Sunday, November 4, 2012

How to Start a Supported and Healthy Cleanse (part One)

The most important way to start a healthy and supported cleanse is to find the right medical practitioner. You want someone who will listen to your goals, needs and examine you to ensure all your systems can handle the cleanse you select.


Before you run out and buy a cleanse kit or a bunch of veggies to juice, stop and ask yourself why you want to start the cleanse in the first place.
  1.  Are you doing it for more energy?
  2.  Do you want to loss weight?
  3.  Have you been eating processed foods, or a poor quality diet and you want to change your eating habits? With this change in your eating habits do you want to clear out the toxic effects of the poor diet and revitalize your system?
  4. Have you been on antibiotics or other drugs that need to be cleared from your system? 
  5. Have you quit or are you attempting to quit smoking and you want to clear out the toxins from this change?
  6. Have you had extensive dental work with a lot of anesthetic and want to clean your system from this event?
  7. Have you been told you have gingivitis or periodontal disease and you want to start healing your gums?
  8. Do you think you have good eating habits but still don't feel like your are getting all the nutrients from your food? You want to cleanse to improve nutrient absorption?
  9. Do you have poor digestion and want to improve the balance within your digestive system?
  10. Do you come down with a lot of colds and you want to improve your immune system?
  11. Are you prone to acne and other skin conditions and you want a healthier complexion?
  12. Do you feel like you have brain fog and want better cognition?
  13. How much time can you give to this cleanse?
  14. Will you be working, going to school, taking care of a family or all of the above while doing this cleanse?
  15. Will you be working out or preparing for an athletic event?
These are all important question for you to ask yourself. When choosing a practitioner to help support you through your cleanse, you should hear similar questions from them. If you don't they may not be the right provider to help you with a healthy and safe cleanse.

 You need a medical provider on board to examine you to make sure all your organs of elimination are functioning properly and can handle the extra load of toxins that will be released during the cleanse. In the naturopathic world the main organs of elimination are called, "emunctories”.

What are your organs of elimination?
  1. Skin
  2. Lungs
  3. Kidneys
  4. Colon
  5. Liver
Some other systems that come into play during a cleanse are the
  1. Lymphatic system
  2. Heart
  3. Mucus membranes
  4. Energetic/emotional bodies
Some people should only attempt a cleanse under close supervision of a medical provider and some people will not be able to cleanse at all. Here is a list of some conditions that absolutely require a person to be examined by a doctor prior to undergoing a detox program.
  1. Recent heart attack
  2. Any Heart condition
  3. Problems emptying stomach contents
  4. Inflammatory Bowl disease
  5. Increased calcium in the kidneys
  6. Gastric bypass or other stomach surgeries
  7. Inflammation of the large intestine
  8. High amount of phosphate in the blood
  9. Low amount of calcium in the blood
  10. High or low amount of sodium in the blood
  11. Low amount of potassium in the blood
  12. imbalance of body fluids
  13. Kidney impairment
  14. Symptoms of Alcohol withdrawal
  15. Any abnormalities of the colon or intestine
  16. Fatty Liver Disease (AKA Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis or NASH)
The Basic labs that should be ordered prior to starting a healthy and supported cleanse are
  1. Comprehensive metablic panel
  2. Lipoproteins
  3. Cholesterol
  4. Triglycerides
  5. Urinalysis

When you look at the conditions 8-12 above you begin to see why some of the fade cleanses like drinking salt water can be extremely dangerous for some people. Most of us really don't know if our electrolytes are in balance and if we go for the wrong cleanse we can make our systems more out of balance and then become sick. When this happens most people think it was just the cleanse eliminating toxins and they stop for a while not realizing something more serious is going on. Others think cleanses just are not for them and never go to a doctor to see what else could have gone wrong. Now just think if you attempted a detox program with one of the more severe conditions?

