100 Perks of Having Cancer: Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It

100 Perks

of

Having Cancer

plus

100 Health Tips

for Surviving It!

Florence Strang

& Susan Gonzalez

The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences

of the authors. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider.

Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.

The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in

this book should be available to the public. The publisher and authors are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this

book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any pro cedures or preparation

mentioned, the authors and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.

Basic Health Publications, Inc.

28812 Top of the World Drive

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Strang, Florence

100 perks of having cancer : plus 100 health tips for surviving it / Florence Strang and Susan Gonzalez.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-59120-356-8

1. Cancer—Popular works. 2. Self-care, Health—Popular works. I. Gonzalez, Susan II. Title.

RC263.S73 2013

616.99'4—dc23

2013017856

Copyright © 2013 by Florence Strang and Susan Gonzalez

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any

means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other-

wise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.

Editor: Carol Killman Rosenberg

Typesetting/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg

Cover design: Mike Stromberg

Illustrations: Theresa McCracken

Photo for Health Tip #69 and pages 63, 64, 103, 378, and 424: jgubelman photography

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Foreword by Bernie S. Siegel, MD, xi

Introduction, 1

PERK #1:
Cancer Made a Blogger Out

PERK #7:
I Didn’t Have to Go to Work . . . 32

of Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

HEALTH TIP:
If You’re Not Going to Work,

HEALTH TIP:
You Don’t Have to Be Picasso

You’ll Have More Time to Work Out

to Benefit from Art Therapy

PERK #8:
I Didn’t Have to Wax My

PERK #2:
Cancer Helped Me Find My

Upper Lip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Soul Mate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

HEALTH TIP:
When That New Hair Finally

HEALTH TIP:
You Need Estrogen to Make

Starts to Grow In, Here’s How to Keep

Your Kitty Purr

It Healthy

PERK #3:
Cancer Made Me Really

PERK #9:
I Got to Try Out New

Appreciate the Good Days . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Eyebrow Shapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

HEALTH TIP:
Pass Too on the DEET (When

HEALTH TIP:
Would You Raise Your Eyebrows

Bothered by Bugs)

if I Offered You Some Weed?

PERK #4:
Unlimited Foot Massages . . . . . . . 20

PERK #10:
Cancer Gave Me Something

HEALTH TIP:
How to Turn That Foot Massage

to Hope For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

into a Healthy Pedicure

HEALTH TIP:
I Hope You Know the

PERK #5:
Cancer Revealed to Me a

Difference Between Omega-3 and Omega-6

Whole New Side of My Autistic Son . . . . . . 24

PERK #11:
Cancer Made Me Realize

HEALTH TIP:
Choose Your Words Carefully

My Own Strength . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

When Telling Your Kids About Cancer

HEALTH TIP:
Celebrate Healthy Fats

PERK #6:
Cancer Introduced My Teens

to ALL Major Household Appliances . . . . . . 28

PERK #12:
Nearly Every Day Was

H

a Feast Day. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

EALTH TIP:
Don’t Just Sow Your Seeds,

Eat Them, Too!

HEALTH TIP:
Need a Hand?

iii

PERK #13:
The Use of Medicinal

PERK #22:
Cancer Introduced Me to

Marijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Some New Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

HEALTH TIP:
No Rolling Papers? Try Ginger

HEALTH TIP:
I Am Thankful for . . . Fungus

for Nausea Relief

PERK #23:
I Got First Pick of “the

PERK #14:
I Didn’t Have to Worry

Fodge” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

About My Guests Finding a Hair in

HEALTH TIP:
Find a Healthy Place for Those

the Food I Prepared . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Get-Well Gifts

HEALTH TIP:
Appreciate Your Liver

PERK #24:
I Could Watch My Favorite

PERK #15:
I Got Fast-Tracked for

Movie Anytime I Felt Like It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Blood Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

