#my pothos is going nuts

[sunshineram]

growin!! got big enough i had to put up a trellis(wire mesh/chicken wire cut to my window)!! it stared growing its little feelers for vining... cant wait until it blooms :)

bells are goin, slowly, but going nonetheless!! cant wait to see what they look like all big like the sweet peas

and my new addition, evening primrose(pinkladies) hehe :)c couldnt resist, i had the seeds and the seeds that were in here didnt sprout. the dirts a bit low though.. a good inch from the top cause i removed some big sticks and whatnot it had in there. need to fill it back up eventually...

[strange-calathea]

My neon pothos is going NUTS so I took another cutting :)

These were also her biggest leaves so I think she LOVES the new light

[hopelessbluebird]

posting my answers to the ask game that i wanna share but nobody asked! more under the cut!

Bloop! what is your spirit animal?- i’m a deer actually <3

blossom! what is your favourite book/song currently?- my favourite book is Honey Nut by liketolaugh on ao3! know it’s fanfiction but it’s really good and a must read :) , on the other hand my favourite song is born to die by lana del rey!

calm! what is your favourite scent?- Vanilla and peaches! my go to drink at the cafe is peach green tea with french vanilla flavouring!

cupcake! what are your favourite plants/flowers?- i really like spotted pothos and my favourite flowers are blue hydrangeas and baby’s breath, the stand close to the cafe sells some and i try to pick up a bouquet of their blue’s if i can since the owner is pretty nice

garden! how many languages do you know?- i know english obviously, but i’m learning french and japanese!

giggles! what is your aesthetic?- blue lit flower, it’s a mix of space aesthetic and soft cottage core, i have blue neon lights and moon lights lighting up my office/room thing

honey! do you prefer tea or coffee? and how do you take it?- i love love love both, but i prefer tea, i use 2tbsp of honey and 2tsps of sugar for my more sour teas

ladybug! what artist do you listen to when you’re sad?- I love listening to sad music when i’m sad so i don’t feel alone. but Lana del rey and Artic monkeys are my current favs rn

moonlight! favourite color set?- light academic! i love earthy tones

shimmer! do animals like you?- yes! i’ve been called snow white a few times<33

sparkle! do you wear jewellery?- yes! i wear jade and rose quartz beads, a thin leather bracelet, two old friendship bracelet from a summer camp i volunteered for, a leather and bead combo bracelet and my watch! i also wear earrings and a silver necklace with ‘you are my ohana’ engraved on a ring around a hibiscus in the middle from my grandma!

[tokillamockingbird427]

katar bestie do you have any hc of uriel when he’s older?

the public would like to know

*Bites the microphone*

Yes, I do have HC's for my favorite child.

Uriel was very curious as a kid, but didn't have the life experience to realize he was a tad bit too dumb to work around problems that his curiosity tended to create. He's gotten a lot better both managing his curiosity so he has less problems. Still asks a lot of questions though.

He's actually a very crafty if he tries hard enough. It's both a nature and nurture thing: Because of his curiosity he often looks at things from unusual angles, and Logan also kinda taught him to come up with more creative solutions.

Too busy for romance he just wants to study. Would not mind a "Study Buddy" however. (Doesn't actively pursue romantic relationships but isn't Aro. Would date if there was a good opportunity.)

Probably went to uni to study something nerdy like business or economics.

Healthy respect for the ocean. Not quite fear, but he knows better than to go into the water with an ego.

After Logan teaches him how to surf he's a literal nut about it. Everytime he goes home from school he's in the water, and though Logan makes jokes about Uriel neglecting him to go play, he adores it. Surfing is a love they share.

Man of many talents.

Uriel becomes a car guy because Kick. The guy never shuts up about them and Uriel figured because it was something he could learn he may as well pursue it. (Elias in the afterlife cheering and sobbing because someone in the family has cars as a hobby. Logan and Hesh never got into it.)

Plant guy. You know the people who have their whole room turned into a greenhouse? Yeah that's him. He has a pothos and he's lined the walls with the vines. He named it "Rapunzel"

He's got the short guy complex despite being average height because everyone around him (Logan, Keegan, Hesh, etc.) are all 6'ft+

Loves dogs. Absolute dog kinda guy. Dreams of having a pair of badass dogs, but Riley is his #1 for now.

Cuddly to the max. All his life cuddling seems like his #1 priority besides asking questions. Logan fucking adored him as a baby because he'd just snuggle right into whoever was willing to hold him, and let me tell you, that motherfucker needed it.

Pescetarian. Rorke and the llama stew left a big impression on him.

Very sneaky. Logan taught him how to walk with light feet and how to avoid attention.

Logan also taught him a good amount of self defense. So he knows how to fight.

