Breast Cancer Chronicles: Finding the EASE Within Disease

         My cousin texted me no more than 10 mins ago with an idea, healthy dessert alternatives for the Holidays! DUH Jenny, well truth be told it's been on the agenda at some point but I'm juggling lots of things at the moment. When she texted me I stopped and just decided let's do this now!! Installments to come, this'll be the starter kit! When Jess and I first met up to discuss the BIG diet change she had snacks prepared for me, was ready to make food with me send me home with delicious food.....it was AMAZING (BTW someone should have revoked my AmazonPrime membership that day....le sigh) One of the desserts/snacks  Jess made that I adore now are little raw protein balls, I can only do 2 of the 3 (can anyone tell me DEFINITLEY if cacao is a legume or a seed????) , but they are all delicious. They are the Pumpkin Seed ball, The Machta Ball, and the Walnut Brownie Ball. I will attach links to all the recipes below, PLEASE feel free to take liberties with these, S

      For those who have known me for a while you know that I have an AWFUL, TERRIBLE side to me, which means you know the very minute my hunger turns into anger that I have become HANGRY. This word has gained popularity lately, but I'm pretty sure my friend Blake made it up when we were in high school and she would make me eat something when my blood sugar dropped (and my attitude worsened) Now why was I so notoriously hangry? I believe it was because I wasn't properly nourished. My good friend, Jess Hilton, is a healthy, natural foods, organic chef. Her food is amazing, and in the words of our friend Lauren "Jess' food is just sexy!" Yes, yes it is and you know what makes it extra sexy? It's SO GOOD for you and tastes amazing! This past weekend a couple girlfriends and I went to Goda Yoga in Culver City and met with Jess for a workshop to discuss healthy eating habits and choices. We discussed recipes, styles of eating, nutrition, how to read labels, eating

Happy weekend everyone! It's been a little crazy out there so I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend! Today I'm making some homemade kombucha! In my pre-cancer days I used to think kombucha looked absolutely disgusting, and when my friend Dana used to show me how to make it I think I actually may have called her gross (whoopsy?). But luckily Dana is a forgiving soul and last night when a couple girlfriends insisted on coming over for dinner (thanks for that btw), she brought with her the makings for a fresh batch of kombucha!! Today I attempt on my own! Before I get into the recipe let me explain to you why I'm drinking this weird drink. Kombucha is a fermented food, I know it sounds like it may be disgusting but I promise you it's not! Fermented foods have been through a process called lactofermentation. Lactofermentation is a process in which natural bacteria feeds on the starch and sugar in the food creating lactic acid. Lactofermantation preserves the food

        July 14, 2015, it was a Tuesday. It started almost like any other Tuesday morning, I woke up, had breakfast and was getting ready for a late morning walk to the beach when my phone rang. It was a number I didn't know so I normally wouldn't pick up, but this wasn't like any other Tuesday. On this particular Tuesday I was awaiting test results from a biopsy I had on a lump located in my right breast. I still feel terrible for the woman on the other end of the line, having to tell this 31 year old woman over the phone that she had breast cancer. Over the phone you say?? Yes I was told over the phone that I had cancer (having no insurance I was dealing with a wonderful women's clinic that didn't have much in the way of funding) and I fell directly to my knees and began to sob. Since that day I have had 3 surgeries, 8 rounds of IV chemo, 35 rounds of radiation, hormone therapy, and now chemotherapy pills. Oh yes and my original diagnosis of Stage II cancer turn