HEALTH TIP:
Watch the Movie, but Ditch the

Microwave Popcorn

HEALTH TIP:
Even Ironman Needs Iron

PERK #25:
Speaking My Mind . . . . . . . . . . . 106

PERK #16:
Cancer Boosted My

HEALTH TIP:
Speaking My Spirit

Self-Esteem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

HEALTH TIP:
All That Praise Going to

PERK #26:
Cancer Made Even My Most

Your Head? Try Some Natural Headache

Embarrassing Moment Seem Trivial. . . . . . 108

Remedies

HEALTH TIP:
Force a Smile and It Will Stick

PERK #17:
Cancer Helped Me Discover

PERK #27:
Cancer “Shaved” Ten

New Beauty Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Minutes Off My Shower Time . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

HEALTH TIP:
Get Rid of an Unwelcome

HEALTH TIP:
Skin Care 101

Houseguest

PERK #28:
Cancer Allowed Me Time

PERK #18:
People Were Nicer to Me . . . . . . 79

to Do the Things I Love to Do . . . . . . . . . . . 116

HEALTH TIP:
It’s Nice to Be Nice . . .

HEALTH TIP:
I LOVE Pooping

to the Nice

PERK #29:
Riding Shotgun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

PERK #19:
An Excuse to Escape Dish

HEALTH TIP:
Make Breakfast More

Duty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Convenient with Simply Scrumptious Granola

HEALTH TIP:
Need Another Excuse? Think

PERK #30:
Cancer Made Me Feel

About the Toxins

Grateful for My Chores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

PERK #20:
Cancer Helped Me to Stop

HEALTH TIP:
Please Say, “Thank You”

and Smell the Roses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

PERK #31:
Cancer Connected Me to a

HEALTH TIP:
When on a Nature Walk,

Powerful Prayer Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Don’t Forget the Blackberry

HEALTH TIP:
Prayer Is Good Medicine

PERK #21:
I Didn’t Have to Buy a

PERK #32:
Cancer Made Me Appreciate

Halloween Costume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

My Pooch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130

HEALTH TIP:
Blood Is Fun on Halloween,

HEALTH TIP:
Pooch, Pussycat, or Python,

but Not in Your Morning Routine

They All Have Health Benefits

iv

PERK #33:
Playing the Ole Cancer

PERK #43:
A Free Trip to Florida . . . . . . . . 168

Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

HEALTH TIP:
Take a Vacation in Your

HEALTH TIP:
Go Ahead, Take Advantage,

Own Backyard

and Be Assertive

PERK #44:
Perks for Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

PERK #34:
Sleeping In . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

HEALTH TIP:
Keep in Mind—Colorful

HEALTH TIP:
The Art of Napping

Means Healthy

PERK #35:
Early Menopause. . . . . . . . . . . . . 138

PERK #45:
Home Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173

HEALTH TIP:
No More Living in a

HEALTH TIP:
Another Thing You Can

“Healthy Cage”

Count On: BPA Is B-A-D

PERK #36:
Cancer Streamlined My

PERK #46:
Cancer Forced Me to

Christmas Shopping

Brush Up on My Math Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

H

HEALTH TIP:
Try Crunching These Numbers

EALTH TIP:
How to Eat Healthy Around

the Holidays and Not Seem Like a

PERK #47:
Cancer Increased My

Health Freak

Vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

PERK #37:
Cancer Allowed Me to

HEALTH TIP:
Here Are Some More Words

Keep Better Tabs on My Teens. . . . . . . . . . . . 144

to Add to Your Vocabulary

HEALTH TIP:
Put That Downtime to Even

PERK #48:
Cancer Helped Me See the

Better Use by Picking Up a Hobby

World Through the Eyes of a Child . . . . . . 186

PERK #38:
Bank Account Recovery . . . . . . 148

HEALTH TIP:
The Answer to the Deodorant

Question

HEALTH TIP:
Invest in Cancer Screening

PERK #49:
Cancer Motivated Me to

PERK #39:
Cancer Gave Me a Great

Eat Healthier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

Excuse to Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153

HEALTH TIP:
Then There’s Kale

HEALTH TIP:
Treat Yourself to a New Snack

(Pronounced “Kale”)

PERK #40:
Being Told How Great I

PERK #50:
Receiving Special Gifts . . . . . . . 197