About Me

I am a married mom of 4, including one cancer survivor, so I have a keen interest in healthy living and nutrition. My oldest son had cancer twenty years ago and also suffered severe permanent brain damage as a result of a dpt immunization. He lost 80 lbs. after switching to a mainly whole food plant based diet.

I have also been a hairdresser for 28 years. I've known or worked with people with thinning hair, diabetes, heart problems and various cancers. The one thing they've all had in common was eating the standard american diet or SAD. The SAD consists of high intakes of red meat and animal products, processed foods-many containing trans fats, refined grains, lots of sugar and high fat intake. The SAD is a known contributer to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and digestive disorders.

I've read hundreds of books and articles on food and nutrition. In the end it all boils down to common sense- eat food. Real food. Not factory made "food" full of chemicals and additives with all the nutrition processed out of it. A whole foods plant-based diet has been shown to prevent and even reverse many diseases.

A few years ago I stopped eating meat and nearly all processed foods. I have more energy, and rarely get sick. I had gastroesophagus reflux disease {gerd} and took acid inhibitor medication two to three times daily and still often had heartburn pain. After changing my diet I no longer take medication and I no longer have pain. 

I started this blog to try and help others realize that lifestyle changes can make a huge impact on health. Too many people think it is all determined by heredity. All cancer is genetic, which simply means that it is a result of mutations in the genes- not that it is inherited.

The American Cancer Society admits that most cancers are caused by DNA changes that are acquired during the person's life. An acquired mutation can be caused by things in the environment such as exposure to radiation or toxins. For most acquired mutations, no specific cause can be found. Unlike the inherited mutations, an acquired mutation starts in one cell of the body and is found only in the offspring of that cell. They are not in every cell of the body. Because they are not in the reproductive cells, acquired mutations cannot be passed on to the next generation.

It is important to realize that mutations in our cells happen all the time. Usually, the cell detects the change and repairs it. If it can’t be repaired, the cell will get a signal telling it to die in a process called apoptosis.

But if the cell doesn't die and the mutation is not repaired, it may lead to a person developing cancer. This is more likely if the mutation affects a gene involved with cell division or a gene that normally causes a defective cell to die. Most scientists today believe that cancer develops in a process that has more than one, and likely several, mutations. So, even in a person who inherits a mutation, at least one more mutation is needed to "knock out" that gene (so that it doesn't function). This acquired mutation is needed before a person develops a heredity-related cancer. Sometimes acquired mutations in other genes (such as oncogenes) are needed as well.

That is why lifestyle is such an important factor. A healthy diet and exercise can help prevent the mutations from taking place to begin with, and build your immunity to fight them off once they begin, and trigger damaged cells to commit suicide before they can reproduce and form tumors.
So if I can help even one person to prevent disease, I will accomplish my goal with this blog.

I love animals, have two dogs, enjoy birdwatching, gardening and have a deep need to be near green things.
I also enjoy crafts, especially knitting. Here are a few of my finished projects:

Starsky sweater, hat I charted my daughter's favorite music on, lace shawl

Kiri lace shawl

dishcloths