Actually goated with a rifle. Though he's more of a pacifist, he knows how to shoot and likes going to the range when he's home for the holidays. Likes to "compete" against Keegan.

[oberon-king-of-the-cherries]

Succulents and cacti above the aquarium. The succulents are a little hit and miss. The ones I’ve propagated from leaves are doing great, but the ones from the plant store are struggling. The cacti are fine, and even the rescued fella in back is growing like a champ

The Chinese money plant clipping has sprouted roots like crazy while pothos clipping #4 is still just hanging there. Usually the pothos go nuts, but this time they’re struggling to root. My filter basket plants are doing okay, but I think they would all benefit from reporting in a gravel/moss medium. The straight aquarium gravel is simply too dry.

[mostluwovol1971-blog]

16 points submitted 5 days agoI think Danaher video content provides really good details for submissions, including a couple of specific setups, but I don think it presented in a way that constitutes a complete game plan.In my opinion, you have better luck if you determine what kind of game you want to play (what works well for you, what interests you) and then use the video content to refine details or provide other options from positions you already getting into commonly.I generally tell folks who don have a well defined game to start by working backwards. What position/submission is your favorite? How do you get there from each other major position? How do you get out of the bad positions to a position you already enumerated how to get to your finish from? When listing stuff out you end up listing a couple escapes, passes, whatever you end up needing to get from anywhere to your position/submission. Will it mean you have 3 4 techniques for every possible situation? Probably not, but it will be fleshed out enough to give you a well defined plan to execute on in rolling and competition that you can ad lib off of as needed. I very much owe Australians a thank you as well. I was drug addict and at 16 went into rehab. At the time, I wasn going to school besides a few days here and there. The heart of a Formula One car is the chassis the part of the automobile onto which everything is bolted and attached. Like most modern cars and aircraft, Formula One race cars feature monocoque construction. Monocoque is a French word meaning "single shell," which refers to the process of making the entire body out of a single piece of material. Do you typically water your pothos? I would suggest deep infrequent watering. If you are often watering just a little and not enough to have some water drain out the bottom, this could be what is causing the calcium deposits. Every time you water, you are adding water and dissolved minerals. This thread is full of product recommendations. People are talking about this drugstore product over this high end product and talking about buying them. This to me seems like it could trigger a backsliding into relentless shopping for some, me first. So im already in a bad headspaceIn the end, she brings home a guy with us to the other guys house. Im jealous the entire fucking night because I couldn find the balls to talk to any girls. So I ended up watching her be touchy feely with a guy who is just so much better than me in every way for the hours we are there. I just want you to know that the world is so much 성주출장안마 bigger than your house, and pockets of it are so much more accepting too. From your user name I'm guessing you're a guy and that their dislike of makeup stems from that. I want to tell you to do whatever you want and screw a society who says otherwise, but I know what unaccepting and abusive households can do. But after time I grew tired of how time consuming it was. I was tired of having to always worry about smudging something, my foundation oxidizing, or like go to the beach without feeling self conscious about my bare face. I also started to prefer myself with makeup on and just didn like how I felt without it. Middle aged, particularly older women, who wanted to retain their fashion sense were often derided as trying to be young. Such women were oftentimes chided for not acting age appropriate. In some circles, these women were considered to be quite morally suspect. Her and her upline (who is a RVP with the"free" benz) ended up recruiting another friend of my sister under the guise that he could become a rep just for the discounts and sell the products on the side he wouldn have to recruit people if he didn want to.He made a separate instagram just for his Arbonne so if any health nuts he follows wanted to buy stuff they could use his link and he get paid. Cut now to the RVP upline chick texting him constantly saying "you need to recruit 20 people by this date etc." He pissed and over it already and it been 성주출장안마 less than a month. 5 points submitted 3 days agoYeah they always say you don't have to recruit, then you start, realize it's impossible to make money just selling product, and they say "Don't you want to share this amazing opportunity with friends and family?" "No one ever promised you would make money without hard work and dedication (re: recruiting)." "Growing your tribe of amazing women who get to experience everything Arbonne has to offer is what this is about."My stepmother does Arbonne and has been doing so for years.

[prasadkvs]

Tips To Improve Productivity While Working From Home

Corporations across the world are forced to shut down operations from offices due to the novel COVID-19 pandemic and employees persuaded to opt for working from their homes to ensure minimum physical contact. This could lead to detrimental consequences, but with the right planning and preparation, this might just be the solution to avoid mass scale epidemics from spreading. In such circumstances, as humans, the feeling of indolence and procrastination is only natural. Hence, it is imperative to practice productivity to avoid lethargy from taking over.

