Staying a Survivor

Wow, 

It sounds like you've made some important and positive life changes and they are sure to work in your favor! I too have continued to live what I consider a healthy emotional, physical and spiritual lifestyle after initially being diagnosed over 7 years ago...though, to be fair, that is pretty much how I lived prior to ever being diagnosed. And still, I have been dx with anal cancer stage 3b in 2011, breast cancer in 2012, a met of anal cancer in 2015 and another met of anal cancer just a couple months ago. 

It is however, my belief that in following a (mostly) healthy way of life, I have been able to recover and get back on track much easier than if I hadn't. The only thing I'd add to your list is accepting that it is important to do what is realistic and with in our power by all means, with out forgetting to LIVE and enjoy while doing so, but also to be mindful of what is out of our hands and to turn it over so as to not obsess over somethings we can not control.

Be well....

katheryn

Stay active, eat as healthy as you can without denying yourself, spend time with the people who bring joy into your life, travel if possible, and don't sweat the small stuff. 

Hi, what a great topic!  Thank you for bringing this up and everyone else for your answers.  I, too, am trying to do everything I can to make my chances better.  The doctor initially gave me a 60-80% survival rate, and  I'm trying to do whatever I can to raise that.  Since raw vegetables are hard to digest I cook them with water, and add olive oil after they are done.  Actually I cook most things that way now.  Tastes as good if not better than cooking with oil.  I could exercise more, but  I've made 20-30 minutes of yoga and stretching a daily practice, and I've started going to regular 12-step meetings, since I'm not into religion, it gives me the spirituality I need.  I still eat too much sugar, although I can't handle alcohol so my sugar intake is probably less than it used to be..    I have also cut out stress, I just don't allow myself to worry about things that used to bother me.  And, frankly, the cancer diagnosis really puts things into perspective, right?   I believe it was stress that made me sick, I've always taken pretty good care of myself, but I really let the stress get bad for a while there.  I'm working on making meditation a daily practice also.  I've cut back on work too, since I'm lucky enough to be able to. 

I'm intrigued by the acupuncture, cupping, massage, etc.  I've been avoiding massage and body work because I don't want to mess around with any residual cancer and send it moving around my body, if that makes sense.