Holographic Health, Inc. – Rev. Ann Marie's Blog

I don’t know what your diet is like – but, this is the place to start. I have found diet to be extremely important in my healing journey. Following are some changes to gradually get you started:

1. Intermittent fasting.  This isn’t as hard or scary as it sounds.  Try to ensure that you don’t eat after dinner and don’t eat an early breakfast – so have at least a 12 – 14 hour window that you fast to let the body reset. This helps to manage and reset blood sugar and weight.

2. Avoid refined sugars and refined carbohydrates.  These metabolize quickly which cause the blood sugar to peak and then fall.  Instead, eat organic, whole grains such as oats – but also limit these to no more than 1-2 servings daily. 

3. Eat good fats like avocado – this helps to also cause the food to digest more slowly.  I cut up avocado, tomato and add a bit of Greek yogurt with some lemon juice and a touch of Old Bay or seasoned sea salt.  If I can’t get fresh avocado, I use guacamole.  Sometimes I just mix  guacamole and Greek yogurt. 

4. Use only extra virgin olive oil and butter and use sparingly. 

5. Eat plenty of vegetables and salads – vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, kale – and mushrooms of all kinds. 

6. Eat fruit first or alone.  Berries are excellent  – blueberries, raspberries, strawberries – and watermelon is good. 

7. Don’t eat bread or potatoes and meat together – they’re very hard to digest and create an acidic condition.  Eat with vegetables instead. You want to eat an alkaline diet.

8. Eat organic.  It’s twice as nutritious and you don’t have to detox the pesticides.

I hope this helps to get you started!

I really don’t know when my grandmother obtained her wooden spoon. She married my grandfather in 1896 and the house was built in 1900. Cooking was a necessity in those days – nothing like the optional convenience we enjoy today.

I started making bread in my teens and asked my dad if I could have her spoon and breadboard. He agreed and my love of cooking and bread making was born. I never knew my grandmother; even though, I grew up in the house she and my grandfather built and where my dad and cousin George were born. She died in 1937 when my dad was 19, apparently of a sudden heart attack. So, I grew up with her stories and her things, and I felt her practicality and knowledge as a farm wife and mother instilled in my DNA.

After my surgery for a cancerous tumor pressing on my SCM muscle in my neck 12 years ago, I thought my bread making days were over. For those who have never made bread, it can be a very physical exercise with mixing and kneading bread dough with both hands, arms, and shoulders. A weakened left side now makes such maneuvers practically impossible and painful for me, and, especially, repetitive motions. Even typing or cutting up vegetables can leave me with shooting pains in my neck and face. So, finding new ways to do things I have always done has been a challenge and a necessity for me.

When you have a surgery, you aren’t always prepared for the aftermath. The doctors don’t always know the extent of the surgery and how your body will be affected or how much or how fast you will heal. I became permanently disabled from the standard of what a normal person can be expected to do – however, over the years and with help from some very special health professionals in my life, I have learned to do many things a different way without being in long-term, excruciating pain.

I have learned to use tools, such as, a food processor, immersion blender, etc., that make cooking possible again. My husband lifts skillets and does the dishes, and I have found bamboo bowls that are safe for cooking but that are much lighter and easier to manage than my former stainless steel and glass. However, the bread maker just didn’t get it for making sourdough bread. The energy and thoughts of the prepare go into the food – and the love was just missing.

Sourdough bread making is somewhat of an art. I made it years ago; but, with my husband watching his blood sugar and my focus on preventing any further cancer imbalances, we don’t eat much bread or carbohydrates period. I put myself on a strict diet of organic vegetables and vegan nutrition 3 years ago to prepare for another invasive mouth surgery, and then I had to prepare for another invasive surgery a year ago. However, we have since learned the health benefits of the good gut bacteria in organic, whole-grain sourdough. Thus, I embarked on a way to make this bread since buying what I wanted with the required ingredients just was not possible.

