Photo courtesy of rgbstock.com and nahhan

After running the gauntlet of breast cancer treatments that may last six months to a year, most people can barely wait to get back to a normal life again.  I know I certainly felt that way.  “I have a new lease on life.  Let me just get on with it!” was one thought I remember having.  I had to learn what to do when my breast cancer treatments ended.

You might feel as though you’re at a crossroads in your life, it’s as if you’ve fought this huge battle (and you have).  Now what? 

I’m here to tell you that the final day of your radiation treatment or chemotherapy infusion should not mark the end of your journey with breast cancer.  What you do next is REALLY important.

They Did What Doctors Recommended  and Cancer Returned

Sadly, I am hearing all too frequently these days about women who have done everything their doctors recommended – the surgery, the chemotherapy, the radiation, the Tamoxifen or other estrogen inhibitors for  the prescribed 5 years, and breast cancer has STILL returned to haunt them.

The therapies we are being provided are – in many cases – NOT helping us or keeping us alive.

Why this is happening can be due to many and varied reasons.  I certainly don’t have all the answers (no one does) but I always ask the following questions when I hear people say that this or that friend of theirs is dealing with breast cancer a second time:

1. What changes did they make to their lifestyle upon being diagnosed?
2. Did they change their diet? Start buying organic produce?
3. Did they take any immune boosting supplements or super foods?
4. Did they stop pouring toxic chemicals on themselves in the form of supermarket lotions, cosmetics, body products?
5. Did they start drinking filtered water?
6. Did they detox after their treatments?
7. Did they address the stress in their lives?
8. Did they join a support network?
9. Did they seek out any natural therapies like acupuncture, massage therapy, naturopathy?

Empowering Yourself To Be A Survivor

As you can see, there are many ways to be a proactive and healthy, empowered survivor.  My own strong feeling is that those who do nothing at all, or only one or two things, have a greater chance of cancer recurring.  I am definitely not judging anyone here, many often don’t know what to do so they do nothing.

But cancer is a huge wake-up call – it’s a sign that things are out of balance in your body and/or your life and to only address one or two things (or worse yet, none at all) is a big mistake.  One of my favorite quotes comes to us from author Katrina Ellis, in her book “Shattering The Cancer Myth”:

“Think of cancer as a message from God to repair the delicate pattern of your soul and internal bodily health through love, nurturing, understanding and acceptance, and as a way to bring those aspects of your life that are out of balance back into balance.”

If you don’t know what to do to achieve this, please sign up for my free e-book and newsletters.  I share all of my best tips in them on how to give yourself the highest chance of surviving this.  Not sure?  Go to my Testimonials page and see what others thought.

Having breast cancer changes your life in ways that last well after the treatments end.  For instance, are you battling lingering fatigue?  Check out my article Fatigue and Cancer: How Long Is This Chemo Fatigue Going To Last? 

How do you deal with “chemo-brain”?  See my article Got Chemobrain?  These Essential Oils Will Help!

What should you eat to help prevent a breast cancer recurrence?  See my page Diet and Cancer.

How do you rebuild your immune system after chemotherapy and radiation have blasted it to pieces?  See my page 8 Ways To Build A Super-Strong Immune System.

These are just a few of the questions that may nag at you as you make the transition from breast cancer treatment to being a thriving survivor.  Sign up for my newsletters (that keeps us connected) and I will do my best to help you through it!