Awaken Your Path: A Journey Through Spiritual Healing & Plant-Based Living
Diet + Nutrition
After my diagnosis, I lost a significant amount of weight and quickly realized that to truly support my healing, I needed to make major changes in my lifestyle. I felt uncertain and overwhelmed, but everything shifted when I enrolled in Chris Wark’s Square One series and read Chris Beat Cancer. These resources were nothing short of transformative. Chris’s insights on food as medicine and his holistic approach to healing opened my eyes in ways I hadn’t expected. For the first time, I felt empowered, knowing I could make a tangible impact on how I felt simply by what I put in my body.
The Square One series provided a roadmap for using nutrition to fight cancer, emphasizing the power of an organic, plant-based diet, juicing, and understanding how food can either fuel or hinder recovery. Chris’s message that food can heal cancer deeply resonated with me. We began juicing regularly, eating only organic food, and eliminating all animal products, except for homemade bone broth. This wasn’t just a diet change; it was a complete shift in how I viewed food’s role in my health and recovery.
Two years after my diagnosis, and following my third stroke, we connected with a naturopathic oncologist, whose approach offered a completely new, yet complementary perspective. Their guidance, which included comprehensive genetic testing, specialized blood tests, and supplements, helped me understand how to better support my body on a deeper level.
Looking back, I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for how this journey has transformed my understanding of food, health, and healing. Realizing that food truly is medicine has given me a new appreciation for the power we have to influence our own well-being. It’s a humbling reminder that small, intentional changes can have a profound impact on how we feel and heal.
I’ve also incorporated nutrient-dense “superfoods” into my daily meals, each bringing unique benefits:
- Blueberries – Antioxidant-rich, packed with vitamins and fiber; support brain health and reduce inflammation.
- Kale – A powerhouse of vitamins A, C, K, and fiber; great for heart health and detoxification. I enjoy it raw in salads or lightly cooked.
- Chia and Flax Seeds – High in omega-3s, fiber, and protein. Grinding them unlocks their full benefits for digestion, heart health, and brain function. I also include hemp, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds for similar reasons.
- Avocados – Healthy fats, fiber, and essential vitamins for heart and skin health; I eat one daily at lunch.
- Quinoa – A complete plant protein with fiber, iron, and magnesium; often a dinner side.
- Wild-Caught Salmon – Rich in omega-3s for brain and heart health.
- Acai Berries - Antioxidant-packed, taken in powdered form via my daily Kachava smoothie.
- Spinach - Vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; supports eye health and iron levels.
- Acerola Cherry - Extremely high in vitamin C; I use powdered forms for convenience. Baobab fruit powder is another excellent option.
For medical reasons, I avoid some popular superfoods - like turmeric, garlic, ashwagandha, and ginger - because they can dangerously amplify the effects of my blood thinner. But for those without such restrictions, these foods can be powerful allies in reducing inflammation and boosting immunity. (Cancer survivor Chris Wark cites garlic as the #1 anti-cancer superfood.)
A typical day for me might start with a pumpkin seed protein shake made with organic coconut milk, which is rich in lauric acid, known for its antimicrobial properties, and a hearty bowl of quinoa topped with ground flax seeds and chia seeds. Did you know that chia seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight in water, forming a gel-like consistency that helps with hydration and digestion?
Lunch is often a large, colorful salad bursting with nutrients, featuring broccoli slaw, a cruciferous powerhouse loaded with sulforaphane; sauerkraut, a natural probiotic that supports gut health; colored peppers, and a variety of legumes.
For dinner, I might have a comforting bowl of veggie chili, lentils, wild salmon (one of the richest sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3s), or tempeh (a fermented soy packed with protein and gut-friendly bacteria). My sides often include vibrant purple sweet potatoes, which are high in anthocyanins that may support cognitive health; broccoli sprouts, which can contain up to 100 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli; Brussels sprouts, or lightly steamed broccoli. In general, I’ve followed Chris Wark’s Healing Diet from his book Beat Cancer Kitchen, but I’ve recently incorporated wild salmon and homemade bone broth, rich in collagen and amino acids, based on guidance from my naturopathic oncologist.
Many of these choices align with the Mediterranean diet, which the research continues to link with cancer prevention (CNN, Feb. 2025). Increasing fiber intake also offers significant benefits, especially for brain and mood health (CNN, July 2025).
I also juice regularly - carrot, beet, and celery are staples. My two-stage juicer extracts nearly every drop, and I even repurpose the dry pulp into carrot pancakes with a touch of maple or agave syrup. This process not only maximizes nutrition but also minimizes waste - something that feels both resourceful and satisfying.
Start with the free Whole Food Plant-Based Diet guide at https://nutritionstudies.org/whole-food-plant-based-diet-guide/
or join one their free online communities at https://nutritionstudies.org/cns-kitchen/