I have come to understand that to remain healthy, some of us must be extremely diligent with every bite of food that goes into our mouths and every thought that goes through our heads. To maintain my health, I have to eat organic vegan foods, only having the occasional bit of butter and cheese, and that requires searching out the right ingredients and making these foods myself if I can’t find a suitable prepared food. That’s where my grandmother’s spoon comes in.

I ordered flour and sourdough starter from Sunrise Flour Mill. Some organic flours are too rough for my sensitive mouth – however, theirs is a fine grind and makes a very soft bread. In their instructions, they talked about folding the dough in the last part of the process – so, I found a way to work the dough in the bowl with the wooden spoon and my right hand only. This is where the art of the years of bread making and cooking as well as what my health care mentors taught me about learning to do things a different way come in. I still have to plan how and when I make bread – and it has to be a day when I’m home and not doing any cooking or other physical motions of that type.

I also believe that the years of love and history in my grandmother’s wooden spoon help me to complete this task and other things that are physically challenging. It’s a mindset and a way of approaching life. These last 13 years have been hard on my family with them watching me go through these illnesses and surgeries. I have wanted to do everything I can to heal and remain well. So, I asked God to give me the knowledge to overcome the cancer imbalances so that I could help myself and others – and so I don’t have to see the worry on my husband’s and daughter’s and family’s and friends’ faces. So, God said make bread and I had to have faith that there was a way!

Mark 11:22-24 KJV

And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

I found that it has been 2 years since I updated my blog. I have survived more cancer imbalances and surgeries – so, a lot of this time has been spent healing. Stress is a huge factor in illness of any kind, inflammation is produced by stresses on the body – especially by carrying extra weight. I reduced stress, have been forced to get more sleep and rest, and I lost 40 pounds. I have learned so much more and further refined my diet.

Things that I have learned about myself are that I am human, I grieve over losses, I have to get proper rest regardless of the superior nutrition that I have, other people are willing to help and I need to delegate and let them. I am not one of those people who can sit on their laurels and take a vacation from my strict regimen – I have to maintain a strict lifestyle, strict nutrition, food and supplement program, and there are no compromises. My mentor and the founder of Holographic Health, Inc., Dr. Theodore Baroody, used to say to create a schedule and stick to it – that is good advice for anyone. He lived for 20 years with a severe heart condition because he was strict with his diet, nutrition and lifestyle.

I have healed now from two major cancer imbalances in 2 years. This last time, the doctor called me two days before my appointment to tell me that the third surgery for another positive biopsy showed no cancer at surgery – not even dysplasia (abnormal cellular changes). I think that he was more excited than I was!

Dr. Baroody always told me that I had everything I needed to help myself and others. So, when I faced this challenge again, I took that to heart and asked God for help. The right nutrition and foods started presenting themselves to me. Articles and books on nutrition and foods to reduce inflammation and help reduce cancer stem cell activity came. Articles on miraculous healings through faith and prayer came. I went back to the basics of alkaline eating in Dr. Baroody’s book Alkalize or Die, found Dr. William Li’s research and publication Eat to Beat Disease, and also focused again on Louise Hay’s affirmations in All Is Well: Heal Your Body with Medicine, Affirmations, and Intuition and Theodosia DeWitt Schobert’s Divine Remedies. I also use some of the energy signature theories and technologies that we have within Holographic Health.

People will say, “What did you do?” If you really want to know, I will tell you and I will help you if you really want help. But, I will also tell you that there is no magic bullet, no magic incantation, no magic food – yes, there is Faith and miraculous healings do occur; and, it is also work, it is a process, it is a day by day – every day – lifestyle – every day, every meal, every thought. True healing from a major illness is not for the faint of heart! God expects you to take charge of your health. When you ask for help, however, you are given help – and you may have to work to get it. I will also tell you, however, without a doubt, that it can be done and I am living proof of it. It takes attention, it takes thought, it takes prayer – and it takes time. Yes, I see doctors regularly – and, I weigh what advice they give me, ask God if it makes sense and feels right, and then I act accordingly. I take responsibility for my health and have said “no” to certain therapies – but, I have also done other things that made sense and showed a good outcome.