Another reason to have a medical provider on board with your cleanse program is to help you correct an imbalance prior to beginning a cleanse. In the process of correcting the imbalance your system will naturally go through a form of a detox. Furthermore, you may be completely healthy but need to work a full time job or care for a family and you can't afford to have low energy. A Naturopathic doctor can help you maintain your energy level while detoxing by providing you with IV supplementation and B12 injections. Naturopathes can also discuss other alternative therapies that can enhance your detox process, such as
  1. Dry Brushing
  2. Herbal Tea Foot Soaks
  3. Abdominal Massage with Castor Oil Packs
  4. Colonic therapy
  5. Acupuncture
Your Medical provider can help you determine what type of cleanse your body really needs i.e.
  1. Just an elimination diet = taking out all foods that could been seen by the body as an allergen
  2. An elimination diet with Raw food only
  3. An elimination diet with lightly cooked food
  4. A combination of an elimination diet and herbal supplementation
  5. A combination of an elimination diet and juicing
  6. A combination of an elimination diet, herbal supplementation and juicing
  7. A fast prior to any of the above
  8. A fast only
I hope you now have a better understanding that one cleanse does not fit all people and there really is a need to have medical support.

I also hope that I have not frightened you about pursuing a cleanse if you have a medical condition. I did some form of a cleanse, fast or detox all through my 18 months of Cancer therapies while at the same time working part time, and going to school part time. The only way I was able to do this and be able to function was having a well trained team of Naturopaths on my side. They introduced me to IV supplementation, B12 injections, and acupuncture. They made sure to review all my labs to ensure that my liver, kidneys and other systems could still support me through the process. It was with this help that I believe I was able to avoid much of the side effects of Cancer therapy.

My goal here is to help you achieve the best possible health in the safest way!

Now get out there and research your health care provider and start your cleanse so that you can transition like the Earth.

Like I mentioned on my Facebook page I started this cleanse by visiting
Dr. Khivan Oberoi
You can find her at www.maansihealth.com

She and I had a great visit. Dr. Oberoi preformed a exam of my heart, lungs and took a blood pressure. She did an in office urinalysis and sent me for labs. It took a couple days and she called me with the results of my labs and gave me the OK to start the plan we came up with.

Stay tuned for my next installment of how to go through a supported and healthy cleanse.....

Friday, September 7, 2012

New Local Artist on the Art Wall

The quarter has already shifted and that means Eclectic Healing Guide has a new local artist on the Art Wall. The next three months (September to November) I will be showing the creative works of Anne Yates. Again if you fall in love with the art you see here, I will provide you with a means to contact the artist so that you can purchase the next addition to your home or office. If you would like to see a piece up close feel free to schedule a viewing time and a massage (to schedule go to www.colettemassage.com).

Who is Anne Yates:

In May 2000 Anne Price Yates joined a group of plein air painters in Provence, France. The experience initiated her current style, which is more impressionistic than her earlier work. In September 2001 at the Desert Empire Fair, Ridgecrest, California, the four paintings Anne entered in the competition in the professional category took first, second, and third place and also honorable mention.

Paintings of Anne Price Yates have been exhibited in California, both in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the high desert, as well as in Manhattan—in SOHO and Chelsea galleries. In late 2007 and early 2008, some of her French paintings were shown at the Kingstad Gallery in Beaverton, Oregon. In March she exhibited at the Riviera Country Club’s 24th Annual Exhibit in
Coral Gables, Florida. Her giclées are available either from her or from the Coleman Studios in Orem, Utah (Colemanart.com).

At the age of four, Anne was asked by neighborhood children to draw pictures for them. At age 10, she was a student in the Carnegie Institute’s (Carnegie Museum of Art) Tam-O-Shanter Saturday classes in Pittsburgh and continued in the Saturday Palette classes as a teenager. Anne began painting with oils at 11 or 12. As a young teen, she won several awards for her painting, including the gold key in Kaufmann’s Scholastic Art Awards Exhibit and first place in a Florida state art contest by the Florida Division of the American Association of University Women.

Anne was among the youngest of 16 students between the ages of 14 and 16 selected to research, design, and paint four large backdrop murals for a major exhibition of Medieval and Renaissance Arms and Armor at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh (see Carnegie Magazine, Nov. 1953, pp. 300-305). The project was covered by the local newspapers, KDKA television station, and Life Magazine. Anne is shown here, on the cover of The Pittsburgh Press Roto Magazine (Sunday, September 6, 1953) with artist Jack Butler.

