Wake up call: maintaining my terrain

6 02 2012

Now that I’ve overindulged by eating carnival food containing sugar, white carbs, and meat last Saturday, as well as caving in to pizza and a chocolate eclair on Super Sunday, it’s time to focus on my health again. The message is clear, but, unfortunately, I’m a slow learner.

I phoned my friend and classmate Piikea last night, as I had not heard from her in a while, and she missed her Punahou Carnival work shift with the Class of ’67. She called back, having just returned from Paris where she went to see her friend in the hospital who, as it turns out, has pancreatic cancer that has spread to her liver. Not good.

Piikea’s report was, after the oncologist had prescribed chemotherapy, her friend’s daughter convinced her mother to try a raw vegetable juice diet — sorry, I don’t have the name of the diet — that claims to have cured 4,000 or so people. Specific vegetables are recommended.

In a few days, the patient eliminated all sorts of nasty-looking stuff — gall stones, mucus, black substances — and started showing improvement. Her tumors have shrunk. (In sympathy, Piikea did the diet too, and feels better. She has decided to change her lifestyle. We’ll help each other.)

Of course I am oversimplifying the situation by leaving out the emotions of our conversation, but the story has reminded me of the diet advice presented in the book by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, Anticancer A New Way of Life that I wrote about in a previous post, the book that speaks about “maintaining your terrain” to discourage cancer cells, that we all have in our bodies, from getting a foothold.

It’s the one my glee club sister Lois encouraged me to read, and I’m glad I did. And darn, I should follow it. The advice worked for Lois in her recovery from cancer, but isn’t it better to take care of our terrains before we become ill?

The number one diet advice, backed by scientific evidence, is NO SUGAR. Cancer cells feed on sugar. It’s not just diet alone. Other factors weigh in too, though, including one’s spiritual well being.

Which brings me to let you know that besides practicing Reiki (hands-on healing technique), there will be occasions when I will offer instruction in the “Unlimited Reiki System.”

Reiki Master Teacher Lori Wong, who along with Alice Anne Parker gave me my own Reiki certification, will teach Reiki Level I, that focuses on self healing, on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at my healing space, and I will assist her.

The cost of the day-long training is $150 and well worth the amount for instruction, attunements, certification, and lunch!  Lori is a professional chef, and I am a good cook. Please contact me (phone 808-237-7185 on Oahu, and I will return your call) for information about joining the Reiki I class. This complementary therapy is available to all, and you can learn to do it too.

Be well, everyone. And thank you for visiting the studio. ~ Rebekah

Copyright 2012 Rebekah Luke






Time for a new way of life

28 07 2011

My latest wellness kick—taking to heart the advice of Dr. David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, in his book Anticancer A New Way of Life. His message has convinced me to change my ways. Seriously.

Our friend Lois will be so delighted I read the book.

Two Sundays ago, Lois invited her friends to a barbecue at her son’s house in Niu Valley, where she was staying, to thank everybody for their prayers and support in her recovery from breast cancer and conventional treatment. Hallelujah! She looked radiant!

To everyone she greeted at the front door, she passed out a calling card with the image of the Anticancer book cover.

“I moved in with my son, and he cooked for me,” she said, attributing her new health to “the book.”

The day before, news came from another friend Sue in Tulare that she was clear of her throat cancer. So grateful. Thank You! Great news from two friends in two days!

So I found the book at Borders and finished reading it today. I’ve heard the brave doctor’s message in bits and pieces for a long time from various sources. We all have. Diet, nutrition, exercise, less stress, balance, etc.

A neuroscientist who battled his own brain cancer, Servan-Schreiber explains how cancer cells behave, what turns them into disease, and how to keep them from growing.

His work ties all the information together, describing the “terrain” our bodies, minds, spirits and emotions need to be well and thrive—before, during, and after illness—citing study after study by other scientists.

He presents the findings in such a way, this time I’m paying attention. For starters, NO SUGAR. (Did you hear that? ;-))

It’s a do-able formula, sounds simple, but can I execute it? I’ll try harder to be good to me, myself, and I. A challenge, to be sure, but it’s time for a new way of life.

“All of us have cancer cells in our bodies” are the first words on the book jacket. “But not all of us will develop cancer.” It’s good to be more aware.

The new edition of Anticancer was written in 2009 (ISBN 978-0-670-02164-2).

There is a short-cut summary of action steps in a subsequent article, “20 new anticancer rules,” at this link, but it leaves out the background (the why) that I found interesting and comprehensive.

Readers also can go to http://www.anticancerbook.com for more information.

Thanks for stopping by my studio.

P.S. Just two more days to see my paintings in a downtown Honolulu exhibit. Here’s the info: https://rebekahstudio.wordpress.com/paintings.

Copyright 2011 Rebekah Luke







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