Honestly, working at home for extended periods can become frustrating, especially with the distractions that come with remote working. The reality of working from home isn’t merely about complications brought about by a new work-life led by teleconferencing from your computer but lies in the overall environment and the challenges influencing your productivity and creativity.

In this article, we are sharing some thoughts to help you optimize your efficiency and boost your productivity. This will not only assist you through your work-from-home phase during the COVID-19 quarantine but make you a better professional suited to the remote working role. 

1. SCHEDULING AND ORGANIZING YOUR WORK FROM HOME MORNINGS

“When I work from home, I wake up, put on a pot of coffee, and start working immediately — much earlier normal working hours. I only start making breakfast once I’ve hit a wall or need a break. I’m a morning person and find I can get a ton done in the early morning hours, so this works really well for me.” – Lindsay Kolowich

Your morning commute to the office prepared you for your morning routine right from waking to getting ready for the upcoming workday. So you have a schedule and organized routine, which needs to be adapted to the new home office routine. At home, initially, the transition from your bed to your desk in a short span of time can be problematic. Working from home requires setting yourself for a routine and ensure that you stick to it. Waking up and spending 10 mins practicing breathing techniques and welcoming the day with a smile will be a good start. Some warm-up exercises are useful to wake up your body if you are not a fitness person, but if you are someone who likes to keep fit, this is the best time to complete the exercise regimen. Follow this with a getting-ready-for-work routine, have a coffee or protein shake, a balanced breakfast and hit your work from home desk with a killer instinct to get cracking on the day’s tasks. 

Implementing a routine can help you retain focus and productivity throughout the day. An imbalanced or changing routine can cause you to become slouchy and influence your productivity.

Sleeping on time and getting good 7-8 hours of sleep is essential to proper work from home success.

2. CREATE A TO-DO LIST AND ACHIEVE MORE REMOTELY

“Subtracting from your list of priorities is as important as adding to it.” – Frank Sonnenberg

When working from home, you might feel like your own boss, which you are no doubt. But remember you are an employee too and responsible for the delivery of work assigned to you. A To-Do list will go a long way in ensuring that you complete your official tasks on time, thus having enough time for personal work and chores. Working from home does not mean you don’t have a personal life so ensure you keep the separation alive. 

Keeping track of what you do, when you do it, and how long it takes you to do it, can benefit you in many ways. Furthermore, you will be more willing to focus on priorities once you understand your own success at making lists and achieving the tasks within a timeline successfully.

There are many ways to approach a to-do list, and all have the same objective – to help you get through a tough, dull, monotonous day with the least stress. Some amazing to-do lists are available as mobile apps such as 24me, todoist, remember the milk and more. 

You can just download the app and start listing down your tasks. For eg: ‘To complete three website content writing projects by 7pm today’. And you are sorted with the to-do list for that day. Isn't it easy? This is how most digital marketing agencies, corporate and successful working individuals complete their tasks efficiently and effectively.

3. OPT FOR A DEDICATED WORKSPACE AT HOME – ITS YOUR OFFICE AFTER ALL

“Have a place you go specifically to work. It could be a certain table, chair, local coffee shop – someplace that’s consistently your ‘workspace’. It helps you get into the right frame of mind.” – Sam Mallikarjunan

Wooden-desk-with-rolling-chair-and-shelves-near-window what makes you more productive at the office? The office environment, of course. If you work from home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have an office. The whole premise of remote working is that you WORK FROM HOME. The challenge is to create a space similar to an office, where the HR dept keeps playing with the space to keep it exciting and live all the time. A dedicated workspace to get started with can aid you in being more focused and productive. No Beds and Couches, please. 

Embrace a particular space of your house for official chores, and you will notice that you are more attentive and determined. Keep making minor changes every weekend and you will find it pleasing to be at work every day. Your home office needs to set up and our article on 7 Essential Components to Create the Best Work From Home Office will help you deliver amazing results. 

4. UNPLUG YOURSELF FROM DISTRACTIONS – YOU ARE AT WORK

“I remove all social networks from my toolbar bookmarks. Even if I don’t mean to browse them, some uncontrollable impulse subconsciously clicks on them when I experience downtime. You can get sucked in without knowing it (or even intending to), so eliminating the gateway to those networks keeps me on track.” – Alec Biedrzycki

Technology has become a significant aspect of our everyday lives, and similarly, a distraction from routine errands. Remind yourself to take a break from the hassles of your phone – turn off your phone, unplug your television, and log-out of social media before starting your work.

You will feel more focused, which will directly influence your productivity. As such, you will be able to get your work through on time and efficiently.

5. USE NATURE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, going outside of your house is not an option, but that doesn’t mean you cannot embrace nature and gain from its goodness. Connecting with nature is vital for your productivity – sit in your garden, balcony, or position plants beside your workplace or on your work desk. 