By the time she studied Art at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Anne was focused primarily on figure drawing. Her interest in the human form was evident in both her drawing and painting, although her work included an occasional landscape. Her portrait work was usually in either colored pencil or graphite.
 

The Art on the Wall:
 

To view more of Anne's work you can visit her online gallery at www.annepriceyates.com
You can contact Anne at AHPYates@gmail.com, for prices or other information.
To schedule an in office viewing go to www.colettemassage.com

Thank you very much for supporting this local artist.

 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Eclectic Healing Guide's Art Wall

Artist Wall

What is the Artist Wall
In an effort to support the talented people in my life and fill my office with beauty that inspires relaxation, I have created the Artist Wall.
One wall in my Office is devoted to serving as an artist gallory. All the art is for scale benefiting the artist.
If you come into my office and fall in love with one of the pieces you can become its owner and take the feeling it provided you home with you. If you can't make it into the office but see a piece you would like to purchase you can contact the artist directly and I can make arrangements for you to pick up your art.

How can you or an artist you know become part of the wall
Just contact me. Send me a link to your work. If I feel it will blend with the decore and feel of my space then we will make arrangements for you to display your art. The theme of my office is Asian/French, Eclecticly Zen.
Each artist's work is on display for three months. I hope to have a meet and greet the artist night for each artist as everyone's schedule allows.

My Current Artist
About Paz and her work:
For Paz, painting is an intuitive journey. She approaches her work completely open to what might happen, to the process of emotion, spirit, thought and impulse interacting with the media. She is never attached to the outcome, only the experience. The experience, unpredictable and exciting, allows the final piece to emerge. Light, color, texture and compostition prove the form that connects her inner world of spirit and emotion to the shared reality of the earth-world, a platform that becomes the painting. The movement is great or small, bold or timid, loud or soft, just as the relationship of spirit is with the physical realm. She truly loves this experience and loves to paint.
Wheile Paz travels often to mexico, she calls Portland her home. She lives here in Portland.
To contact Paz for more information: Email her at redwind_7@hotmal.com


What's on the Wall Today




https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=405950152781044&set=a.405950129447713.84231.226096557433072&type=1&relevant_count=3

Monday, April 2, 2012

Medicinal Benefits of Hops as Related to Your Muscles


Most of us know Hops as it is related to beer. But there is more to hops than just giving beer its taste, and going along with pizza and sporting events.

I was originally introduced to the benefits of Hops from a friend who told me about an old wives tale of adding beer to Epsom salts and hot bath water to help decrease muscle pain.  This was long before I started practicing massage or even receiving massage.  One night after a hard day of work and coming home with sore muscles I decided to try this remedy. To my amazement, I ended up falling asleep in the tub and waking feeling like a wet noodle. I dried off and went right to bed. I felt great the next morning and now use this remedy anytime I need fast relief and cannot get a massage. Sometimes I’ll even use it after a massage just to ensure better results for myself.

Though there is not much conclusive research about the medicinal benefits nor exactly what aspects of the plant’s chemical make-up help reduce muscle pain and support joint functioning, recently the International Society for Horticultural Science did publish a study that does support its medicinal uses.

Hops is named after its fruit. It is related to the cannabis family and is native to the Northern hemisphere.

What I can gather, Hops has a high source of Vit B3 (Niacin), Vit C, Manganese, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Valerianic Acid.  The aroma of Hops can enter the limbic system.  It would be the combined work of Hops’ Valerianic Acid and its ability to affect the limbic system, that a person can become drowsy. The hops can also cross the blood brain barrier which is another route to the limbic system. The Vit B3 affecting the peripheral circulation can help bring new blood and oxygen to the muscles. While Vit C can help decrease inflammation and help with muscle repair. The Minerals can all help with regaining electrolyte balance and help ease muscle soreness. When combined with Epsom salts, which also contains Magnesium and hot water, we achieve a synergistic affect and more benefits occur.

I have not yet tried buying dried hops and boiling them to add to hot bath water and Epsom salts but I think it would have the same effect as using beer. I have been told you can put the hobs in cheese cloth and add that to the bath water allowing it to brew in the tub. I use what I consider cheap beer, but you can use whatever is handy.

Now you have some idea of other uses of your beer.