Healing is an individual journey. Everyone is different and things that work for me won’t always work for others and vice versa. There are common threads, however, that everyone should be doing to promote health: 1) Be positive, be kind to yourself, and create positive affirmations for your healing journey. Thoughts and self-talk are powerful! A positive outlook goes a long way toward helping yourself and others; 2) Food is your first medicine. Eat more alkaline, organic food and drink non-fluoridated water. I love salad and raw leafy greens – but cannot eat these very well or very often. So, I make organic vegetable soup about once weekly with vegetable broth, onions, garlic, broccoli, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes – especially purple potatoes, etc. We have a water filter in the kitchen and shower filters that filter heavy metals and fluoride; 3) Avoid sugar and GMO foods. Period. I do not mean avoid fruit – but, when you do eat it, buy organic or grow it. Know what is in your food and where it comes from; 4) Be kind to yourself and get sufficient rest and relaxation – you must do this to heal; 5) What touches your heart, gets you out of bed in the morning, and keeps you on this earth? Concentrating on doing what your heart wants is really living! If you are not doing what your heart tells you, NOW is the time!

Edgar Cayce said that there are no incurable conditions. I believe that God gives us the strength and knowledge to overcome whatever conditions we are given – we just have to ask for help, do the work, and have the faith to continue to live.

Sometimes life deals us a hard blow.  It can knock us off of our footing for a while – knock the wind out of our sails, and we fall, stuck – in a seemingly endless, stagnant ocean – unmoving. That happened to me recently as I had to again assess what I could no longer do.

What isn’t obvious to other people is the loss of function that I experienced as a result of surgery for cancer 7 years ago.  The mass was in lymph nodes in my neck, against the sternockeidomastoid (SCM) muscle and internal jugular; thus, along with a good number of lymph nodes, the jugular and salivary gland, a major part of the SCM also had to go. This muscle helps hold up and turn your head, helps you raise your arm, and is one of the primary muscles receiving stress throughout the entire side of the body when you perform tasks ranging from heavy lifting to small motor movements to chewing.  It’s hard to do any bodily movement without engaging the SCM.  So, I have had to learn to manage the pain and loss of function brought on by the muscle weakness and scar tissue.

I grieved for a while, thinking of some of the things I missed like making jewelry, working in the yard, even taking vacations. Then, I thought of my friend Grayce. She became disabled at a young age – half my age – when she had a stroke after delivering a baby. She lost use of her dominant arm and had other problems that made caring for herself and her family very difficult.

What saved Grayce was her attitude. She went to a supprt group, all lamenting over what they could not do, and she said, “If you can’t write a check, get a check card! ”  They threw her out of the group and she said that it was the best thing that could have happened to her – that those people were depressing.

To move forward, we have to assess and reassess our capabilities after a physical problem or just as we get older.  We need to figure out different ways to do the things we love – or learn to love to do new and different things.

I have often said that my experiences with cancer have been some of the best things, best experiences, that could have happened to me because of what I learned and the people who came into my life as a result.  I have some of the sweetest cards from friends and relatives and we have developed some very close friendships and relationships. I appreciate them everyday more than I could have before.

Yes, I have physical problems and pain that I will always have to manage. But, how can I lament and focus on what I lost when I have also gained so much?  I am closing in on 7 years past August 5, 2011 with no recurrences.  I have a wonderful husband who has been and continues to be so good to me through it all, my good friends and mentors Dr. Coleen Smith and Holographic Health® developer Dr. Theodore Baroody who have helped me through the loss and pain into a way to manage day to day.  I use Holographic Health® principles daily to improve my health and stay on track.  And, last but not least, I have three successful and happy children I can be proud of. To top off the blessings, a miraculous new granddaughter was born into our family last year. I have so many blessings and so much to be thankful for.  What do you have to be thankful for today?

The last few Christmases have been very different. I suddenly became a matriarch – with all of its honors, trials, and tribulations. This year, I have been reminded of all of the blessings over the years, old and new, people who have come and gone, and the massive changes from the way I grew up.

