Dova Center - April 2020

Dova Center - April 2020

How to Support Someone You Love Who Has Cancer

HEALTH

&

HEALING With

O ne of my best friends died of breast cancer when she was just 26 years old. Her doctors didn’t run the right tests, and cancer didn’t even cross their minds because she was so young. More recently, my sister was diagnosed with Stage 3B breast cancer. April is National Cancer Control Month, and in honor of my friend, my sister, and all my patients who I have seen struggle with cancer, I want to share some of the lessons I’ve learned about how to support someone you love when they’re going through a cancer diagnosis and Western medical treatment.

but eventually, people got burned out. Sometimes people have a hard time supporting even their best friends, because they don’t knowwhat to do. But if cancer has taught me anything, it is that when somebody you love gets hit with cancer, you keep calling. A lot of times, when people are going through cancer treatment, they say they don’t need help, but the truth is that they do. Maybe they are tired of asking for help. They are so uncomfortable physically and emotionally that they can barely manage to get through the day. When even something like doing the dishes becomes monumental, it is hard and can be frustrating when they are used to being so independent, such as my sister. When my sister was sick, the thing that pulled her through was socializing. She reconnected with friends she had made throughout her entire lifetime and found support from people she hadn’t heard from in a long time. One year out, socializing is still her key to feeling happy and taking her mind off of things. We are making advances and improvements with cancer treatments. The prognosis for certain types of cancer is much better today than it was even 10 years ago. Today, if you’re diagnosed with certain types of cancer, you can still go on to live a long and full life. And there are clinical trials for a cure for cancer going on right now. Funding for cancer research is at an all-time high, and cancer screenings are very effective when done early. In honor of National Cancer Control Month, get your screenings. Early detection is the No. 1 most important way to improve the outcome of just about any cancer diagnosis. If you know somebody who is going through cancer, remember the best thing you can do for them is to show up and keep showing up. They may be tired of asking, but they need you.

APRIL 2020 DOVACENTER.COM 303.955.7226

When my sister got sick, the hardest thing about it was being long distance and not being able to support her as much as I wanted to. When I did go out to visit her in Philadelphia, I had to figure out how to just be there as her sister, not her provider. At Dova Center, we offer a number of cancer support therapies, and I knew there were ways I could complement my sister’s treatments. I had three different acupuncturists lined up that could have helped her, but alternative therapies are not in my sister’s picture, and she wasn’t interested. That was hard for me. I had to learn to focus on showing up for her the way she needed me to, which was as her sister, not as her provider. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 1.8 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer in 2019. If you haven’t been touched by cancer yet, you might be under the impression that once you’re done with treatments, you’re done. But oftentimes — and this is the case for many of my patients — cancer survivors don’t go back to work right away. They’re dealing with things like neuropathy (numbness of the leg or whole body), depression, pain, and brain fog. And unless you’re a primary provider, a family member, or a very close friend, you probably have no idea what that person is really going through. One year out from stopping chemotherapy, my sister still struggles with concentration. She has neuropathy, and she still carries a lot of pain from her chemotherapy. When she got sick, all her friends were on board to support her,

“If you know somebody who is going through cancer, remember the best thing you can do for them is to show

up and keep showing up.”

—Gina Terinoni

1

LaughWith Me! A LIGHTHEARTED APPROACH TO DECREASING STRESS

We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine, and it turns out that human physiology supports this claim. When we laugh, our body releases a flood of feel-good chemicals and neurotransmitters. Our blood flow increases, and our production of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, decreases. Oh, and laughing also burns calories! The feel-good, endorphin-inducing benefits of laughter are exactly what prompted Dr. Madan Kataria to develop laughter yoga in 1995. Laughter yoga incorporates breathing, stretching, clapping, and of course, laughing. Kataria developed the initial idea after coming across research into the benefits of laughter on overall health and well-being. He began to put the research into practice by telling jokes to his patients, and after seeing the