As always, make sure to consult your doctor before using any plant or substance that can affect your health. And also remember that if a medicine you already take achieves the same result, taking a plant on top of that will increase any positive or negative effects. Therefore, only use one and if possible go the natural route especially if you have the support of a Naturopathic Doctor.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

My journey with Lymphedema






My journey started with edema and actually I didn’t realize I had any selling outside of what I thought was normal for my surgery.  All things considered my initial swelling was probably within normal limits for a routine lumpectomy and nodal dissection.  I was fairly lucky as I only had four axillary lymph nodes removed during my surgery.  Until my left breast (the side that was affected by the tumor) started to decrease in size I lacked a true understanding of the degree of my swelling.   My lack of understanding came from the fact that my left breast after the lumpectomy was the same size it always had been and fit the same inside my bra. Once the swelling went down I dropped a cup size in the affected (left) breast. It has taken some getting use- to this change but I have grown to accept my asymmetry.  Many women have told me that I now live in the real world, for most women have  a marked asymmetry to their breast naturally. This edema I experienced was normal residual effects of surgery, not lymphedema.

My first experience with lymphedema didn’t happen for about 6 months after I had finished all my treatments.  My treatment journey consisted of chemo to decrease the tumor (which it did), lumpectomy to remove the tumor, another round of chemo (to address any residual cancerous cells in the lymph nodes) and ended with radiation.   Roughly, several months after radiation, I came down with chicken pox. Yes, chicken pox, not shingles, but a revisit of childhood type chicken pox. My primary physician at the time said it was probably due to the fact that chemo and radiation removed the immune history previous present in my body. Consequently it appeared, my body was not recognizing I had already been exposed to this antigen and now had to rebuild its antibody history. It was after this that I first noticed a mild swelling in my left arm. A visit to my oncologist gave me a diagnosis of lymphedema.  I was able to resolve that first bout of lymphedema with dry brushing and essential oils.  The next bout of edema occurred after I attended an advanced massage training course that lasted for five days.  This incident was much worse than the first. I was swollen from my left ear, the left side of my face, down into my left hand. What my doctor and I came up with regarding that occurrence was it was probably too much massage in too short of a time frame, along with, not clearing the lymph in the left arm before and after the deep work. Again I was able to resolve the situation, this time with dry brushing, essential oils and the addition of acupuncture. I was back to normal within 48 hours of this combination of treatments.  More recently I developed lymphedema, either, after a burn from my tea pot or performing massage with poor body mechanics, or a combination of the two. This time I was out of essential oils, I waited over a week to see my acupuncturist and three weeks later I was still dealing with the edema.  I was able to get it under control enough to return to my profession of massage. However, the lymphedema persisted at a low grade level and this time I developed fibrotic tissue.  I am not one to just sit by and let things be as they are; for this is what my oncologist had originally advised would be the case with lymphedema. He said once you get it, you probably won’t get rid of it and you will remain with some degree of swelling.  To see if there was something new out there I could incorporate to get back to a more normal state, I turned to the ever helpful internet.  What I came up with was the idea of heat therapy. Now this is not your standard idea of heat. This is Near Infrared heat via and LED light. My first session I used it in 15 min. increments from my left hand into my armpit, for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. By the next morning more of the swelling was gone, the pain was gone and there was a breakdown of the fibrotic tissue. I began to use the Near Infrared light three times a day for 30 minutes, had three more acupuncture treatments, performed dry brushing once a week jumped on my mini-trampoline and continued with my essential oils. It took a month from start to finish to get my left arm free of lymphedema this time.  I guess I should mention I am over 5 years clear of my cancer.  For perspective, I have had three bouts of lymphedema over a span of 5+ years.

