Moonflower Health and Wellness, LLC - Dr. Denise Spector

09/21/2020

Found on Google from india.com

07/01/2020

What a very special gift for my beloved husband's birthday today to learn of this collaborative effort from several organizations focused on awareness and research for Lyme Disease and other Tick-Borne Illnesses. Neil and his colleagues have some very intriguing ongoing research around Lyme Disease, as well as the bacteria Bartonella and a possible link with cancer. Please consider donating to help keep this important research funded.

With gratitude💗

💚 While Neil may not have worn a cape, many would say that he was a “superhero” and some called him a “saint.” 💚

The Lyme Disease Challenge team is honored to collaborate with Dana Parish, Lyme Awareness MN, Bay Area Lyme Foundation, The LivLyme Foundation, Sam's Spoons Foundation, Ride Out Lyme, and The Dean Center for Tick Borne Illness to honor Dr. Neil Spector on what would have been his 64th Birthday.

We are asking for our followers to take a pledge today to keep fighting — to get well and/or to help others get well. As Neil would often say (quoting his mother), "If you have helped one person, you've changed the world."

Please help fight for a cure & honor Neil's legacy by donating to fund his groundbreaking research on Lyme and Bartonella using targeted therapies similar to what is used in cancer treatments.

100% of donations made through this link will fund this research: www.bayarealyme.org/drspector

💚

05/12/2020

For all of you yogis out there, as well as for those who may be interested in discovering the amazing mind-body benefits of yoga and meditation, please check out the FREE YogaZoomFest offered this weekend through the fantastic non-profit, YouCallThisYoga.

So many wonderful teachers offering a range of different types of yoga and meditation throughout the weekend. See the flyer below and check out the schedule on the website:

https://youcallthisyoga.org/yogazoomfest/

05/10/2020

Wishing all of you amazing moms, whether to human or fur babies (or both), a very peaceful, healthy, and joy-filled Mother's Day!

If looking for some nutritious, yet very tasty recipes to whip up for this special day, check these out in the link below from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR). I especially LOVE the decadent chocolate treat!

Still searching for a Mother’s Day gift? Take the work off of Mom’s plate and make her feel extra special this year by cooking her a meal or treat at home!

04/21/2020

A New Journey

It has been quite a while since I last posted, but it is not entirely due to the global pandemic and the sequalae it has led to in all of our lives. We are all on a new journey, one that none of us could ever have anticipated, as we adjust and navigate life with COVID-19. It is much like a living nightmare as this type of situation only occurred in Sci-fi movies and shows like ER and Grey’s Anatomy, yet it is our new reality. The impact has gone beyond what anyone might have expected as many of us are sheltered at home doing our part to stay safe so we can help keep others safe and well. In the midst of this very volatile local, national and global situation, my family has had yet another personal challenge to contend with which is why I have neglected sending out a post for over a month.

In addition to caring for my mother who has metastatic cancer, my husband recently became seriously ill due to a late post-heart transplant complication (he was blessed to receive the gift of life with a new heart in 2009). Last month Neil was in and out of the hospital, but mostly in the hospital, the majority of the month right as COVID-19 was really ramping up in our area and hospital restrictions for visitors took effect. What an incredible strain for us to be apart during some of his hospital stays, especially when I was unable to go into the emergency room with him when he was ravaged with fever and pain due to the illness and subsequent treatments. I could never have imagined just dropping my husband off at the ER and not knowing when I would see him again, but that is what I had to do and I thought I would lose it in that moment when I was told “you can’t go in with him”. Instead of losing control I quietly and lovingly said “I’ll see you soon” and went back home to get my mom ready so I could take her for her cancer treatment at the same hospital I was banned from going into with my husband. The thoughts that were whirling through my head quieted only by mindful meditation moments. Because Neil had a fever, he had to be tested for COVID-19 and was then sent to an isolation unit created in the hospital for this pandemic. It was a time of great fear and was horrific for the two of us to be apart. It was like living within a horror film, but it was really happening to us. After many hours in strict isolation with his only human contact being a courageous nurse in her full PPE (personal protective equipment) to hang antibiotics, he was finally told he was negative for the virus and could be moved to a regular room (whatever that means today, since nothing is really regular in the hospital these days). Thankfully he made it home safely after the third admission and he is slowly recovering, but he will require further treatments where we will have to navigate the new outpatient clinic world with everyone wearing their PPE. Obviously going for outpatient treatments is more bearable for both of us than having him in the hospital. Now that he is home, his healing process has begun through unconditional love, emotional support, nourishment, meditation, progressive exercise and rest – LOTS of rest!

Through this global and personal new journey, I have fully appreciated how vitally important self-care is especially for the caregiver as they provide the needed care for others. While there were many times I could have easily fallen apart emotionally and physically during this ordeal, I felt strongly grounded due to my personal self-care practices that include nature walks (even if they were brief some days), gentle yoga, meditation, adequate sleep/rest (when possible), wholesome nutrition (somedays this meant eating the not so fresh veggies and fruit on Neil’s hospital tray, but at least I was getting some nutrients) and lastly GRATITUDE. Despite all of the chaos, fear, anxiety, and uncertainty I was able to maintain a sense of gratitude – gratitude for our wonderful and supportive family and friends and for all of the amazing health care workers and support staff at the hospital including the personnel in dietary, environmental, and transport services. I salute you all and give thanks for your being there to help in times of need!
While I reflect on gratitude as being a part of self-care, I want to share a gratitude practice that has been personally beneficial and one that I have shared with my patients, students, workshop participants, colleagues, and family in need of an emotional uplift.