Studies have proven that plants, such as Peace Lily and Golden Pothos, tend to improve productivity by improving an individual’s focus and stimulating tranquillity. A Harvard research found that working in a green building improved awareness by a whopping 26%, decreased sick leaves by 30%, and improved quality of sleep by 6%. 

Do you remember all the offices and workplaces you like? now think about the greenery, plants and flowers and you will realise that every cool office has some greens.

6. SLEEPING FOR SUCCESS

“Three meals plus bedtime make 4 sure blessings each day.” – Mason Cooley

It is no surprise that sleep is a crucial factor for, not only our well-being but improved productivity as well. A survey conducted on employees of four corporations in the United States found, not getting enough sleep can make you lethargic and weary, hence, influence your productivity destructively throughout the day.

While sleep is important, maintaining a body clock is important too. This requires sleeping at the same time daily and waking up at the same time every day. Once the body clock is set you will not need any alarms. This might seem difficult at first but is a super tip for high productivity.

While 6 hours work for some and some vouch for the 8-hour sleep cycle, you will find many who can work wonderfully with short power naps in-between. If your work commences late in the evening, a minor nap would be refreshing before working on assignments.

7. START YOUR WORKDAY WITH A BALANCED BREAKFAST

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I definitely have a hearty breakfast before I do anything.” – Mayer Hawthorne

A happy and successful power day needs energy coupled with exercise. You can’t hope to get work done with an empty stomach, as you will be constantly hungry and salvaging through the kitchen for a morsel of food. And the kitchen being so accessible and you being the boss of the kitchen, can lead to health complications due to overeating and eating irregularly. A balanced and nutritious breakfast is an important meal of the day for many.

Commence your day correctly by consuming a proper breakfast to provide your body with ample energy – this involves proteins, carbohydrates, and fats! For instance, eggs and toast have both fats and proteins, hence can be a part of your daily power breakfast. And if you are calorie conscious check out this recipe for the egg white frittata. Then there’s the all-time favourite Oats and Bananas you cannot stay away from. To make this, mash up half of a banana, and combine it with ½ cup of rolled oats, ½ cup skim milk, one teaspoon of vanilla (optional), 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Stir the ingredients together in a jar, seal, and refrigerate overnight. Serve hot or cold in the morning topped with chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios and walnuts.

8. LISTEN TO MUSIC TO KEEP YOURSELF RECHARGED

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato

It might seem clichéd, but it’s true! And there’s Research to prove that music can improve cognition and productivity by reducing anxiety levels. Create a playlist with soundtracks that relate to your emotions and tasks, such as soothing tunes. Don’t go for dull or overtly relaxing music you turn to in the evenings when with your loved ones.  You can search for words like “Calm Music’, “Music for Focus” etc on youtube and find some really good music that will help you become a better work from home employee. 

Take video games or movies as an example; they use music during distinct scenes to increase focus. Hence, it is only logical that music can improve concentration during work, therefore, improving productivity.

9. DONT MISS TAKING SHORT BREAKS AND THE ODD LONG BREAK

Breaks are essential because they allow for motor functions to return to normal, thus avoiding aches and pains. Additionally & scientifically speaking breaks help your prefrontal cortex rest and recharge so you can stay focused on what matters most. 

Working for long stretches (which is typical these days) without breaks leads to stress and exhaustion. You need to refresh your mind, replenish your mental resources, and help keep the creative juices going for the rest of the workday.

The good news that when you work from a home office, you have better control over your break times. What does a break from work mean? A brief walk, watch a few DIY videos, going to your reading list to read a few articles, hit the news app and get yourself up to date, and then return to your task rejuvenated.

What is the ideal length of the short breaks from work? SHORT breaks of 5 to 15 minutes every hour work best to take you through a workday smoothly. Take a more extended break of 30-45 minutes every 3 to 4 hours. Remember your lunch is part of the long extended break. 

Several surveys have concluded how working from the comfort of your house can affect productivity. For instance, a 2012 research observed how telecommunication influenced productivity can, principally, make an employee “dull”. Yes, all is not hunky-dory about working from home, but it’s not that bad, if, if you are committed to succeeding and implement the above tips to work from home. It’s about you ultimately. 

