From all of my review of literature related to cancer treatment I have found that approaching healing from many directions, mental, physical, and spiritual can be very effective. This includes visualization, meditation, exercises, walking, supplementation, prayer, Yoga and other methods. I think the important thing is to carefully investigate any particular method for yourself, try it out, taking small measures at first rather than going all out, in other words pace yourself and listen to your body. Above all, educate yourself, read everything you can find on it.
I have foud this to be true. When you find something that seems promising, talk to your physicians or other medical practitioners about it and try it out.

Sunnylady, first, I wanted to say that I love your nickname!
I am no expert, but I agree with everything you listed in your post. I do visualization, supplementation (mainly, curcumin) and, whenever I have time, I practise qigong, which is similar to tai ch'i. It helps me immensely.
It is indeed important to tell our doctors what we are doing. Even if we know that they will not approve. It doesn't matter. As a listserv friend told me once, we need to take our health and health choices into our own hands. And, as you say, we must listen to our bodies.
I also juice (using a twin gear juicer), and yes, I educate myself on what I should eat. Of course, if some day chocolate with almonds is found to be a cure for MM, I will be the happiest woman on the planet! ;-)
Margaret

I've had trouble with balance and nerve pain so I just went back to yoga postures to get some relief- Just bought a Pilates book for Fragile backs and am considering adding these exercises to my routine. Started looking for tai chi lessons for both exercise and new friends. Never uderestimate the healing power fo friends. Right, Margaret-Mary

You are so right, Mary. The support and love of our friends is essential. At the top of my "friendly" list is Stefano, my husband, my best friend in the world. I have other friends here, too, but not very many. As we say in Italian, "pochi ma buoni," meaning "few ones but good ones." I used to have a lot of friends when I was growing up here, but have found that only the REAL ones are worth keeping. And when something is REALLY wrong with you (like, say, you get a MM diagnosis...just an example of course...;-)), that's when you can tell a REAL friend from a fake one. So, in time, I have kept in touch only with a few friends, the ones who will do anything for me and I for them.
Now I have my close MM "listserv" friends, like you and David and a few others. I have learned a lot from all of you, and am very grateful for having met you. If only traveling were not such a drag and an expense and we could all meet up here in Florence! My house is big enough! Hey, this is my open invitation to my MM friends out there!
By the way, does anybody else have a problem with the word "caregiver" besides me? I have no idea why it bothers me, but for some reason it does. Hmmm. Another word that bothers me, and it's very much used in the MM community is "warrior." I am a pacifist (not in my visualizations, though!) and the military terminology bugs me a lot. I don't even care for "survivor." It makes me think of Tom Hanks in "Cast Away." Not an uplifting image. I mean, that was a great movie, but rather horrifying, too. Is this wrong or silly of me? Does anybody else feel that way? Ok, I am going to shut up, now! Take care, Margaret

If anyone is interested, I have a method of mediation I actually
purchased about 30 years by the mail. I do not think these people
are in business anymore. The used to sell this and two ways of
improving your memory--one of which they claimed could help you
to develop a photographic memory. Yeah right.

At any rate, the meditation method was very good. If you would like
me to post it, I would be glad to do so. It is like TM, but you
make your own mantra based on what was then current psycholinguistic
research. I actually paid them for an analysis of what was my proper
mantra. I had saved all of that also, but it seems I have lost that part.

Someone from the acor group wrote to me off list and told me one of her doctors had some kind of intractable brain cancer, but he seems to have delayed its progression by meditation.

People mean different things by meditation. I am not talking about quietly reflecting. And I am not talking about Zen meditation, which is completely different, as you focus on a mental image instead of
a sound. And the brain wave patterns are completely different. I have absolutely no idea where I learned this, but I read it somewhere about 25 years ago.

At any rate, if you are all interested, and there is room on the site,
I would be glad to post it.

