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THE TOP 7 COMPONENTS MOST-NECESSARY for SURVIVING CANCER, and THRIVING (in my not-so-humble opinion)

ByRick Bassman

I’m often asked what I think the MOST IMPORTANT ‘WEAPONS” are to have in one’s arsenal when facing a potentially life-threatening battle with cancer, or ANY life-threatening illness. .

In abbreviated fashion, here they are (again, MY personal opinion, only)

SUPPORT SYSTEM – 2nd place (six-way tie)
This is your family and your friends, others who are able AND WILLING to “be there for you,” and be by your side. You either have it, or you don’t. If not, there are excellent platforms out there I strongly encourage you to join. All are right here on Facebook:

Beat Cancer Naturally. Real Stories. Real People: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1511741012462773

Cancer Cure
https://www.facebook.com/groups/258485520939385

Cancer Cures and Natural Healing
https://www.facebook.com/groups/665903570255398

Cancer Support:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1700835436823794

Cancer Support Networks Foundation:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2148021615409678

Man Up to Cancer (for men only)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/manuptocancer

With just a little effort, you WILL find your support here.

(Somewhat) similarly…

GET AN ADVOCATE – 2nd place (six-way tie) -. Do whatever you can to team with an advocate, or a “cancer coach.” In ALL of the areas I’ve listed above, there is much information and many choices available. It can be overwhelming for someone who is NOT sick, let alone being in the thick of battle, to sort through and make the best decisions. We (hopefully!) all have that one organized, proactive person in our lives, that if we were to sincerely ask, would be proud to step up to be your co-captain. Alternately, there are excellent professionals out there to help as well, such as the amazing Get Up and Live!/Living Hope Cancer Foundation, lead by the indomitable –and ultra-inspirational (and my friend!) Chuck Keels
https://www.getupandlive.org/
You can also Google “cancer coaches free” and be amazed by the results!

NUTRITION – 2nd place (six-way tie)
Eat as “close to the Earth” as possible. There are SO MANY great “plans” available to follow these days. James McCraw’s “Beating Cancer From the Grocery Store” is just one excellent example, and provides a simple step-by-step we can all utilize. If you are on your own, and incapacitated (i.e. unable to cook, clean, etc.), there are many vegan/pant-based meal delivery services now available. Thistle is one that I’ve tried myself and like quite a bit.
https://www.amazon.com/Beating-Cancer-Grocery-Store-Revised/dp/B09HFXX1TJ
https://www.thistle.co/

MOVE! (EXERCISE) 2nd place (six-way tie) – Do something. ANYTHING. As impossible as it may feel some days… make yourself move. Again, there are thousands of resources out there available. Two I swear by, that ANYBODY can do –no matter how sick—are my great friend Diamond Dallas Page Diamond Dallas Page DDPY Yoga (they even have an in-bed program), and my equally great friend Bas Rutten Bas O2 Breathing System (if you are able to breath, then you can do this!). I am a practitioner of both, and a believer.
https://ddpyoga.com/
https://o2lungtrainer.com/
My dear friend Erica D Porter, through her amazing Endorphasm Foundation, provides sensible, expert guidance on how to tailor a physical fitness regimen to your individual –and special—situation. Free of charge!
www.endorphasm.org

BE OF SERVICE – 2nd place (six-way tie)
I’m 100% convinced that the best way to do something good for ourselves is to do something good for another. It has an immediate effect, makes you want to do it more, and ultimately leads to a very powerful cumulative effect. Here are two quick, easy suggestions… If you’re well enough to be out and about, be absolutely, incredibly nice and gracious to the first five people you encounter. If you have to at first… fake it. It will soon become part of your being. NO MATTER how those you encounter act/ react… BE NICE. Watch for the effect that usually has on others, and on YOURSELF.

Log onto any of the other support groups I’ve mentioned herein, find a post that resonates with you, and reach out to the writer with a heart-felt message of support and encouragement. If the person responds, KEEP IT POSTIVE (I’m not suggesting that anyone would do this… but these can turn into mutual bitch-fests, which defeats the purpose) This can be most powerful for me during my lowest of times. Again… immediate, positive effect, on both the recipient and on myself.

GOOD MEDICINE – 2nd place (six-way tie) -.
This one is so obvious that it probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway. You of course want the best medical plan and team of providers in place for you and for your situation. Again, there is SO MUCH information and SO MANY “ALTERNATIVES” available. Do whatever amount of “research” –and whatever number of appointments—your time, energy and resources allow. And then… make your choice, and go all in. There is NO “best” out there, so be happy and accepting of your choice.

SELF/ATTITUDE – 1st place. THIS is THE one that –in my opinion—MATTERS MOST, and can make ALL the difference. It’s our attitude. Our belief system. Find the tools that work best for you… “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Daily gratitude practice, and/or affirmations. Joel Osteen –or whomever else you vibe with—if you’re religious, or not. Meditation. Read Wayne Dyer, The Dalai Lama, et al Have tools at your immediate disposal to call up if you find yourself slipping into a negative place. Train yourself how to flip that as quickly as possible. Log onto YouTube throughout the day and watch short “positive mindset” videos. The cumulative effect of doing THIS is absolutely mind-blowing, and life-changing.

If you’re in the midst of a big medical challenge, and you’ve read this far, I understand that this “to do” list can possibly itself cause a degree of stress. It might possibly overwhelm. If you’re experiencing ANY degree of this, please know the following… most, if not all, is achievable. I speak from experience.

This is NOT a “scorecard.” But if you’re at all like me, you may have gone ahead and scored yourself. Easier said than done, but… don’t worry about where you were one minute ago. Think again about where you can be one minute from now, and… get started. Tell yourself that no matter the diagnosis, the prognosis, how you feel… that you can not only survive, YOU CAN THRIVE. Start with SELF/ATTITUDE.

A few more quick suggestions to get started:

  1. stop reading, watching or listening to anything negative, violent, etc. (especially, the news!)
  2. instead, download POSITIVE things, for example, Google search “positive meditation for… (happiness, health, energy, etc.)
  3. when going to sleep, turn off your ringer, put your devices on airplane mode, disable your wifi, and listen to one of your downloads.
  4. Eat ONLY healthy things tomorrow. Even if you’re incredibly nauseous/throwing up, “force” yourself to eat five or six small things throughout the day (e.g. an apple, a vegan protein bar), and drink six-eight glasses of water
  5. And as you’re eating/drinking, read through this list again, and decide which small steps you can take TODAY from the “seven components” described above.

The good news… with the exception of SUPPORT SYSTEM, and to a lesser degree, ADVOCATE and GOOD MEDICINE, YOU have the power to control the components on this list. And with EVERY small action you take, you will immediately –and cumulatively—feel your strength grow.

I wish you all the best the world has to offer, in this incredibly challenging –and incredible—journey you are on.