[stardust-static]

D:

I moved some of my plants over to my parents house about a week ago and they're not doing too hot. :(

First of all my dad butchered my giant golden pothos. It was long and vineing and he tried to tell me it was "unhealthy". I know he was just annoyed with it's long vines. Im not too mad because that thing grows like a weed and i know it will return to its former glory. It's just annoying. He made her look like a shrub.. 😑 I also let him put my giant snake plant and my cordyline outside, since they can be outside plants in most cases. My snake plant is huge and resilient, but when I saw it yesterday three of it's stems fell. :( it's not happy. It was probably in shock to suddenly be moved outside after being in my bedroom all this time. And my cordyline has lost most of her colors and her leaves are turning brown. She's in the shade, so I'm guessing it has to do with humidity issues. I might just have to get a new one eventually, I really love that plant. 🥺 The two figs are outside and seem happy. So that's good... My plants are just gonna have to hold on until I move in next week and can take care of them everyday. I moved the rest of my 9 plants over yesterday and set them up in my new room with their humidifier. I'm just worried because the sun doesn't hit that room too well. It's a very indirect light. I went yesterday after I saw the light conditions in that room and bought a grow light strip for plants with a little fixture. That thing is bright! My parents are going to think I'm nuts 😂 but I'm not letting my babies die! Especially my new alocasia. Omg I'm so worried about my pride and joy! 😫 I also need to repot that as soon as possible... While I'm not looking forward to being apart from Bailey, I'm anxious to move out now, because I want to look after my plants! 😂 they're actually making this process easier for me! Who would have thunk...

[sunbadgerplants]

teach me about rooting plants in water!

Here are some tips for rooting cuttings indoors:

-Cut stems at a 45° angle. There’s more surface area for the plant to take in water that way. Use the sharpest blade so your cut is clean. If a dull blade crushes the end of a stem, it can destroy its ability to take in water. Angled cuts also promote proper healing on the mother plant. A flat cut is not only harder to callous, it also makes it easier for water to pool into it and become a bacteria party.

-Try to cut close to a node, as this is where the roots will generally emerge. Leftover stem on the bottom tends to just rot.

-Place cuttings in the water immediately.

-Keep cuttings in a shaded spot for the first day or two to let them adjust to the shock. After that, give the cutting as much bright indirect light as possible (such as by a window). The plant will need to photosynthesize to give itself energy to put out new roots. If you have a grow light at home, this works just as well!

-Different plants take different lengths of time to root out. This can range from as little as a week to a couple of months. As long at the plants aren’t rotting, you’re ok! Give them as much time as they need.

-Don’t use powdered rooting hormone. That’s only for soil. I’ve never tried to root cuttings in water with super-diluted liquid hormone, so I don’t know if that’s feasible? It’s also meant for use in soil.

-The temperature for optimum growth is between 70-80°F. Most homes are kept around 60-70°, which is also totally fine for most plants, you’ll just have slower growth. Sunny windows will of course collect more heat during certain points in the day, but be wary of cold drafts also coming through. You don’t want the temps to drop below 40° or over 85°.Please note that you need to provide warmth as well as meet the proper light requirements for your plant if you want to be successful. Plants like pothos vine will root under low light and average house temperatures, but not all plants are as forgiving!

-Woodies are much harder to root in water than softwood and semi-woody things, so avoid woodies if possible if you’re using this method. They’re best done in soil, with wounding + dipped in hormone.

-Strip the first couple sets of bottom leaves off of cuttings. You’ll want a good inch or two of bare stem. Not only will this leave less foliage for the cutting to have to maintain while it’s rootless, it will also prevent the leaves from rotting in the water. If you’re rooting something with large leaves, like hydrangea, you can cut the leaves in half. The leaves will stay alive.

-Keep the water clean! Otherwise, bacteria can quickly rot the ends of cuttings. If this does happen, you can still save the cutting by snipping off the rotted part and sticking the cutting back in fresh water. Changing the water frequently also re-oxygenates it. If the water begins to appear even a little cloudy or discolored, change it ASAP.

-On the same note, jars or bottles with narrow necks work well because the surface area exposed to airborne crud is reduced. Just make sure you have the space to pull finished roots back out without damaging them.

-Clear containers will most likely grow algae if left in a sunny window for long enough. If it’s brown, clean it out. If it’s green, it’s not harmful in small amounts.

-Wait until a cutting has a decent beginning to its roots before moving it to soil, but don’t wait too long because it makes it more and more difficult for a plant to adjust to being moved to soil. A good rule of thumb is to move cuttings to soil once the roots reach 1.5-2″ in length. I usually keep the soil wetter than I normally would for the first few days after moving a cutting to soil, just to make the transition less shocking.

-Another reason you don’t want to leave it in the water for too long because, eventually, it is going to need to take up nutrients it can really only get from soil (or fertilizer). Most cuttings will be sufficiently rooted long before this is necessary, but if for whatever reason you’ve got too many cuttings and not enough pots and need to keep something in water and you’re starting to have chlorosis or whatever, I have had some success with heavily diluted (like 1/10 of the normal strength) water-soluble houseplant fertilizer. Be careful because it can cause the algae to go nuts, and don’t use too much or you’ll burn the roots. I usually only resort to this for my lucky bamboos, which are permanently in the water.

