My first born, Reagan is turning 8, and I am reminded of another year of being Cancer Free!
Each year when my beautiful daughter Reagan has another birthday, I am reminded of how fortunate I am that I am cancer free and how precious life really is. Some people know my cancer story and some don’t. Most people do know that I am very passionate about healthy living, but do not know the root of that passion. There is a strong purpose behind my passion about living healthy and loving life and helping others to do the same.
When I was 26 and in my first trimester of pregnancy with my first daughter, I was faced with the very scary words of: “you have stage 3 cancer.” I had a few options: Surgery without anesthetic, Chemo and most likely lose the baby, or wait it out and hope it doesn’t spread to the baby and take over my body and get worse. These are very scary options no matter how old you are or who you are. I knew the right choice was surgery. My life would never be the same once I experienced the pain of surgery along with 50 stitches without anesthetic. However, I will always be thankful that the cancer was removed and the experience stirred a strong passion and desire within me to pursue what building health in my body really meant.
My view of “healthy” was not what healthy really is. I exercised, dieted, and kept my weight down so I thought I was doing everything right. I was doing everything for the outside appearance and not truly understanding what I put in my body as long as it was “low fat,” “low calorie,” “fat free,” “low carb,” and all of those terms that we’ve all become familiar with over the years. As I was trying to make sense of my diagnosis, my brother (the doctor) lovingly confronted me and told me how bad my eating habits were and that driving through a drive-thru and taking the bun off of a hamburger to make it a low carb option wasn’t healthy. I was basically putting poison in my body and not giving my cells anything to build on. Our cells regenerate by the food we put into our body. If we put clean, whole foods that our body can thrive off , then we are able to build a better, stronger body. However, if we do the opposite, we are doing the opposite to our bodies. That was the beginning of a lifestyle change for me, Brett, and what would be our future daughters.
I learned how foods and toxins could help promote or diffuse my cancer reappearing. I have learned how important it is to “build health” in my body so that I could have the best possible chance of staying cancer free. I am thankful every day that through my story I have the ability to teach others that are seeking better health and that I have been able to see lives being transformed by their renewed health every day. My good friend, Ivy Larson from Clean Cuisine and More, has naturally reversed her Multiple Sclerosis through changing to a whole food diet and proper supplemention and has truly been an inspiration to me and others . I am definitely not saying I have the cure for cancer, however, I do know that the cancer has not returned in my body since I made significant changes in food, my supplementation program and removing toxins in my home. My blood work also proves that I am drastically healthier today than I ever have been. Cancer and disease cannot thrive in a healthy body. I don’t want to cover up my symptoms; I want to continually build health and find out where the root of sickness is and try to heal it naturally. I have chosen that I do not want to suppress any symptoms of sickness by covering it up with a drug, I want to get to the root of the sickness and heal it naturally
Have I done it perfectly every day for the past 9 years? Of course not. I make mistakes every day. However, knowledge is power. There is a lot of information out there that links food, sugar and toxins to cancer. We were designed for a purpose and we all have a deep passion inside of us to thrive and to live out our passion. However, way too many of us get our lives cut short by cancer and disease. According to the CDC, over 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with cancer each year. Without health we have nothing! We lose our ability to fulfill our roles as spouses, parents, employees, and friends.
I will forever keep trying to help spread the word of 360yourlife, which was started to try and help us all get back to the way we were designed and created to live. Also, as a result of my cancer, I partnered with the #1 natural nutrition company – Shaklee. Being both a customer and a distributer, I have been able to, not only feel better than ever, but to see health transformations all of the United States. I am so thankful today for my precious daughter, Reagan, who gave me a purpose in life to be a Mom and to have a bigger purpose to help make an impact on our health crisis in America. When I was told that I had cancer, I was in complete shock and went in and out of shock for a couple years. However, over the years and growing into motherhood and the person God created me to be, I have realized my purpose and my responsibility in my life and the life of others to share my knowledge and love for others. I do believe that one person can make an impact on a life and the generation to come. Margaret Mead, an American cultural anthropologist, once said, “Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” I believe that!
Thank you, Reagan my beautiful 8 year old for helping me to understand my purpose and for being such a light in my life!
The following is a quick list of how I have been cancer free without drugs or therapy for the past 9 years.
1.) Avoiding processed, packaged, chemically laden foods as much as possible.
2.) Adapt as much whole foods and pure foods into my diet as possible.
3.) Whole food vitamins that build health and balance my body where food cannot.
4.) Use non-toxic cleaners in my home.
5.) Follow the 5 essentials from Charlotte Health Center and get adjusted regularly.
5.) Do yoga and Burst training regularly for mind and body.
“She believed she could, so she did.”
These girls have given me inspiration and purpose in life. We all have a purpose and unless we get up and MOVE and try to take action, we will never know what we are capable of. Staring at the thought of cancer in my body, I had a decision to get up and move and do something or ignore it. My entire life is centered around doing things that are extremely out of my comfort zone and changing the course and path I was initially walking down. Now, every day I am creating my own destiny and teaching my girls to do the same.
If you are interested in going deeper and joining the 360YourLife Health Revolution or partnering with the #1 natural nutrition company to make an impact globally on the health crisis please contact me for a phone consultation or look at my programs. I have designed programs around what has worked for me and others around the nation.
I continue to enjoy ‘getting to know you’ through your site and your involvement in Shaklee. Blessings to you as you share your love of health, life and wellness to others.
Brooke – I had no idea you were/are a cancer survivor!!! Congratulations on being almost 9 years cancer free!!! You rock and I LOVE learning from you from afar. When I think about the kind of human I want to be to others I think of you as my model. Shawn is also a cancer survivor, stage 3c testicular (10 years in March ’13) and we are blessed to have the Brighton we were told we’d never have naturally. Thanks to Shaklee, we have her!
Dear Brooke: I did not know either your cancer .I did not know that it conincided with your being pregnant and becomina a “mom”. I have been happy to get to know you some via Shaklee, and also blessed by your christian testimony, and your FB posts. Thank you for sharing this. On this day of Dr. Shaklee’s birthday, may you be a blessing to many others in helping them to build healthier lives, and continue Dr. Shaklee’s mission. May we meet him someday, but may we also hear a “Well done, good and faithful servant” from our Lord Jesus.
I am a friend on facebook and Shaklee distributor. I am trying to make some changes in my diet too and will be trying several of your recipes this week. I know you have a great deal of knowledge and wondered how you feel about ultra-pastuerization. I buy all organic milk and soy milk and just
heard from someone that this process is not good for us. Do you have any feedback for me? I use Shaklee 180 too and really like the extra protein from soy milk. How do you handle this? Almond milk and coconut milk would be goid but hardly any protein! Would so appreciate your help.