Richard Avon's Blog

MORE ON PROSTATE CANCER

2009-07-26T07:27:00.000-07:00

UPDATE ON MY APPROACH TO PROSTATE CANCER

By RICHARD AVON

I last posted a blog about dealing with Prostate Cancer on the 7^th May this year so I thought it was about time to post an update. My latest PSA reading last week was again 0.4 and I seem to be getting younger every day! No doubt this is in part due to the fact that I now manage a full allotment which I took over in a state of utter neglect. One quarter of it covered in weeds almost as tall as I am! I spent last winter digging almost through to Australia to remove these one by one and my plot is now burgeoning with giant onions and garlic, carrots, lettuce, spinach, turnips, parsnips, calabrese, purple sprouting, courgettes, squash, marrow, pumpkin, dwarf French beans, runner beans, broad beans and some HUGE sunflowers. (Remember I eat a lot of sunflower seeds!)

Someone once said that if you have an allotment, you don’t need to go to a gym and after all the digging and weeding followed by carrying two large watering cans over several trips during these dry spells I agree with him.

A friend suggested that it might be useful if I gave a bit more detail about what exactly I eat but before that I will tell you about my wife’s and my 25^th anniversary celebration.

We had read in the local paper that a restaurant in a small market town near us had been judged the best restaurant in the UK so we thought we should try it. We made the booking and told them it was for a 25^th anniversary.

We found the prices reasonable as far as food was concerned but the wine list started at around £14 for plonk and went up to £400 for the top Champaign. We decided on water!

We both ordered crayfish on a pasta salad with balsamic vinegar for a starter and this was quite nice with some subtle flavours. For the Main we both chose a fillet of bream on spinach with boiled tomatoes and capers. The waiter arrived with:

‘Who’s having the mushroom risotto?’

This of course went back and the two bream dishes arrived. Reasonable, but nothing special. For Desert My wife had ordered Cheddar Cheese and biscuits with grapes and I ordered Strawberries and Cream. A waitress came to lay the cutlery giving us both a fork and spoon! My wife pointed out that she was having the cheese so her place setting was renewed. Then along came my wife’s cheese with an apple and blackcurrant crumble for me! This went back and I eventually received my strawberries. The biscuits with my wife’s cheese were of two sorts, one was rubbery and appeared to be past it and the others resembled the hard tack eaten by sailors in Nelson’s day. I half expected to see Weevil Kinevil jumping out of one!

I wouldn’t have bothered to have written this except for the fact that the Good Food Guide rates this as the BEST in the UK! I have a feeling that the person who sampled it on behalf of the Good Food Guide was lubricated with the £400 bottle of Champaign which may have clouded the judgement somewhat.

So what sort of food do we eat? Well here are two examples based on published recipes but adapted to our passion for vegetables.

First, Soy glazed salmon on a bed of spinach and garlic with toasted sesame seeds.

Those are the complete ingredients for the published version. My version is as follows and this is a very quick dish with a total cooking time of 8 minutes.

Seves 2

Ingredients:

2 Salmon Fillets

Pack of baby spinach

3-6 cloves of garlic chopped.

Sesame seeds

Tamari (Wheat free soy sauce)

One medium carrot

6 broccoil florets

6 cauliflower florets.

Method.

Pre-heat the grill on high and place the salmon fillets on the grid in the pan and sprinkle with the Tamari.

Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a small frying pan and set aside.

Wash the spinach in a colander and peel and slice the carrot and cut the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Place the carrots in the bottom tier of a two tier steamer and place the broccoli and cauliflower in the top tier.

Pre heat a large wok which has been sprayed with an olive oil spray.

When the three minute timer pings place the top tier with broccoli and cauliflower in steamer.

One minute later place the chopped garlic in the wok and stir. After one minute place half the spinach in the wok and cover. About a minute later put the rest of the spinach in the wok.

At the end of the full eight minutes place two servings of the spinach and garlic on the plates, remove the salmon from the grill and place on top, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and some more tamari then garnish with the steamed carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. I will also often add some sliced tomato and grapes for good measure.

The Second recipe is based on a Butternut Squash Risotto with Brown Basmati Rice in place of the normal risotto rice.

(Brown rice is far more nutritious than whit rice and also lower in acidity)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Half a medium sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes.

1 Large onion quartered and sliced.

6-8 Cloves of garlic.

4.5 ozs of Brown basmati rice.

¾ pint of Vegetable stock.

½ Large carrot sliced.

½ Large parsnip sliced.

10 slices of courgette

1 tin of Plum Tomatoes

4 Chestnut mushrooms quartered.

¼ Red pepper chopped.

2 oz Frozen peas

6 Broccoli florets

6 Cauliflower florets.

Tumeric, Garam Masala, Ground Coriander and Olive oil.

