What Will You Do When You don't have money for chemo and radiation.

Cancer has become one of the greatest killers of mankind. We've been made to believe that without the popular conventional treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, we don't stand a chance to survive.

Even after one's pocket has been emptied, the outcomes are, more often than not, unfavourable.

Despite the billions of dollars and the input of the best brains the world has to offer, cancer is still killing us like flies. So what is really going on? Are we saying that cancer cells can't be killed without killing or damaging ourselves?

The cancer treatments that are available are too expensive, so harsh and too invasive. They take more from you faster than cancer does and then leave you much more vulnerable afterwards than before you started the treatment. One known fact is that chemotherapy kills cancer cells and your healthy cells, which is why one becomes vulnerable to anything, including the cancer cells that have survived.

So what happens to those who don't have the money for the treatment? Wait for cancer to eat you up and leave you writhing in pain while praying for death?

Many people are becoming more proactive in their approach to treating cancer these days. There are many plants with the properties of killing cancer cells and shrinking tumours. Treating and healing yourself of cancer is a tough job. You can try instead of folding your arms and living in fear.

Some plants with cancer killing properties:

Soursop leaves and fruits.
Hog plum leaves.
False ashoka (Fashola trees) leaves.
Pawpaw leaves.
Mango leaves.
Neem leaves and bark.
Sweet wormwood.
Lemongrass.
African nutmeg bark.
Wheatgrass.

Healing is not limited to drinking herbs, taking medication and supplements. Dietary and lifestyle changes must be part of your healing protocol if you are aiming for effective healing. Most diseases do not just happen because food and lifestyle are factors that determine your health status.

Your medical practitioner is never going to recommend alternative remedies or therapies because they are prevented from recommending any treatment that is not approved by your country Food and Drug Agency. Plants and herbs are never going to get this approval because no big pharmaceutical company will invest millions of dollars on a product that they can't patent and make billions from.

So what will you do if you have cancer and no money for expensive treatments? Please don't fold your arms in defeat and allow cancer to ravage you. Research properly on time for alternative treatments. There are so many treatments that cost almost nothing. Take the steps before your condition worsens and then you can't have a say in what to do. Fighting cancer is tough but you can do it!

Let's hear from you about cancer survival using natural treatments below please. That is if your story is real and can help someone out there. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.

Healthy African Snack 9: Tanfiri/Donkwa.

Tanfiri or donkwa is a snack that originates from West Africa. Tanfiri qualifies as a healthy snack because most of the ingredients are minimally processed and as such have most of their nutrients intact.

Tanfiri ingredients;

• Roasted corn meal powder. Read about the benefits of corn here.
• Roasted ground nut powder.
• Ground chili pepper powder.
• Groundnut oil. Read about the benefits of groundnut oil here.
• Cloves. Read about the benefits of cloves here.
• Sugar.
• Water.

Tanfiri is simply prepared by mixing all the ingredients listed above together and moulding into round shapes. It is quite sad that we do not appreciate most of our traditional healthy snacks. What we use to judge them is the way they are made, their sometimes unappealing apperance and the people who make and sell them.

Share your healthy snacks below. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.

Healthy African Snack 8: Fura Da Nono.

Fura da nunu is a refreshing beverage that is made from fermented milk and ground millet grains. It originates from the Fulani people of West Africa. Fura da nono is made from ingredients which have been processed in ways that have preserved the nutrients.

Ingredients for fura da nono.

• Fermented cow milk.
• Ground millet.
• Spices like ginger, cloves and pepper.
• Sugar (optional).

Ingredients health benefits.

1. Millet contains magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, serotonin, fiber, carbohydrates, B complex vitamins and antioxidants. Millet is gluten free, digests easily and acts as a prebiotic. It is also used as a whole grain in the fura da nono beverage.
2. Fermented or sour milk contains probiotics, enzymes, easily digestible proteins and sugars. Sour milk also contains minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, molybdenum and cobalt. B complex vitamins are also present in sour milk.
3. Read here for more on ginger and here about cloves.
4. All peppers contain an active ingredient called capsaicin and other active phytonutrients with numerous health benefits.
   
   
   
   
   
   

Fura da nono is usually used as a beverage or food depending on the thickness, which is determined by the proportion of millet that is used. Fura da nono is a very healthy and highly nutritious beverage that most of us turn our backs to because it is produced by local Fulani women and we don’t trust their hygiene practices. It is however easy to prepare at home by yourself.

Share healthy snacks that you know from anywhere in the world below. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.

Breast Milk Is The Best Milk.

Breast milk is the milk produced by the mammary glands of a human female for her infant offspring for nutrition before the offspring is able to eat and digest other foods.

Breast feeding is something that is totally natural and should not need recommendation or suggestion to mothers before using. So how did we get to the level of being convinced to breast feed babies exclusively for the first few months when it was the norm before?

There is nothing equal to breast milk for a human baby in the first four months of life because nature designed it as the best nutrition for a baby. Breast milk is the best nutritional choice meal for infants especially in the first six months of their existence because it comes with nutrition, for easy digestion and antibodies which protect the child plus strengthen its immune system.

Baby formula came into being in the nineteenth century (1865) to replace wet nursing. Infant formula is a healthy alternative that is sometimes necessary to give an infant especially in situations in which the mother has passed on or the mother is not available for other reasons. It should however be an alternative and not first choice as is the trend now.

