67: Resilience, Holistic Healing & Lymphatics with the HealingStrong Community | Denise Giovinazzo

Imagine embarking on a journey with no conventional treatments, only to find a lifeline in a community dedicated to holistic healing and positivity. This is Denise's story. Despite being in a holding pattern with no treatments, Denise has managed to live a full life, thanks in large part to the HealingStrong community. She attributes her strength to natural treatments.

Denise's story takes an inspiring turn as she discovers HealingStrong. This community, which started as a group of individuals seeking holistic healing, eventually became a powerful force in Denise's life, propelling her into a leadership role. Following the demise of Sue, the original group leader, in 2019, Denise stepped up to guide others on their healing journey. Denise's growth as a leader, her experiences as a member of the Healing Strong community, and the support she found from individuals around the globe are lessons in resilience and connection.

Shifting gears to the medical side of healing, Denise shares knowledge about the importance of the lymphatic system and its role in detoxification. She details her own experiences with manual lymphatic drainage, offering tips for at-home treatments to aid the lymphatic system. The conversation concludes with an overview of the HealingStrong community's membership program and the benefits it provides. Whether you're dealing with cancer or an autoimmune disorder, Denise's story serves as a testament to the healing power of community support and the strength found in holistic care.

HealingStrong's mission is to educate, equip and empower our group leaders and group participants through their journey with cancer or other chronic illnesses, and know there is HOPE. We bring this hope through educational materials, webinars, guest speakers, conferences, community small group support and more.

Please consider supporting our mission by becoming a part of our Membership Program, as a monthly donor.

When you do, you will receive additional resources such as: webinars, access to ALL our past and most recent conference videos, downloadables and more, as a bonus.

To learn more, head to the HealingStrong Membership Program link below:

Membership Program

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

It doesn't matter what your religion is. It doesn't even matter if you're religious I mean, a lot of people, from what I understand, have changed but it's just, healing song is going to meet you wherever you're at, whether you're religious or what your religion is or what part of the journey you are on, if you're doing conventional or a combination of both the conventional, holistic, therapeutic I mean there's lots of names for that type of treatment, but that is God's, it's all from God. All the natural things is all from God and I just I love that. About healing strong is it doesn't matter. And the thing is it's not just about for cancer. It's about for any autoimmune disorder or any disorder that people are just feeling out of sorts, and or if someone just wants to get their body better.

Speaker 3: 0:47

You're listening to the I Am Healing Strong podcast, a part of the Healing Strong organization, the number one network of holistic cancer support groups in the world. Each week we bring you stories of hope, real stories that will encourage you as you navigate your way on your own journey to health. Now here's your host stage four cancer thriver, jim Mann.

Speaker 2: 1:13

We're recording right now at the 10 year anniversary convention slash celebration. Here in Houston, so it sounds a little different. We're in a room that is not acoustically prepared for this, but that's OK. Right now I am talking to Denise Giavnazzo.

Speaker 1: 1:33

Yes, did I do that right? Very good, you did Excellent.

Speaker 2: 1:36

Man. Well, hey, we had you on. What season was that? Do you remember season?

Speaker 1: 1:40

Two or three. Two or three Towards the end.

Speaker 2: 1:43

Yeah, so we are. Of course you're here in Houston, obviously. Yes, we're going to get an update, because right after we recorded and it aired, things changed with you. They did, so won't you just catch us up to date?

Speaker 1: 1:56

OK. So when the episode aired, that you did. Actually I was interviewed in the summer and then the episode aired in the fall and just at that time I had received some additional diagnosis of spread of cancer in my body and I was feeling a little down and just trying to figure it out. But I knew God was in control or whatnot. But then you released the podcast that we did in July and it was so appropriate because I needed to hear my own words of encouragement of what I was made of and that God was in control and it was just the timing was perfect. Here I was thinking I didn't make the cut, but then God knew the timing and knew when you were supposed to play that.

Speaker 2: 2:40

So you encouraged yourself.

Speaker 1: 2:41

I encouraged myself. Yes. Nice I hope it encouraged others, but it definitely encouraged me. So I was very excited about that. Yeah, so since then I think that was November of last year and since then I did receive some treatment that I had to receive. I prayed about it and I received it, and I'm kind of in a holding pattern now. We're waiting to see. There has been some progression in the liver, but my body feels good and I'm just living every single day the best that I can, and you have nice hats.

