Well, that has hardly happened in SNIPPETS history - I skipped a week because it snuck up on me - I forgot to write a snippet! (And didn't even apologize last week to my dear snippeteers - oops.)

[And the good thing about working for myself? No one can fire me.]

😁

Anyhooooo ... recently spent a fun weekend in Boston visiting my cousin and snippeteer Jeanie. We hadn't been in the same space for 11 years! ELEVEN!! (unacceptable).

Jeanie and I inspire each other - we always have. After the trip, she told me I had inspired her to start wearing makeup again and to get dressed up more while out and about. And she inspired me with a reminder to eat organic fruits & veggies and pay more attention to the kind of dairy / chicken / beef I purchase - the kind WITHOUT hormones pumped in.

Snippeteers, are you as overwhelmed as I about the number of people fighting the C word these days? It's staggering! (I refuse to say the word - loathe it.)

I would like to share this information below from Jeanie, the one who - years back - introduced me to Chinese medicine (vs. Western), holistic / homeopathic alternatives, and the best practice of all - acupuncture.

But before you read any further ... who inspires YOU? Now go spend some time together.

Snippeteers, this may come in handy if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with the C word - or any other bad cootie.

These are some things I use for my health and for my patients. I learned a lot when taking care of my friend, Edie (who had C) and from my human and dog patients. Some you must be open-minded to try. With the C word, we must think outside the box to beat it. There is no magic cure.

Most western doctors want to only recommend drugs - for any ailment. They do not seem to bother much with a focus on diet, lifestyle, and natural/alternative remedies which could help a body to heal.

Our grandparents and great-grandparents' generations did not live through a serious epidemic of the C word – some had it, yet it wasn't as rampant as it is today. I believe it has much to do with food we are ingesting that has been pumped with chemicals, hormones, pesticides, and pollution. They didn’t use most of that stuff back then - and many lived into old age!

WHAT'S THE ONE THING EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW?

Estrogen is fertilizer for the C word. Chicken, beef, eggs, and dairy that come from animals not raised free range, organic, or hormone-free are pumped with estrogen. Animals are given estrogen to plump them up! So, when we eat some chicken – it contains estrogen. (Plus, it can put weight on us.)

If you consume animal products, that's fine. Just be sure they are organic, hormone-free, and free range: eggs, milk, dairy, chicken, beef. Usually, turkey does not contain hormones. Fish is safe from it. When we go out to eat, this is challenging to control since we do not know what's inside the meat or chicken we order. So, once in a while - it is ok to eat. To play it safe, though, order food besides chicken or beef.

Purchasing organic and hormone/range-free can be more expensive, but in the long run, you will be saving money and improving your health. (Or, you could become a vegetarian and not worry about any of this!)

SUGGESTED TIPS

• Carrot juice, celery juice, green leafy veggies, dandelion greens, salad, celery, carrots, and beets are all good for your liver and body.
• Do not drink tap water. Use filtered water or purchase a filtered water pitcher if your refrigerator doesn’t have filtered water.
• Be aware that sometimes veggies from the nightshade family can cause nerve pain: tomato, potato, eggplant, zucchini, peppers.
• Brown rice helps stabilize the body. Make sure it is organic.
• Acupuncture treatments help to boost the immune system, relieve pain and stress. If your insurance doesn't cover it or you don't want to pay out of pocket, find a community acupuncture clinic - they generally charge only a small fee. Or, perhaps there is an acupuncture school in your community which offers a student-based clinic.

SIDE NOTE FROM SUZANNA on Jeanie's tip about insurance/acupuncture ... Once I whined to Jeanie that my health insurance did not cover my acupuncture treatments and I had to pay out of pocket. You know what she said? "Pay it. You would have no problem dropping the same amount on a pair of new shoes or handbag! This is your HEALTH we're talking about ... invest in it!" (SPOT ON, cousin, spot on.)

INSPIRATIONALLY AND SOULFULLY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HEAL, AND - FOR OUR OVERALL HEALTH?

• Gratitude is a healing force. Every day, say or list at least three things for which you are grateful. (You can even do this in the shower.) They can be simple things: I am grateful for this hot water. I am grateful for this soft towel. I am grateful for the roof over my head. I am grateful for daisies.
• Laughter really IS the best medicine. C cells feed off fear, anger and anxiety. Watch playful and funny movies. Do not watch the news!!! Do things that make you laugh and/or calm you. This might be hard to do when you feel blue or are in pain, but do your best to avoid reading/watching unnecessary negative media.
• Quiet your mind. Sit quietly at least 5 minutes in the morning. Maybe it's in prayer, meditation, or merely thinking happy thoughts. It can help to start your day on a good note.

