has someone you know recently been diagnosed with cancer? Here are some helpful things to consider before starting treatment.

This post is condensed version of a more detailed post appearing in the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog.

    1. Choose your medical and support teams. Your "medical team" members can include: your surgeon, your oncologist, your oncology nurses, your nurse navigator, and a cancer coach.  Your "support team" can include friends, family and individuals you meet through support organizations.

             Click to learn more about nurse navigators and cancer coaches.

Medical Team - Cancer Support

2.  Do your research so that you thoroughly understand your treatment protocol. Be active in selecting your course of treatment if you are given a series of choices or options. Having some control and “buying in” will help your frame of mind and can even enhance your outcome. Do as much research as you feel comfortable with. Focus on the important facts. The book TheWeb-Savvy Patient: An Insider's Guide to Navigating the Internet When Facing Medical Crisis is a helpful resource.

3.  Ask about side effects. Be sure to review the potential physical side effects that might result from your treatment. Not all chemotherapy drugs cause the same side effects. Being aware of the side effects caused by the medications you will receive can help you to prepare in advance and purchase products which can help reduce these side effects. To view products to help relieve cancer treatment side effects visit the on line store: http://www.lotstolivefor.com/.

  4. Organize your medical records.  An important way to take control of your health is to take control of your medical records. Be sure you have them organized and in one easily accessible location. You will be visiting a number of doctors and facilities and receiving a variety of treatments and tests.  It is unlikely that they will all be coordinated at the practitioner level.  The MinervaHealth Manager helps you organize your health records in a single coordinated location and it is portable and can be carried with you to doctor appointments and treatments.

 5.  Explore Resources.  In addition to your “teams” there are many support organizations that can help.  A good starting point is to look at the “Collection of CancerResources” that we have compiled on the Lots To Live For website. Your treatment facility might also recommend or have list of support groups. 

 6.  Nutrition and Supplements can help.  The right food can make your body stronger.  Carefully selected nutritional supplements can be a valuable tool in rebuilding your body’s immune system. You might also want to consult a nutritionist who specializes in cancer nutrition.  Two books of interest include: American Cancer Society Complete Guide to Nutrition for Cancer Survivors: Eating Well,Staying Well During and After Cancer and The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence Continue healthy eating during treatment and after treatment is complete.

  7.  Strengthen your body through careful exercise and stretching. Optimize your mobility, strength and conditioning before your surgery or other treatment protocol. This can help reduce your recovery time. 

You can create positive energy by embracing these 7 tips. The key takeaways are to: take control and be proactive, be organized, create support networks using the numerous resources available and make educated choices.

To read the full post click: http://breastcanceryogablog.com/2013/10/31/7-tips-for-preparing-for-chemotherapy-and-radiation/

Just Diagnosed Cancer Kit

Looking for just the right gift for someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer?
The "Just Diagnosed Kit" includes a collection of helpful items to begin a journey towards wellness.
Click here to learn more about this gift: http://www.lotstolivefor.com/just-diagnosed-cancer-kit/

Eight Awesome Tips To Help Cancer Patients

Acts of Kindness To Help Make Life Easier for A Patient Undergoing Cancer Treatment
By Margot Malin     

It may be an awkward moment when you learn that a friend, loved one, or coworker has been diagnosed with cancer. You may initially be at a loss for words and yet you want to offer empathy and comfort. Here are 8 Tips and Helpful Gifts of Kindness so you can create your own plan to help the cancer patient you know along his or her journey.

Food – Go grocery shopping – stock the refrigerator with fresh, healthy and easy to prepare items. Cook dinner for the family and deliver it.

Childcare – Cancer patients get tired, sometimes very tired. You can offer to baby sit for young children. Offer to arrange and take older children on play dates. If you know the children well, take them on a little outing – to the playground, to a movie, to a show or museum. During this stressful time, school work might suffer. Offer to tutor, or arrange for a tutor for those subjects that are particularly challenging right now.

Laundry and other daily chores – Laundry can be easily postponed when someone is not feeling well. Offer to do the laundry – at your home or theirs – or take it to a wash and fold service. Helping with other daily chores and activities can be a great way to relieve the patient of some activities which might be repetitive, tiring and stressful.