Speaker 1: 3:17

Thank you, I love my hats. Yes, the sad part about the treatment I just received this year was hair loss but no other symptoms, and I totally accredit that to healing strong because of all the things that I'm doing on the natural pathic side of things in addition to what I was doing conventionally. I mean it just makes me stronger. I mean people look at me and they're like you have metastatic cancer and I'm like well I was diagnosed with it. I'm not owning it, but yes according to the paper.

Speaker 1: 3:44

But yeah, but I'm here. I'm so happy to be here. I've been waiting for this celebration and I'm just so blessed that I'm able to attend.

Speaker 2: 3:53

Yeah, I've got hair loss also, but it's not from any treatment.

Speaker 1: 3:56

You have cool hats too, though.

Speaker 2: 3:58

Yeah, yeah, covering up the lack of. I blame that to my dad.

Speaker 1: 4:04

Hereditary huh.

Speaker 2: 4:05

And I've handed it off to one of my sons so far.

Speaker 1: 4:07

Sure, he loves that.

Speaker 2: 4:09

Yeah, he's got a good head, though, so he shaves his head. He looks fine. I can't do that.

Speaker 1: 4:14

I think baldness is beautiful. I mean it's you know, it is what God knows what we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to look like. And I yeah, I still wear hats. But I do think baldness is beautiful.

Speaker 2: 4:29

Like I joke about my dad, because he died at 96 years old five years ago and he's still perked up every time he heard about a cure for baldness. He's like he was. Hey, can you check that out for me? He's a dad. You're in your 90s, aren't you used to it yet, I guess. But but I'm joking that in heaven he's probably just combing his hair like crazy.

Speaker 1: 4:50

Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I actually made a little concoction with carrot oil and rosemary.

Speaker 2: 4:55

Wait a minute, I'm writing it down.

Speaker 1: 4:56

Yeah, carrot oil, rosemary, and I've been rubbing it on my head and my hair's growing out great. So I'm saying that's the reason. But I mean, it might not be, it could just be that it's time to grow out, but I like it.

Speaker 2: 5:10

Yeah, next time you see me if I have like an afro. You know what? You know it worked.

Speaker 1: 5:14

Yes, yes, I'll give you some.

Speaker 2: 5:16

Okay, I'll pay you for it.

Speaker 1: 5:18

That's okay, you don't have to pay me.

Speaker 2: 5:19

Okay, good. So, and right now you're not going through any treatments.

Speaker 1: 5:24

You said no, I'm kind of in a holding pattern right now, which has been great because I'm able to just totally focus on me and the wellness of me, without any conventional medicine at all, and I feel great, I feel strong and, yeah, I'm just living my life and loving it. I mean, that's my motto is live the life you love and love the life you live. Wow, yeah.

Speaker 2: 5:47

And you got a great attitude. That's half the battle. I think I've been told that's more than half the battle.

Speaker 1: 5:52

I believe so.

Speaker 2: 5:53

Your attitude, your mindset and because as soon as you realize or as soon as you think that, oh, I got cancer, I'm going downhill, I'm going to die, you know, your body responds to that.

Speaker 1: 6:05

Absolutely, absolutely yeah.

Speaker 2: 6:07

I think that helped me a lot, and I knew nothing about that. I learned all that through healing strong and after I had my cancer. But I'm naturally a happy guy and I forget the negative part, so it's going in my favor and so, yeah, I'm all for that now that I know that I had that knowledge. You know I'm always going to be positive and optimistic and right now I'm sitting here with no cancer.

Speaker 1: 6:32

Yes, amen to that Praise God.

Speaker 2: 6:34

Yeah, and the doctors were surprised because you know, like you've heard, they're giving me a month or two to live. Right yes, and I didn't pay attention.

Speaker 1: 6:41

What do they know? Not a, thing, not a thing that's right.

Speaker 2: 6:45

God shook his head. No, not true.

Speaker 1: 6:47

No, I kind of believe that in my case too, because I was just recently told by a physician and they said wow, you're journey.

Speaker 1: 6:55

My journey's been almost 18 years since I was first diagnosed and the doctor said to me you're amazing what you've gone through and what you've done. And, like you said, I think attitude is 90% of the battle. It's how we feel about things. Yeah, we're going to have days where we wake up and we don't feel good, but age does that to us too. I mean, a lot of other things do that to us, not necessarily the disease that other people think are intended to be a death sentence. If you will, I don't look at it that way, and so, yeah, our mindset where our mind is is very important.

