Walked Into the Doctor with Hemorrhoids—Walked Out With a Wake-Up Call
Hats off to you hemorrhoids! Bravo for Blood in my 💩!
I get it, most of us wouldn’t be too pumped about itchy hemorrhoids or spotting blood in the toilet bowl. But looking back? I’m actually grateful for both.
Because here’s what happened: I went to the doctor expecting the usual, “It’s just hemorrhoids, nothing to worry about.” And at first, that’s exactly what I got. A quick exam (yep, it was embarrassing), a reassuring nod, and a casual, “It’s probably hemorrhoids, but you might as well get a colonoscopy just to be safe.”
And thank God I did, because that “just to be safe” colonoscopy? It saved my life. That’s how we found the stage III cancer that had been hanging out in my colon for years.
So yeah…hats off to you, hemorrhoids. Bravo blood in my stool. You got me through the door.
I could have been angry at my body for “failing”, for blindsiding me with a life-threatening diagnosis, for “betraying me” with stage III cancer when I thought I was doing everything right. But, really, where would that lead other than to more stress which was already threatening to eat me alive faster than cancer ever would.
In order to heal I had to believe, with 100% certainty, that I COULD heal. I mean deep soul belief that an amazing life beyond cancer was possible. I read the book Radical Remission, after a friend told me about it & saw story after story of people surviving against the odds, and thought, if they can heal, so can I.
Obviously belief alone wasn’t enough. I couldn’t simply think my way better. My body needed the right tools, and I couldn’t navigate them by myself.
The 9 Principles—And Why I Needed Help
Radical Remission outlines 9 key factors that cancer survivors have in common.
1️⃣ Radically Changing Your Diet – Eliminating processed foods, sugar, and inflammatory ingredients while focusing on nutrient-dense, whole food.
2️⃣ Taking Control of Your Health – Becoming an active participant in your healing journey by researching, making informed decisions, and advocating for yourself.
3️⃣ Following Your Intuition – Trusting your gut feelings about treatment, lifestyle changes, and what your body needs to heal.
4️⃣ Using Herbs and Supplements – Incorporating plant-based medicines, vitamins, and other natural compounds that support the immune system and overall health.
5️⃣ Releasing Suppressed Emotions – Addressing and letting go of past trauma, emotional pain, and unresolved stress that could be impacting physical health.
6️⃣ Increasing Positive Emotions – Actively cultivating joy, gratitude, and love, which have been shown to enhance immune function and overall well-being.
7️⃣ Embracing Social Support – Surrounding yourself with a strong network of friends, family, and community, which has a direct impact on healing.
8️⃣ Deepening Your Spiritual Connection – Engaging in prayer, meditation, or a personal connection with something greater than yourself, which can reduce stress and promote healing.
9️⃣ Having Strong Reasons for Living – Identifying a deep sense of purpose and motivation that fuels your desire to heal and continue living fully.
I implemented all of them, but for today, let’s talk about three that made a big difference.
1. Radically Changing My Diet – I thought I ate well. (Spoiler: I didn’t.) I needed a functional nutritionist to help cut through the noise and build a plan that supported healing.
2. Using Herbs & Supplements Wisely – The internet is full of “miracle” supplements. Some can help, some are useless, and some would interfere with treatment. I wanted an expert who understood both conventional and functional medicine to help me navigate this safely.
3. Embracing Emotional Support – I wanted to be tough. I didn’t want to “burden” anyone. But isolating wasn’t strength; it was sabotage. The moment I let people in, the world got much brighter.
Because I spoke up, caring people connected me with the right doctors, the right nutritionist, and I found the right support system.
What You Believe Becomes Biology
If you’re skeptical about the idea that thoughts can influence healing, let’s break it down. This isn’t “woo woo feel good vibes” or “think happy thoughts” - it’s hard science.
Reduced Stress Hormones = Stronger Immune System
Negative emotions trigger cortisol and adrenaline, which suppress the immune system by reducing white blood cell production. Long-term stress leads to chronic inflammation, which, fun fact, is linked to almost every major disease.
On the flip side, positive emotions lower cortisol levels so your immune system can function the way it’s supposed to. People with higher optimism levels actually have lower inflammation markers (like IL-6 and C-reactive protein).
Activating Rest & Repair Mode : Your nervous system has two settings:
•Fight-or-flight (survival mode) → Suppresses digestion, healing, and immune function to focus on short-term survival.
•Rest-and-repair (healing mode) → Allows energy to go toward cellular repair, digestion, and immune response.
What activates healing mode?
Gratitude
Love & connection
Laughter
Meditation
These stimulate the vagus nerve, which reduces inflammation and helps regulate immune function.
Your Body is a Biochemical Feedback Loop
Happy thoughts = more natural killer (NK) cells, T-cells, and antibodies (IgA) that fight viruses, infections, and even cancer cells.
Laughter and joy increase endorphins (your body’s natural painkillers).
Serotonin (boosted by positive thinking) lowers inflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and TNF-alpha—which are linked to chronic disease.
So I didn’t curse my body—I thanked it.
I thanked it for the blood in my stool (yep, still serious about that) because it pushed me to seek medical care before it was too late.
I thanked it for trapping cancer in my lymph nodes instead of letting it spread. And I made a promise:
I would stop treating my body like an afterthought, like it was broken or damaged and instead I would CHOOSE to treat it like something worth fighting for, something that is already fighting for me and like the amazing miracle of a gift it is.
Better Together
Here’s another point that really hit me: All of the people in Radical Remission who defied the odds?
None of them did it alone.
We’re not wired to heal in isolation. We need support, whether it’s for nutrition, emotional strength, or just having someone help us make sense of it all
That’s why I do what I do at Five Foundations Wellness. I needed help and now I help others reclaim their energy, vitality, and resilience so they can live fully, love deeply, and be present for the life they fought so hard for.
📍 Book your session now and start taking charge today because if you don’t…who will?
