PATENT PENDING: THE MEASURE OF A LIFE BY WENDY HARPHAM M.D.

Please take a minute and read this wonderful article written by a cancer survivor and physician named Wendy Harpham. The title is "Patent Pending: The Measure of a Life". The link follows:

http://journals.lww.com/oncology-times/Fulltext/2005/12100/Patent_Pending__The_Measure_of_a_Life.18.aspx

Wendy's blog contains articles that address the real life experience of patients, their caregivers and their families. She has a unique ability to also understand and address the challenges faced by health care professionals as she, herself, spent many years as she says, "On the other side of the bed". If you or anyone you love is facing a health challenge, this blog is a wonderful resource. The link to her blog is http://wendyharpham.typepad.com/healthysurvivorship/

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HEALING AND CANCER TV SUPPORT GROUPS AND INFORMATION

If you are a patient or a family member who has been touched by cancer, take some time to check out this resource. The website contains information on webcasts and retreats that are being offered as well as a host of other information.

The website is: http://www.healingandcancer.tv/
The site is facilitated by Dr. Rob Rutledge, MD, a radiation oncologist at Dalhousie University Nova Scotia Cancer Centre and Dr. Timothy Walker, PhD, who is a psychotherapist, teacher, and works with Eastwind Stress Reduction. Their book, The Healing Circle, is also available for purchase on their site.

Beginning on January 15th at 3 pm PST, they are offering weekly "Skills for Healing" cancer webcasts. These webcasts will include information on how to get complete cancer care, healing skills like mindfulness and meditation, techniques such as visualization, body scan and Yoga as well as home practices for healing. These webcasts are free to anyone affected by a blood cancer or related condition.

I find it so encouraging to see the wide range of resources springing up on the internet related to both patients and caregivers. While in-person groups work well for some people, participating anonymously on line or being able to access information in the privacy of their own home helps more people get the support they need. I am always happy to support programs like this.

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Farther Along - A beautiful song!

This song was sent to me today by a friend and I love it! It speaks so eloquently to the challenging place I find myself in today and a common place for us all. Here is the link to listen to it: http://joshgarrels.bandcamp.com/track/farther-along
Perhaps you will find comfort from this song's reminder to trust, have faith, wait in patience and know that things that don't make any sense at all today, will seem different tomorrow. Life isn't fair and bad things happen to good people. Challenges happen to us all, no matter how hard we strive to avoid them. It is much easier cope with difficult situations when we trust, wholeheartedly, that God is watching and will weave the story into something wonderful down the road.

So, as the chorus of the song says:
Farther along we'll know all about it
Father along we'll understand why,
Cheer up my brothers, live in the sunshine,
We'll understand this, all by and by.

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WONDERFUL NEW GLUTEN FREE WEBSITE

One of the great things about the internet is the huge number of websites being added all the time! I search often for new resources related to food, diet, food sensitivities, children's health and other related to topics and people often send me links they have found. This website was sent to me by our son and it is amazing. Take time to have a look at the recipes they offer as they are made with wholesome ingredients and very little sugar. The link is www.nourishingmeals.com
I gave a 3 hour lecture this week to the students at Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine and had an opportunity to share the story of my own family. It is clear that the information related to health, diet, and food sensitivities has come a long way in the 27 years since I began the journey. Students are learning about it in school and websites like the one listed above are plentiful. The days of mixing up a powdered milk substitute in warm water for our kids and having absolutely no alternatives available at school functions, birthday parties and camp are gone. Or, are they? Despite the huge number of resources and the articles appearing all the time about the impact of certain foods on many aspects of health, I continue to see patients who have been missed by the health care system. Their children have struggled for years with difficult symptoms and some of the adults I see have a lifetime story of challenges.

As my book is available in the next couple of weeks, it is my goal to do my part to change this story. Food sensitivities are no longer a fringe topic. There is ample scientific evidence to support the idea that the removal of trigger foods in our diet can eliminate many health, behaviour, and learning challenges. Why is it not being done more often? We are all resistant to change and our favourite comfort foods help us find peace in the midst of the busy pace of life. Because of the many great recipes, websites, and cook books available now, it is possible to create delicious comfort foods that satisfy our craving yet help us feel better. I hope that my book will encourage more people to embrace the idea and be willing to give it a try! The results might just transform their life as it is for me.

