lymph

As far as I can tell, I don’t have any more cancer. Yet.

I felt a lump on my neck a few months ago and decided to have it checked out at the doctor. They ended up doing an ultrasound of my thyroid gland, which led to a biopsy, which eventually led to a very concerning discussion with a surgeon and an endocrinologist about the 50/50 chance of the lump they found being cancerous.

A month and a surgery later, I am without half of my thyroid gland. And yes, the lump was cancer.

The GOOD news was that for whatever reason (I’m honestly thinking divine intervention at this point,) I found the lump really early and there was no sign of cancer anywhere around or near it. Even the surgeon was baffled by that; he said the lump itself had managed to attach itself to the muscle in my neck (which explains why I thought I felt it up much higher than it actually was) and yet NOT spread to the muscle tissue, lymph nodes, or other surrounding thyroid tissue. In other words, just the lump itself was cancer.

I’m taking this as a sign to take even better care of myself than I normally do, which as you know is pretty darn good. Because I still have half a thyroid gland that also has two teenie weenie lumps that the doctors are “keeping an eye on,” I have to be on a certain medication to make sure that half of my thyroid doesn’t grow larger (to compensate for the missing half) and thus cause the little lumps to grow into cancer. The main side effect of this medication is bone loss. Fun, right?

Anyway, I’m telling you all this to segue into the reasons why I have currently decided to watch and monitor the rest of my thyroid and surrounding areas, rather than freak out and have everything removed. I have explained before how important the lymphatic system is for the human body to function, so I am exceedingly reluctant to lose any portion of that. And I certainly don’t want to be without any thyroid gland. Losing that completely would ensure I had to remain on some form of medication for the rest of my life. So what am I going to do instead?

For now, I am on a small dose of animal-based TSH that I have to figure out the correct dosage of over the next few months, via blood tests and feeling in my body. I’ll either feel low down like crap or super hyper and energetic… but what I want to feel is right in between. I need to get another ultrasound on my glandular area in 6 months and again in a year to see whether any cancer is growing back.

My end goal, if possible, is to shrink or completely eliminate the remaining tiny threatening lumps on my existing thyroid half. Can it be done? I think so. Let me tell you my plans:

Ever since Covid started, I have been taking mushroom supplements to assist my body in achieving optimal immune function. I started really getting into mushroom hunting in 2020 in addition to my regular foraging, so I have been able to find and properly identify quite a few medicinal mushrooms. Reishi (ganoderma tsugae,) Turkey Tail (trametes versicolor,) birch polypore (fomitopsis betulina,) Hen-of-the-woods (maitake,) and Chaga mushroom tinctures have been going for months at my house. I recently got a Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) mushroom growing kit for the holidays as well, and just harvested my first chunks of that to tincture.

All of my tinctures are made with 100 proof vodka and sit for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. Then I strain them and re-use the mushroom chunks in twice that amount of water, simmering them slowly for 2 – 3 hours. Then I strain that material again and combine the two liquids to form a double-decocted mushroom tincture. While the alcohol extracts most of the vital constituents from the mushroom, the water decoction extracts the polyphenols, vital nutrients mainly found only in plant materials. This technique ensures you get the most out of your foraged mushrooms, and creates a tincture that can last for many years if unused.

This past year I made all those mushrooms into medicinal tinctures myself, mainly from wild foraged sources. Turkey Tail and Maitake are of particular interest to me, given their being known for their anti-cancer benefits. At any rate, I now have a big 4-ounce sized tincture bottle filled with a combination of these tinctures. I take several dropperfuls daily in addition to my other supporting supplements.

Another measure I have taken is (of course) with my diet. The first step to helping fight cancer is to seriously reduce my sugar intake, especially processed sugars. I’m already a pretty big proponent of not eating highly processed foods, and I hardly ever drink soda or eat candy. I have also severely reduced my alcohol intake, which is making me feel better for a lot of reasons. But alcohol has always been bad for those fighting cancer, since it breaks down in your body into acetaldehyde, which prevents your body from repairing damage.