-For tiny cuttings that would otherwise fall into the water, try covering the lid of the jar with wax paper and poking holes to set cuttings in. Just make sure the paper is easily lifted or removed for when you need to change the water. Also, leave a couple of holes open for air exchange!

-I would advise rooting succulents in super-well-draining soil rather than water, and sticking them only after they’ve calloused over. It’s not that they can’t root successfully in water, but succulent cuttings rot easily and I personally prefer not to take the risk. It’s up to you though!

Plants that I’ve found root well in water:

Spider plant

Peperomia

Lucky Bamboo

Pothos vine

Philodendron

Dieffenbachia

Coleus

Wandering jew

Rosemary

Basil

Mint

Hydrangea

Buddleia

Thanks for the question. I hope this helps!

[kateharks-blog]

Complimentary Cancer Care Overview

Several people have asked me what I am doing to survive and thrive with stage IV cancer. I am going to provide just a brief overview of the complimentary care that I use in conjunction with my prescribed chemotherapy. I will go into more details on the specific components of my wellness plan at a later time for those who are interested.  

Deciding on Treatment:

Cancer patients must decide if they are going to go with conventional cancer treatments, alternative treatments, or a combination of both. As we all know, the first line of treatment for all cancer patients is chemotherapy, radiation, and/or surgery. I think it is pretty standard knowledge that chemotherapy kills cancer cells, but it also kills the healthy cells in your body. There are sources that believe the risks of conventional treatments are more dangerous than the cancer itself. They give some compelling ideas around the powerful pharmaceutical companies and exorbitant finances tied into the cancer industry.

There are two sides to every story. I personally believe that chemo was (and still is) a necessary treatment to get my cancer under control. But I truly believe that it is only one piece of a larger puzzle. If I was going to enable my body to thrive and let the chemo do its work to stop the cancer cells without sacrificing my overall health and well being, I needed to take control of everything that I could control. I needed my immune system and my body to be as strong as possible to allow the chemo to do its job. Therefore, I decided to completely change my lifestyle and take control of my health as much as possible. In order to do that, I incorporated the following complimentary care components into my wellness plan: 

Diet - Get the Proper Nutrition: 

I wholly believe that changing my diet helped me fight the cancer and is one of the main reasons why I am still here today. Don’t get me wrong, I am not perfect, and I slip up from time to time, but for the most part, my diet has been completely transformed. Following diagnosis, I began reading a number of cancer books that focused on nutrition (I’ll post another write-up on suggested resources). The most frustrating part of this learning curve is that different sources will contradict each other and tell you different things (not the first time this happened in my cancer journey!!). One source will say no meat…the next will say retain meat for protein especially while you are on chemo. Another source will say no fruit because it is high in sugar and the next will say fruit is essential for healing and natural sugars are okay (as long as you don’t go hog wild). The list goes on. I read a lot of books on nutrition and spoke to several nutritionists on the subject to find the best diet for me throughout my journey. I came to the conclusion that if several sources repeated the same thing, I took note. If one source was an outlier in comparison to the others (e.g., no fruit) I went with the majority.

My diet changes included: 

Going Organic  

Drinking A lot of home-pressed vegetable juice (Using a Twin Gear Juicer) 

Drinking Vegetable Protein Smoothies  

Eating a good variety of vegetables daily (all colors of the rainbow), mostly raw if your digestive system is capable of handling it 

Testing your PH levels to make sure you are getting enough alkaline foods into your body and adjusting your food intake accordingly

Eliminating or Greatly Reducing Processed Sugars

Eliminating or Greatly Reducing Dairy (Use almond, coconut, or other nut or plant-based products) 

Eliminating or Greatly Reducing Animal Meats (At minimum only eat organic, grass-fed meat)    

Eliminating or Greatly Reducing processed foods

Drinking about 3 cups of green tea each day. It is an excellent antioxidant

Drinking at least 10-12 glasses of filtered water per day (we purchased a whole house filtration system) 

Drink a large glass of lemon water first thing in the morning 

I can definitely feel the difference the changes I made to my diet have had to this point. I truly believe the reason my body stays strong during my chemo treatments is because I give it the needed nutrients. I have noticed clearer skin, much better digestion, regularity with bowel movements, and overall I feel much better (I can tell the difference when I slip up!) 

