6 Tips to Help Cancer Patients Become More Organized and Comfortable During Treatment

by Margot Malin

This is a condensed version of a longer post that was published on the Breast Cancer Yoga Blog entitled:

Cancer Pre-Treatment Check List – 6 Tips To Make Your Life Easier Once You Begin Treatments

You can read the full post at: http://breastcanceryogablog.com/2014/01/22/cancer-pre-treatment-check-list/

Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming. There are so many questions swirling through your mind and so many things to put in order. Here is a short list of 6 tips suggested by other patients to help make your treatment both more comfortable and better organized.

1. Familiarize Yourself with Your Medications and their Side Effects
2. Schedule a Dental Appointment
3. Order some new products in advance to test them to see if you have any reactions to them, and to see if you like their feel and other characteristics.
4. Make a list of things that need to be done and circulate it to friends and family so that they can sign up to help you.
5. Create a treatment goody bag for yourself
6. Meet with a Naturopathic doctor

Each of these 6 tips should help to reduce the uncertainty and confusion that come with a cancer diagnosis and treatment plan. Try to organize and simplify your daily schedule whenever possible. Don’t forget to ask for help!

You can find products to add to your "Treatment Goody Bag" at www.LotsToLiveFor.com
Lots To Live For, Inc. sells products to reduce and relieve the unpleasant and uncomfortable side effects of cancer treatments including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Donate Your Data from Cancer Commons - Share Your Medical Data Anonymously

By Guest Blogger Sarah Stanley

This is a condensed version of a blog post entitled "Donate Your Data– Share your Cancer Story to Help Yourself While Helping Others"

A decade ago, Internet entrepreneur Marty Tenenbaum was diagnosed with melanoma. He visited several local oncologists, but each doctor recommended a different treatment strategy. With no clear solution, he decided to enroll in a clinical trial that was testing a melanoma vaccine.     

Donate Your Data Dashboard

The vaccine failed the trial. But, for reasons unknown, it saved Tenenbaum’s life.

Inspired by the difficulty of navigating his options, and the need for better ways to figure out which treatments will work for which patients, Tenenbaum founded Cancer Commons—the first & only open access nonprofit collecting and learning from real patient experiences to give patients the information they need.

To support this mission, Cancer Commons has now launched its new Donate Your Data (DYD) Program, an online registry that empowers people with cancer to anonymously share their cancer experiences to advance research and, in return, inform their own clinical care.

To learn more about Donate Your Data please watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3NyZlP5gV4

For now, DYD is available only to lung cancer and melanoma patients, but Cancer Commons will soon be expanding to cover most cancers. If you have or have had melanoma or lung cancer, please consider joining Cancer Commons in making the dream of personalized cancer treatment a reality for everyone. DonateYour Data now.

For more information, visit http://www.cancercommons.org. Follow Cancer Commons on Facebook and Twitter.

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/

Please Vote to Help Us Comfort More Cancer Patients

Lots To Live For, Inc. has applied to the Mission Main Street Grants sponsored by Chase bank. We hope to qualify to be considered for a grant to grow our business.

We need votes to help us qualify for the grant.
Please support us by clicking here: https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/62842
Then, click on the word vote to support us.

Vote to Help the Cancer Community

This grant will help us bring comfort to more cancer patients. We will be able to add new products to reduce and relieve the side effects of cancer surgery, chemotherapy and radiation oncology.

Mission Main Street(TM) Grants is a grant program sponsored by Chase to award twelve small businesses with grants to help expand their businesses.

All businesses need 250 votes to be considered for the grant. We truly appreciate your support which will help to positively impact and brighten the lives of those affected by cancer.

PLEASE VOTE: https://www.missionmainstreetgrants.com/business/detail/62842

Tips To Help You Soothe Radiation Burns from Britta Aragon, founder of CV Skinlabs

by Britta Aragon

This is a condensed version of the complete post which you can access:
http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/10/02/tips-to-help-you-soothe-radiation-burns-from-cv-skinlabs/

Ask anyone who's been through radiation treatments, and they'll tell you - one of the most difficult things to deal with are the burns.  Radiation kills cancer cells, but on its way into the body to attack the tumor, it can also damage skin cells.  Depending on the intensity or strength of the beam and how many sessions you have, the burns may range from minor redness and swelling, like a sunburn, to more sever blistering, peeling and flaking.

When treating these types of burns, the standard, over-the-counter petroleum-based products just won't cut it! Petroleum covers the skin, but does noting to nourish or heal it, and can actually contribute to more dryness over the long term.  Chemical preservatives and fragrances can also contribute to the irritation and pain.

