Empower Yourself By Learning about Your Disease
The following is adapted from The Grace of Cancer.
In 2016, doctors diagnosed me with “incurable” metastatic stage four lung cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy weren’t an option because the cancer had already spread, and according to my oncologist, its next target would be my beautiful brain. They gave me six months to live.
When you receive a difficult diagnosis, you have two options: to become a victim or dedicate yourself to healing. In my experience, the journey to healing can only begin when you truly understand your disease. When I received my diagnosis, reading, studying, and listening to audiobooks made me feel empowered. I decided to be proactive and educate myself, and the more I learned, the more I knew I could reverse the cancer.
Clearly, the doctors’ prognosis didn’t come true. I am here, and I am more alive than I have ever been. In large part, I credit the fact that I researched my disease. The knowledge I gained meant that I didn’t have any room left in my head for negative emotions.
Instead, I felt empowered, and that’s the first step to healing.
Education is a Form of Action
Deciding to live is not enough without belief, support, and action. When you choose to live, you have to actually do something about it. You have work to do! When I chose to live, I simultaneously chose to educate myself. I would wake up every day and sit at my computer ordering books, reading, and calling doctors. By spending each day in research mode, I had no time to view myself as a victim.
I already believed I was going to live and be healthier than ever, but now I had science-backed reasons reinforcing my belief. I discovered the treatments I needed to pursue, and by understanding the disease and my health, I felt in control and confident that I could reverse the disease.
Information is power, especially when followed by massive actions. When you are first diagnosed, you don’t know where to start, but by studying the disease, you learn you have options. You fill your brain with information on how to promote healing.
Create excitement for yourself by researching all the treatments available for your particular disease. When I learned more about the disease in my body, I could not wait to meet another doctor to discuss treatments or try incorporating a different food into my diet. Learning about my options made me feel like I was doing something productive.
Feed Your Mind
In the same way we feed our stomachs with the right food, we can feed our brains with information that promotes a positive and healing mindset. The type of research you do will shape your outlook. Make sure to read books that empower you. If you read a well-credited book that encourages you to live and asserts that healing is possible, you will have a much more positive view on your situation than if you only read depressing statistics.
Asking the right questions is a crucial part of feeding your mind. For example, when you receive a cancer diagnosis, it is important to ask: What type of cancer is it? Where is the original source of the disease in my body? Where is the tumor(s) located in my body? What stage has the cancer reached? Has it metastasized?
With the answers to these questions, you can understand the characteristics of the cancer and how likely it is to grow or spread. My continued research led me from one question to the next. After researching the science behind cancer, I thought of my internal terrain like a fish tank filled with murky water. From there, I started researching how to balance my body. I learned that my body must be pH balanced.
When I gained this knowledge, I immediately wanted to test the acidity in my body. I had nothing to lose by gaining more knowledge and data. I obtained a package of litmus paper and tested my urine. That led me to a whole set of new questions...and so on...
Learning gave me a path to action. I felt like there were concrete steps I could take to improve my life.
A New, Empowered You
Education has the power to take “victim” out of your vocabulary. Replacing your “why” with “how” is more empowering. As you learn information, you shed the idea of being a victim.
A wandering mind is dangerous because by not releasing negative thoughts, you can quickly spiral into depression or anxiety. The key is to stay present and focused. Be in the moment, and you will be graced with such an alertness and clarity that will allow you to see the gifts of being in the present.
The more you focus on education, the less your mind will wander into the world of toxicity. Studying, talking, and meeting other people makes you an empowered person because you learn how to take action and help yourself. Only then can you feel cancer as a grace and a catalyst to change your life. Only by educating yourself can you earn that experience and see grace in all the steps towards healing.
For more advice on researching your disease, you can find The Grace of Cancer on Amazon.
Veronica Villanueva discovered her “why” after being diagnosed with stage IV cancer in 2016. She knows she is alive today to share grace, blessings, and the lessons that cancer has taught her. Her “incurable” disease gave her the gift of knowing herself, loving herself, and sharing herself with others in a profound way. Through her work as a trained Cordon Bleu chef and certified health coach, Veronica aims to inspire others to embrace a holistic lifestyle built on a commitment to growth, eating healthy foods, taking the time to create memorable moments, and of course, fostering loving relationships.