Add in Key Supplements:  

Supplements will not replace the nutrients that you need from food but can give you the added nutrients needed to help your body in the fight against cancer. I do not believe there is one list of supplements that will work for everyone, rather I believe it is very individualized to your body terrain and what your body specifically needs. I turned to the Block Center in Skokie IL to determine my optimal supplement intake. They run extensive blood work to determine your bodies needs. It is important with each new chemo regime that you check with your doctor regarding the supplements you are taking to ensure there is no interactions with that specific chemo. The following are some of the supplements I have added to my diet: 

Barley Power, 

Cellular Forte IP-6, 

Chlorella Spirulina, 

Cod Liver Oil, 

Curcu-essentials, 

Enzyme Essentials, 

Green Tea Extract, 

Ipriflavone, 

L-Carnitine, 

Milk Thistle, 

N-acetyl Cysteine, 

Nutri-essential Plus, 

Probiotic Essentials, 

ProCal 3 (Calcium), 

Resveratrol, 

Scute, 

Transfer Factor, 

Turkey Tail, 

UBQH, 

Vitamin D3

Keep Your Body Moving and Exercise: 

For those of you on chemo, exercise is probably the last thing you want to do. I get it. I have been on chemo for over 3 years now and most days I am so exhausted I feel as though I can barely move! But I still try to do at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. For me that is:

Rebounding (mini trampoline, excellent for the lymphatic system)

Using my recumbent bike or elliptical rider

Dancing to my favorite jams 

Fitness classes at the local Cancer Wellness Center

Walking

Water Aerobics (best if you can find a salt water pool rather than a chlorinated pool)

Get into physical therapy if you need help getting started and strengthening your body. Just remember, a body in motion stays in motion! 

Go el Natural:

We put a lot of carcinogenic products on or in our bodies every day that contributes to the body’s toxin overload, many of which we don’t even think of. These products often contain carcinogens such as acetone, methylene chloride, parabens, and many others. I slowly started incorporating natural products into my everyday life and ditching the products that contain chemicals and toxins that are absorbed into our skin and body. The following is a list of natural beauty products I use: 

Deodorant (Avoid Antiperspirants!) 

Sunscreen

Toothpaste

Lotions/Shaving Cream

Make up and Make-up Remover

Hair dye

Nail polish 

Lip balm 

Feminine Pads and Tampons 

Perfume 

Hand Soap

Body Soap

Shampoo and Conditioner (all hair products) 

Pretty much anything you put onto your body should be natural! 

  Other Household products: 

Cleaning Products

Laundry Detergent

Dishwashing Detergent

Dish Sponges

Cookware (ditch the Non-Stick Teflon Coated, aluminum or copper cookware for Cast Iron, Stainless Steal, or Ceramic) 

Air Fresheners (diffuse essental oils instead)

Bed Linens 

Lawn care (we went with an organic lawn service) 

Remove Additional Toxins from Your Body:

We can reduce a lot of our toxin load by going natural with our body and household products, but there are still numerous environmental toxins that we cannot control. Additional methods I employ to reduce my toxin burden include:

Far Infrared Sauna

Hot Epsom Salt Baths

Clay Foot Soaks

Exercise (as mentioned above) 

Coffee Enemas (I have yet to do a coffee enema, or any colon cleansing procedure because I have been a bit too nervous to do it, but many people believe it is very beneficial) 

Get Healing Body Treatments: 

There are several treatments I do on a regular basis to maintain health and healing in my body. These treatments include:

Acupuncture 

Chiropractic Adjustment (I use the Activator technique since I have bone mets) 

Massage / CranioSacral Therapy

Reiki / Healing touch 

Aryvuda 

Reflexology

Use Essential Oils: 

There are several essential oils that are thought to have cancer fighting properties and can help with numerous other aliments or side effects. Plus they smell great! I tend to diffuse my essential oils in a diffuser. I will apply specific essential oils to my body using a carrier oil and I also put a few drops of essential oils in my bathtub at night. I have made many of my own beauty products also using essential oils. Some people ingest essential oils (I do not), I prefer topical application or diffusing. My go to essential oils are: 

Frankincense - believed to have cancer fighting properties. I apply this at my tumor locations with a carrier oil, use it in my bathtub, and diffuse it

Myrrh - believed to have cancer fighting properties. I often times mix this with Frankincense

Lavender - Good for sleep and relaxation - Diffuse at night time in the bedroom

Peppermint - Relieve sore muscles when used topically, supports digestion and 􏰖􏰃􏰉􏰒􏰗􏰃􏰌􏰄􏰏􏰈􏰒􏰌􏰃􏰈􏰍􏰄􏰈􏰗􏰁􏰉􏰄􏰎􏰃􏰓􏰀􏰒􏰝􏰄reduces nausea, bloating and acid reflux

Lemon - best known for it’s ability to cleanse toxins from the body, stimulate lymph drainage, to rejuvenate energy, purify skin and act as a bug repellant􏰈􏰏􏰉

Tea Tree Oil -  ability to treat wounds and is known to have powerful antiseptic properties - Diffuse in the air to purify air of mold and allergens

Purify the Air: 

Get some live plants into your house to provide oxygen and help purify the air. According to a NASA study, the following are good options: 

Spider Plant (Mother in laws tongue)

Peace Lilly

Pothos

Parler Palm

We also use air purifiers in our house. We have one on every floor in the house. 

