1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: This is Let's Be Clear with Shannon Dorney. Hi, everybody, 2 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: welcome to the Let's Be Clear Podcast. I'm Anna Luis 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: and I'm your guest host for this episode. I'm so 4 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:20,040 Speaker 1: honored to have been invited to come help continue the 5 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 1: beautiful legacy that Shannon Doherty created. Looking forward to talking 6 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: to y'all. So some of you may or may not 7 00:00:29,760 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: remember me from being on your television almost every day 8 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,559 Speaker 1: in the nineties as a VJ on MTV in the 9 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,479 Speaker 1: what I call the Golden Era of MTV, when we 10 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: actually played music videos. In the mid to late nineties, 11 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: when me, Carson Daily, Bill Bellamy, Matt Penfields and others 12 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 1: launched the Times Square Studios in New York City and 13 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: had an amazing time with you for years. Maybe you 14 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: remember me as far back as teen Summit on BT, 15 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 1: which was actually my first big TV hosting gig. Some 16 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: of you might know me from headlines that happened this 17 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: past October about my cancer journey. A lot of people 18 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 1: said I was dying after I shared that I hit 19 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: stage four. Oh, that sounded like a prize and it's not. 20 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: But you'll know what I mean. And maybe you have 21 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: no clue who I am, which is great because then 22 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,280 Speaker 1: we get to kind of start fresh right here. In 23 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: all my years of doing TV, I never had the 24 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: pleasure of meeting Shannon in person. I was a fan 25 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,680 Speaker 1: of her work like you guys all are and were, 26 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: and then I dove into following her as she shared 27 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: her cancer journey that she did so bravely right up 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,480 Speaker 1: until the end. I was inspired by her this is 29 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 1: how it is, you know, attitude, and how she faced 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: this monster head on. I hope to borrow from some 31 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: of her strength as I chat with you guys today. 32 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: And maybe we should call this episode Let's be clear 33 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:04,320 Speaker 1: being real about cancer, because I'm basically going to share 34 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: my story with you as real as possible and for 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: those of you who've been through it, like I'm in 36 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: the middle of it right now. Cancer fucking sucks. It 37 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 1: just does period, no matter how you choose to treat it, 38 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: it sucks. This is the January February two thousand and 39 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 1: five edition of Essence magazine, and in it there's an 40 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: article pretty much detailing my cancer journey. I want to 41 00:02:35,680 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: give a huge thank you to Victoria ul Morogi for 42 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 1: spearheading this article and kind of guiding me through the 43 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: whole process as we wrote it together. I actually told 44 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: her the story and you know, it came out of that. 45 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: So you can check out the full article right now 46 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 1: on Essence dot com. It just came out earlier this month, 47 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 1: so should still be there or you can go get 48 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: a hard because there's some other big articles in there. 49 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: But basically it covers how things happened, what I chose 50 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:10,040 Speaker 1: to do and not do for treatment. But the real 51 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: bottom line for me was about reminding women that prevention 52 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: is the cure. There are so many things you can 53 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: do to avoid your body making cancer to begin with, 54 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: and had I known those things, I believe I never 55 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: would have ended up here, But here I am. I'm 56 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: also grateful I got to clarify some things in this 57 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: article that people clearly misunderstood, didn't understand at all, or 58 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: decided to take completely out of context from the interview 59 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: I did on scene in with my bestie Stephanie Elam 60 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 1: and our friend Sarah Signer, who is also fighting at 61 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: stage three breast cancer. I am someone who has always 62 00:03:56,080 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 1: prided myself on being honest, being upfront, being able to 63 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,040 Speaker 1: talk about difficult things, and I've been doing that since 64 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 1: way back at Team Summit. So when we sat down 65 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:08,640 Speaker 1: to talk on the CNN interview, we did this roundtable 66 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 1: that was really fun. I was just honest and my personalities. 67 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: Sometimes I say crazy stuff. I don't know if you 68 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: all remember that from CD, but I said something like, oh, 69 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 1: I kept my tumor and I did it, or said 70 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: it kind of tongue in cheek. You gotta find ways 71 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: to laugh about this or you will lose your mind 72 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: and just be crying all the time. But that became 73 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: the headline. She kept her tumor and now she's stage four, 74 00:04:38,839 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: And as many of you probably already know, it's just 75 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 1: not that simple. I know more than a few women 76 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: who did everything they were told to do. They got 77 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:50,840 Speaker 1: the tumors cut out, they got the double mess deck 78 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:53,760 Speaker 1: to me, they did the full chemo and radiation and 79 00:04:53,960 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: still