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Cancer Care Package/Comfort Guide

Whether it’s for you, or a friend, there are items that can help you manage the cancer treatment experience (pre and post side effects) anytime of the year. These items are tried, tested and practical, and it’s the ideal time to take advantage of Black Friday deals. I’m using the Four Cornerstones of Health (which […]

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Holiday Gift Guide 2004

For you, or a loved one, sharing ideas for cozy delight. Tis the season! Culturally, so many holidays and traditions happen in the winter, and all focus on LIGHT. The weather, though, calls for a cocoon of coziness. I’m sharing ideas that are practical, generally affordable, and hopefully delight you or a loved one. Plus, […]

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The Naturopathic Power of Gratitude
– Being Grateful Can Improve Your Health

Gratitude is often discussed as a feel-good emotion, especially in November. If you are going through a health (or any other) crisis, suggesting you act more grateful can be a trite and upsetting ask. But hear me out. Recent research, particularly from psychologist Robert Emmons, sheds light on how a simple gratitude practice can have […]

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Guest Blog: Interview with a Unicorn

Dr. Laura James with Colleen Broughton In thinking about Survivorship this month, I asked a friend if she’d share some of her experience living with breast cancer for 11 years (9 years metastatic). Colleen is an “exceptional responder” to an immunotherapy clinical trial and a “unicorn” for living with metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer (mTNBC) […]

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The Quiet Parts Know

Like a rest in a piece of music, an interval of silence can be as powerful as speech. Our world is so full of noise. Our brains are constantly running full steam ahead, and we are bombarded by information from all of our devices. It can feel like being sprayed with a firehose at times. […]

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Hot Girl Summer

In her song “Hot Girl Summer” Megan Thee Stallion promoted the concept of “having fun,  looking good while doing it, feeling confident in who you are, and not apologizing for being authentically you.” That’s the kind of summer I want for you! For many American women, a lifetime of media attention on having a perfect […]

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Safe Spaces / Peer Support

I recently spoke with a patient who is a breast cancer survivor, and hard won at that. She experienced horrible treatment side effects, much of the psychosocial impact that breast cancer can have on a woman’s life–mostly negative, and rigid barriers within her workplace. Her private counselor has helped her navigate her feelings around this, […]

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The Value of Friendships

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I think that my friends are more important to me than my partner. The stakes are just lower. The joy and connection is deep and meaningful. A friend is that one who “just gets it” and shows up for you in your love language, and you accept them […]

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Building a Trustworthy Team
– Finding Support

Facing breast cancer is undeniably challenging. Whether you are newly diagnosed, or managing survivorship, who helps and supports you can make a difference in your quality of life. Assembling a team you can trust is pivotal. But how do you know who to trust? How do you ensure that your medical providers truly listen to […]

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Acknowledging the Stress Cycle
– Noticing and Releasing Stress

In January, my local area suffered an unusual weather event that included 12” of snow followed by rapidly warming temperatures and rain. I live in the broad lowlands of where the Fraser River Valley meets the tributaries of mountain run-off from Mount Baker. Large areas of land, mostly along the Nooksack River, flooded catastrophically in […]

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