Speaker 2: 7:30

Yeah, now that you're in your 30s, you're going to start feeling the age and pain.

Speaker 1: 7:34

I'm hanging out with you this weekend. That's wonderful yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:38

But yeah, so tell me what Healing Strong has meant to you and tell me how you came across Healing Strong for the first time, had you heard about it?

Speaker 1: 7:47

Yeah, when I first came across Healing Strong, I was in the process of promoting my business, because when I had a lot of lymph nodes removed and the surgeon told me that I was at risk for getting lymphedema, so I left my job at corporate America, I went back to school, I learned about lymphatic drainage. I became certified I had to first become a licensed massage therapist and then I became certified in lymphatic drainage and I was at a networking luncheon and trying to promote my business and I ran across a woman by the name of Sue who was a Healing Strong Group leader, and this was in 2017. And I didn't think much of it when she was, I didn't realize that I needed her, but she was very persistent, not just with me but with the group, about what Healing Strong was about and what they did, and so I attended one of her meetings and from that I attended several. I mean they were sporadic because she had to find a place and I mean you know, as a group leader, you have to have a place to go and for people to come to and whatnot. I mean I know a lot of it is on Zoom right now. In fact, ours is as well, but that's how I came to learn about Healing Strong.

Speaker 1: 8:53

Sadly, she passed away in the end of 2019. And then, of course, we know what happened in 2020. And then so everything went to Zoom and I just got to know more and more about Healing Strong and what it stood for Not that I didn't at the meetings, however, it was just on Zoom that I actually got to see the people that were behind the scenes, like Susie and Marin and the prayer group, and then Susie started around the word and then they had prayers and praises, and so I got to see all these people, and that is just one of the most fun things about this week. It is now all these people that I've seen on Zoom for the last three years. I get to see a midperson and hug them.

Speaker 1: 9:34

That's right, but it was just very life-changing for me and I became a group leader in November of last year. I was waiting like, ok, who's going to take on North Dallas? We need a group here. And Gell Roca, from Houston, group leader.

Speaker 1: 9:57

She's much more than that, but she kept reaching out to me and one time she came to the city that I lived in along with some other people and she said well, are you going to do this? And I was like, well, I don't know, I don't want to commit to something that I can't follow through with. And then she said you know, I don't understand what your hesitation is. Please help me understand. She was so good, she didn't push or anything. And I said well, because I'm going through treatment, I'm afraid that I might not be able to follow through. And she said Denise, more than 60% of our leaders are going through some sort of treatment or they're going through something, and if you're unable to have a meeting, well, you're unable to have a meeting. And so she said continue to pray on it. And I did and I decided, ok, I'm going to do it.

Speaker 1: 10:39

So I took the plunge and I have to tell you, jim, two weeks later I am not kidding. I get a call from Gell and she tells me guess what? There's another woman in your area who wants to be a group leader. She just, I think she was listening to Chris Work Square One and she learned about healing strong through that, and she looked up on their website and saw that there wasn't a group meeting. I had just signed up as group leader so naturally I was just trying to figure things out and go through the learning process, and so there was nothing posted for this area. But I sat there and I just looked up to the sky and I said thank you God, because now there's two of us that are able to do this, and so, should either one of us have an issue where we're not able, we have a backup, and it's just where two or more gathered.

Speaker 1: 11:25

It was such a blessing and so it's just healing strong. I mean, there's so much more that I talked about, I think, in our last podcast as to why, but yeah, it's been a year since I've been a group leader and it just flew by, but it's been fabulous.

Speaker 2: 11:42

Where do you all meet at we?

Speaker 1: 11:44

currently we're on Zoom.

Speaker 1: 11:46

We attempted to meet twice in person earlier in the year, I want to say February and March of this year. One meeting we had three people and then the next meeting, nobody came. I still think people were hesitant to come out, and of course it's in the evening and some people can't drive in the evening, and so there's various reasons. So we went back to having it on Zoom. But we're hoping to be in person soon, or maybe do both so that we can catch the people who can't go to an in-person.

Speaker 2: 12:11

Yeah, not everybody can have a cool place like mine Cancer Survivors Park.

Speaker 1: 12:17

Oh, yes, I heard about that.

Speaker 2: 12:19

I heard about that location.

Speaker 1: 12:21

Very nice.