When we were young, we had no responsibilities and fit into the traditions of our family.  We learned  at some point in our lives that some of us were so much more fortunate than others to grow up in a loving family. Maybe we didn’t have a lot monetarily or everything we wanted – but we had love and everything we needed.

My dad, a very educated man who taught English and Science, was also very sensitive and religious. We read a Bible lesson every night as a family and he instilled the real reason for Christmas. Christmas is to honor the birth of Christ. Period. I also learned from my parents to honor this spark of Christ in every living being. The gifts I remember from my dad were things like gloves put in the Christmas tree…things memorable and useful.

My mother, and her mother before her, made sure that everyone felt loved and was recognized and cared for. This was my responsibility for years – decorating, dinners, family gatherings. Now, this torch is being passed to my daughter as we go to her house for holidays. My role suddenly became the matriarch that holds the family together.

There are blessings and trepidations with each new  role we take in life.  Sometimes  we have choice; sometimes life just evolves and chooses us. Whatever the phase, we can focus on the blessings or the trepidations, what we have or what we have lost. Regardless, we still have those precious memories of people and Christmases past and new memories in the making.

I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams by good friends and family, and I wish the same for you.  May God hold you in the palm of His hand this year.  Wherever you are and whatever your situation, I wish you love, blessings and peace in your heart. A very Merry Christmas.

Love, Ann

I have learned a lot about pain over the last 5 years. I always have had trouble with my back and neck; and then, two tongue surgeries and a radical neck dissection 5 and 4 years ago have given me a crash course in pain management and recovery.

I have always been able to handle pain as well or better than most.  I had my first baby with an epidural, didn’t like the results, and then had two more with natural childbirth. When my youngest child was on the way, the doctor and I were having an argument.  Doctor, “We need to give you a local because this baby is big and you are likely to tear.” Me, “No. I’m not having any drugs!”  Doctor, ” This baby is coming, he has a large head, you are likely to tear, it’ll take you a while to sew you up, and the drugs won’t have time to get into his system – we need to do this now and so I’m giving you a local!”  Me, “Ok. Fine!”

I have never been one to complain about my maladies.  My experience and view of the world has always been that nobody wants to hear it.  While this is generally true, if one is in pain and does not share that with people who need to understand what one is really capable of doing or not doing, what sends one into waves of pain, and what helps one to prevent it, then some of this pain is brought on by oneself.  I have pushed though the pain – and it has sometimes brought me to my knees.

I always wanted to help others – and I have had to learn to ask for help.  A dear friend said this to me a couple of years ago and it made such a profound impression, “If you don’t ask for help, you are defying spiritual principles.  What if someone needed your help and wouldn’t ask?  How would you feel?”  So, I now regularly ask for help.  There are distinct differences in 1) being lazy, 2) being a martyr and going through unnecessary pain, and 3) asking for help appropriately when it is really needed.  One does not need to be a martyr and go through unnecessary pain if it can be avoided!

My mother lived with pain.  I saw it start in her 40s and by her 60s, she had a terrible time getting around.  I started seeing a chiropractor regularly in my 30s and she didn’t see one until probably her 60s when I started going.  She had severe deterioration in her hips and some in her spine due to osteoporosis and misalignments.  Now that I better understand pain, I hope that I was kind enough, understanding enough.

Pain makes one want to just sit down and cry.   It’s impossible to think.  That list of things to do today…. some days the list just has to wait.   I have, also, been adamant about a natural approach, only taking significant painkillers when I had surgery.  I saw what happened to my mother taking Loritab – it just took away her will to do anything.  So, getting my neck aligned regularly, getting work on the muscles and scar tissue, and taking vitamin and herbal remedies are my preference. I also use Holographic Health CamphoRub topically to help sooth the area, and ibuprofen when I must.

I have also had to learn to be creative in finding different ways to accomplish tasks: carrying things in smaller bags, getting a vegetable chopper and immersion blender, letting my husband do the dishes…. and some days, just eating out.  To me, life is not about “woe is me because I can’t do that”.  Instead, Life is all about being grateful for what I can do – and doing that with a smile!