Chemotherapy and Radiation sessions – Offer to drive to radiation oncology sessions and chemo appointments. Sitting and receiving an infusion can be cold and lonely. Stay during chemo to help the time pass – you can write letters, read aloud, listen to music, or look at poetry during these sessions. Bring a warm and cozy blanket with you. Other things you can bring to pass the time: an ipad, a laptop, a Kindle, craft supplies.

Doctor appointments – Offer to drive to a doctor appointment or accompany the patient on public transportation – and if the patient is open to the idea – be present when the patient speaks with the doctor. A second set of ears is a welcome addition during this stressful time. Maybe you can think of questions that the patient might be too overwhelmed or nervous to consider. You can also take notes about the visit to be sure that the important takeaways are remembered.

Medical record keeping and medical research – You can help by doing medical research about the patient’s diagnosis as well as research into complimentary and alternative therapies. Personal health record keeping is especially important during treatment and beyond. Consider purchasing either a special loose leaf / workbook to keep track of paper records, or the Minerva Health Manager, electronic personal health record software.

Side effect solutions – There are many products to help unpleasant and uncomfortable physical side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. For example, you can find products to help radiation dermatitis, radiation burns, hair loss, dry mouth and mouth sores, nausea, and more. To learn about products that can help reduce and relieve cancer treatment side effects visit www.LotsToLiveFor.com.

Books, CD’s and Music – There are many inspirational books written by, and about cancer patients. Just two examples are: From Incurable to Incredible – Cancer Survivors Who Beat the Odds written by Tami Boehmer, a cancer survivor and When Cancer Hits – A Complete Guide to Taking Care of You Through Treatment authored by Britta Aragon, also a cancer survivor. There are rest and relaxation CD’s. Breast Cancer Yoga has created a CD for breathing and meditation and a DVD for gentle yoga. Recovery Fitness also has an Exercise for Cancer Patients DVD. There are also CD’s and DVD’s available to reduce stress and enhance relaxation.

A little thought and creativity can help you come up with many other helpful ideas. You can even ask the patient to give you a wish list of what kind of help they might appreciate for their situation. Some of the best expressions of support are inexpensive and some are free – but they are all priceless to the patient receiving your kindness.

Margot Malin is the CEO, President and Founder of Lots To Live For, Inc. which sells carefully selected products to reduce and relieve the uncomfortable and unpleasant side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiation. Lots To Live For, Inc. was founded after the passing of Margot’s mother and grandmother who both fought courageous battles against cancer.

To find products to help reduce and relieve the uncomfortable and unpleasant side effects of cancer treatment please visit: www.LotsToLiveFor.com
Visit our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor for information and inspiration!

A Checklist for Chemotherapy Patients

20 Things You Need To Know About Chemotherapy

The journey after a cancer diagnosis can be approached holistically - incorporating mind, body and spirit. Click on the CancerActive article below for great advice if you or someone you know is considering Chemotherapy. The "Twenty Things You Need to Know About Chemotherapy" includes questions to ask your doctor about the treatment he or she is recommending, and what you can do to support your body during and after treatment. This is a really informative article because it is easy to read, and integrates medical information along with holistic, lifestyle, diet and exercise suggestions.

Do you know the difference between the older regimens of chemotherapy drugs and the newer biologics?
What kind of questions should you ask your oncologist?
How can you modify your diet to strengthen your body during your treatment? Did you know there are some herbs and supplements that can be very helpful?
Which alternative therapies in addition to massage, yoga and accupuncture can help you?

Learn the answers to all these questions and more at:
http://www.canceractive.com/cancer-active-page-link.aspx?n=248   This article is from the CancerActive website which is Britain´s Number 1 holistic cancer charity.

The goal of CancerActive is to EMPOWER people to increase their personal odds of beating cancer; to be able to make more informed personal choices about their cancer treatment options. They provide a wide variety of information, not just about orthodox cancer treatments, but also on complementary canccert therapies and some, currently alternative cancer treatments as well. You can sign up for their email newsletter directly on the CancerActive website. (Note: The CANCERactive name and logo are registered trade marks)  The CancerActive website contains a wealth of interesting and important information and it is worth taking the time to review many of the articles on the site.

A variety of products are available to reduce and relieve some of the common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. To learn about these products visit Lots To Live For, Inc. On this website you will find solutions to common side effects such as compromised skin, radiation dermatitis, mouth sores, itchy scalp, and more.