LIVING with cancer: yoga for those with cancer benefits

According to the American Cancer Society, patients who practice yoga says it leads to a state of physical health, relaxation, happiness, and peace. 🧘🏼‍♀️ Some evidence shows that yoga can lower stress, increase strength, and lessen lower back pain while providing exercise. 🧘🏼‍♀️ A report from the National Institute of Health, suggests yoga may be helpful when used alongside conventional medical treatment to relieve some of the symptoms linked to cancer.
Workouts are beneficial to our health (physically and mentally) on many levels. Are you working out? What’s your workout of choice?
#workoutmotivation #yoga #yogaposes #yogaforhealth

Your friends,

Jen & Darren Delvaux

LIVING with cancer: being thankful for cancer???

It’s easy to think of one thing you’re grateful for each day, right?? But what if you had to come up with something that hasn't been so fun, a difficult time or a struggle, but you are grateful for it because of what you have learned. Could you do it??⁣⁣
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Heres mine:⁣⁣
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I'm grateful for the HUGE lesson Darren and I learned when he was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009... We learned life can be short and can be changed in a split second!! And can still be a total roller coaster at times🙈! Honestly, before his diagnosis we were just getting by.. Not anymore! We live everyday to the fullest! We push harder in ALL areas of our life so we can fulfill each and everyone of our dreams!!!! We laugh, we love and we enjoy all the moments. We’ve even learned to find joy in the middle of a struggle!! Tonight is Day 1 of 5 of chemo. I know this week we’ll have a little more down time. We’ll watch movies that make us laugh & focus on what we can control, which is our attitudes.⁣⁣
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I would LOVE to know yours!! What lesson in life are you grateful for?  If you are struggling with cancer or a loved one is, or you are a care taker, please join our support group here.

Your friends,
Jen & Darren Delvaux

LIVING with cancer: advice for the care-taker

Being responsible for the care of a family member or friend can be exhausting. If adequate attention isn't given to self care, can lead to compassion fatigue and burnout. So, what can caregivers do to care for themselves while they care for others? Despite the importance of self care, many people put their own needs on the back burner while caring for a loved one with cancer. Neglecting your own health, however, is not only harmful to you, but reduces your ability to be the best caregiver possible!⁣
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Remember, when your needs are taken care of, the person you care for will benefit, too. It is crucial that caregivers take steps to take care of themselves. ⁣
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My top 5 things you should do for yourself as the caregiver:⁣
1. Exercise. You may think that you don’t have the time or the energy to exercise every day, but the truth is that your body needs to move for at least ten minutes every day. Exercising for just 10 minutes a day will improve your physical health, energy levels, and mental health as well. The more movement you can include in your daily doings, the better the results are for your health and overall well-being.⁣
2. Eat right. Ask friends to bring healthy & nutritious meals that you can freeze and heat up in the future. Eat fresh fruits & vegetables, add good fats into your diet, and stick with lean proteins. Increase your water intake, too. ⁣
3. Get sufficient sleep. Sleep is extremely important for the brain & body. While it’s important to get as much sleep as you can overnight, don’t miss out the opportunity of naps during the day. There is no denying the fact that caregiving can be very exhausting and in order to give good care you need to take naps when you can. ⁣
4. Visit Nature. Simply going outside can refresh you enough so that you can stay focused, calm and more centered. And if you are one of those caregivers who have pets around, try spending time with them regularly. Spending time with pets can do wonders for stress management and mental health.⁣
5. Treat yourself. Everyone needs to recharge and take time out for themselves. This practice can help you get refreshed and rejuvenated, when you come back as a caregiver again.

For more on caretaker tips as well as Darren's top tips for LIVING with cancer, fill this out to get our free downloadable eBook:

http://www.jendelvaux.com/living/

Your friend & coach,

Jen Delvaux

LIVING with cancer: mindset matters!

Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? 🐢 🐇
The 🐇was so certain that he would win the race that he sat down and went to sleep.