Speaker 2: 12:23

The odd thing is they trust me with the code to get in and I thought, wow, that's because they don't want to stay over the people at the park.

Speaker 1: 12:31

Oh yeah, see, it's a. You have another job besides being a group leader and yeah.

Speaker 2: 12:37

But yeah, we have a great place, but it doesn't really matter where you meet, whether it's on Zoom or somebody's house or a coffee shop I mean, there's been all kinds of places that people meet, but it, you know, the best part about it is at least people in my group talk about it, and I've heard other people talk about it is just being with someone else who's also going on a similar journey. Everybody's journey is different, of course.

Speaker 1: 12:59

Yes.

Speaker 2: 13:00

But just hearing everybody's story you get encouraged by the other person and even if the thing, the meeting starts off, you know where everybody down. By the end everybody's happy because they've just lifted each other up. It's bizarre. I can't. I can't believe it. And what's up with Susie?

Speaker 1: 13:19

That's a big question. That's a good transition. What's up with?

Speaker 2: 13:23

Susie. I just I'm like what is it? Why is she so sweet? Why is she so nice? Something's up, she has prison time or something behind her that we don't know about, but no, she's just her and Jeff. Both are just wonderful and everybody works with them. They're just ultra sweet and nice and they're not like hey, you have to do this. If there's ever a situation with my meeting or with a podcast, she goes hey, if it doesn't work out for you, that's fine. Just, you know, if you can't do it anymore, that's fine, it's whatever God wants. I'm like who are you? Yes, yes, it's amazing.

Speaker 1: 13:59

She's amazing. I think, and I know part of it, or at least I want to think part of it is that they're just so grateful for everything, and when you're grateful for things, it exumes, it comes out of your body, and I think that's exactly what. What happens with Susie and Jeff. It's just there's just the light that's in their eyes, you know, and the and they've seen the growth of healing strong. I mean, my goodness, 10 years. I mean just, you know I, I can't even imagine what kind of emotions they're going through. I did listen to the podcast that you did of them just recently and I remember the question you said did you think it was going to be 10 years?

Speaker 2: 14:36

And Jeff was like no, no, no it's supposed to be a one and done.

Speaker 1: 14:39

Yeah, just laughed so hard because it's just, it's the beauty of it, and what she has done has just brought together the community of so many people across the United States, across many countries, and then it has allowed us the opportunity to meet or get to know the other people, but now we get to meet them in person here at the conference celebration.

Speaker 2: 15:02

Yeah, it's. It's so weird. I mean, right now we're sitting in room with a glass wall and we're seeing everybody out there. New people were coming in. They're hugging each other. It's like a. It's like a high school reunion.

Speaker 1: 15:13

Yeah, it really is.

Speaker 2: 15:15

And so many people that I podcast, but I don't know what they look like. It's, you know, and they're coming up to me because they know me. I'm like, okay, I do remember you, yeah, but it's amazing. Yeah, it's like a homecoming and everyone's so excited and and, of course, as you're listening to this, it'll be over by the time this airs and, plus, we sold out anyway.

Speaker 1: 15:35

Isn't that amazing? Yeah, and I mean, I knew they were going to put a date, that they were going to stop selling tickets, and they didn't even get to that date. No, you know it was, it was sold out. Yeah, by that date.

Speaker 2: 15:44

So now let's talk about the 20 year reunion.

Speaker 1: 15:47

Okay.

Speaker 2: 15:48

Start getting that lined up.

Speaker 1: 15:50

Yes, yes, I'll be here, yeah. And you'll be here and we're you know we'll be doing this together. Like remember 10 years ago when we sat in that room.

Speaker 2: 15:57

Yes, Now, of course you don't have a long drive to come down here in Houston.

Speaker 1: 16:01

It was about four hours. Yeah, not long at all.

Speaker 2: 16:04

Yeah, that was 14 hours, but who's?

Speaker 1: 16:06

counting. Okay, who's counting yeah?

Speaker 2: 16:08

I had to learn to walk again when I got out of the car. But that's that's also when I drive for five minutes, so same thing yeah. Now that I'm in my upper 30s.

Speaker 1: 16:17

Yes, yes, yeah, you don't look a day over 40, jim.

Speaker 2: 16:21

Yeah, thank you. Delighting is pretty dim in here, but that's all right.

Speaker 1: 16:25

That's what works. That's what obviously worked for me when he told me it was in my 30s.