positive effects, he took his material to a local park. Parkgoers, who were initially skeptical, joined in on the practice, and the first laughter yoga club was born. The laughter meetup had everyone in high spirits — until the group ran out of jokes. Unsure of what to do next, Kataria found another medical book suggesting the group didn’t need jokes to laugh. Fake laughter is just as beneficial as the real thing because the body can’t tell the difference between the two. Collaborating with this wife, Madhuri, Kataria combined common yoga warmups and breathing techniques with facilitated laughter to create the form of laughter yoga that is practiced worldwide today. If you’re interested in trying laughter yoga for yourself, then you’re in luck. Laughter yoga clubs exist across the United States and the world. Videos on YouTube can teach the basics, but laughter yoga tends to be most beneficial in a group setting. Just think about the last time you found yourself in a fit of giggles with a group of friends or during a comedy show. Didn’t it feel great? Rather than wait for a silly situation to trigger laughter, use laughter yoga to promote laughter and alleviate stress on any day at any time.

How Acupuncture Can Supplement Western Cancer Care

A t Dova Center for Health and Healing, we often see patients who are going through cancer. And while we don’t treat cancer directly, the therapies used in traditional Chinese medicine — specifically, acupuncture — can offer relief from the symptoms often associated with a cancer diagnosis ( things like nausea, depression, neuropathy, chronic pain, loss of appetite, and inflammation ).

with symptoms like sleeplessness, anxiety, and depression, and it can stimulate appetite. When you have cancer, controlling all of those symptoms can help you tolerate the therapies Western medicine uses to treat your cancer. If you or somebody you love is currently undergoing cancer treatment, consider visiting Dova Center for Health and Healing. We offer treatments for dry mouth, fatigue, pain, night sweating, nausea, hot flashes, skin sensitivities, and pain that commonly comes along with cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. And once your cancer is in remission, acupuncture can help bring back your energy and vitality, too. Acupuncture is a safe and proven tool for managing the side effects that come with cancer treatment. If you or somebody you love has been diagnosed with cancer, give us a call at 303.955.7226 today!

These days, Western medicine acknowledges the efficacy of acupuncture for managing the side effects of cancer treatment. In fact, many major hospitals, like Memorial Sloan Kettering and Cleveland Clinic, offer inpatient acupuncture to their patients who are undergoing cancer treatment. Recently, Medicare began paying for acupuncture treatments. It’s no surprise; acupuncture can help

2

Dietary Habits That Protect AGAINST CANCER Cancer sucks. And according to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, approximately 30–40% of cancer diagnoses could be prevented with diet and lifestyle changes. While it’s never productive to place blame for a diagnosis on yourself, it is always a good idea to be proactive in reducing your risk. Here are three dietary habits that could help reduce your risk of getting cancer. You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s true: The more fruits and vegetables you eat, the more protected against cancer you’ll be. That’s because fruits and vegetables are loaded with phytochemicals, which are essential in preventing chronic diseases like cancer. Fruits and vegetables are also high in dietary fiber, which is protective against certain kinds of cancers. And while it’s tempting to fill your shopping cart with the top three items on the next superfoods list you see, don’t fall into that trap. The truth is that there are an estimated 4,000 phytochemicals, and there isn’t one single superfood that supplies all 4,000 of them. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Natural Options to Combat Coronavirus Vitamins to Give Your Immune System a Boost Nutrition can play an important role in making your body inhospitable to viral infection. To stay healthy during the COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) outbreak, take 5,000 IU a day of vitamin D. Some COVID-19 patients have a vitamin D deficiency, so bolstering your body’s supply might help protect you. According to the World Health Organization, vitamin D can also help in the prevention of respiratory infections, especially in children. Respiratory infections commonly occur concurrently with COVID-19. Taking calcium supplements may also provide further protection. Ingesting 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium daily activates the immune system. You can also take lysine, which supports the body’s natural defenses. Finally, supplementing with Immune Essentials, which includes a blend of olive leaf extract, vitamin C, and whole glucan particles, can also provide a boost to your immune system. Order your vitamins directly from Xymogen. Questions about what to order? Call us at 303.955.7226. ● • Go to WholeScripts.com. • ● Click on “Patient” in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. • ● Click on “Register” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. • ● Enter referral code: DOVACENTERvitamins972. • ● Put in Dr. Gina Terinoni’s last name: Terinoni. • ● Enter in your email address. • ● Fill in your information. • ● Search for products and place your order.

