I am so appreciative for the opportunity I had to visit Lahaina and the Ku’ia Estate’s 20-acre cacao farm on Maui in April 2023.
June of 2023 marked the 5th year anniversary of launching ResearchforWellness.com. I had no idea when I first began, that Research for Wellness would grow to what it has become today! It’s been really exciting to see the site’s outreach expanding with visitors from over 90 countries continuing to stop by in 2023! My original intent when I first started building the site in 2016 was to share the information I had collected with other cancer survivors. After 2 years and countless evening and weekend hours of work, I realized that many of the resources I found might also be beneficial for anyone who hasn’t had cancer, but may be interested in making lifestyle changes to improve their health and reduce their cancer risk.
Let me share how all this started. I was diagnosed with early-stage Melanoma in 2002 and besides coming to the realization that my daylong beach outings were probably over, I didn’t feel motivated to make any other changes to my lifestyle. I finally found that motivation in 2014 and it involved a Kidney Cancer diagnosis. Once again my cancer was discovered before it decided to take a road trip to another body part, so I am one of the lucky ones and I know it. After getting through the surgery, I was given a follow-up schedule of blood work tests and scans, since chemo or radiation weren’t considered part of the protocol for my particular cancer at that time. I did choose to participate in an available phase III clinical trial of a drug being tested to possibly be a future option for post surgery treatment. I also decided to start researching what else should be part of my post surgery plan, so I hit the computer to find some direction and haven’t stopped researching since. Let’s just say my little part-time hobby has turned into a much larger-scale project and mission and I still love discovering new resources and research every time I log on.
If you’ve been coping with a cancer diagnosis and your surgical procedure is behind you or maybe you’ve finished the initial treatment phase and are looking for direction on how to move forward, I hope the resources in the section For Cancer Survivors will be a helpful starting point to support you. Everyone has to find their own path when it comes to adopting a long-term wellness plan. I have watched one friend completely change her diet overnight, which was a huge impressive accomplishment. For me, just trying to make 2 changes like cutting out my nightly dessert (trying to boot white sugar from my life), while at the same time trying to face my morning coffee without half & half, (I read that I should rethink some of my dairy choices as well) made me wonder if I could possibly do this long-term. The approach that ultimately worked best for me was to make over one aspect of my lifestyle at a time. I started by replacing my nightly dessert with one or two small squares of 80% or 85% chocolate (to keep the added sugar low) and save dessert for a weekend “one night only” splurge treat. Eventually, I even tackled my half & half cream dilemma after experimenting one morning by trying my homemade almond-hazelnut milk and being pleasantly surprised how much I really liked it. Now I’m completely hooked and find that I really miss my almond milk when I travel, especially since the commercial versions taste nothing like the homemade version.
Here are 3 steps from the experiences I’ve learned along the way.
The first important step… BE OPEN TO CHANGE!
Just be willing to give something new a chance.and then… keep challenging yourself!
Try a new recipe, new veggie, new exercise class (or any new physical activity), a 5-minute meditation, or whatever you’re curious about!Finally… the best way to feel a sense of empowerment after a cancer diagnosis, is to choose to create a healthier “new normal,” since only you can decide what new lifestyle choices will work best in your daily routine. It’s in your control to make a positive difference in your health! If you are feeling overwhelmed, use the resources on this site to get some ideas on how to make a specific plan and then start by making one change.
Research for Wellness was created as a place
you can stop by and visit on your time,
when you are ready,
and without any pressure!
Whether you are looking for information, motivation, or inspiration as you move forward past treatment, I believe you'll find something on this site to help you on that new path!
Cheryl Leving
Founder, Research for Wellness
The CRAAP Test: Helps to Evaluate Health Information on the Web - Georgetown University
In my ongoing search for new content to support your effort in making healthy lifestyle choices, I discovered the CRAAP test (I love that name!) on the Georgetown University site. I am now adopting this evaluation test as a guideline for selecting the resources and research for this site and something you should keep in mind as well as you browse digital content.
My Furry Kids, Ricky & Lucy!
My Personal Research Picks
The primary focus of this site is to support your health & wellness efforts.
Below are some additional resources and research, which are related to areas of personal interest.
Beauty without Bunnies
Free cosmetic & personal-care product database and App
If you want to expand your wellness journey to have a beneficial impact on your furry friends and family members, please visit Beauty without Bunnies. Their searchable database has over 3200 cruelty-free companies, where you can check to see if your makeup and personal-care products are made by companies that test on animals.
Bunny Free is their App version available free in the Apple store or Google Play.
Check out Dark Chocolate artisan bars on my Instagram @CraftDarkChocolate
My love of Dark Chocolate!
Bean to Bar App (free) - From Bean To Bar World, an education-first website with the simple goal of educating the public on chocolate making and tasting. Connect to craft chocolate makers around the world!
Had to share these findings from two studies presented at the Experimental Biology 2018 annual meeting, which found "… consuming dark chocolate that has a high concentration of cacao (minimally 70% cacao, 30% organic cane sugar) has positive effects on stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity."
Dark Chocolate - Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
"Learn more about dark chocolate and health, and get tips on purchasing, storing, and serving it up as a healthier dessert."
Stein Institute for Research on Aging
The Science of Laughter and Chocolate with Dr. Lee Berk and Ryan Berk - (56 min. video)