Speaker 2: 16:29

So yeah, so what brought you to this convention it? Was it just seeing the people, or just learning more stuff, or it was.

Speaker 1: 16:36

It was actually both. I think it was mostly, yeah, the t-shirt for sure.

Speaker 1: 16:39

I don't know what color it is, but I'm excited about it. Mine's a little small right now, so I need a new one. But I think the most important thing is physically seeing and touching the individuals that I've gotten to know over these last three years, because I think that applies to so many things since the world shut down for a while. But yeah, when I walked in the door, I saw three people immediately that I knew. They knew me too, just because we look a little different than on the Zoom, but that's the biggest part of it. Then, of course, the takeaways with the guest speakers and the breakout sessions and then the night of worship.

Speaker 1: 17:21

I'm so excited about that for tomorrow night because I have heard amazing things from past conferences and I think Chris Work had said it on one of his previous podcasts or something about how important song is and singing to the wellness of our souls and our bodies, and so that's real exciting. I know that when I go to church and when I'm singing, I feel that my soul is being fed just from singing the words even if they're songs I don't even know but just singing them along with a roomful of other people singing the same exact words, and I'm totally moved. Sometimes I cry, depending on what the song is or how it strikes me yeah.

Speaker 2: 18:00

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. It's usually the best one. I went to the one in 2018 in Atlanta Right, and I've said this before I didn't even realize it was a faith-based organization. I just knew it was about healing cancer and I was kind of new to that world. And then all of a sudden they're talking about God and their singing worship. I thought, hey, do they know? It's just faith-based.

Speaker 1: 18:22

Yeah Well, and that's a really good point about it being faith-based, because what I love about it is it doesn't matter what your religion is, it doesn't even matter if you're religious, I mean a lot of people, from what I understand, have changed.

Speaker 1: 18:36

But it's just healing song is going to meet you wherever you're at, whether you're religious or what your religion is or what part of the journey you are on. If you're doing conventional or a combination of both the conventional, holistic, therapeutic I mean there's lots of names for that type of treatment, but that is God's, it's all from God. All the natural things is all from God and I love that. About healing strong is, it doesn't matter, and the thing is it's not just about for cancer, it's about for any autoimmune disorder or any disorder that people are just feeling out of sorts, and or if someone just wants to get their body better.

Speaker 1: 19:17

One of the best group meetings that we've had thus far is the one where we talked about toxins and what toxins are in our body. I'm a lymphatic therapist or practitioner, whatever you want to call it, by trade. That's not something that I can promote in my meetings and I don't, but I know a lot of other lymphatic practitioners that I can bring in and Lisa and I are looking to do that soon. But the fact of working with the lymphatics is it is something that can remove those toxins from your body, which is very important because our lymphatic system is part of our immune system. It's the most important part of our immune system, in my opinion, and it's not something that a lot of people know about.

Speaker 2: 20:00

Me, I'm one of them. I've never done nothing about lymphatic systems before.

Speaker 1: 20:03

A lot of physicians don't know about it either. You know, sadly, I think, it's considered an elective nutrition and the lymphatic system are considered electives in med school, so they get a couple hours of it. So most of the doctors it's like I can't really fault them because they really don't know. We only know what we know and there's a lot of physicians that have no idea how important the lymphatic system is and it is very important and it is a way that you can remove toxins from your body. And we do have a lot of toxins in our body.

Speaker 1: 20:36

We were born with 600 plus lymph nodes. One third of that is right in our neck. So from our clavicle above is one third of our lymph nodes. And if you think about that, that's our head, that's our sight, that's our hearing, that's our taste, that's our smell All of those things in our head that sits on top of our shoulders right is affected by our immune system. And the lymph nodes that's where everything's going to drain is in our neck. So one third of our lymph nodes are in our neck and so just think about that for a minute.

Speaker 1: 21:11

I mean, that's a lot of what's going on in our body. And if those areas become stagnant or clogged and that can happen just from lack of movement. It could happen from a traumatic event such as a car accident or a fire, loss of a loved one, surgery, having lymph nodes removed for a lot of women go through breast surgery and they have lymph nodes removed. That's a traumatic event and those chain of events even broken bones. I mean there's a ton of things that can cause stagnation in your lymphatic system and when that happens, the tissue and the fluid isn't moving. Let me just back up for one second and just let you know that the lymphatic system does not have a pump. So our blood is pumping through our body 24-7 because our heart's pumping it along. The lymphatics run right along side of our blood but there's no pump to push anything through our lymphatic system. So in order to get those toxins, milk, protein, metabolic waste, just things that we're breathing in from the outside, things that our bodies do not want us to keep right because they're holding us down, in order to get rid of that tissue and fluid and move it through our lymphatic system, we have to do things Now as a lymphatic practitioner or other lymphatic practitioners. They do what they call manual lymphatic drainage, so they're manually moving that tissue and fluid. However, there are so many things that we can do at home to help move the lymph and the tissue in our lymphatic systems, to push it.