From what my oncologist has said and what I’ve read via the internet, doctors cannot tell who will develop, when they will develop or exactly why they will develop lymphedema. My story is an example of lymphedema  being somewhat unpredictable and attests to the fact that recognizing it early and starting treatment right away can help manage it and possible resolve it (at least for a time).
I am writing this blog to provide insight as to what lymphedema is and to give tips on how to help manage it. If you are one of the few to have to experience it, hopefully through these tips, you won’t have to suffer quit so much.
There are two forms of lymphedema, primary and secondary. In the world of cancer a person is generally diagnosed with secondary lymphedema. This form is defined as; a swelling of a body region (arm, leg, stomach, neck etc.) due to a build- up of lymph fluid in the fatty tissues in the spaces just under the skin. It can occur as a result of cancer, cancer related treatments or disease; basically anything that damages the normal healthy functioning of the lymphatic system.
Let us start by directing our attention to what the lymphatic system is and how it works. The lymphatic system is important in eliminating toxins from the body. It also helps prevent infections and other diseases. Our lymphatic systems are a complex network of lymphatic vessels, tissues and capillaries. Lymphatic capillaries can be found in the connective tissue of nearly all organs and drain into larger connecting vessels which contain valves. These vessels push their contents toward the nearest lymph node and from there into nodal sinuses. Eventually the large vessels drain into the thoracic duct and the right lymphatic duct. Tonsils, lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow and thymus are examples of lymphatic tissues. Cells associated with this healing network that help identify and remove harmful viruses, bacteria, fungi as well as other harmful substances are, lymphocytes (T-cells and B-cells), leukocytes, macrophages and plasma cells. The spleen is the organ that filters and purifies the blood and lymph fluids. T-lymphocytes come to maturity in response to a hormone in the Thymus and are released from this organ as T-cells.
In general terms, when we speak of improving the immune system we are discussing how well the body, once exposed to a pathogen, can create an attack in the form of a physical barrier and an antibody. What this means is your body basically has to get sick before it can heal itself. The more your body is exposed to antigens (what the systems deems as a foreign substance), the better able and faster able it will be in healing itself. Your body's first defense is the epidermis and its ability to prevent foreign substances and matter from penetrating to the deeper skin layers. The second line of defense is a bit more complex and involves those cells we mentioned above, the Lymphocytes, Leukocytes, and macrophages, which work together to identify, bind to and remove what they deem as invaders.

If the immune system along with the body's ability to bring blood to an area (inflammation= blood flow with heat and redness) works overtime, then we can have an abundance of antibody-antigen complexes, immune cells and inflammatory molecules in an area. This abundance can block blood flow and prevent tissues and organs from being properly nourished and ultimately causes damage and break down. Luckily the body has a complementary system that helps keep this immune system soluble and flowing steadily. The lymphatic system is involved in keeping the balance here.

The circulatory system, the movement of blood, is run by the pumping of the heart. They lymphatic circulation does not have a pump. Lymphatic fluid moves in only one direction, upward to the heart, from the extremities (feet and hands). The valves we spoke of earlier that are housed within the lymph vessels are one way valves to prevent back flow. Body movement, smooth muscle contraction and pressure from breaths create the movement of lymph fluid. The ultimate goal is to get this clear plasma; that has traveled all over the body, between cells, within cells and in the space of tissues, back to the heart. The movement of muscle and pressure of breath must be great enough to bring this fluid out of all the spaces and into the vessels. Basically the body needs to drain it back to the heart via the thoracic duct. There are two separate and unequal drainage routes for this lymph fluid.