Alex

Please post that info, Alex, if possible. I would be interested in seeing it. I do visualizations, my own form of visualizations, since I have no formal training in it, nor have I read any books about it. I simply put on some music (my favorite is the Chronicles of Narnia soundtrack), begin relaxing, and visualize whatever I want to, which usually involves the killing of my MM cells. Very relaxing. Makes me feel better. And I also hope that I am waking up my immune system!
Thanks, Alex,
Margaret

Breathing, or Pranayama as it is know to yoga devotees,is an important
and valuable technique which can be a great help.You don't have to
stand on your head or put your feet behind your neck or similar stunts,
you simply have to breath ... slowly ...
It's at night that the spooks torment me, and it's at night that most people die.But now I simply get comfy in bed and breath thus - Ready for a lesson? OK.
There are three parts of the body involved: the diaphragm, the lower chest,and the upper chest.First expel all air then expand the diaphragm
followed by the lower chest, then the upper chest.Breath out in reverse
order.Try to take 5 seconds with each area, that's 15 seconds in and 15 out, half a minute in total.If your lungs are damaged or your not in
good shape you'll take less time but with practice you'll improve.
touch the phalanges of the fingers of one hand to count - 12 phalanges
that's 6 minutes in all. It will make you calmer and bring detachment.
Please don't think "How quaint" and then move on, give it a try.
It can only do you good.
Old Bill.

Interesting post, Old Bill. I am going to try out these breathing exercises. Thanks! And by the way, don't let those spooks get you down! Remember what happened to the wicked witch of the East, or was it the wicked witch of the West? Hmmm. Well, anyway, she MELTED. So, make those spooks melt while you are breathing on them (hey, and if you eat garlic for dinner, it makes for a better melting effect). ;-) Margaret

I can't really figure out how this breathing thing works, Old Bill. I don't suppose you could elaborate for Beginners Breathing 101? :-) Thanks so much!
Margaret

Sure thing, Margaret.
First of all,the diaphragm.This is the large muscle which separates the
heart and lungs from the stomach and intestines and things.If you push your tummy out and then pull your tummy in you are using your
diaphragm to do so.
Usually when resting we use our diaphragm to breath in and out.
It will be very shallow breathing because we are not exerting ourselves and do not need to breath heavily.
To take a really deep breath we need to expand our ribs in order to fill
our lungs as much as possible.Athletes need to do this, also active
youngsters, but as we get older we don't.(When was the last time you ran for a bus?)
So let's try diaphragm breathing. First breath right out.Then
keeping the ribs compressed push your tummy out to breath in
then pull you tummy in to breath out.Put you hands over the
diaphragm to feel the movement.
Keeping your tummy out expand your ribs so that more air is
breathed in.
Think your lungs are full? well there is probably room for more.
Keeping erect with your head upright expand top of the chest
so that the air is drawn in almost to your neck.
This last movement is upper chest breathing, something we never
normally do, and where the 'cobwebs' gather.
Breathing out is the reverse - upper chest in,
lower chest in, diaphragm in.Give a little squeeze at the end
to make sure that as much air as possible is expelled.
That's it really,but a word of caution - do it slowly.
Rapid breathing can bring on hyperventilation. You may feel tightness
in the chest or giddiness and fits of yawning, not very nice,so
keep it slow.The six minutes I mentioned by counting the phalanges
of the fingers will be sufficient for a start without any risk.

Good breathing oxygenates the whole body, and sickness and oxygen
do not get on together.
Hope this is of help.
Old Bill.

Thanks a lot, I am going to try this tonight. :-) Margaret

Gee sunnylady-

From all of my review of literature related to cancer treatment I have found that approaching healing from many directions, mental, physical, and spiritual can be very effective. This includes visualization, meditation, exercises, walking, supplementation, prayer, Yoga and other methods. I think the important thing is to carefully investigate any particular method for yourself, try it out, taking small measures at first rather than going all out, in other words pace yourself and listen to your body. Above all, educate yourself, read everything you can find on it. I have foud this to be true. When you find something that seems promising, talk to your physicians or other medical practitioners about it and try it out.

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is what the B-M.org site, sdi's and listserv are all about. I will send you a check now. thanks

David

Mary-

"Never uderestimate the healing power fo friends."
There have been several studies done on this subject- social relationships really is good for us. The idea behind the B-M site is that we live better longer through social support while learning about our disease.

David

Margaret-

"By the way, does anybody else have a problem with the word "caregiver" besides me? I have no idea why it bothers me, but for some reason it does. Hmmm. Another word that bothers me, and it's very much used in the MM community is "warrior."

Some terms I use because I think that most of us know what I am talking about and therefore it is more useful- mmer, caregiver, etc. But I don't use the term "beast" because I think that this term gives mm more personality and sort of anthropomorphosises our disease, and therefore gives mm more credit than it diserves.

David