If the mother is not going to be available for just a few hours, breast milk can be expressed and refrigerated for the child.

There is nothing better than what nature has designed. Breast milk remains the best milk.

Share your experiences with breastfeeding and feelings about it below! Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell

Do Not Rule Out Other Forms Of Medicine.

Medicine is defined as the science and practice of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease. Disease is defined as imbalance in the body. Ideally, medicine strives to keep the body in balance for optimal health by preventing imbalances through practices that aim to maintain and restore good health.

Medicine has been practiced in one form or the other since the existence of man. Conventional medicine is what is referred to as mainstream medicine now and it is science-based. Other forms of medicine which have been practiced for centuries by many cultures all over world are now referred to as Alternative Medicine. Another term being used now is Complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM).

Science-based medicine has done so much and has a lot to offer especially when it comes to acute illnesses, trauma, emergencies, accurate diagnosis, etc., which other forms of medicine may not be able to offer partially or fully.

However when it comes to healing or managing chronic illnesses, alternative medicines may have more to offer. Some popular Alternatives are: 

Ayurveda.
Herbal Therapy, Herbalism.
African Traditional Medicine.
Acupuncture, Acupressure, Reflexology, etc.
Massage Therapy.
Chinese Traditional Medicine.

There are so many others that have worked and are working for many individuals. Each type of medicine has something to offer and they have given relief and healing to billions of people over the ages. If there is a health issue that mainstream medicine has not been able to resolve and you have been told there is not much that can be done again, then it is time for you to look for alternatives.

Alternative Medicine has value, so don’t close your mind to it or rule it out. At the same time, be careful with your choice by researching your options properly before starting whatever you decide to do.

Leave your comment, feedback or question below. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.

Healing Is Work No One Can Do For You.

Healing takes time, needs determination, takes courage

and requires patience.

When you are dealing with a health issue, your input is very important because you are the one that can really evaluate your outcomes by how you feel.

Even though you may have a team of professionals and caregivers, your input in terms of outlook, participation and how much you can work, is important. This is because the healing process takes time and a lot of work.

If you are not ready to work at healing yourself, you will find that you are only managing your symptoms and not reversing your condition.

Healing involves more than just popping pills and waiting for magic to occur. Your diet, exercise regime and lifestyle habits have to be modified to help you heal. No one else can do it for you. You are the one who can take the little steps that will take you far. You can do it!

Your caregivers should be your support and assistants while you should be in charge of the course that your healing will take. It really is hard work that no one can do for you.

Goat Weed Is No Ordinary Weed.

Goat weed grows in tropical areas and can sometimes become invasive, which is why it has been considered a weed. The botanical name for goat weed is Ageratum conyzoides while it is also known by names such as rerinkomi, imi esu (Yoruba) and akwukwo (Igbo) in Nigeria. It is also commonly known as white weed, billygoat-weed, chickweed and invading ageratum. Goat weed has other local names everywhere it is found.

Because goat weed contains a lot of important active phytochemicals like flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, coumarins, glycosides, phenols, sterols  and essential oils, it has been used for traditional healing in most of the places where it is found, including Nigeria due to the following properties:

• Antioxidant.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Antibacterial.
• Anticonvulsant.
• Analgesic.
• Astringent.
• Antispasmodic (muscle relaxant)

 Uses of the leaves.

• To treat skin disorders such as boils, psoriasis, eczema, rashes, burns, etc.
• To treat inflammatory conditions of the eyes.
• To treat respiratory infections and conditions like colds, coughs, asthma, pneumonia etc.
• To treat aches and pains.
• To treat infections.
• To stop bleeding.
• To dress wounds.
• To aid fertility and treat uterine disorders..
• To prevent ulcers and treat dyspepsia.
• To stimulate digestion.
• To expel gas.
• To treat inflammatory conditions of the joints like rheumatism, arthritis, etc.
• To prevent early miscarriage or abortion.
• To bring down feverish conditions.
• To cleanse the blood.

Uses of the flowers.

• To regulate menses.
• To alleviate menstrual pain.
• To stop bleeding.
• The whole plant may also be used for what the leaves are used for and also in the following ways:
• To treat abdominal pain.
• To treat dysentery.

The flower buds are said to heal cancerous growths. They are found everywhere including by the roadside and fields because of their invasive nature. The extract from the leaves also have insecticide properties.

All plants contain phytonutrients which are useful for healing. Even those that are regarded as weed! They are cheap and come with little or no side effects most of the time.

Leave your comment, feedback or question below. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell. 

Healthy African Snack 7: Egbo Ati Ewa.

Egbo is a delicacy that is made by cooking dry corn grains until they are very soft and burst open. Ewa means beans. The beans are cooked until they are very soft. Both the beans and corn are served together with pepper sauce or vegetable oil. They are prepared by the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria. Although they are usually served as a snack, they can also be used as a meal.

The sauce is made using scotch or bonnet pepper, red bell pepper, onions, palm oil and seasoning agents. The other two ingredients have only been dried for preservation and then cooked for processing prior to eating so most of the ingredients are present.

Corn grains and beans are both high in dietary fiber and contain lots of nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Read here about the benefits of corn. Beans are rich in proteins while corn grains are rich in carbohydrates.

This humble meal or snack is delicious and excellent for boosting digestion. There are no preservatives or additives added during preparation.

Share healthy snacks and meals below or by email to yvonnebosede06@gmail.com. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.