The right side route takes fluid from:
  • right side of head and neck
  • right arm
  • upper right quadrant of the body
  • to the right lymphatic duct at the clavicle
  • which empties into the right subclavian vein
The left side route takes fluid from:
  • left side of the head and neck
  • left arm
  • upper left quadrant of the body
  • lower trunk and both legs
  • approximately at the middle of the abdomen is the cistrena chyli a midway station
  • then to the thoracic duct which empties into the left lymphatic duct
  • then into left subclavian vein
The lymph is taken from the veins into the heart to be cycled again in its fresh state.
In the world of cancer the healthy lymphatic system becomes compromised in some form. With some people, their body attempts to rid them of their foreign bodies, i.e. cancerous cells by trying to process them through the lymph nodes. However, if there are too many of these cells and/or if the immune system is not functioning at top performance, then the lymph nodes can’t sufficiently eliminate these harmful cells and they remain. With the nodes clogged the lymphatic system can’t do its job of being a detoxifier. In other individuals the nodes are free of cancer but to find this out the surgeon must first remove at least one node.  Lymph vessels are also removed as they wrap around and travel into the nodes. Thus depending on the number of nodes removed the individual’s already slow moving lymphatic pump is made even more in adequate.
Then we have the complication of radiation, which can destroy or create (create, meaning radiation can also cause cancer by damaging to the point of creating free radicals). The medical field tells us that radiation can put a woman at higher risk for lymphedema. However, we are never really told how our risk is increased by this process that can kill our cancer cells. I think it’s because that would be a very long and complicated discussion to have with our radiologist at a time when we just want to get healthy. Here, I will use my limited knowledge and understanding of this process to try to decrease the complication of this subject. The nature of radiation is to direct high doses of an ionizing energy to the field affected by free radicals (our cancerous cells), and affect the cell at the level of its chemical bonds and change them. The high powered beam of energy, that is directed between our little tattoo marks, enters our body and begins to break chemical bonds and alter the composition and/or structure of the cells in the pin pointed area.  We want this damage to be great enough to kill cancer cells.  This cell death can either be a loss of function (the cell can no longer perform the job it was made to do) or a loss of reproductive ability (the cell can no longer reproduce other cells but can still complete its functions).  It would be ideal if the only death that occurred was to the free radicals. However, we know this is not currently the case. We can see the death of other cells when we notice our energy level decreasing or we see “sunburned” skin. There are also more severe and less common signs such as nerve, bone, and lung damage and swelling from lack of proper lymph flow.
If a woman has a combination of surgical removal of lymph nodes/vessels and radiation then her risk for lymphedema increases due to the fact that she has doubted the damage to her lymphatic system.  Now when this woman is faced with infection; a pathogen, toxin build –up, prolonged static compression, blood vessel damage, or some other trauma to the compromised region or body in general her limited pump free lymphatic system is asked to work overtime.
For most women their body figures a way to pick up the slack so to speak and they never experience lymphedema.  Let’s remember there is a difference between acute swelling from surgery and radiation and lymphedema. Once again, in general, swelling after any surgery is to be expected in some degree.  However, for those who we know are going to go through surgery and radiation for breast cancer we should share our helpful tips so that we can increase the number of women who never have to experience lymphedema. Make sure the person going through surgery or radiation consults with their doctor first and gets a time frame for when the follow tips will be OK to start:
·         Use the affected arm to do your normal daily functional activities, such as brushing your hair and teeth, dressing, bathing and eating. These activities will re-activate the pumping of the lymphatic fluid and guard against tightening of scar tissue and muscles
·         Raise your affected arm above the level of your heart 2 to 3 times a day for at least 45 minutes. You can lie down with your arm support by placing pillows under it so that your hand is higher than your wrist and your elbow is higher than your shoulder. What you are doing is trying to work with the natural flow of the lymph fluid. Remember the lymph flows in one direction toward the heart. By raising the hand above the wrist, elbow above the shoulder you are allowing gravity to draw the fluid toward the heart.
·         Perform functional movement to your affected arm by either *supporting it while raising it above the level of your heart to open and close the hand 15 to 25 times, or * supporting it while shaking the hand for 5 minutes. Repeat  3 to 4 times a day. This will help by pumping the lymph fluid through the undamaged lymph nodes and vessels. Remember the lymphatic system lacks its own pump and needs external help even in a healthy undamaged state.
·         Again if your doctor gives you the OK. Begin to work towards resuming your normal shoulder and arm range of motion by gentle functional exercise about a week after surgery. Your doctor will either give you exercises or refer you to a physical therapist for the right ones for your condition. With these exercises you should regain full range of motion within 4 to 6 weeks.
On the other hand a few women‘s lymphatic systems will not be able to handle the extra load and lymph fluid  will back into the fatty tissue and spaces just below the skin  When this happens these women will experience swelling and even pain which will be diagnosed as lymphedema. Again when this will happen is not predictable. It can occur a week after treatments, months after or even years later. However, the longer lymphedema is left untreated the more and longer lasting damage it can create in the affected body region. Also, it is my understanding, lymphedema lacks a permanent cure. Due to these facts we need to spread the word about what to look for and how to go about getting the situation evaluated by a doctor.
Here are some things to look for when trying to decide if you should consult your doctor:
·         Swelling in the breast, arm, chest, wrist, hand, fingers, face or neck
·         An area feels full or heavy
·         An area feels tight  (you may take this to be a tight muscles)
·         Less movement or flexibility of a joint (shoulder, elbow or wrist)
·         A thickening feeling of the skin
·         The skin may appear to have blisters or warts
·         The skin may have a change in texture
·         The skin may have a color change of some kind
·         Skin may appear to have developed a rash or red bumps
·         The skin or part of the arm or shoulder feels hard
·         Clothing or jewelry isn’t fitting the same and you haven’t gained weight
·         Skin feels itchy or has a burning sensation
·         New ach or discomfort in the breast, arm shoulder or hand
·         Trouble sleeping
·         Loss of hair in the area
You should immediately call your doctor or nurse if you have any of the following symptoms:
·         New pain in the affected area with no known cause
·         A temperature of 100.5 degrees or higher not related to a cold or flu
·         Any part of the affected area that looks red, feels hot and swells suddenly
With any of the signs and symptoms above you want to see a doctor not only to diagnose lymphedema but to rule out other issues.
 What types of test are there to determine lymphedema?
·         Review of your medical history, current habits and a physical exam
·         Lymphoscintigraphy which is an image of the lymph system to located blockages or other issues. A radioactive substance is injected under the skin and taken up by the lymph vessels. The substance is detected by a scanner and analyzed by a computer.
·         MRI a series of detailed digital images of the inside of the body done by magnet, radio waves and analyzed by a computer.