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MOTIVATIONAL SPEECH BY THE AMAZING LES BROWN

What motivates you to step past your fears, hesitation, and excuses to achieve something you really want? Do you listen to the doubts of others and let go of your dreams or do you listen to the compelling voice of your heart and soul calling you forward?

Les Brown has the most amazing story. He was given up for adoption as a child and labelled as educably mentally retarded. He never gave up or gave in thanks to his ability to move past the criticisms of others as he always saw something more for himself. Listen to this video where he shares his story and part of his philosophy of success. He is now known as the world's greatest motivational speaker - a guy with no university education who has never worked for a big corporation and was labelled as retarded as a child.

The link for the video is http://youtu.be/7gePFhPC8Sk

What excuses or stories are you using to keep you stuck? What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? What is stopping you? What if you taught this attitude of possibility to your kids as they grew up and encouraged them to fail so they were willing to take risks.

Les Brown's story inspires me. I would love to be able to motivate audiences as he does and speak only positive, encouraging words to myself when I slip up and make mistakes. He offers himself nothing but positive, encouraging self talk and moves past those saboteur voices that say something is impossible. I am practicing remembering to do that! I am getting better but there is still a great deal of room for improvement!!

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LET THE CRACKS IN YOUR ARMOUR SHOW

How willing are you to let your imperfections and the cracks in your armour show? Are you still caught up in the cycle of "keeping up with the Jones" and portraying a picture perfect image of who you are? Who are you anyway? Who are you underneath all those layers and masks of self protection that life has added to your story? Who do you want to be? Who are you meant to be?

I just listened to one of my favourite songs sung by Winona Judd. She shares the story of her mom's encouragement for her to allow the world to see her cracks of imperfection because that is how the light gets out. Winona shares that she knows she is a child of God and no longer needs to strive and search for the love and approval of others. She knows who she is, cracks, mistakes, disappointments, broken relationships and all. They are all part of the tapestry of her life and what make her who she is.

Brene Brown also speaks of the same topic in her book "The Gifts of Imperfection". She speaks of our need for courage, compassion, and connection to allow us to deal with the places in life where we feel we are less than enough.

For all of us, no matter what our life circumstance, there are always places were we hide who are, what we need, what we don't want from others in order to feel we belong. What if you stopped trying to fit in with others and spent your energy fitting in with yourself? What if you allowed the unconditional and unending grace of God to be the place you rested rather than in the judgments of others.

Here is the link for Winona's song. As you listen, think about the places in your life where, if you allowed your own beautiful light to shine through the cracks, people would see something wonderful. Remember, also, that it is through those same cracks that love gets in.

The link for the song, "I Can Only Imagine" is http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=F9E12FNU

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HOLDING ON, LETTING GO

Have you ever had an experience where you were holding onto something when it was time to let go? Perhaps you want to make a change but are finding it difficult to let go of a familiar habit or way of life. One of the biggest obstacles to change is the uncertainty that we experience as we let go of something familiar and reach for something that feels uncertain. It is only when we are highly motivated to remove ourself from a situation that feels very difficult or when we want something very badly that we are willing to tolerate the discomfort of change.

This song entitled HOLDING ON, LETTING GO, speaks to the challenge of change.

http://youtu.be/eab8WrL--q8

What if, however, we found another way to look at life? What if we were willing to embrace both holding on and letting go at the same time? What if the experiences of our life were neither "good" or "bad" but simply part of the tapestry we were creating as we grow. In my experience, many situations that were difficult in the moment offered amazing gifts or a valuable piece of learning down the road. As I get older I have more and more faith that this will always be the case. I am more willing to let go of the things in my life that aren't working with a strong belief that something different and wonderful will come as a result. Rather than having a dualistic view of life where things are either good or bad, strong or weak, helpful or harmful etc, I now am trying to embrace the concept offered by contemplative prayer authors such as Richard Rohr that we need to embrace both sides of life at the same time. Rather than push change away, it is possible to simply embrace all the experiences of our life, whatever they are, with hope.

So, if you find yourself in a place of needing to let go of something in your life that isn't working but are afraid of what might be ahead, relax. Trust that all the things work together for good if you can only be patient and wait.

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