died, because cancer freaking sucks no matter how you 80 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 1: choose to treat it. I didn't pay much attention to 81 00:05:04,279 --> 00:05:07,960 Speaker 1: the comments under those headlines from the other outlets that 82 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: they took, you know, from CNN's headlines, based on the 83 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 1: things I said there. But I definitely got to hear 84 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: about it from everybody who reached out to me for 85 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:24,160 Speaker 1: the entire month. One of the comments that stood out 86 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: to me, because it was said repeatedly apparently, was that 87 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: that was so stupid of her. Why didn't she just 88 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: listen to the doctors? And in my mind, the question 89 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: became which doctors? Which doctors did you want me to 90 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: listen to? The original ecologist who was the one who 91 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: told me I had to do the double mastectomy and 92 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:45,560 Speaker 1: the full chemo and all the standard of care stuff, 93 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 1: or the subsequent oncologists who were integrative oncologists and did 94 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: things just a little different way, who think outside of 95 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 1: the box when it comes to cancer treatment, who tested 96 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,560 Speaker 1: me first to get a breakdown of what chemos were 97 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: going to work on the cancer in my body and 98 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: wish ones weren't. Because guess what I found out, almost 99 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: a year after not doing what I was told to 100 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: do by the original oncologists, the chemo that they were 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,760 Speaker 1: going to use on me, there was not gonna work 102 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 1: to kill the cancer in my body. It was third 103 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:27,120 Speaker 1: from the bottom. In fact, there were about twenty other 104 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,840 Speaker 1: chemotherapies that would do way better in my body than 105 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: that one would have. And then it started to make sense, 106 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: I have really listened to the doctors this whole time, 107 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: but also, and more importantly to me, followed my gut 108 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: and my intuition about what is good and right for me, 109 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: and I had this vision sitting in that original oncologist's 110 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,719 Speaker 1: office of myself dead. I've had many more of those visions, 111 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:07,520 Speaker 1: more frequently recently as things you know, are continuing to 112 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:10,160 Speaker 1: as I try to get them back on track. Let 113 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: me say like that, But this original one was a 114 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: clear no from whatever source right for me. And obviously 115 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: whatever you believe is up to you, and I respect it. 116 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: For me, it's God for me, it's my angels and 117 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: guides wherever it came from. It was very clear, and 118 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: I said, okay, that was not going to work. But 119 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 1: the bottom line for me was, after hearing those comments, 120 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,040 Speaker 1: I had never one time heard anybody say about a 121 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: woman who did do the conventional route and didn't survive it, Well, 122 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: that was stupid. You shouldn't shouldn't have listened to those 123 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: doctors because we're so trained to believe that there's only 124 00:07:54,600 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: one way to handle this, that is, except to ble, 125 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: and that just has not been true from me or 126 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: for me from the beginning. There's this weird selective and 127 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 1: conditional compassion and understanding. That's really disgusting, and I'm hoping 128 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: the more that I talk about it, the more light 129 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: gets shed on the lack of fairness of even thinking 130 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: like that, the faster it goes away. I think it's 131 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 1: just based on I don't know, ignorance, and fortunately ignorance 132 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: can be cured, stupidity cannot be. But that's another conversation. 133 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: The message that has been important for me to bring 134 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: to other women from the very beginning when I decided 135 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 1: to share this, which was actually about a year and 136 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 1: a half after my diagnosis. I was diagnosed in January 137 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,640 Speaker 1: of twenty nineteen, and I shared it publicly in October 138 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty. My point then was to remind women 139 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:02,559 Speaker 1: that your best shot at being able to survive this 140 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: is taking advantage of early detection, getting your mammograms when 141 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 1: you're supposed to and listen. I am still not a 142 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: fan of mammograms, but there are other options, like the 143 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: QT imaging scan that's now available, or the three D 144 00:09:19,160 --> 00:09:21,880 Speaker 1: ultrasound that they will send you to when your mammogram 145 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 1: comes back funny anyway, And the problem is insurance may 146 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: or may not cover those You may or may not 147 00:09:27,720 --> 00:09:32,599 Speaker 1: have the finances whatever, you have access to take advantage 148 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 1: of early detection. Right. That was number one for me, 149 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 1: my number one mistake. I didn't do that. I shared 150 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: from the very beginning that that was a big mistake. 151 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: We have to be able to say when we're wrong 152 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: so other people can learn from our mistakes and do better. 