BEATING CANCER

Beating Cancer Naturally {Update}

by Elena Wilkins on August 24, 2011

First of all I want to thank everyone who responded to my call to help Gary and Fay win the war on cancer.  If you have not yet read their story, stop by Fighting the Fight post and read about it.  Also, if you are feeling generous, I am still taking monetary donations  for them, as we still have the need for some kitchen gadgets and superfoods for them.

Super Generosity

Last night I was floored when I received an e-mail from my lovely sister, who so generously lent her Blendtec Total Blender to Gary and Fay, while they waited on their Vitamixes to arrive.  She was excited to get her blender back when Gary and Fay received not one, not two… wait for it… but THREE Vitamix 5200 Blenders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Have you ever heard of such generosity?!

“Why three?” you might ask.  If you read Gary and Fay’s story, you will find out about the work they do, rehabilitating individuals with various addictions.  The Chairman of Vitamix thought it is only right to help these people get right nutrition to aid their recovery, while Gary and Fay are fighting for their lives.  And for that I thank you, Vitamix–you make my heart swell with pride in human kindness.

I also received a communication from a company that is new to me, which makes wheatgrass juice supplements.  Gary and Fay, thanks to Tribest, are already juicing on a daily basis, but there is always room for more concentrated nutrition in their diet, and wheatgrass is an amazing cancer fighter.

Ron Seibold of Pines Wheat Grass sent me an e-mail and offered to send me a sample of their product for testing, as well as send a 10 ounce Pines Wheat Grass powder and a glass of 250-tablet Pines Wheat Grass to Gary and Fay to help them on their healing journey.  Both of the products are organic, and the coolest thing that I like about it, even before trying it myself, is the fact that they are stored in dark glass jars, as opposed to plastic.  I am so touched by their generosity.  Thank you, Pines Wheat Grass!

Now for the update.

Feeling Grouchy

The first Skype call with Gary and Fay lasted about 2 hours.  I had to communicate to them a lot of information, yet not wanting to overwhelm them.  It seems that they have a lot of people who wish them well, so they were inundated with a lot of information, much of which was confusing and often contradicting.  There was some deprogramming that needed to be done, followed by reprogramming, so they would tune into the right things. Fortunately Gary and Fay were blessed to have a young lady with them, to help them along–a graduate from their program.  She was visiting them from AZ and walked them through all the changes I suggested, during their first week.  I cannot even begin to tell you what a blessing she was.  She made it possible for Gary and Fay to still concentrate on their work, by preparing their meals, reading info I sent to them and feeding it to them in concise, digestible nuggets :) .   She also kept me abreast of how Gary and Fay were doing on a daily basis–their routine, their mood, their diet and their well-being.

One of the things I quickly learned, when I started working with the Millers, is that Gary was up for any change–he was going to eat dirt, if I told him, only to get better–my kind of guy!  That’s exactly how I approach life myself.  His only exception was–no garlic ;) .  I am still working on that, but it’s not something I would fight them on :) .

Fay, on the other hand, is a totally different personality.  She simply does not like changes, and if she does not like something, she makes it known, and becomes… grouchy.  Oh, the time I had talking to her about changing her mindset :) during our second call.  I wish you all could hear us.  We had a serious conversation about their food addictions.  I explained to them that what they were going through [food withdrawals] is normal, and is very similar to the withdrawals drug addicts experience when they go through a cleansing process.  As such, I advised them to follow the steps of their own program and treat their symptoms as addiction withdrawals.  As you can imagine, I did raise their eyebrows: “Addict?  Us?!”  YEP! And the quicker you realize it the better you are off.

I also told them to expect for their taste buds to readjust, cleanse and prepare to LOVE their new diet… to which Fay shook her head in disbelief and said mournfully: “I hope so, honey.”

She and I made a pact that she would work on reprogramming her brain, and thinking of her foods as her medicine–true medicine–a lifeline, and that she would dwell only on the positive things of her new lifestyle, thanking God for every sip of green smoothies and juices she took, since her healing was going to come though the foods and her faith in God.

Change is Coming

Just imagine how elated I was when I got this text from Fay today: “I’m starting to enjoy my new diet.  We are out and about today with our kale chips, fresh veggies and our smoothies!!!”  Yes, indeed, she even had exclamation signs after her statement.  Oh, the joy that filled my heart.

