I hear this question a lot in my work as a counselor: "Should I get a second opinion for cancer treatment?" And if someone is wondering this, my answer is most often yes. Or at least, you should feel empowered to seek one if you feel you need it, without any fear or guilt. In this post, I’m breaking down when a second opinion makes sense, the steps for getting one, and why advocating for yourself is so important. Should You Get a Second Opinion for Cancer Treatment? The mos

Rest and rejuvenation are so important to both our physical and mental health. In fact, there are 7 different types of rest we all need, and vacation is a great way to get that much-needed rest. Everyone deserves a vacation! Especially if you have been living with cancer or are in the midst of treatment. So today I’m sharing 5 great tips for staying healthy while on vacation to keep your body feeling great. 5 Ways To Stay Healthy on Vacation Staying healthy on vacation means

A stage 4 cancer diagnosis comes with a unique kind of fear. Unlike earlier stage diagnoses, stage 4 cancer means the cancer has spread from its original location to other parts of the body, which is known as metastatic cancer. And now, thanks to advancements in treatment options, more people are living longer with metastatic cancer than ever before, which presents its own set of unique challenges for patients and their loved ones to navigate. The Reality of Living With Sta

As our society has evolved into the modern age that we live in, we’ve developed some rather unhealthy daily habits. Everyone is pretty well aware of the importance of a healthy diet and exercise, but I’m talking about the small routines throughout our day. These small daily habits can be quite harmful to our long-term health without us even realizing it. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, we’re engaging in routines that keep our bodies stressed, our minds

Have you heard of the microbiome? How about the gut microbiome and cancer link? There’s a chance you haven’t, because this field of research is still considered rather new. In fact, most of what we know about the microbiome has only been discovered in the last 20 years or so. But the emerging research is very interesting and quite promising, showing a clear link between microbiome health and tumor growth and treatment outcomes. Today, I’m sharing what scientists know so far

Something that comes up often in my work as a cancer coach is the concept of advocating for ourselves as patients. Cancer patient advocacy isn’t something that’s talked about often enough, in my opinion, so in this post, I’m sharing my best advice for having conversations with your healthcare team and ensuring that your voice is heard. It’s important for us as patients to let our doctors know that we want to be informed throughout our journey with cancer, but sometimes it fe