153 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,679 Speaker 1: But for me, that's where my mistake ended. I do 154 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: not believe I made it incorrect decision to forego that 155 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: initial standard of care treatment. Even as I find myself 156 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:04,080 Speaker 1: at stage four today, I say that my full chest, 157 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: I know in my heart I did the right thing 158 00:10:06,600 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 1: for me. Based on everything I've learned since, especially based 159 00:10:10,960 --> 00:10:13,079 Speaker 1: on the dear friends that I've met on this journey, 160 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 1: some of whom I've lost since, who did the other 161 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: standard of care way of doing it, I've found that 162 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: there's almost no difference in the outcome from what I've seen. 163 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,920 Speaker 1: This is not scientific, this is my experience. When you 164 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 1: look at stage three and four, the upper stages of 165 00:10:30,559 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: cancer and how far it's gone in your body basically 166 00:10:34,559 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 1: determines the staging. Right when you catch it early zero 167 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:40,880 Speaker 1: one two, like my mother and sister did. Now you 168 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: have a chance at that standard of care being your 169 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: best option and giving you back the years you would 170 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: have lost once you hit three four and it's left 171 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: that original site, and it's in other places in your body, 172 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,920 Speaker 1: which it was for me. What I've seen and believed 173 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: to be true is that the outcomes even out. Honestly, 174 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: the women I've known who's diagnoses happened around the same 175 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: time as me, who went the standard of care route, 176 00:11:04,200 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 1: four out of seven of them are no longer here. 177 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: And although I'm still here and worse my body is, 178 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 1: my immune system is still undamaged enough to be eligible 179 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: for other kinds of treatments, which I now get to pursue. 180 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: I had one friend who did standard of care. She 181 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: was so her body I should say, was so ravaged 182 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 1: by the chemotherapy that by the time she got to 183 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,600 Speaker 1: the place in Arizona, which is where I met her, 184 00:11:34,640 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: when I did my first round of insulm potentiated chemotherapy 185 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: and all these really fancy cool things, she wasn't able 186 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,439 Speaker 1: to do a lot of those because her body was 187 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:48,240 Speaker 1: still suffering from so much damage. So I really think, 188 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: ultimately we have to respect whatever choice someone in this 189 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: position makes, and God forbid, you're ever in this position 190 00:11:57,600 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: and have to make these choices. For those of you 191 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: who have been, I'd be interested to hear about what 192 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 1: your journey's been like, because for every single person I've met, 193 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:08,640 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter if the diagnosis the same. The journey 194 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: is very unique and very individualized, and you have to 195 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: stand behind what you choose no matter what anybody else 196 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: says about it. From the beginning, I felt like I 197 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 1: had a better shot at surviving by going this different 198 00:12:38,240 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: route and integrative approach, and I wanted to focus on 199 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: my quality of life as well as the length of it. 200 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: What I chose to do was an approach that did 201 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: less harm to my body but was still very toxic 202 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 1: to the cancer cells and was very effective my first 203 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 1: time going into actual treatment, which was impacted by the 204 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 1: COVID virus because the COVID lockdowns, I should say, because 205 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: I went into twenty twenty still having not done real treatment. 206 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 1: But by the time I did decide to do something, 207 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: everything in California was closed basically, So that led me 208 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: to Arizona because if you remember, Arizona was like locked 209 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:31,680 Speaker 1: down for what they stayed really open, They barely masked, 210 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 1: They were in complete rebellion, and it was good for 211 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 1: me because it meant that I could access care. So 212 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:42,079 Speaker 1: after sixteen weeks of treatment at a center called in 213 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: Vita in Scottsdale, Arizona, I had gone down from A 214 00:13:44,800 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: Stage three to a aage two. And I know that 215 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,319 Speaker 1: if I had the financial ability to continue doing that process, 216 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: I probably could have gotten completely clear. I absolutely believed that, 217 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,320 Speaker 1: but I didn't have the money to do that, and 218 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,840 Speaker 1: I couldn't afford to keep where it was. The problem 219 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: for me really became that insurance will not cover the 220 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: same thing they would cover on the standard of care path. 221 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:11,000 Speaker 1: This is FDA approved chemo, it's just done in a 222 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 1: different way when you go the integrative path, and they're like, 223 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: we will not touch you even though it's the same 224 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: chemo they weren't covered. I mean, I have submitted just 225 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: in the last year about seventy eight thousand dollars worth 226 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 1: of reimbursibles. I probably got back about six. So what 227 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: I didn't know at the beginning was you need to 228 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 1: be rich, You need to really have access to some 229 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: money to go against what your insurance is telling you 230 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: to do. And somebody said to me, doctors don't even 231 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: determine standard of care the insurance company does, and I 232 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 1: believed them. I don't know if it's true, but I 233 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: believed it because that's what it feels like I've experienced. Wait, 234 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: this actual doctor is saying, here's what we're gonna do, 235 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: and this is what we recommend in the insurance to say, Well, 236 00:14:57,520 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: we don't agree, and that is not what we tell people. 