Katie’s Nourishing Reads and Resources: An Empowered Wellness Journey

The following blog post was authored by a client of Wellness Within, sharing their personal experiences, insights, and thoughts. The content expressed herein represents the individual's opinions and should not be interpreted as professional advice or recommendations provided by Wellness Within.

Food has the power to heal, and along with modern medicine, my team of doctors and nurses, as well as my overall lifestyle change, I feel that I have put myself in the best position to 'live' with my cancer diagnosis for a very long time. When I first received my cancer diagnosis, I was already a vegetarian, having made the switch four years prior. I became a vegetarian when I became pregnant with our daughter and never looked back. However, the day I received my cancer diagnosis was an 'aha' moment for me. I was scared beyond belief, but I never allowed my cancer diagnosis to grab a hold of me and pull me down. Instead, I allowed it to be a teachable moment, not only for myself but for my family and everyone I talked to about my cancer journey. I had always considered myself a relatively healthy person, but this diagnosis forced me to take a hard look at what I was doing with my life—healthwise, mentally, and physically.

While I was a vegetarian, I was still consuming dairy. However, upon discovering that I also had severe gallstones at the time of my cancer diagnosis, I eliminated dairy right then and there. Dairy is known to contribute to gallstones due to its high fat content. Eating full-fat dairy products can worsen your symptoms. As soon as I removed dairy from my daily food intake, I felt so much better, both mentally and physically. As I became more educated about what foods to include in my daily diet to combat these cancer cells, I was introduced to the WFPB (Whole Food Plant-Based) lifestyle. The knowledge and power I gained by educating myself about this lifestyle were not only encouraging but also empowering. It gave me hope for the future and sparked my 'I can do this' attitude.

WFPB (Whole Foods Plant-Based) is a whole-food, plant-based diet defined as Whole Foods being 'Natural Foods that are not heavily processed, meaning whole, unrefined, or minimally refined ingredients.' Plant-based means 'Food that comes from plants and is free of animal ingredients such as meat, milk, eggs, or honey.' When you first hear about this lifestyle, you might think it's all about greens and salads, but it's so much more than that! During my cancer treatments, I was able to stick to this lifestyle and thrived without needing any additional medication, particularly anti-nausea and pain medication. I was relieved not to lose my taste buds during treatment because much of what I was eating tasted delicious and was actively fighting those cancer cells. A glimpse into the staples of my diet during treatment included quinoa, tofu, soups, pasta, salads, casseroles, and even fruit-based ice cream, and so on. Many people don't realize that you can take your favorite recipes and adapt them into WFPB meals with simple adjustments. Fortunately, over the last five years, it has become much easier to find WFPB ingredients at grocery stores because it's becoming more common and popular.

I was fortunate to be under the care of the best doctors, oncologists, radiologists, and nurses throughout my entire cancer journey. My team of doctors at Stanford was glad to hear that I was living this lifestyle and was very supportive. Because my cancer diagnosis is so rare, every visit with my oncology team at Stanford is designed to review what I am doing at home, whether it's related to food, exercise, mental well-being, and so on. My local oncologist, who was referred to me by Stanford, recently completed her certification to become a WFPB oncologist. I was delighted to hear that she had obtained this certification so that her patients could have another advocate on how to fight their cancer diagnosis with a healthy diet.

Researching WFPB can be overwhelming, to say the least. Over the past two years, I have found some staple resources that are my favorites. Here are my favorite cookbooks and websites, categorized as Books, Websites, Social Media, and Cookbooks. I have tried many recipes from these sources, and they are all delicious. I hope that these links help you on your own life journey as we all continue to live and thrive with our cancer diagnoses and our overall journey to better health.

Consulting with a doctor about your specific dietary needs is essential, as everyone is unique in terms of their health, genetics, and individual requirements. While these resources aim to offer educational information and emotional support, they should not be considered a replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Your doctor can assess your personal health conditions, medical history, and dietary preferences to create a tailored plan that addresses your unique needs, ensuring the best outcomes for your overall well-being.

Books:

Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips

Author: Kris Carr

https://a.co/d/hAGpgkT

Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor

Author: Kris Carr

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1599213702?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_111ANASRYWV7MQ15W397

I loved hearing Kris’s cancer diagnosis story because it very much mimicked my mine. Diagnosed in her 30’s, she has been living and thriving with stage IV cancer for more than 20 years.

Websites:

Monkey & Me Kitchen Adventures

Great website with amazing recipes. I also follow them on social media accounts because of their recipes of the day.

https://monkeyandmekitchenadventures.com

Kris Carr

New York Times bestselling author and wellness leader

https://kriscarr.com

Hamama

The easiest way to eat and grow your own super foods at home. Their Hearty Broccoli Micro greens are amazing and easy to grow at home with their micro green seed quilts. They are also located in West Sacramento, CA.

https://www.hamama.com

Dr. Kristi Funk

Board-certified breast cancer surgeon & physician, bestselling author, international keynote speaker and women’s health advocate.

https://pinklotus.com/powerup/drkristifunk/

NutritionFacts.org

https://nutritionfacts.org

Social Media:

I like following these certain individuals on social media (Facebook / Instagram) because they have some great information and provide some amazing recipes.