The 🐢 just plodded on and kept going, always thinking that he had a chance of winning. When the hare woke, he started running as fast as he could, but he was just too late: the 🐢 had won. 🏆
The 🐢 had a positive mindset. He believed that he needed to work hard and keep going if he was to win. He was also not afraid of failure or he would never have agreed to race the hare. Yes, hard work, effort, and persistence are all important, but not as important as having that underlying belief that you are in control of your own destiny.

Your mindset is everything.

Your mindset will determine whether you will be committed to achieving your goals when things get tough, as we all know they will, because no human goes through life without huge challenges.

For more on our mindset tips & caregiving advice for those with cancer: www.jendelvaux.com/living

Your friends and coach,
Jen & Darren Delvaux

LIVING with cancer: dealing with the new normal.

How do/did you talk to your kids about your (your loved ones) cancer diagnosis? It is tough enough to process and even talk to one another, as adults, about….so how do you talk to your children about it?⁣
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I remember growing up and watching #mrrogersneighborhood regularly, anyone else? His lessons taught so many wonderful things and he really covered some tough topics. So, I’m turning to some of his lessons to share some thoughts on this topic.⁣
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Mr. Rogers said, "Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone."⁣
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Our latest podcast, Mr. Worldwide & his bride, we talk about cancer and how much it changes your life. We go over the new normal of facing this diagnosis and challenges along with it. We would be honored if you took a listen! :) Our podcast covers all kinds of things cancer - and us LIVING with cancer.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/creating-a-new-normal/id1436449587?i=1000455976929

Your friends & coaches

Jen & Darren Delvaux

For our top cancer tips free download:

LIVING with cancer

The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." - Elizabeth Kubler Ross⁣

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I think the focus of the quote is not just any person who makes it through a hard difficult time, but those that do so - or are doing so - and then continue to be a positive force in the world. ⁣
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Cancer can rob us of many things. Our health, our finances, our hair, a limb, etc. It can be absolutely destructive and ugly. BUT, you have the power to turn something so horrifically ugly into something beautiful. How powerful is that? How powerful are YOU? How beautiful you are!

Our newest podcast episode is up - deep and powerful questions like "how long do I have to live" and more are covered! I'd be honored if you took a listen! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/so-how-long-do-i-have-to-live/id1436449587?i=1000455371245

Your friends & coaches
Jen & Darren Delvaux

Get our FREE downloadable book with our top caregiver tips and advice for LIVING with cancer:

Halloween STUFFED PEPPERS!

Halloween = sugar. Chocolate bars, toffees, candies… my teeth start to hurt just thinking about it! What I love about this stuffed peppers recipe is that it’s a festive twist on a savory dish. You get to feel the spirit of Halloween, with a little less sugar! And they are ADORABLE!

You’ll want a sharp knife that is small enough to make tiny cuts - the fun part really is carving the bell peppers!

Ingredients

• 4 medium orange bell peppers
• 2 tsp olive oil
  


1 lb. raw 93% lean ground turkey
½ medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
Ground black pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce, no sugar added
1 cup black beans drained, rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup water
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Slice stem end off peppers (save for later). Remove seeds and veins from peppers. Cut a jack-o-lantern face out of one side of each pepper. Stand peppers upright in baking dish and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 F.
3. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add turkey; cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until almost browned.
5. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
6. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
7. Add chili powder, cumin, pepper (if desired), tomato sauce, and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. Add rice, mix well.
9. Fill peppers with turkey mixture. Top with reserved stem end of peppers. Add water to the baking dish. Cover with foil.
10. Bake peppers for 12-15 minutes or until tender-crisp.
11. Remove stem top of peppers, sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
12. Replace tops and serve!

Container Equivalents: 2 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, ½ blue, ½ tsp.

2B Mindset Plate It: A great lunch option!

Your friend and coach,

Jen Delvaux

P.S As you may know, my husband is fighting brain cancer (grade 4 glioblastoma). We are opening a cancer fighter/cancer caregiver support group - would you be interested (or someone you know) in joining!?? Tips on cancer, nutrition, health, relationships, etc. all while fighting this horrific disease! Sign up below if you would like to be added!