237 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: Her position to do. So whether it's gonna help her 238 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: or not, whatever, she's gonna have to figure that out. 239 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: And I don't know. I mean, there's so much I 240 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: could say on that, but I just hope that it 241 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: starts to change. I mean, there's so many stories I 242 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: could tell you, so many angles about different cancer treatments 243 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 1: I've done, but I don't wanna run out of my 244 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: time here with you today before I go over something 245 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: really important that I consider really important anyway, and that 246 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: is to remind you again that prevention is the cure. 247 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: There are things you can do if you're in a 248 00:15:30,040 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 1: healthy body right now that will hopefully prevent you from 249 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: getting here in the first place. My goal is to 250 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 1: keep my story from becoming your story. So here's my 251 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 1: list of what I wish I knew ten years ago 252 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: about breast cancer. The first thing I would do differently 253 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: had I known, was better sleep. Sleep matters. There are 254 00:15:55,720 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: so many studies linking awful sleep to breast cancer. Awful 255 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: sleep like the kind that mothers get, which was the 256 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 1: case for me when my son was young. He's thirteen now, 257 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 1: but when he was little, I would sleep maybe three 258 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 1: to five hours a night if I was lucky. Because 259 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: I stayed up in the middle of the night doing 260 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: all the things I needed to do for myself. I 261 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: considered it my knee time. I had no idea that 262 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,200 Speaker 1: not getting enough sleep during the right hours. I'll add 263 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: that cuts down on your melatonin production severely, and melatonin 264 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: is one of the hormones the body uses to prevent 265 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: and fight cancer. So I want you to do your 266 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: own research. Don't listen to me. Am I a scientist, No, 267 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 1: Am I a doctor. No, I'm just a woman who's 268 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: been wrestling this for six years and struggling to stay 269 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: alive and doing every single thing I can do back 270 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: by science, looking at the studies to be here when 271 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,040 Speaker 1: my son graduates from high school. That's my immediate goal 272 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: right now, and that's four more years, right and then 273 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 1: I'll set a new goalie, because I plan on making that, 274 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,640 Speaker 1: and then I'll make a new goal and hopefully I'm 275 00:17:04,640 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: better by then than I am now, and I have another, 276 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 1: you know, five or ten year goal in mind. Anyway, 277 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 1: God willing right, So look up the studies yourself. That's 278 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: what I recommend. There's nothing like seeing the proof for yourself. 279 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 1: Because listen, doctors are trained in a certain way. They're amazing, 280 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,000 Speaker 1: wonderful people who dedicated their lives to helping us, and 281 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: they only know what they know. You know, they only 282 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 1: know what they know, and they're not allowed to talk 283 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: to you about these things that are outside of their 284 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,359 Speaker 1: scope of work and what they can offer. So you 285 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 1: get them in trouble when you start to press them 286 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,800 Speaker 1: for telling you these other treatments or go that's not 287 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:44,880 Speaker 1: what they do. You have to And this I've learned 288 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:47,680 Speaker 1: about even how I treat my friends and people I love. 289 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:52,160 Speaker 1: Stop demanding of people's things they can't do. Accept people 290 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,520 Speaker 1: for where they are. That's been big for me on 291 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:58,159 Speaker 1: this journey. Some people cannot show up for me the 292 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: way I need them to, and some of those people 293 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: may be really close to me. I can either waste 294 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: my time trying to demand and expect and wait and 295 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,560 Speaker 1: hope and dream and pray that they're gonna change, or 296 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 1: I can control the only thing I can control, which 297 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: is me, and decide to let them be who they 298 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:22,320 Speaker 1: are and find what I might need from them elsewhere, 299 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: because that makes the most sense to me. So you 300 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,560 Speaker 1: get to determine what makes the most sense to you. 301 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: I'm just sharing what I've learned along the journey. And 302 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: the next thing that I wished I knew ten years 303 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 1: ago was how much of an impact stressful relationships can 304 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: be on fueling cancer and causing cancer. I'm talking about 305 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: all kinds of relationships, but ladies, you know, for us, 306 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: it's really our significant other and being in a state 307 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:58,479 Speaker 1: of constant fear, panic, doubt, questioning the relationship, arguing too 308 00:18:58,560 --> 00:19:02,119 Speaker 1: much or worse all keeps us in a state of 309 