If your doctor does diagnose you with lymphedema they will probably judge how severe it is to determine what course of action you should take to treat the episode. In general this is what they will look for:
·         The area is mildly swollen and feels heavy. When the doctor presses on the area they leave a pit or dent.  This situation they my say will just go away with time or they will try having you raise your arm to drain the fluid or they will send you for lymphatic drainage therapy
·         The area is moderately swollen, feels spongy or hard. Hardness is a sign of fibrosis. When the doctor pressing on the skin it does not leave a pit or dent. With this situation they will probably send you for therapy.
·         The area is severely swollen. If it is advanced enough it can be called lymphostatic elephantiasis. And they will definitely speak to you about treatment options.
There are things to do to help lower your risk of developing lymphedema that you should do or request for the rest of your life:
      ·         Wear a medical alert tag that states you are at risk for lymphedema
·         Always tell any health care provider that you are at risk for lymphedema so that they avoid drawing your blood, placing IVs, giving you injections, and flu shots or vaccines on the affected arm.
·         Have good hygiene and careful skin care to lower the risk and avoid infection
·         If you get an insect bite, torn cuticle, hangnail, cuts or scratches specially from an animal, tend to it immediately by cleaning and disinfecting the area
·         Avoid cutting your cuticles with scissors by keeping your hands moisturized and cuticles soft
·         Wear protective gloves when doing heavy manual work, working in the yard, using chemical cleansers that could open the skin or steel wool
·         Protect against needle or pin pricks my wearing a thimble while sewing
·         Try to avoid using a razor or hair removal cream (go with an electric shaver)
·         Use organic chemical free insect repellent to avoid bug bites
·         Avoid extreme cold which can cause rebound swelling leading to skin chapping and possible infection
All of the above is geared to help lower the risk and/or prevent infection. Why do we need to be so diligent about infection? Remember your first defense against infection is your immune system. This system’s response is to send white blood cells and other immune fluid to fight against any detected pathogen. Often this process creates extra fluid which will trigger the secondary defense which is the lymphatic system. However, in your case your lymphatic system is missing or has damaged lymph nodes and vessel and thus can’t redirect the extra fluid fast enough. Consequently, you can now develop edema.

