By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes It is hard to hear when you or someone close to has been diagnosed. All sorts of things go through your head. Your life has been disrupted, and you have so many questions. I get it. But here's the thing, mindset is everything when dealing with a critical illness, and the people around you. I am sure you have heard by now to stay positive. And it's true, staying positive will get you through certain situations, and help you to recover faster. One t

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes Did you know applying lotion to your body helps stimulate blood circulation and new cell generation? It also can reduce skin problems with everyday use. Keeping your body moisturized is especially important for breast cancer patients. As you know chemotherapy kills good cells and bad cells including the cells that affect growth of skin cells. Chemo treatment may result in your skin becoming dry, sensitive, and or irritated. Try using something

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes All water is not created equal. Each brand has a different way in which they source and bottle the water. What's important? The pH balance as well as the bottle in which it comes in. What you might already know is water is good for hydration and purification of the body. Besides the things we have learned about H2O and pH balance in school; many studies have shown the benefit to water with higher pH balances. Drinking alkaline water can help to re

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes Patient or Caregiver, first thing first and that's you. You have to take care of you. You can not help anyone else if you have don't take care of you. I know you have people depending on you but the truth is - if you don't take care of you first then you may not be here to take care of others that you love. As you go through the emotional roller coaster you will quickly realize something's are not that important anymore and other things will qui

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes There will be ups and downs with friendships. You will learn quickly who are you main supporters. People who have not been through the process, may not understand all that you are going though, and you may not be able to convey your feelings. All of that is OK, don't be hard on those that don't know what to say or do around you. Before you know it, you will make some new friends, and hopefully you will be open to you. Beware of the negative peopl

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes It is ok to ask for help. As a matter of fact you need it. You may be someone that is very private, but the truth is you will be exerting an amazing amount of energy, and the smallest amount of help will be a blessing. The smallest task will make you tired. Getting dressed, making yourself a meal, or simply getting the mail, it is ok to ask for help. It may not be easy for you but you can change your mindset. Stop thinking you have to be the one

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes According to experts around the world meditation reduces stress and fosters clear thinking, and increases energy. Sitting in your own stillness, breathing, consistency, and creating a quite space for yourself is all you need. You may need guided mediation to get you started. There are many guided meditations you can down load on various platforms i.e. iTunes, podcast, etc. You can also view meditation videos on YouTube, Netflix, or other platforms

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes You or your love one has been officially diagnosed. Your world has turned upside down and you are going though an array of emotions. This is normal. It was unexpected, but you can get through it. You have made steps to take ownership of your health, YOU CAN DO THIS! If you are the caregiver, YOU CAN DO THIS! Life often gives us things that are unexpected, it is how we choose to deal with it. Everything is not and will not be perfect, but do you

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes As a patient or a caregiver your body is undergoing a high level of stress. There are so many changes happening and you trying to figure out so many things. You may have bills you did not anticipate, taking on the emotional state of others around you, your job, finances, mobility, etc. It is so important that you try your best to manage the stress level. Ask for help around the house, ask for rides so you do t have to deal with driving yourself or

Without a doubt, music can be healing. For many people music takes them on a journey. When you are feeling down, or just not yourself, put on your favorite tunes. Play music that takes you to your happy place. Chemo sessions can be long, make sure you have your headphones and your playlist ready. It will help the time go by. If you are a caregiver or a supporter; those of you that are smartphone savvy give a gift of music by purchasing an itunes or amazon gift card. If they a

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes While glass maybe heavier, go with glass if you can. Glass is overall a safer bet than plastic. Glass can be safely used for hot foods or liquids. Ceramic, stoneware or stainless steel containers can also be used in liu of plastic. There are no health concerns using and reusing glass as it does not pose harmful risks to environmental or personal health. If using glass in some cases is not reasonable, then try and use BPA FREE plastic containers. B

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes During this process you will have so many different doctors appointments, and other things to remember. If you are smartphone savvy put your appointments in your phone with as much detail as possible. You may forget somethings as some experience "chemo brain" aka forgetfulness. Your doctors appointments, their names, their specialty, their address, phone number, etc. should be written down in a place where others can get to it, if you are unable.

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes During or shortly after chemo you may experience peripheral nephropathy; a nerve disorder that can cause weakness, numbness, tingling, and pain, in your feet and or hands. It is a common chemotherapy side effect. Walking barefoot around the house may be uncomfortable, so invest in soft socks with grip on the bottom to avoid slipping. When your friends ask you what you want or need - say comfy socks. Even if you don't have to have chemo and you don

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes If you have to breast surgery, following your surgery more than likely your doctor will advise against wearing any bra with underwire. There are special bras that are designed to help with discomfort. Word to the wise, depending on the type of surgery, you may want to get a few front closure bras as your range of motion may not be what it was prior to surgery at least for a few weeks. Try not to get bras that stop right under the breast but a litt

Cucumber helps soothe muscle and aids with joint pain. All those vitamins and minerals in cucumber make it a powerful enemy of muscle and joint pain. Cucumber also has silica which is known to be the wonder mineral in cucumber that makes hair and nails stronger. Add cucumber to your salad or just eat it by its self and enjoy the benefits. #cancer #breastcancer #cucumber #cleaneating

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes Lymphedema can definitely put a damper on some activities depending on your individual case and your level of activity. Keeping it at bay is important. Do some research and take note of some things that you can do to keep your hand or arm from swelling up. One thing that is recommended it keeping the weight down. Keeping your weight down will help you recover and lower chances for re-occurrence, so it's not a bad idea. Studies have also shown tha

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes Studies have shown that Turmeric helps prevent several forms of cancer including breast, lung, stomach, liver, and colon because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. According to various studies Turmeric can help stop the development of cancer by interfering with the cellular signaling aspects of the chronic disease. However if you are currently getting chemotherapy please consult your doctor as turmeric may have an adverse effect

By Nacole Ali by Pink Notes Cancer can spread and spread quickly. A few extra minutes in the shower can save your life. You know your body better than anyone else. Make sure you take care of it. Give yourself the gift of self love and do a self breast exam every couple of months. You won't regret it. There is nothing to be embarrassed about. #breastcancer #cancer #selfexam #health #loveyourself #selflove #live

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes Here are foods that should be in your kitchen. Don't only depend on medication. Please make sure you take care of your self from in side. Eat for YOUR diagnosis, not anyone else's. Remember, everyone is different, you do not know about everyone's health, you know about yours. Some fruits and vegetables may not be permitted for you, based on your health condition(s). Make sure that you do not compromise any of the medication you are taking; always

By Nacole Ali for Pink Notes There is no better Valentine than you. While you are in the shower, give yourself the gift of love and do a self breast exam. It doesn't take much time at all. It can save your life. Mammograms are not suggested until the age of 40 (I disagree), but you can do self exams on your own. Especially if there is someone in your family who has had Breast Cancer, I strongly recommend or if you are someone who tends to have cystic breast. Because most youn