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 1: chronic stress. Look up how much damage chronic stress does 310 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,199 Speaker 1: to your body, Lane, so you can start avoiding it, 311 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: because it's one of the most simple things you can 312 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 1: cut out of your life. And when I say cut out, 313 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 1: I do mean like taking a scalpel. And you know, 314 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: because when it comes down to it, you and being 315 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:29,160 Speaker 1: alive is more important than any relationship, and that's kind 316 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: of what I had to come to in my life 317 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,679 Speaker 1: at the time too. I left my son's dad in 318 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: September of twenty nineteen. I was diagnosed in January. That 319 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:43,679 Speaker 1: whole time things were being clarified, and I don't like 320 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 1: to get into details about that because I love and 321 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:49,760 Speaker 1: respect my son. I love and respect his dad too, 322 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: But listen, what happened happened between adults, and I get 323 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: to share my story, right, I mean, you don't have 324 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: to agree. The other person is never going to agree 325 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 1: with what happened to you because it didn't happen to them, 326 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 1: happen to you. But I preserve and protect my son's 327 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: father because of my son, and so I'm never gonna 328 00:20:09,040 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: go too far down that rabbit hole, which it definitely is. 329 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 1: But I have bit my forbitten my tongue on it 330 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 1: for all this time because I don't want to leave 331 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: a legacy that my son has to deal with that 332 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: isn't fair to him. And you know, ultimately it's only 333 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: my side of the story. Maybe I was a nightmare too. Listen, 334 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 1: I'm gonna owe my stuff. But the chronic stress begins 335 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 1: to feel normal when you've lived with it so long 336 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:44,360 Speaker 1: and it is incredibly dangerous for your body. So that's 337 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: the next thing I would say. I wish I knew. 338 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: So let's see number three. They're not ranked in order. 339 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:52,800 Speaker 1: These are all just the things I picked up along 340 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:54,119 Speaker 1: the way. But the next thing I would say is 341 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 1: the biggest one. Everybody says right now, what you feed 342 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: your body matters. And I'm gonna tell tell you what 343 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: kind of sugar fiend I was. I was eating maybe 344 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: four donuts a day. Now, when you're in a chronically 345 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 1: stressful situation. For me, food and alcohol became the go 346 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: to to deal with a lot of what I was 347 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: dealing with. And I'm not saying it was all about 348 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,120 Speaker 1: my intimate relationship. There were other stressers in my life too. 349 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,679 Speaker 1: There were other things that were causing me to be 350 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: stressed out right. So whichever of the things I was 351 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: dealing with that was causing me to stay chronic stress, 352 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: what I went to to help myself was horrible sugar 353 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:38,560 Speaker 1: and alcohol. Basically, I was doing mammy juice wine, you know, 354 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: red wine. It wasn't drinking hard liquor, even though I 355 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 1: had at other periods in my life. I was doing wine. 356 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: Though after I stopped breastfeeding, which I breastfed for about 357 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 1: three years, I got my mama juice back because I, 358 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: of course would never take a risk while while my 359 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 1: son would have you know, had some kind of damage 360 00:21:56,520 --> 00:21:59,280 Speaker 1: or curb potentially. But as soon as I got the 361 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:03,760 Speaker 1: green light, I was like, cooh, let's go. And that was, 362 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: looking back, a horrible decision. I had no idea how 363 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: much damage alcohol does to the body. We'll get to 364 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:13,879 Speaker 1: that in a sect because that's the next one I 365 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:15,719 Speaker 1: want to talk about more in depth. Right now, let 366 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:18,879 Speaker 1: me stick to the sugar, because the doughnuts were my 367 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: best friend, and that one has become pretty clear to 368 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,120 Speaker 1: a lot of people. I think now we understand better 369 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 1: than we did. You know seven I guess years ago 370 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 1: and when I was in these bad habits fully and 371 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 1: I say ten years because if I had started fixing 372 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:37,760 Speaker 1: things ten years ago, I would have avoided it completely, 373 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 1: because I think I would have caught it before the 374 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,240 Speaker 1: tumor even started growing. That is debatable because I have 375 00:22:42,359 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: no proof. I have no way of proving that right, 376 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: but that's what I believe. There are a lot of 377 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:53,840 Speaker 1: studies getting traction right now about our diets and what 378 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: we put in our mouth and fuel our bodies with 379 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: being vital to the outcomes. Now we're not even just 380 00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 1: talking cancer. I mean, yeah, worst case scenario, but diabetes 381 00:23:04,800 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: and a lot of these immunocompromised diseases are being attributed 382 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: to bad food, and sugar intake absolutely falls into the 383 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 1: category of bad. Now we're talking refined sugar, right, Fruit 384 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: sugars are not as much on the chopping block for me, 385 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 1: they are now because I've seen what a difference a 386 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: kto diet makes to how my body feels while wrestling cancer. 