An unexpected beginning…
I’ve been living with cancer for over a decade, and it has taught me so much about taking care of myself and living my life to the fullest. On Valentine’s Day in 2003, I was diagnosed with a rare and incurable (yet thankfully slow-growing) stage IV cancer. This WTF moment sparked a deep desire in me to stop holding back and start participating in my well-being. Though I can’t be cured, I can still be healthy — I can still feel better, love harder and have a more joyful life. So I hit the road on a self-care pilgrimage and haven’t looked back. More than a decade later, my life is more connected and magical than it was before my diagnosis. Although I still have cancer, I am healthy, and I run a mission-driven business that serves my community and makes me feel profoundly grateful each and every day. If I can pull that off, just imagine what YOU can do.
What I learned transformed my life
Through my books and film, my journey has resonated with thousands of health, spiritual wealth, and happiness seekers. Patients and folks interested in prevention (aka feeling awesome) have hopped on the Crazy Sexy bandwagon to learn how to better care for their minds, bodies and spirits. Even the lovely Oprah is excited about my wellness revolution.
My wake-up call inspired me to take better care of myself
It taught me how to listen to my brilliant inner guide. It brought me back to nature (my church) and the garden and my kitchen (my pharmacies) as well as connecting me more deeply with the people and animals (compassion rocks) who set my heart ablaze. I learned that a nutrient-dense, plant-passionate diet rules; the standard American diet destroys everything; stress sucks your life force; exercise is nonnegotiable (it’s great for your head, heart, cells and ass-ets); joy is utterly contagious (ahchoo!); and having fun must be taken very seriously.
Bridging Western medicine and integrative care
While there’s currently no cure for my slow-growing cancer, that doesn’t mean that I’m not a huge fan of Western medicine. I believe in it deeply. Personally, I have an oncologist who I adore and who continues to monitor my condition. If my disease were to become aggressive or if effective, proven treatment options became available, I’d absolutely consider them. I believe in a balanced approach to healing, and I want to see a world where doctors and patients embrace intelligent medicine as well as healthy lifestyle practices. For cancer patients — all patients really — I strongly advise including open-minded, well-educated practitioners on your team. Find the best conventional doctor for your disease as well as a holistic, functional medicine practitioner who can teach you how to care for your entire system. Heck, if you’re lucky you’ll get a two-fer — a doctor skilled at both approaches. Disease isn’t an either–or situation, and neither is health. Be the bridge. Seek the bridge. Shine a light. Show others the way by sharing your journey!
My books go deeeep.
Crazy Sexy Diet (New York Times best-seller, #1 Amazon Best-seller) will teach you everything you need to know about plant-based nutrition. It’s my manual for healthy living. I’ve taken all the education I’ve gathered over the years and tucked it into one handy-dandy book. Crazy Sexy Diet will show you how to make healthy deposits into your energy bank account, rather than the constant withdrawals that are all too common on the standard American diet (which is now becoming a global diet).
Crazy Sexy Kitchen (New York Times best-seller) gives you oodles of delicious recipes and the basic cooking skills you need to embrace this revitalizing way of eating and living. This veggie manifesto for gourmands and novices alike is filled with inspiration, education and tips — plus more than 150 nourishing, nosh-worthy recipes. Whether you’re a vegan or an omnivore, a jetsetter or a hot mama, this book will change your life.
If you want to dip your cute toe into a super-easy practice that will radically improve your overall well-being, my new book Crazy Sexy Juice is for you! Juicing and making green smoothies and healthy nut milks has vastly increased the quality of my life as well as the lives of countless others. Get ready for more energy, vitality and better immunity. Cheers!
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer or know someone who has, check out my first two books: Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips and Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor. You’ll find lots of advice on how to navigate your journey while adding a bounce to your step and a boost to your life! Oh, and you’ll laugh a lot — unless you’re quite proper (and a splash prim); then you won’t like my cussin’ and swagger.
You can also watch a film about my journey through my documentary Crazy Sexy Cancer, which aired on both TLC and OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network.
I’d really love to connect with you!
The best places to connect with me are in the comments section of my blog and video posts or on Facebook and Twitter. Confession: I heart Instagram. It’s where I share much of my personal life. And Pinterest is my dreaming space.
Oh, and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter! Each week I curate a selection of goodness including articles, recipes, how-to videos, pep talks and events that I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Sign up here.