HELPFUL YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Sound therapy. There are a slew of sound therapy videos on youtube which you can play in the background as you work, sleep or walk. You do not even have to pay close attention to them - your brain will hear everything! They are free, so there is nothing to lose by listening:

For pain - youtu.be/4xU0Wrx8vtc

Dissolve toxins and negative thoughts / boost immune system -

youtu.be/FEsEhlxM-Rs

Brain neuro healing - youtu.be/AGk4d4Jq6bk

Cleanse negative energy in your home and yourself

youtu.be/nhdVPNKCGow

From my youtube channel - these are short videos with some natural remedies, easy lifestyle tips to help:

• Remedies for Pets & People with Cancer Emotional & Physical Support https://youtu.be/3M2-A-njWbc
• Benefits of Medicinal Mushrooms People & Pets Immune Defense Fights Cancer Cells - youtu.be/Ufm76_kGqRk - I use the Mercola Mushroom Complex with a dose of Turkey Tail Mushrooms - the main mushroom to fight the C word (capsule form, find on amazon).
• Homeopathic Safe Remedy for Pain - Hylands Arnica Montana 30x (amazon) takes the edge off pain. It will not interfere with meds and will not make you loopy or sick. One tablet under your tongue 2x a day as a gentle pain reliever, not like a prescription drug youtu.be/tAonbpz3I4g

To learn more about holistic medicine for people (and pets), feel free

to subscribe to my Four Paws Acupuncture youtube channel, youtube.com/@fourpawsacupuncture

Sending healing light, love, and prayers,

Jeanie Marie Mossa, MS. L.Ac.

Salem, Massachusetts

Four Paws Acupuncture

"What an awesome read! Thanks, Suzanna. Always a 'must share.' "

~ Michele O in Maryland

"Today’s snippet brings to mind a Public Service Announcement that regularly aired several decades ago ... A mind is a terrible thing to waste. Indeed."

~ Deb in Florida

"I had to write to let you know that in my former Flight Attendant career (way before the era of private jets), I had the good luck to fly with many celebrities - among them, Julia Roberts. She was alone - zero entourage - coming off the set of Sleeping with the Enemy (so you know how long ago that was!). Anyway, she couldn't have been any nicer, asking if I would like to see some photos taken on set, and even talking about her upcoming wedding to Keifer Sutherland (they were engaged). I chatted with her for about 20 minutes and literally, she couldn't have been any nicer. Just wanted to defend her a bit - ha-ha. Looking forward to many more SNIPPETS!!"

~ Darryl in Maryland

"So very important to be reminded every once in a while we are lucky to have the wherewithal to make judgements on our own. Let’s use that and spread a little kindness along the way."

~ Judy in Ohio

"Great message … I will try to do better."

~ Kathy H in Maryland

The following reply is from snippeteer Joanne, written to snippeteer Donna who had shared in our last issue about her grief:

"Good morning. Maybe I can help you to answer this one. I'm a hospice nurse and have also done bereavement sessions. Here are some thoughts for you, Donna, and your family, after, of course, offering thoughts and prayers during this time of their loss.

Donna, one of the best things is to take one day at a time.

• Start a new normal for your day. If you always had a cup of coffee and read the paper with your hubby in the morning ... start your day instead with a walk around the block.
• Don't stop talking about him. Bring out the old pictures and share the stories behind them with your grandkids.
• If your church or community has a thift store, WHEN YOU ARE READY, share his belongings for others who could use them. A shelter or a halfway house is even better because the clothing is given away, not sold. 
• Naturally allow your kids and grandkids to look through everything first. There might be a T-shirt that hubby bought while they were on an outing - they might like to keep it as a memory of their time together.
• I don't know if you had a chance to have talks with your husband before he passed but, if you did, I'm sure seeing you happy was a goal he had for you. So enjoy your mani-pedi - you know he would have wanted you to.
• Join a support group of others who have experienced the same loss. When someone says, "I know how you feel," they actually do. Things they found have helped just might help you, too."

~Joanne in New York