387 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:31,639 Speaker 1: I say wrestling because I just don't like the word fighting. 388 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,159 Speaker 1: I guess it feels more like a wrestle because sometimes 389 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: it's above, sometimes I'm above. We go back and forth. 390 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 1: We dance, but that's too much of a compliment. I'm 391 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 1: not dancing with this shit. I'm wrestling and I'd like 392 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: to win. But basically, refined sugar causes what I just 393 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 1: mentioned before with the stress inflammation, and if you're constantly 394 00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,400 Speaker 1: eating it, your body is going to be in chronic inflammation. 395 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 1: Refined sugar creates that the seed oils create that all 396 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: of it causes inflammation, and for the sugar. The insulin 397 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: spikes all day set you up for not just cancer, 398 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: but the other stuff I mentioned before, diabetes and some 399 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: of these immuno suppressive and what like MS. I have 400 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,120 Speaker 1: a friend who's dealing with MS and has been told 401 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: to avoid all sugar. There's a reason for that. Your 402 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:25,159 Speaker 1: body can only handle so much inflammation. Now, cute inflammation 403 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: is a logical and healthy and good response from your body. 404 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: You cut yourself, you want your body to get inflamed 405 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,119 Speaker 1: around that cut. You want your body to send all 406 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 1: the troops over there to help it heal. We're talking 407 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: chronic inflammation where your body never gets a break. There's 408 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 1: this constant inflamed state and your immune system gets worn 409 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:48,880 Speaker 1: out trying to put at sech. These fires in LA 410 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: have been like the fire department had to go to 411 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 1: five and six and seven different fires in one day. 412 00:24:54,520 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: What the heck? That is too much to expect. That's 413 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 1: what is happening to your body when you have these 414 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 1: constant inflammations happening all over the place. So I would 415 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:09,399 Speaker 1: have changed my diet first, and it is one of 416 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: the things I changed first when I found out by 417 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:14,760 Speaker 1: my diagnosis, because I'd already gone through this with my mom, 418 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:17,239 Speaker 1: and I saw that in her chemotherapy appointments that were 419 00:25:17,240 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 1: giving her grape juice and Snickers bars and granola bars, 420 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 1: and so I had started doing research way back then 421 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,399 Speaker 1: and knew that was a horrible choice for them to do. 422 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 1: Some places have now come around and they're starting to 423 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 1: make healthier choices for their cancer pations, and some haven't. 424 00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:31,920 Speaker 1: And I think this is just something that is going 425 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 1: to take a little time for people to start to 426 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 1: change their minds. When people believe they're doing things correctly, 427 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 1: this is true for all of us, myself included. When 428 00:25:40,119 --> 00:25:42,480 Speaker 1: you believe you're doing something right and then you find 429 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 1: out you're not, that is a shock to your system 430 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,719 Speaker 1: and change is difficult. I have witnessed that for myself. 431 00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: Change is difficult. But my diet was horrible thirteen years ago. 432 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: All right. The next thing is exercise. Now. I have 433 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: been back and forth on exercise my whole life. I 434 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 1: found plans that worked. I did P ninety, Yes, I 435 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 1: did the Beast program. I did all these different programs. 436 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 1: But my goal was to make my body look the 437 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: way I wanted it to look. What my goal needed 438 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: to be about was my circulation and immune system, because 439 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 1: when you move, your immune system moves and flushes and 440 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: goes through and picks up the dirt and junk and 441 00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 1: starts to get it out and deal with it. And 442 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: when you don't move, your immune system doesn't move either. 443 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: Your lymphatic system is a huge part of your immune system. 444 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: I think like eighty percent of your immune system is 445 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 1: made in your lymphatic systems. Listen, don't quote me on 446 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,280 Speaker 1: these things. Like I said, I'm not a scientist I've 447 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: been reading a lot of this stuff over the years. 448 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:38,959 Speaker 1: I picked it up along the way. Go look at 449 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: it yourself, because the numbers don't matter. The facts do. 450 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,639 Speaker 1: And the fact is that your immune system does not 451 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:47,879 Speaker 1: have a pump. You are the pump. Your immune and 452 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: lymphatic system work together. By you pumping them. What pumps 453 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 1: your immune and your lymphatic systems working out. And I'm 454 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: not saying like I can't even lift heavyweights anymore. My 455 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 1: skeletal system has a decent amount of cancer in it 456 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:04,680 Speaker 1: and it is limited what I'm able to do right now. 457 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 1: But when I was it wasn't even about lifting heavyweights. 