Rise

Rise by Katie Perry  I do not own the rights to this music.

This song is perfect for where I am in my life right now. Although things are not exactly looking rosy, I am committed to take charge of my destiny and "Rise" to the occasion. Take a listen if you are so inclined.

Brief update on the cancer front. One tumor marker heading down, one heading up. I just have to shake my head  ... "Whatever"!  Liver enzymes are good, other blood work is good. This Friday is the last chemo session of the cycle. PET scheduled for 4/7, review results and next steps with Dr. Kocs on 4/14, follow-up MRI on 4/19, then the appointment to go over results with Dr. Cohen on 4/21. I am not expecting great news on the PET front, anticipating a change in treatment protocols (hello #6). I am hoping we get the all clear on the MRI. I will NOT be happy if more brain invaders show up. Not that I won't deal with whatever comes ... I will ... I just won't be happy about it. 

Okay, enough of the Debbie Downer cancer crap! Let's chat about what keeps me excited these days! I AM TAKING CHARGE!! 

If you read my last post, you know that I decided that if God is doing his/her part in watching over me, the least I can do is make life changes to help myself. I started these life changes on Monday. And I remain excited!

I started a 7-day Alkaline Detox, with the intent of following up another three weeks on the 21-/Day Alkaline Diet Plan by Laura Rimmer. First, I bailed after five days on the detox. I am still eating the smoothies and soups included in the Detox, just not in the order provided. For example, I have no desire to make and eat Carrot and Lemongrass soup. I will stick to the leek/fennel root soup and the lentil soup I made earlier. Both are delicious! I also have no desire to ingest a coconut and turmeric smoothie. Instead, I will sub for the Kale/Orange smoothie and the Chlorophyll Zinger. Technically, I am still on the detox through the weekend. 

To date, my favorites for the detox include:

• Vegetable Detox Soup (basic vegetable soup, plus a beet.
• Hearty soup - this is the leeks and fennel root
• Tomato basil soup
• Greens and lentil soup
• Keto alkaline green smoothie
• Kale/Orange smoothie
• Chlorophyll Zinger
• Keto blueberry blast

I also drink a glass of warm lemon water every morning.

Note on the Chlorophyll Zinger: This smoothie detoxes the liver and the blood cells. My cancer is considered "blood borne", plus I have three lesions on my liver, so this is one I will definitely repeat every week if not twice a week.

I am already noticing a difference. I have not aged well and I look at least 10 if not 15 years older than I am. Five days into this detox and I already look younger. My body is more hydrated from the fresh fruits, veggies, and alkaline water. In just 5 days!! I keep this up and any future face lift is off the table!

This is the perfect time of the year to start on this new life style change. The farmer's markets are full of wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables. Although my husband is not going vegetarian, he is committed to eliminating processed foods from his diet and using fresh whenever possible. What does this mean for the Bishop house? So much fresh produce that we needed to rearrange our kitchen a bit to accommodate our latest haul from the farmer's market. Our kitchen island was overrun with fruits and veggies. So we created a fruit/vegetable bar in the kitchen, complete with our new food processor, our new blender, and four baskets of fruits and veggies we need for the week. We still have a bowl for apples, pears, and bananas on the island. Going forward, our "grocery shopping" for the week really means a couple of trips to Eli's for more fresh stuff.

I have also stocked up on vegan/vegetarian staples: lentils, the seeds (flax, chia, hemp), the coconut and almond milk, the coconut and alkaline water, agave, pure maple, Tahini, and spelt flour.  I have a new vegetarian cookbook scheduled for delivery on Monday. Meanwhile, I am planning on eating the rest of my detox soups this week, plus cooking a couple of vegetarian dishes: Chiles Rellenos with Black Beans (hubby will eat this with me) plus I am going to try roasted sweet potatoes with Miso, ginger, and scallions, then roasted cauliflower, some interesting stuff with brussels sprouts for snack, and more. 

Now this may not seem like a big deal to anyone, but I assure you, my family is in shock! I do not cook. Correction ... I DID not cook; I do now. I am cooking almost every day ... and enjoying it, much to my surprise! I look forward to finding and trying new recipes every week. I am also looking forward to experimenting with vegan desserts that will satisfy my sweet cravings.

I am very blessed! I am excited about the path I am on. Why don't you join me?