Speaker 1: 22:43

The goal is to push that tissue and fluid to our lymph nodes and it's where, when it gets to the lymph nodes, that it does all the work. It breaks down anything that comes in there. It has little pockets. It's hard to imagine because our lymph nodes are very tiny, like the size of a kidney bean or smaller, and you try to think there's little many pockets in there, right, and they're going to gather this fluid and hold it in. But it does. It stores fluid and then there's macrophages which are part of our white blood cells that will just kind of attack what comes in and break it up so that it's broken down more before it leaves the lymph node and goes out back into our circulatory system and hopefully into another lymph node. That's our goal is to push all the tissue and fluid to where there's a majority of lymph nodes so that it just goes in and out each lymph node, breaking it down even more. But what's really cool about our lymph nodes is it houses our B cells and our T cells, which are really strong in promoting our immune system, and so when those cells detect some sort of disease or infection based on the tissue and fluid that's coming into the lymph nodes, they kind of suit up in their little armor like got their little capes on and then they go out into the body and they go to where that area is affected that disease or the inflammatory process or whatnot and then they fight it off from there. So there's so many benefits to what happens once that tissue and fluid gets to the lymph node.

Speaker 1: 24:05

But the important thing is, how do we get that tissue and fluid to our lymph nodes? Because there's no pump, right, and based on the fact that this is happening from the time we're born, right, our blood is moving as it passes through our circuitry system. It kind of pushes off all those things that it doesn't want. It's lymph, but it's the metabolic ways, the large proteins, things that you get from milk, I mean, there's just all kinds of things that are in that lymph category and it pushes that off into the lymph system and then sometimes it could sit there stagnant and not move because there's no pump.

Speaker 1: 24:43

And then if we have a traumatic event on top of that a broken bone, a car accident, you know some of the things I mentioned before it could cause additional stagnation. So when that tissue and fluid kind of gets up to, it's kind of like a car wreck, like there's a breakdown and you can't get through right because everything's blocked up Very similar to that. The body knows it'll kind of push it around that road block right, little by little to get to where it needs to go, but eventually that block gets built up as well and then when it can't get through, that's when you're going to have swelling, you're going to have puffiness in your tissues, you're going to have pain, you're going to have redness like acne. Acne is a cause of a stagnant lymphatic system. The 80% of our lymphatics sit directly underneath our skin, so the only place for it to go is up. So when someone has a pimple on their face when they're a teenager or something like that, it's usually caused from a stagnant lymphatic system or rosacea, all kinds of other things.

Speaker 2: 25:42

Who in her house is a teenager?

Speaker 1: 25:44

Where was I? I didn't know this either. I didn't learn this. I didn't learn until later in life, but it's just real important and the fact of what Healing Strong is doing that is one of their modules right, that's one of their chapters, and their lessons is about detoxification and doing things and working with the lymphatic system and trying to push that fluid and get all of that detox out is so important because we could do all the right things for our body all day long take the supplements and feed our bodies and whatnot but if we're not pushing the waste out of our body, the lymphatic system really is a waste management.

Speaker 1: 26:26

Some people refer to it as garbage, some people refer to it as little bitty toilets. The garbage comes in and then it gets flushed out, and whatever works for anyone for their analogy, right, but yeah, so I kind of got off on a tangent. But there are things that you can do at home to help this. Like you can jump on a rebounder. There's something called dry brushing. You just want to make sure that if you've had lymph nodes removed, you want to brush away from where the lymph nodes were removed, because that area is compromised and you don't want to compromise it anymore.

Speaker 1: 26:58

There's also a guy that I follow on social media, dr Perry, and it's at Stop Chasing Pain and he's come up. I love to watch him because I know about the lymphatic system. I don't believe that I speak to it as well as he does. He breaks it down more on layman's terms, but he has come up with something called the Big Six and it is six different areas of your body that you want to work on every day, especially if you're going to be busy exercising, working in the garden or just for any reason, just to help move your lymphatic system.