The change that is taking a place in their bodies is extraordinary–they bodies are expelling vast amounts of toxins on a daily basis, while purifying their organs with delicious, nutrient dense foods–which also build up their immune system.  To help their bodies with expelling toxins, both, Gary and Fay, are starting on coffee enemas [that's the only way you should ever take your coffee ;) ]; if they don’t their bodies would have to work harder and they would experience detox symptoms longer than needed.

Gary and Fay are going to see their physician by the end of this month to get an update, and to also test for B12 deficiency, which, most likely is happening in their bodies.  Once they get the results they will go on injectable B12 [if you red B12 series you understand how important B12 is in fight with cancer and any other disease].  I personally cannot wait for that day, since I know that they will start improving even faster with B12.

Good News

Besides the wonderful response from our sponsors, Gary and Fay shared more good news with me–the acid reflux, that both of them suffered from for years, is now completely gone… just as expected.  I am sure that this is only the beginning of good news we are going to hear from them in the very near future.

Please keep praying for Gary and Fay, and, if you feel inspired, consider a donation, which will help me to get more much needed equipment and superfoods for them.

Cancer Education

As Gary and Fay meet for our weekly calls, I always prepare something educational and positive to share with them.  Last week I shared a portion of The Gerson Miracle video with them, which had raised their spirits.  If you have not yet seen this documentary–do!  Make it a family night, grab a glass of greens, kick back and watch miracles unfold in front of you.  I am embedding the video in this post, but you can also watch it on youtube–simply click on the link to get to it.

Chickpea Bean Soup {Vegan Recipe}

by Elena Wilkins on August 15, 2011

I have whipped up a couple of delicious recipes for you today: a very simple, yet delicious, vegan veggie wrap [watch the video blow], and a Chickpea Bean Soup, with all nutritious goodness in it.

The soup is safe for people fighting severe health issues, even cancer, and will provide a lot of essential nutrients… not to mention that it is super delicious.

Chickpea Bean Soup {Vegan Recipe}

Ingredients

  1. 6 cups water
  2. 3 c cooked garbanzo beans
  3. 3 c cooked white beans [or any other bean of your choice]
  4. 2 c shredded white cabbage
  5. 3 c chopped spinach
  6. 1 carrot, sliced [see image]
  7. 1 white onion, thinly sliced
  8. 1 tsp dried thyme
  9. 2 tsp cumin powder
  10. 2 tsp curry powder
  11. 1 tsp dried basil
  12. Himalayan or sea salt to taste

Preparation

  1. Bring water to boil, add beans and cabbage and salt; bring to boil and reduce to medium heat;
  2. While beans and cabbage are simmering, preheat a skillet, throw in carrots and onion;
  3. Reduce heat to medium and sauté, by adding splashes of water, so you don’t have to use any kind of oil, or, if you do not have heart issues or are fighting cancer, use 1 tbsp of olive oil for sautéing;
  4. Sauté veggies, stirring, for 3-5 mins; then add spices;
  5. When spices are well mixed in, transfer mixture into the pot with beans;
  6. Cover and boil for a total of 30 minutes on medium-low heat;
  7. When soup is done, throw in chopped spinach leaves and serve.

Enjoy!

Nutritious Vegan Veggie Wrap

[you can watch the video, inserted below, or follow the recipe]

Ingredients

  • 1-2 whole wheat tortilla wraps
  • 1 tsp of hummus or vegan may for each tortilla
  • handful of sprouts
  • handful of spinach, chopped
  • 1 Roma tomato sliced
  • white/red onion slices
  • banana pepper, sliced
  • Himalayan or sea salt to taste
  • Dried thyme, to use as spice, or any other favorite seasoning

Wrap all ingredients into the wrap and enjoy!

Red Beets, Green Apples and a Bowlful of Oatmeal {Vegan Recipes}

by Elena Wilkins on August 12, 2011

The last couple of days I have been in the kitchen, tinkering with developing recipes for our friends, Gary and Fay, so they can heal their bodies of cancer, and enjoy a great tastes of vegan foods at the same time.  So, I have a few to share with all of you.

Let’s start with a breakfast item, which can really be eaten any time of the day, since I prefer you all drank green smoothies for breakfast.

