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Copyright © 2015 Jane Wilkens Michael
All rights reserved under International and Pan American Copyright Conventions.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This edition is published by
Spry Publishing LLC
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014950379
E-book ISBN: 978-1-938170-53-9
Disclaimer: Spry Publishing LLC does not assume responsibility for the contents or opinions expressed herein. Although every precaution is taken to ensure that information is accurate as of the date of publication, differences of opinion exist. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The information contained in this book is not intended to replace professional advisement of an individual’s doctor prior to beginning or changing an individual’s course of treatment.
Contents
Introduction—Nine Rungs That Can Change Your Life
Rung 3—Nutrition
Rung 4—Fitness
Rung 5—Beauty
Rung 6—Natural Remedies
Rung 7—Spirituality
Rung 8—Support
Rung 9—Giving Back
Epilogue—Better Than Before Forever More
Additional Reading
Acknowledgments
Index
I dedicate this book to the loves of my life, my three children, Alex, Philip, and Elise, and my daughters-in-law, Molly and Michelle. You all never cease to amaze me. To my beloved twins, Aliza and Zoey, who bring their “Glammy” such newfound joy. And to my true love, The Lawyer, what can I say? Without you nothing would be possible—including this book!
A special word, too, to the courageous cancer survivors who inspired me to work with them in developing a Ladder to the Quality of Life they so deserve.
Finally, I would like to give a special acknowledgment to my mother, Emily, who gave me the wisdom and know-how to write this book. I think about you and miss you every single day. You always encouraged me to fully embrace life and go confidently in the direction of my dreams. I have hitched my wagon to a star—you! And the heavens shine infinitely brighter from your light. You continue to advise and guide me up my own ladder from above. Momma, this one’s for you!
Nine Rungs That Can Change Your Life
“If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it. Anything you want to do, do it. Want to change the world, there’s nothing to it.”
—Willy Wonka
Years ago, a fortune teller predicted that one day I would be responsible for helping the world become a better place. Of course, she also told me that in a past life I had been a unicorn—so I understandably didn’t put much credence in her forecast. Besides, I figured I was already helping others in my own small way. At the time, I was the “Beauty Talk” columnist for Town & Country magazine. My columns, though, were not just about glitz and (24-carat) glitter. I tried through my writing to convince my readers that they could shape their own destiny.
I urged readers to follow the example of iconic designer Coco Chanel, who had once said, “My life didn’t please me, so I created a new life.” In other words, to accept the idea that if they felt unhappy, personally or professionally, it was up to them to make a change. But to do so, they needed to delve deep down into their psyches to find out what they really wanted to accomplish—and then think of ways to go about achieving it. Self-esteem played a huge part. I advised them to believe that true beauty was really all about being comfortable in your own skin—although it never hurt to add a killer coral lipstick!
To backtrack a bit, my knowledge of beauty and health came from my amazing mother, Emily, who was always way ahead of her time. We ate organic before organic was cool (and sometimes ripe). Admittedly, the apples tended to have suspicious little holes and the citrus was on the puny side, which she insisted simply meant that no chemical, pesticide spray, or wax was used in their growth or handling. We also made our own yogurt, grew heirloom tomatoes in the greenhouse at our weekend retreat, and had meat shipped to us in New York City from a farm somewhere in Pennsylvania, where the cows were guaranteed—by whom, it wasn’t quite clear—to have ingested only organic, hormone-free grains and grass.
Emily was not some hippy who wore patchouli oil and tie-dyed tops. No! At the time, she was an award-winning fashion designer, a founder and trustee of the renowned Fashion Institute of Technology, and best-selling author of beauty and grooming books. My father was the presiding justice of the New York State Supreme Court. Emily simply believed that “we were what we ate,” and in order to achieve optimal health, we had to be extremely conscious of everything we put into our bodies.
Thanks to her, beauty and health became as much my passion as it had been hers. And at some point in my tenure at Town & Country, I took it one step further. I became involved with a cosmetic and fragrance industry initiative called “Look Good, Feel Better” that helped female cancer patients improve their appearance, and thereby self-image, by teaching them hands-on beauty techniques. From spending time with these courageous women, I also learned that they wanted, and needed, inspiration, hope, and the courage for living well beyond cancer to truly recover the quality of their lives. But many were so overwhelmed by their diagnoses, therapy protocols, and having to deal with all the psychological, physical, and social side effects that followed that they didn’t know where—or how—to begin. I realized that in order for them to truly return to their normal—or better—quality of life, they had to understand that the traumatic effects of their illness went far beyond tumors and treatments. Therefore, the recovery had to help them overcome numerous lifestyle challenges, using diverse methods and modalities to assist them in achieving their objectives.
The Birth of Better Than Before
Working with a life coach, who was a three-time stage IV survivor, and a noted oncologist, I created a series of complementary steps—what we called Lifestyle Disciplines. After much trial and error, we came to the conclusion that in order to have a fuller, healthier, happier, and more rewarding life, it took more than just eating leafy greens and thinking happy thoughts. What was required was a multifaceted approach that included doctors’ advice, an improved attitude, proper nutrition, easy exercises, renewed beauty and self-esteem, natural healing, a heightened imagination, a connection to a higher power, and a way to give back to the world to make it a better place. The survivor member of our team contended that these