Instead, focus on having a variety of colors on your plate as regularly as possible. If you do that, the phytochemicals will come.

Only Eat What You Need

According to the National Foundation for Cancer Research, as many as 20% of cancer diagnoses could be avoided by reducing obesity. In general, foods that are lower in calories and higher in fiber will help you manage your weight most effectively, but everybody is different. Find a strategy that will help you keep your weight down and stick to it.

Avoid Alcohol and Processed Meat

As tasty as a beer and a bacon burger might sound, according to the World Health Organization, that meal contains two known carcinogens: alcohol and processed meat. What’s more, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies red meat as a “probable carcinogen.” And in a review of more than 800 studies about eating processed meat, American Cancer Society researchers found that eating approximately four strips of bacon or one hot dog a day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18%. At the end of the day, the best diet to prevent cancer is one that is good for other areas of health, too. Eating a diet low in processed foods and high in vegetables and other unprocessed foods will help you stay balanced and healthy for the long haul.

3

DOVACENTER.COM

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

303.955.7226

972 W. DILLON RD., SUITE C LOUISVILLE, CO 80027

Inside

Lessons My Sister’s Cancer Taught Me 1 Laughter Yoga’s Rise as a Global Health Movement How Acupuncture Can Supplement Western Cancer Care 2 3 Dietary Habits That Protect Against Cancer Natural Options to Combat Coronavirus 3 Eco-Friendly and Kid-Friendly Activities for Earth Day 4 KEEP IT GREEN THE BEST ECO-FRIENDLY AND KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES FOR EARTH DAY I t can be tough to figure out how to switch up family game nights. Kids can be very attached to their electronics, making it hard to get them invested in anything else. With Earth Day coming up this month, you have the perfect excuse to put down the phones and get outside to save the planet. If you’re looking for ways to spend time with your kids on Earth Day, try these eco-friendly family activities! Pick up trash and make art with it. You can teach your kids a lot about downcycling and upcycling through recycled art. Downcycling is when waste is recycled to become a new product, but there’s a loss of quality as a result. Upcycling is the opposite: Whatever you recycle becomes a product with a higher value. One way to upcycle is to create recycled art. Use old newspapers or magazines to create collages or papier-mâché bowl sculptures around balloons, jars, or your own custom shape with chicken wire. You can also use old plastic or glass bottles as beautiful hanging planters or create a memorable wind chime from jar lids, tin cans, plastic silverware, and old rubber bands.

Plant a garden. Gardening is one of the most rewarding ways to spend time outdoors. Your kids can learn about caring for another living thing and grow their own vegetables and fruits! A great way to start is to find out what’s in season in your area. If you don’t have an outdoor garden, you can pick out some indoor plants or create a hanging garden with recycled bottles! Build a compost system. If you have a garden, the next best thing you can do is start composting at home! Did you know that you can compost your cardboard products? Instead of waiting for the recycling truck every other week, you can use your spare green and brown waste to create incredibly nutritious soil for your garden! Green waste includes vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, nutshells, coffee grounds, etc. Brown waste includes cardboard, dead leaves, paper egg cartons, wine corks, and more. Get a bin and maintain a green-to-brown ratio of 1-to-2. Layer, water, and turn the compost to keep it healthy. It can take anywhere from two months to a year, depending on what you put in and how often you turn it.

We hope you and your family have fun with these planet-loving activities! Stay clean!

4

Published byThe Newsletter Pro www.TheNewsletterPro.com