Get Proper Sleep: 

It is recommended that you get 8-10 hours a sleep per night. For me, since I have been on chemo and I know that my body needs extra time to recuperate and heal, I get about 10 hours of sleep per night. To aid in sleeping, I do the following: 

Diffuse Lavender essential oil

Keep the bedroom in complete darkness

Take melatonin prior to going to sleep

If my body is in pain I will take a marijuana indica edible which helps with pain and sleep

Relax, Relieve Stress, and Meditate: 

We all know that high levels of stress are not good for us but yet most of us are stressed all the time. Especially when you have gotten a cancer diagnosis. The stress and anxiety that comes with this diagnosis often feels overwhelming and at times insurmountable, especially when it is time for scans, MRIs, tests, etc. The “scanxiety” is real and extremely difficult to manage. But yet we often times don’t do anything to help prevent or reduce our stress. I have always carried a lot of stress and I knew I needed to find a way to calm myself down, relax, and de-stress if I wanted to survive. 

Meditation was likely one of the most critical things that I implemented to help me survive my cancer diagnosis. Meditating helped me to calm my body and mind so I was not in high gear anxiety mode all the time. It is pretty miraculous what meditating can do for your mind and body if you only give it a chance. The following are a few tips that helped me successfully mediate:

Take a meditation class 

Designate a Meditation room or space in your house that is your “happy place” 

Use guided meditations to help you (can find through phone Apps, YouTube, etc. 

Can incorporate Mantras that you repeat (e.g. Inhale: Health, Healing, Happiness and Love; Exhale: Remove all cancer from my body)

Can incorporate a body scan where you visualize and feel each part of your body and relax it starting at your toes up to your head. 

Can incorporate Visualization of your body healing itself and attacking and removing all cancer cells (e.g., Silva Method Meditation) 

Additional things I incorporated into my wellness routine that helped calm my stress and anxiety include: 

Deep Breathing - I concentrate on breathing deeply throughout the day to keep myself calm

Hypnosis 

Acupuncture

Medical Marijuana - can be used to reduce anxiety instead of synthetic anxiety medications 

Surround my self with loved ones including my family friends and pets 

Do something you love

Travel if you can 

Journal or Blog

Repeat Positive Affirmations 

Alternative Cancer Treatments 

Although I have opted for traditional chemotherapy, I also incorporate additional “alternative”, natural treatments that are believed to be cancer fighting. Some individuals choose these types of treatment over conventional treatment, but for myself, I felt as though a combination of traditional and alternative treatments would give me the best chance for survival. I have included the following elements into my wellness routine: 

Essiac Tea - Believed to be cancer fighting. It can be purchased at http://www.essiac-tea.org. Can be taken 1-3 times a day (I drink it nightly before bedtime)

Aloe Absorbsens - Believed to be cancer fighting. It can be purchased at https://www.aloeproductscenter.com/products/purchase. Take one dose, three times a day (i.e. three tablespoons a day), 10-20 minutes before a meal

Fucoidan - Believed to be cancer fighting. I use Zradical which can be purchased on Amazon. 

CBD Oil - Believed to be cancer fighting.  I am able to purchase my CBD oil at a dispensary since medical marijuana is legal in Illinois. Prior to getting my medical card I purchased CBD oil at https://www.solcbd.com.

Apricot Seeds - Believed to be cancer fighting. Some argue against apricot seeds indicating they contain a chemical called amygdalin, which your body chemically converts into cyanide. Alternative cancer practitioners believe this only penetrates cancer cells and not healthy cells. I am conservative with my apricot seed intake and only take about 9 seeds per day whereas others may take much higher doses. I use the Apricot Power brand. 

Rife Machine - I purchased a Rife Machine which is a frequency generator created specifically to kill microbes inside the cancer cells. This machine is believed to work on sarcomas and carcinomas. I purchased mine at: http://www.FrequencyStore.com

There are several other alternative treatments that I have yet to incorporate into my routine but I have considered, including:

High dose Vitamin C infusions

Ozone therapy

Cellect-Budwig Protocol 

I may look into these at a future time and will update accordingly. Thank you for reading this blog entry and I truly wish you the best of luck in your cancer journey. Stay strong and fight on!