Chlorophyll vs. Cancer

Photo: Mimo trying to steal some cucumber skins during my juicing operation.

The last few weeks have been green. Green thumb and green juice. I’ve entered the forays of green living. And we all know what Kermit says.

Prior to finding out I had cancer, I had picked up Kris Carr’s Crazy Sexy Diet, a book that gives kudos to drinking copious amounts of green juice and having a mostly alkaline diet. It was my initial plan to begin adhering to a stricter diet in order to feel better. Part of me thinks that perhaps I knew something was wrong prior to my diagnosis.

Even though my doctors told me before beginning chemo treatments that I wouldn’t have to change my diet, I knew better.

With large amounts of chemicals entering my body, releasing large amounts of toxins, I understood that a certain amount of detoxification had to occur.

I had already attempted to cut out caffeine beginning last autumn. Coffee was like a spiteful, but charming, ex that kept tempting me back. I would break my ritual of non-coffee drinking with an excuse to keep myself awake, but immediately regret it with a pounding headache and racing heart.

It was like experiencing my week of coffee withdrawal in one guilt-laden sip.

Since my hospital stay, I’ve stuck with herbal tea, and the occasional green tea, if I want a beverage choice outside of juice and water.

The only time I am around coffee now is when I use the grounds (from the local Starbucks) for my new compost pile.

In finding a project that preoccupies my time and attention, I’ve turned to gardening. So far, it’s been nothing overly fancy, as I had limited knowledge on keeping plants alive with previous attempts. However, with research from both online sources and library books, I’ve become a lot more informed on keeping plants happy and healthy. Currently in my container garden there are some flowers, given to me from friends in the hospital. There are 7 herbs: lavender, basil, boxwood basil, cilantro, lemon mint, sweet mint, and parsley. I also found a Roma tomato plant already producing fruit. Days later, I went to a Dallas nursery and picked up a satsuma tree.

I think I have an addiction. A few more plants or trees and I could quite possibly become Crazy Plant Lady.

Since I cook quite a bit with fresh vegetables, the compost bin is filled with cooking scraps. The hope is that the compost will be ready in the late summer or fall when I’m ready to begin planting for the spring. I’ve ordered a catalog from the Seed Savers Exchange to pick out some heirloom varieties to grow this year into the next. I would like to grow some of the things that go into the green juice that I now consume first thing in the morning. It’s a mixture of cucumber, kale, broccoli, apple, and ginger, and frankly tastes green.

Nothing like swirling emerald green juice in a mason jar and taking it with you to work to scare people.

Then again, it’s the ultimate showdown: chlorophyll vs. cancer.

I hedge my bets on the green stuff.