Make sure you aware of what you are doing in the kitchen and while outdoors. Some of these suggestions are going to be harder to follow than others.
·         Wear oven mitts that cover your lower arms
·         Use SPF 15 or higher sunscreen that is free of chemicals and metals. Take special care to put sunscreen on any area that received radiation. In general once you have under gone radiation your body is more prone to sunburn. Try to avoid full sun exposure during the hours of 10 am and 4 pm when the sun rays are the strongest.
·         Avoid oils splashes from frying, steam from boiling liquids and microwave steam
·         Avoid heating pads to the affected area
·         Avoid high heat of saunas and hot tubs

Again we are trying to avoid increasing a fluid build-up in the affected area. The body’s response to burns is one of protection and an attempt to heal, which is done once again through the immune system which can increase the amount of fluid that they lymphatic system must deal with. And the body’s response to High heat is dilation, which means an increase in fluid flow to the area. And again we are at risk for lymphedema.
Become mindful of stagnate constriction or prolonger pressure to your affected arm. This can be done by:
·         Reminding your health care provider to take your blood pressure on the opposite arm. This is easy if your affected arm is the right one because it is standard of care to take blood pressure on the left arm because it is closer to the heart.
·         If both arms are affected a pressure can be taken from the thigh or ankle
·         Avoid anything that creates a tight/snug, band/grip around your arm, wrist or fingers such as tight clothing, jewelry, gloves
·         Avoid wearing straps from briefcases and/or purses on the affected side
·         Make sure you are sized and fitted for a proper bra. Avoid bra straps that dig or leave impressions in the skin.
·         Directly after mastectomy start with a lighter weight prosthesis
·         Prepare a head of time for air travel due to the increase in cabin pressure. It is a good idea to discuss your travel plans with your doctor and talk about getting fitted for a compression sleeve. You want to be professional fitted because a sleeve that is not made for you and your lymph flow could actually further restrict and back up your lymph fluid which would double the pressure imposed on the body by the cabin pressure.
What we are taking into consideration here is compression or squeezing can increase blood flow into nearby blood vessels. While stagnate constriction (compression that is prolonged and non-moving) can increase pressure in the nearby blood vessels. Both of these can trigger a back-up in fluid and thus lead to lymphedema. Remember the lymph flows in one direction toward the heart. If you place something in its way it will be like putting a barrier in a stream or river.
Become more aware of how you move your body throughout the day and try to avoid over working your muscles. This can be done by:
·         When possible using the unaffected arm or both arms to lift or carry heavy packages, groceries, purses or children. These activities can cause an increase in pressure or a stagnate compression as we discussed above.
·         Avoid exercising to the point of strain or tearing muscles. If the muscles experience a strain or tear the body will trigger an immune response leading to inflammation and depending on the degree of injury can lead to lymphedema.
Some have found weight gain to be connected to an onset of lymphedema. This could be due to the fact most foods that help us put on the extra pounds also are a source of inflammation to the body and a source of toxins. Further extra fat increase the need for more supportive blood vessels. All of this can then lead to an extra burden on the lymphatic system.
To review the most important way to help lower the risk and/or prevent lymphedema is to take care of your whole body (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) first and for most!
Where can you start on your journey of making your health a priority? Start with what you put into your mouth. Seek books that will enlighten you on what works best for your type of cancer. Here are a few that I know of as helpful:
·         Anticancer: A New Way of Life by  David Servan-Schreiber MD, PhD
·         The Anti-inflammation Diet and Recipe Book by Jessica Black

Basically, it is all about increasing your vital life force. This can be done not only through nutrition but also through complimentary health care, such as acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, yoga, Chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage and mediation. If you live in Portland, Oregon a great way to have someone introduce you to a means to network with all of these care options is to contact a fellow survivor Tonya Priestly through her non-profit organization Sisters4survivors (www.sisters4survivors.org).
Here are some other things I have tried personally:
·         Essential oils to support the circulatory systems 

·        Dry brushing; I refer you to my blog about dry brushing for its benefits
·         Manual lymph pump, this must be done by another person to you
·         Manual lymph drainage, you can be taught how to do this for yourself or go to a trained therapist
·         Mini-trampoline, this helps to increase the flow of lymph
·         Near infrared Led Light, I received my through a company named Gaiam
Here are a couple of things I haven’t tried but know are out there for treating lymphedema:
·         Lymphedema pump machines for home use
·         Compression sleeves
·         Lymphedema surgery (this is still not perfected and has mixed results, as far as I have read to date)
I truly hope that my experience and what I have learned from it can be helpful to you or someone you know. May your light grow, may your passion increase and may your life force be inspiring to those around you.