Instead, what you need when treating radiation burns is:
A. Something to cool it down
B. Something to heal it
C. Something to deeply moisturize

In this blog post Britta Aragon, cancer survivor, shares tips for reducing the effects of radiation on the skin. Britta shares her skin care knowledge as a make up artist and esthetician.  "My goal is to encourage people to be extra kind to their bodies, minds and souls during what can be a very difficult time...Self-care is where the healing starts."

Using her expertise, Britta has developed the CV Skinlabs product line especially for sensitive skin.  With careful attention paid to be sure that all ingredients are natural and soothing, CV Skinlabs products deliver beauty and safety without compromise.

There are currently 4 products in the CV Skinlabs product line (shown above) and Britta explains how they can help you relive the symptoms of radiation burns including itch, radiation bumps and radiation rash with these fabulous products that she has developed.

1. Rescue & Relief Spray - brings cooling relief to dry, itchy, burning and irritated skin
2. Body Repair Lotion - hydrates dry skin and restores radiance, relieves dry itcy skin
3. Restorative Skin Balm - advanced therapy for severely dry and cracked skin, helps scars
4. Calming Moisture for Face, Neck and Scalp - helps to immediately calm, hydrate & nourish chronically dry and flushed skin while returning radiance.

Read the full blog post: http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/10/02/tips-to-help-you-soothe-radiation-burns-from-cv-skinlabs/

Please enter our FACEBOOK RAFFLE to win a FREE CV SKINLABS RESCUE & RELIEF SPRAY.  Please "LIKE" one of the raffle announcement posts, and be sure you "LIKE" our facebook page to enter. You can find our facebook page www.facebook.com/LotsToLiveFor by clicking here

Salvestrols are an Indispensable Weapon in the Battle Against Cancer

by Elyn Jacobs

Learn about how Salvestrols combat cancer and why Salvestrols are an indispensable weapon in the battle against cancer in this intriguing blog post by Elyn Jacobs.  

We have transitioned to a new blog format. You can read the full blog post at:
http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/09/17/salvestrols_fight_cancer/

Several medical and scientific professionals share the belief that most people suffer from a deficiency of anti-cancer compounds in their diets and this deficiency may lead to the development and progression of cancer. Therefore it makes sense that by correcting these deficiencies we can effectively manage cancer. Basically - Salvestrols which are found naturally in many fruits and vegetables produce anticancer metabolites. These metabolites seem to have the ability to 1.recognize cancer cells, 2. embed themselves in cancer cells, and 3. destroy cancer cells. The research and the logic behind salvestrols is solid. Want to know which foods contain Salvestrols and more about how they work? Click on the blog post shown above. 

Elyn Jacobs is a breast cancer survivor, professional cancer coach, radio talk show host, speaker, and the Exectutive Director for the Emerald Heart Cancer Foundation. Elyn empowers women to choose the path for treatment that best fits their own individual needs.

What You Put On Your Skin Matters ~ Scrutinze Ingredients - Here's Why!

By Jama Russano, Guest Blogger

Did you know that ninety percent of skin-care products on the market contain ingredients that can be carcinogenic, estrogenic, or teratogenic, with the potential for long-term serious neurological disorders and conditions? Skin is the body’s largest organ; everything we put on our skin can potentially end up in our bodies. Be kind to your skin. DermaQOL personal care products have been formulated with organic essential oils, extracts and natural materials and all products are free of harsh ingredients.

Be kind to your skin!  To read more about the risks of some ingredients that are frequently used in personal care product and have the potential to be harmful , please visit our new Wordpress Blog at:

http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/2013/07/30/dermaqol-personal-health-products-with-no-harsh-ingredients-an-excellent-choice-for-skin-care-during-cancer-treatment/

DermaQOL Gift Kit 

It took five years to create a solution for the most delicate and sensitive, chemically reactive skin! DermaQOL Personal Care products are specifically formulated from a select group of certified organic essential oils, extracts, and resins combined with natural materials that meet strict standards and "free of harsh ingredient list". Delicate, nourishing, and sensitive skin-care products simply glide across your skin without pulling and tugging. Feel the difference! Take the challenge and compare the DermaQOL products to the items your are currently using.

To learn more about DermaQOL products and to purchase DermaQOL products visit: http://www.lotstolivefor.com/brands/Derma-QOL.html

Please visit the Lots To Live For!  Wordpress cancer blog where you can comment on our posts, and sign up to receive new posts by email:  http://blog.lotstolivefor.com/

Jama Russano, the author of this post has over 30 years of experience in the cosmetics industry.  She developed Thorne Organics and DermaQOL Estrogenic Activity Free Skin Care Products. (You can read more about Jama's biography in the full blog post by clicking above).