Comments on: Cancer – Can You Get it From Your Environment?

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:25:34 +0000

I love this article :)

Our food is poisoned, and we have allowed this to occur. We unceremoniously dump this garbage down our throats and expect our bodies to react well.

As has been said by the father of modern medicine, “…Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food…” Hippocrates

And, how often does your doctor stop before he or she prescribes you some pills and actually take a hard look at your life and lifestyle (without invading your privacy to do it, of course)?

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:40:46 +0000

Thank you so much for hosting this carnival! It is an important one, for sure. As is sharing your story – I am sorry that you had to go through that experience.

I like to know that I can vote for a better world with my dollars. These problems can feel so overwhelming, but making small changes is not. Deciding to buy organic and sustainable products, avoiding fast food, and choosing safer toys for my kids might seem like small actions, but when many of us do them they all add up.

By: Tammy McLeod

Tammy McLeod — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:44:17 +0000

Tiffany,
I was so sad to hear about your cancer for more than one reason. First, as a breast cancer survivor, I would not wish it on anyone else. But second, I’ve followed you on twitter for more than a year and had no idea – it made me feel selfish. I’m sorry about this but can see that it has made you stronger and that you have become an incredible resource for others. You’ve unwrapped the gift.

By: Esther (WellnessMom)

Esther (WellnessMom) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:26:51 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story. Very powerful, and definitely gives us all something to think about!

By: Tiffany

Tiffany — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:26:07 +0000

Darryle, very good points! If had gotten breast cancer, or lung cancer, or even brain cancer I think I would not be so tough on myself. I got colon cancer though and unless it is genetic, diet is usually the culprit. So I think it is the type of cancer in this case, coupled with the lifestyle.

By: Darryle

Darryle — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:52:44 +0000

As a cancer survivor myself, I would never minimize what you said or feel about your health—and I too have taken very strong measures to clean up my habits since I had cancer. I believe there are connections between the prevalence of cancer today and the chemicals we all ingest.
On the other hand, Linda McCartney got cancer around the same time I did; and she was a lifelong vegetarian who I’m sure never ate at McDonald’s and had access to the best medical care. Yet she is gone and I’m here.
There are still too many unknowns, So I applaud the changes you have made and your commitment to educate others –but hope you will also ease up on blaming yourself for something you might have done.

By: Shena

Shena — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:59:12 +0000

I feel exactly the same way and I feel so validated reading your words. I also feel like it is the environmental toxins that cause this huge boom in our children’s neurological issue such as autism and ADD. I know for a fact that it affects my daughter because, like you, we completely changed our lifestyle in an effort to cut out the environmental toxins, and you can’t even tell she has autism anymore unless you already know. Now that I know that, I think it is nuts that people buy and eat food sprayed with poisons.
During my pregnancy with my daughter with autism, I ate McDonalds fish sandwiches all the time. I knew they were gross but I let myself off the hook because I was “craving” them. I also let her dr give her a flu shot with thimerasol in it, even though she was showing some signs of autism and then I had to watch her sudden steep regression after the shot.
Anyway. I really just wanted to say thank you for your post. You manage to put into words what I feel and don’t know how to put into words.

By: Micaela

Micaela — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:55:26 +0000

Wow – what a roundup! Thanks for pulling all of this great information together Tiffany. I agree with Lynn – it’s hard to imagine you as a fast food junkie. :)

By: Lynn from OrganicMania.com

Lynn from OrganicMania.com — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:42:17 +0000

Tiffany, thank you for sharing your story. Knowing you as the green veggie queen of smoothies, it is incredible for me to even think that you were such a fast food junkie. I had no idea. I am so sorry that it took that horrible battle with cancer to lead you to a greener path. Thank you for sharing your story, thank you for hosting the carnival, and thank you for all you do to help others!

(And by the way, my carnival post was not included. I sent it last night. It is here: http://organicmania.com/2010/03/07/the-hypocrisy-of-cancer/ )

By: Reut

Reut — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:51:01 +0000

Tiffany, Thank you for sharing your story with us, it’s a great post! I agree with you, I think we should do the best we can to live a healthy life, to raise healthy kids, and to stay close to the nuture as much as we can. Thanks again!

By: Sarah @ Semi-Sweet

Sarah @ Semi-Sweet — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:15:52 +0000

Great post, and I couldn’t agree more . . . but I think you need to ease up on yourself re your diet pre-cancer – there are plenty of us who ate pretty darn well, hardly drank, never smoked, etc. who were diagnosed at a young age w/cancer (me, breast @ 32). And no one knows which exposures trigger which cancers, and in which people. I think it’s important to eat very well and to seek to control exposures where we can, but some exposures are inevitable (car exhaust, air pollution, etc.). Awareness is so much greater than it was even 9 years ago when I was diagnosed . . . more posts like this, more people caring . . . eventually some changes will be made. Thanks for speaking up!

By: Janelle Sorensen

Janelle Sorensen — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:50:36 +0000

Superb! Thank you so much for raising awareness about the environmental connections to cancer.

By: michelle

michelle — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:43:06 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story! Cancer and heart disease run in my family, and learning about the cause is what prompted me to make my own body products and cleaning supplies for my family. I was shocked to learn that the American Cancer Society was funded mainly by companies whose products cause cancer and their board members are invested in companies whose products cause cancer. All about money for sure and very very sad indeed. I’m glad you made it through such a difficult time and sorry about the loss of your aunt. Hopefully if we all ban together we can make a difference in this area.

By: Lisa @Retro Housewife Goes Green

Lisa @Retro Housewife Goes Green — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:27:03 +0000

Thanks for sharing your story and hosting such a powerful carnival!

By: Anna @Green Talk

Anna @Green Talk — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:08:13 +0000

Tiffany, people should learn from your story and make the changes now. I think Jennae hit the nail on the head. Why take the chance now?

By: Wendy

Wendy — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:06:20 +0000

Thank you for all the important info!

By: mother earth aka karen hanrahan

mother earth aka karen hanrahan — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:42:34 +0000

Classically stated Tiffany – money IS more important than safety. What a profound example your personal story with cancer is. Thank you for hosting this month’s carnival