Oatmeal Vegaliciousness

Serves 1

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 c unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 c rolled oats
  • 1 tsp dried thyme [optional]
  • 1/2-3/4 tsp freshly ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 5 dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces
  • your favorite seasonal berries

Preparation

  • heat almond milk, with oatmeal in it, bringing milk to boil, while stirring
  • reduce heat to medium-low, keep stirring occasionally, while cooking oatmeal, until it thickens, but you can always add more milk; I cook my oatmeal for only about 5 minutes total, so it does not get too soft; toward the end add sesame seeds
  • add thyme and cinnamon
  • remove from heat and add dates
  • place in a bowl and add berries
  • if you need more sweetness drizzle with honey, but sparingly; those who are fighting cancer can sweetened with whole stevia leaf–not chemically derived sweeteners!

Enjoy!

Raw Beet Salad

I had beets sitting in my fridge for a few days, and just could not think of what to do with them.  I thought about various options, but resolved that I wanted to eat them raw.  So, having tried two different methods of preparing them yesterday, I liked this one the best.

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

  • 2 large beets, peeled, if needed
  • 1 Granny Smith or similar taste apple [I used Pink Lady]
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4-1/3 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • very light drizzle of Himalayan or sea salt
  • chopped dill for garnish [about 2 tbsp]

Preparation

  • grate beets and the apple, on a large grating setting
  • mix in a bowl, adding remaining ingredients
  • garnish with dill or another favorite herb
  • toss, and let marinate for 30 mins or more

It is SUPER delicious.  I served it with brown rice, mixed with sprouts, beans and corn, and with a large dollop of fresh hummus.

In recent lab studies on human tumor cells, betanin pigments from beets have been shown to lessen tumor cell growth through a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes (specifically, cyclooxygenase enzymes). The tumor cell types tested in these studies include tumor cells from colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular tissue. [source]

And lastly, hubby and I enjoyed a couple of these each in the last two days and can tell you that they are finger-licking good.

Avocado Sprout Sandwich

The image is self-explanatory on the ingredients, but I will list them anyhow.  A word of caution to cancer patients–it is widely advised that cancer patients should stay away from breads.  The only exception I heard comes from Gerson Therapy, which is rye bread made without salt.  However, you can always substitute bread with a fresh and crunchy leaf of chard, rolling up your sandwich into a veggie roll.  You can even add a dollop of hummus to it for additional creaminess.

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of bread
  • 1 ripe avocado*
  • thinly sliced red onion
  • 1-2 tomatoes, sliced
  • a handful of sprouts
  • drizzle with salt, if needed, but stay away from table salt, and from using too much salt altogether

Like I said, these are finger-licking good, especially when served with a warm cup of herbal tea.

*consider saving avocado pits, and adding 1/2-day to your green smoothies.  I am hearing that health benefits are great! A great high speed blender, like Vitamix, should be able to crush it no problem.

Shoutout

I wanted to do a shoutout to Heather at YumUniverse–she graciously offered to help with the fund raiser for Gary and Fay through her blog; and also sent a copy of her YU Test Drive eBook to Gary and Fay, to help them along with meal planning.  This world is filled with great people.

I wish you all a great, sunny day.

Raw Vegan Tomato Soup Recipe

August 10, 2011 BEATING CANCER

I have been in the kitchen for the last couple of days, creating recipes that are not only vegan and healthy, but are also approved for those who are fighting cancer, which means they are fat free and 100% unprocessed, as well as being low on sodium. Yesterday I whipped up a very quick lunch [...]

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A Word of Gratitude {Beating Cancer}

August 9, 2011 BEATING CANCER

Most of you read yesterday’s post about two wonderful people–Gary and Fay–both of whom are fighting cancer.  Yesterday I reached out to my readers and to the health community for their support, to help Gary and Fay in their battle against cancer.  The response was overwhelming and humbled my heart. Excalibur Dehydrators are sending Gary [...]

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Fighting the Fight–Beating Cancer Naturally with Your Help

August 8, 2011 BEATING CANCER

Those of you who read Vegalicious regularly know a little bit of the story from the last post.  For the benefit of those who might be first time readers I will start from the beginning. The Story When hubby and I lived in Washington we had a distinct honor or meeting two amazing people who have [...]

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