"Three Good Things"

1. Begin by thinking about what happened in your day and write down three positive things, either small or big that brought about a smile or laughter, feelings of accomplishment at work or home, a strengthened connection with a family member, friend, co-worker, acquaintance or a stranger, and/or a sense of hope for the future.

2. You can begin your journal entry with "I am grateful for..." and write your statements.

3. An alternative to the Three Good Things exercise is to write a short journal entry in paragraph form about a positive experience.

4. Journal entries can be done daily or 3-4 times a week.

5. When feeling down, take out your journal read your entries and reflect on the many positive things in your life.

I hope you consider giving it a try and may you find some comfort as you reflect on that which is good in your lives, even in the midst of adversity.

May you all be safe and stay well!

03/04/2020

March is Kidney Cancer Awareness Month

We often don’t hear too much about kidney cancer as it is much less common than many other cancers, however it is estimated that approximately 75,000 Americans will be diagnosed with this disease in 2020. When detected and treated early, when still localized to the kidney, the 5-year survival rate is over 90%, but once the disease has spread to distant parts of the body (metastatic disease) this 5-year survival rate drops dramatically to about 12% according to national statistics from the American Cancer Society.

Since this is a cancer not often spoken about, many individuals may be unaware of the risk factors associated with kidney cancer and they may easily overlook signs and symptoms of the disease.

Known risk factors include:

Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, overuse of some common pain medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and exposure to cadmium which is contained in paints, batteries, and welding materials.

Signs and symptoms:

Blood in the urine, persistent back pain, anemia (low red blood cell count), fatigue, unexplained weight loss, and loss of appetite.

While I am currently in the midst of navigating the challenges of caring for a loved one with metastatic kidney cancer, my hope is that with increased awareness and risk reduction approaches, many of which are lifestyle-related, more kidneys and more lives will be saved.

Protect those precious bean-shaped organs!

02/04/2020

World Cancer Day 2020 - "I AM and I Will" is the theme this year
Today is a special day for bringing awareness to the burden of cancer in our world, which includes the physical, emotional, spiritual and financial burdens. There is still much to be done in the areas of prevention, screening/early detection, treatment strategies and economic costs to lower the impact of this disease across the globe. Each of us can play a role and to find out more about how you can spread the word follow the link below:

An international awareness day led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise worldwide attention and inspire action for a cancer-free future.

01/28/2020

It is no surprise that emotional well-being and lower levels of stress are related to better overall health. Studies have shown that chronic stress affects our genetic pathways that may make us more vulnerable to chronic illnesses such as cancer. So take a little time each day to do something that brings you joy and fuels your soul! It may be spending time with those you love being around, engaging in a stress-reducing activity such as yoga and/or meditation, doing something to help someone else, or even watching a hilarious movie to get you laughing.

For other ideas read this recent article in the link from the American Cancer Society on Nurturing Your Emotional Health

Taking care of yourself emotionally can help you feel better and work better. Find out what you can do to stay positive and happy.

01/21/2020

The Power of Exercise for Cancer Prevention

While there have been many studies over the years showing that individuals who routinely exercise can reduce their risk for certain cancers, here is a recent study with more supportive evidence. This study revealed strong support for the general US exercise guidelines of engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise/week having an impact on the reduction of risk for cancers of the breast, colon, endometrium, kidney, liver, as well as both multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The risk reductions ranged from 10% up to 27% depending on the type of cancer. Unfortunately only about 1/4 of the US population is meeting the current exercise guidelines and just think of the reduction in the burden of cancer in our society if more individuals would move more. Two key factors for success in achieving the exercise recommendations is finding a type of exercise that is enjoyable and then taking small, realistic steps towards adding it into your life. Considering that walking is one of the most common forms of regular exercise, one can begin with walking 5 minutes/day over a week and then 10 minutes/day the next week and gradually build up to 30 minutes/day on most days of the week. The rewards will be worth it!!

Cancers of the kidney, liver, breast and colon may all be fended off by increased physical activity.

01/14/2020

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

Cervical cancer is the 4th most common cancer in women and it just happens to be one of the most preventable and treatable cancers. With HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) vaccination in girls and screening among women, cervical cancer mortality has significantly decreased over the years. This is great news however the rates could potentially be lowered if vaccination rates were higher. A recent study indicated that vaccination rates among US adolescents was only 51% and that this rate had stalled from the previous year for girls, but not for boys interestingly. Parents of young children need to be educated about the benefits of HPV vaccination since they could substantially reduce their daughters' future risk for hearing the words, “you have cervical cancer”.

For more information about cervical cancer follow the link below:

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2019-01-15/vaccine-screening-can-prevent-cervical-cancer-deaths

01/07/2020

I am delighted to be offering free weekly gentle yoga classes starting Sunday 1/19 in Chapel Hill to those touched by cancer, which includes cancer survivors as well as their caregivers (e.g., significant other, spouse, child, friend). Lori Burgwyn, the studio owner of Franklin Street Yoga has been gracious in offering her beautiful studio space for these classes and is doing so in partnership with the non-profit organization, You call this YOGA. Through this organization, several other free yoga classes for cancer are being offered around the triangle area, For more information please see the flyer.

In addition to the many physical benefits of yoga in general, such as improved strength, balance and flexibility, regular yoga and meditation practice have been shown through research to decrease stress/anxiety, fatigue, and pain, as well as improve mood, sleep, and quality of life among cancer survivors.

Please come join me and discover how yoga can enhance your overall sense of well-being and find a little peace along the way! Also, I would be very grateful if those in the triangle area could share this information with people they know who have been affected by cancer. Thank you!!