458 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,200 Speaker 1: I hear that that's important too, But if you aren't 459 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: at the place. You know you're not going to go 460 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 1: from not working out to doing some body competition. Right, 461 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 1: Let's be realistic and let's take baby steps because those 462 00:27:20,200 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 1: are important. To baby steps count. If you're not doing 463 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: any working out or daily movement, just start by walking. 464 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 1: Just start by parking the furthest away from the door, 465 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:33,480 Speaker 1: if the story you're going into and getting yourself used 466 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:35,160 Speaker 1: to that movement. That's what I've had to do. I've 467 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:37,800 Speaker 1: had to reduce the amount of movement to walking. But 468 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:39,840 Speaker 1: there was a time where I wasn't moving at all. 469 00:27:40,040 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: I would do these programs and fail to meet my 470 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 1: body goal of how I wanted to look, and then 471 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:46,520 Speaker 1: I would stop, and then I would eat the donetups 472 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 1: again and go back to the well. I mean, it's 473 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: just this vicious cycle that I know I'm not alone in. 474 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,199 Speaker 1: I'm talking about myself, but I'm probably talking about you 475 00:27:55,320 --> 00:27:58,399 Speaker 1: or someone you know and love too. And the point 476 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,119 Speaker 1: is you have a chance to fix it right now 477 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 1: if you're in a healthy body right. Stagnation in the 478 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 1: immune system is a huge problem when it comes to 479 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:11,399 Speaker 1: cancer and other things, and the way you fix that 480 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 1: is by moving every day. If you can, I do 481 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: a two mile walk every day now because that is 482 00:28:19,280 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 1: vital to my survival. You have like a thirty five 483 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:29,120 Speaker 1: percent risk cut, right, you cut your risk, I'll say 484 00:28:29,119 --> 00:28:31,320 Speaker 1: it in a better way. You cut your risk of 485 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 1: developing cancer by like thirty five percent just by exercising 486 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 1: and walking and moving your body. It's worth every step 487 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: that you can figure out how to do. The next 488 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: up is toxins. And one of the biggest ways that 489 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 1: I have learned that toxins creep into your body. I mean, yes, 490 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: what you eat toxic food, right, Yes, you're breathing toxic air. Right. 491 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 1: We can control the food part, the air we can 492 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 1: control a little less, but what you put on your skin. 493 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,760 Speaker 1: Your skin is your number one organ, and everything you 494 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: put on it, from perfumes to creams and lotions that 495 00:29:08,360 --> 00:29:10,719 Speaker 1: have a bunch of toxins in them, to all of 496 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 1: that seeps into your skin. THEEWG dot org has an 497 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 1: amazing collection of chemicals that do not belong in our 498 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: body care, hair care, skin care products. Many of them 499 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: are still there, but they don't belong there. But you 500 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: can check them out and find out the things that 501 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: you need to avoid. We're talking household cleaning products too, 502 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:34,920 Speaker 1: and for me. One of the things that I did 503 00:29:35,240 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 1: that was probably a little radical, but I'm in a 504 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 1: radical situation, so it calls for radical solutions. I got 505 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: rid of all the polyester clothing that I had, and 506 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: I especially wanted to focus on the fabric I sleep 507 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: And I'd say polyester, but all fabrics made from the 508 00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: waste of gas and oil production is what I mean. 509 00:29:56,120 --> 00:30:00,800 Speaker 1: So polyester, acrylic, nylon, all the ones that come from it. Again, 510 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: there's research to be done and everything is googleable. I 511 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: wanted to focus on the fabric I sleep in because 512 00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:09,800 Speaker 1: you spend more time in that clothing I do anyway 513 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: about you when I'm in lounge clothes most of the time. 514 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: So and also because you're sweating at night, your pores 515 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: are opening up. Whatever is coming off of that fabric 516 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,920 Speaker 1: is leeching off of it is going to absorb into 517 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: your body through your skin. So when I threw away 518 00:30:26,560 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: all my polyester, it ended up being like five garbage 519 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,600 Speaker 1: bags the clothes things I loved. There were cute things 520 00:30:34,640 --> 00:30:37,200 Speaker 1: in the bag that I was like, no, I can't 521 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:39,280 Speaker 1: do it, but I would look at the label. It's 522 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: like a hundred percent polyester, And then I said, I 523 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 1: can't do it. That's what I really can't do is 524 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 1: the toxin. So I had to get rid of that stuff. 525 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:53,360 Speaker 1: That was again a very kind of dial down. I'm 526 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: going to go the furthest I can. I'm going to 527 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:57,320 Speaker 1: get rid of the most I can. So that was 528 00:30:57,360 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: me being extreme. But look at the fabrics. Look at 529 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:03,080 Speaker 1: the information about how fabrics can poison your body, and 530 00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 1: how the things you put on your skin can make 531 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:09,520 Speaker 1: you more toxic, because toxins are incredibly important to reduce 532 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: to avoid developing cancer. Now we'll get to the obvious ones. 533 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: Reducing alcohol, which I mentioned a few minutes ago, were 534 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 1: going to get to a little more and quitting smoking. Now. 535 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:35,400 Speaker 1: I smoked for way longer than I'd like to admit. 