So I have to watch what I eat even more closely (no cake or cookies unless I bake with monkfruit or some other alternative sweetener.) And I get to eat more cheese and dark leafy greens like collards and kale, because the bone loss side effect from my meds requires me to increase my food-based calcium intake as much as possible. You won’t hear me complaining about “having” to eat more cheese…

I also am utilizing a special meditation technique taught to me by my very good friend Bryan Redfield, which basically help me visualize a special cancer-killing light shining directly on the part of my neck where the thyroid and surrounding tissue reside. Bryan has helped me deal with and think through a ton of emotional baggage surrounding this whole ordeal, and I am very grateful for his knowledge and support.

So far, those are my main steps for fighting this potential cancer. I’m also exercising and trying to maintain optimal physical health (fairly easy during farming season, but harder in the winter months as you know.) I’d love to hear from you (comment on this post) if you know of a certain food, drink, or herb that fights cancer as well. I’m determined to beat this thing out of existence! So I’ll take all the help I can get.

This time of year, people are normally starting their new diets and worrying about the pounds they packed on from the sweets they ate over the holidays. You might think joining a gym is the answer to your problems, and sucking down veggie juice and smoothies will trim your waist down. It could work…

But I don’t think so. Wanna know why? Because that shit is BORING.

Who wants to ride a bicycle in place, or walk on a treadmill for an hour while staring at the ass of the person in front of you? Sure, a smoothie is delicious, and some juice can be too… but they also frequently shoot your blood sugar through the roof and cause your energy to crash later.

If you don’t feel good about yourself, you’ll be stressed. And while stress can make you lose weight sometimes, it’s really not the healthiest way to do so. You want to know what helps more than anything else?

GETTING YOUR BUTT OUTDOORS.

We just took a nice 3.5 mile hike yesterday through a very well-traveled path that was wide enough for people to go mountain biking on. I used to do this when the kids were little too; I either had them in a baby backpack or we simply took shorter hikes. The older the kids get, the longer and harder hikes we take. Getting outdoors in the fresh air, especially if you can find a place surrounded by forest on all sides is good for your heart, soul, AND waistline.

A huge cause of stress right now is Covid 19. You know where you have the least likely chance of catching it? Out in the damned woods with no one else around.

Important factors for keeping your immune system in good health, especially in regards to fighting any kind of viral infection like the Rona or the Flu, include moving your body and getting enough Vitamin D. Did you know that your lymphatic system (you know those little knobbly bits under your chin/neck that hurt when you feel sick? They’re all over your body, known as your lymphatic system) does NOT have its own pump to move fluid through your body? The heart and breathing in general can only move you so much. What really helps get that nasty, stagnant lymph fluid the heck out of your body is MOVEMENT. And when you do that movement outdoors, you often get the added benefit of a little Vitamin D dose from the sun. Eating lots of vegetables and fruits is important too, but you can just… you know… EAT them. They don’t have to be blended up into a pulp and mixed with protein powder or yogurt to be delicious.

And while you CAN exercise indoors if it’s too frigid or rainy or there’s a blizzard or whatever, any time conditions are reasonably decent for getting outside, it’s best for your exercise to happen there. Even a 20-minute walk on a paved path somewhere (preferably away from moving vehicles) is better for you than huffing around an indoor gym. The fresh air improves lung function, the sun gives you energy, and the benefits of surrounding yourself with nature are well-documented to reduce stress, depression, anxiety, and improve the functionality of your immune system.

If you simply can’t get outdoors for some reason for awhile, consider supplementing your routine with lymphatic draining herbs such as calendula, cleavers, violets, or red clover. And even if you’re stuck inside, move those buns! Hang out with a houseplant beside a sunny window. Get a little nature in you, and you’ll feel much better.

One last tip: I never lost so much weight in my life as I did when I became a farmer. Best weight loss program EVER. Also, my back hurts…