Speaker 1: 27:30

But it's called the Big Six and it starts right above your clavicle and it's just about moving your skin in right above your clavicle. And then you want to go up right behind your ears and there's a little divot that's right behind your earlobe and that is very important area of our lymphatic system because and all the lymph nodes that are right here on either side. So you're going to push here and then you're going to go underneath your clavicle and you're going to bring your tissue in from underneath your arms towards your sternum and then you're going to work on your belly, you're going to work inside your legs and then right behind your knees. Probably takes about five minutes maybe each day to do that, but I highly recommend that because it is such an easy thing that we could all do at home ourselves to help the tissue and the fluid in our lymphatic system, to help it move and get up to the lymph nodes.

Speaker 2: 28:17

Wow, so I feel so much smarter. Now I can't repeat any of it, but I'm so, so much smarter.

Speaker 1: 28:24

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 28:25

Now I'll have some questions off-mic for you now.

Speaker 1: 28:29

Okay, I'll be here all weekend. Okay, find me.

Speaker 2: 28:34

What would you say to somebody who's listening and they're thinking ah, I wish I would have come to that celebration of 10 years, but I really need to get involved with Healing Strong. So I just got a diagnosis and I'm scared. I don't know what to do. What would you say to these people?

Speaker 1: 28:48

I would share with them my story, of course, because I think sharing our stories with one another is very important, and that was so helpful to me when I heard other people's story. So that's what I would do initially. I would start out by sharing my story and what Healing Strong has done for me, how it's made a difference in me. I would also stress that we are all different and we all respond to things differently, and I do tell new individuals that are. I've had a couple calls based on your exact question. They've heard about us through Chris Worker, through another avenue, and they've gone to the website and they've contacted us because we're in their area. And, yeah, that's the first thing I'll do. I'll share my story and then I just tell them all about the curriculum that Healing Strong has put together. I refer them to Healing Strong's website because I just tell them of the plethora of resources that are on that website. I mean, I haven't even got through them all and I've been a part for five, over five years.

Speaker 1: 29:42

There's just so much. But I always encourage them. In fact, each time we have a meeting, at the end of the meeting we always put links in there of like please go check this out podcast. That's number one. We encourage people to go listen to your podcast, but we also tell them that there is that curriculum that they put together that makes it very helpful for leaders, but that not everything in the lessons might be applicable to them, that they really need to listen to it. But I tell them that the community that is received within our groups is I mean it's without measure. You can't even put a price on it. I mean the value that is there for them. And that's pretty much what I've shared with new people that have contacted me and they're like I want in, I want on board. That's the response I've been getting, which just makes me smile really big, and that was a good answer.

Speaker 1: 30:35

Yeah, okay.

Speaker 2: 30:37

Well, denise, there's more and more people coming. Yes, we need to get out there and mix with them.

Speaker 1: 30:42

Yes, we do. Look at all those people. Oh my goodness.

Speaker 2: 30:46

We're like inside here in a cage.

Speaker 1: 30:48

Jim, thank you so much for letting me sit and talk with you this morning. I felt it was such an honor, really. Yeah, I mean it's my second time, so I'm like yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:56

Next time. Next time you'll be cancer free and a full head of hair. Oh, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 31:01

Well, I don't know, I might be cancer free involved, because bald is beautiful, that's true. Good point yeah. Well, thanks a lot for coming. Thank you, I appreciate it.

Speaker 3: 31:08

You've been listening to the I am healing strong podcast. A part of the healing strong organization. We hope you found encouragement in this episode, as well as the confidence to take control of your healing journey, knowing that God will guide you on this path. Healing strong is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to connect, support and educate individuals facing cancer and other diseases through strategies that help to rebuild the body, renew the soul and refresh the spirit.

Speaker 3: 31:42

It costs nothing to be a part of a local or online group. You can do that by going to our website at healingstrongorg and finding a group near you or an online group, or start your own, your choice. While you're there, take a look around at all the free resources. Though the resources and groups are free, we encourage you to join our membership program at 25 or $75 a month. This helps us to be able to reach more people with hope and encouragement, and that also comes with some extra perks as well. So check it out. If you enjoyed this podcast, please give us a five star rating, leave an encouraging comment and help us spread the word. We'll see you next week with another story on the I am healing strong podcast.