536 00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:37,600 Speaker 1: It was one of the nastiest habits I've ever had. 537 00:31:37,920 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 1: I smoked the entire time I was on TV, and 538 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:43,480 Speaker 1: I was so ashamed of embarrassed. I was so ashamed 539 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: and embarrassed I should say of it that I hid 540 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,720 Speaker 1: it from everybody. Most people who knew me did not 541 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: know that I smoked unless they were some of the 542 00:31:52,040 --> 00:31:54,840 Speaker 1: very few people that smoke with me. And we're hiding too. 543 00:31:54,960 --> 00:31:59,560 Speaker 1: We would go around corners during the beach house anyway 544 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 1: to get it all those stories, because listen, the point 545 00:32:02,360 --> 00:32:04,360 Speaker 1: is letting you know that you need to stop smoking 546 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: if you're smoking and that alcohol. I know you guys 547 00:32:08,320 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: have seen all the information in the last couple of 548 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: months demonizing alcohol. It's true. Alcohol is a poison, and 549 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 1: that's why it makes you feel the way it makes 550 00:32:20,760 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 1: you feel. It's poisoning your body. And the effects you're 551 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: feeling are your body dealing with poison. It's why it 552 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,160 Speaker 1: ruins your lover, because your liver has to detox all 553 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: that poison. And you know they say one drink is 554 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: all you need to poison your body. I honestly believe 555 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:38,960 Speaker 1: that alcohol was a huge fuel for me and this 556 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 1: cancer that I'm wrestling, and that's just again my gut. 557 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,120 Speaker 1: I look at the things I was doing and there 558 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 1: was a lot of wine passing my lips. With the alcohol. 559 00:32:50,400 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: I stopped cold turkey. I was scared enough and it 560 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 1: was something I could give up easily. With the smoking, 561 00:32:55,880 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: I used hypnosis high and you recommend took me one time. 562 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: Never touched cigarette again. I did that more than a 563 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,360 Speaker 1: decade before the cancer ever, you know, was an issue 564 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: and was found in my body. But I wish I 565 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: had done it even sooner. I wish I had gone 566 00:33:10,680 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 1: to some kind of therapy more consistently in my life 567 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: to start dealing with a lot of the trauma issues 568 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:20,640 Speaker 1: that I live with, and just you know, the kind 569 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,040 Speaker 1: of childhood that I had, and a lot of the 570 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:28,400 Speaker 1: things that haunt me because they add to your chronic stress. 571 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 1: But also those were the reasons that I was reaching 572 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: for all this anesthetizing in my life, And had I 573 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: dealt with those issues a little sooner, I probably would 574 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: have done less of that. But alcohol and cigarettes and 575 00:33:42,080 --> 00:33:44,600 Speaker 1: how much of those things you can handle depends on 576 00:33:44,640 --> 00:33:47,040 Speaker 1: your body. I think in all of these things that 577 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:51,240 Speaker 1: I'm talking about, it's all about your specific body. Listen. 578 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:55,560 Speaker 1: I know people who have drank I mean hard alcohol. 579 00:33:56,040 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 1: Johnny Walker black type hard alcohol for decades. Grandfather decades 580 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,640 Speaker 1: of drinking, and his body was fine till he was 581 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:08,080 Speaker 1: like seventy eighty. Some bodies are heartier than others. It's 582 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 1: just how it is. It's not fair, But most things 583 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,239 Speaker 1: in this life are not fair. They just were just 584 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:17,600 Speaker 1: what they are. So if you notice in your body 585 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:20,240 Speaker 1: that you can't take certain things, those are the things 586 00:34:20,239 --> 00:34:24,120 Speaker 1: you need to get rid of first. But none of 587 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:26,640 Speaker 1: the stuff I was doing was worth the risks that 588 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 1: I didn't even realize I was taking. And that's why 589 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:31,680 Speaker 1: I want you to know those things now. There are 590 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 1: more things that I could share with you. I could 591 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:37,319 Speaker 1: talk forever about this, because I am really passionate about 592 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:41,520 Speaker 1: helping people preserve their lives given where I'm at. But 593 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: my time is almost step and the bottom line is 594 00:34:44,440 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: again it's my mantra, prevention is the cure. If you're 595 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: in a healthy body, do the things you can do 596 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:55,359 Speaker 1: to avoid my story becoming your story. I go into 597 00:34:55,360 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 1: more detail about my journey in the Essence article with 598 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:01,279 Speaker 1: beautiful Shakerri rich In on the cover. If you're looking 599 00:35:01,280 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 1: for the hard copy again, Essence dot Com is where 600 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,680 Speaker 1: you can go online right now to read it for yourself. 601 00:35:07,239 --> 00:35:09,480 Speaker 1: There's some other great articles in there too. Like I said, 602 00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:14,240 Speaker 1: you can follow me on Instagram. I'm at I'm Ananda Lewis. 603 00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,920 Speaker 1: I do more discussions about things like this, and I 604 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:21,360 Speaker 1: will be doing even more as as I can. It'll 605 00:35:21,360 --> 00:35:23,439 Speaker 1: be one of the things I start digging into. So 606 00:35:23,840 --> 00:35:26,000 Speaker 1: I just want to say thank you again to the 607 00:35:26,080 --> 00:35:30,319 Speaker 1: Let's be clear team for having me, and I am 608 00:35:30,360 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 1: going to and I hope you are to honor Shannon 609 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:38,560 Speaker 1: Dougherty's legacy by living our lives boldly like she lived hers. 610 00:35:39,239 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 1: And I hope you had a good time listening to 611 00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 1: me bent on about these things today. And that's it. 612 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 1: I'm Ananda Lewis and it's been real. I'll see you 613 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:51,959 Speaker 1: out there.