Utensils, Larger Wok and a Steamer.

This is one of our favourite meals. It is a LARGE meal and you will feel completely satisfied but not ‘full’ or heavy. It is highly nutritious and very alkaline in balance.

Method

Prepare all the ingredients as above and heat the wok on high and start to heat the water in the steamer.

When the wok hot add a splash of olive oil and stir fry the cubes of squash and the chopped carrot for about three minutes until softened.

Then add the onions, parsnip, courgette and garlic and continue stir frying until all the onion is softened and golden.

Sprinkle on the spices to taste and add the rice and stir to blend the rice into the mixture. If too dry add a splash more olive oil.

Then add the tin of plum tomatoes and blend in.

Set your timer to 12 minutes and add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil and then lower the heat and simmer for twelve minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. You continue to stir this as needed.

At this point add the frozen peas and fold in the chopped mushrooms and red pepper and reset the timer to five minutes and add the broccoli and cauliflower to the steamer.

At the end of five minutes divide the wok mixture between two plates and garnish with three florets of broccoli and cauliflower on each plate. I like to add a splash of tamari and some very hot chilli sauce and my wife prefers some tomato sauce.

And some people seem to find it difficult to eat five portions of fruit and veg. in a day!

Having got that off my chest it’s time to get back to business with:

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How I Tackled Prostate Cancer

2009-05-07T07:29:00.000-07:00

In January 2006 I was seeing my GP on a minor matter and I mentioned that for some time I had been experiencing a dull ache in my left groin and I wondered if that could be connected with my prostate? The doctor assured me that it was nothing to do with any prostate problem and then asked whether I was worried about that? I explained that I had lost a dear friend to prostate cancer and another was undergoing treatment. He asked if I wanted an examination and I agreed. He found that my prostate was indeed enlarged and arranged a blood test. The result showed a PSA reading of 19 which I thought didn’t sound sinister until he told me that anything higher than 4 gives cause for concern. He then referred me to the urology department at my local hospital.

(It was interesting that I have never again felt the ache in my groin!)

I had to wait eight weeks for my appointment by which time my PSA reading had risen to 20.

I was seen by a charming young nurse who explained all the ramifications of prostate cancer and said that they would like to take a biopsy to determine whether my problem was benign. She also explained all the various treatments which might be appropriate, ranging from hormone therapy through chemotherapy, radio therapy and surgery, if it turned out to be malignant.

I agreed to make an appointment for the biopsy but while I was waiting I also did a lot of research into alternative medicine which has for some time been of great interest to my wife and me. I also spoke to my friend who had had the surgery and he told me that the biopsy procedure was excruciating and could even cause further problems. This is one of the reasons for my writing this as I have recently seen a blog from a friend of mine who posted an article on the dangers of recommending a biopsy to all men with a prostate problem.

The day of the biopsy appointment duly arrived and the gentleman who was to carry out the procedure explained that he would first inject the anaesthetic and then insert a kind of pistol which would fire darts into to my prostate to collect the samples for biopsy! I asked how many and he said: ‘Twenty!’ He then pulled the trigger to show me the noise which I would hear each time which was quite like a pistol shot.

‘Ulp!!!!!’

I stalled for time and mentioned the warnings of the dangers of this procedure about which I had been reading. He told me that it was my decision and that I was not forced to have it. As always when faced with something unpleasant like this, I mentally recalled my days in the Army during National Service and indulged in my favourite fantasy which is that I was in the SAS instead of the REME. ‘I can do this!’ I thought and asked him to go ahead.

I lay there on the table and heard twenty explosions and actually felt a small jolt with three of them! So to anyone reading this and faced with this it is really nothing to worry about. I was able to reassure another friend shortly after who had to go through this and he agreed afterwards that it was virtually painless. There were no after effects whatsoever.

Then followed the usual wait for the results from the biopsy and once again I was seen by the same young nurse who told me that it was indeed cancer and she showed me some numbers relating to the aggressiveness which was at the high end of the middle band. I remember my first reaction to this news was to feel so sorry for this young lady whose job it was to tell an elderly gentleman that he had cancer. She then told me that the next step was to arrange an MRI Scan and X Rays to find the extent of any spreading of the cancer cells.

Once again there was the usual wait for the appointment for the tests to be carried out and then again for the results where I was told that some of the prostate cancer cells had spread to my pelvic girdle. All the time I had been waiting I had been conducting my own research and I assured the young nurse that although I would accept the recommended Hormone Therapy I was not going to have any surgery etc but that I would also be attacking the problem in my own way. She seemed dubious at my theories but wished me well. I knew she didn’t really believe me and arranged for me to see a consultant. This was a formality as I had already decided on the path I would take and the consultant was politely sceptical and we agreed to monitor the progress every three months.

Three months later my PSA count was 5 and then after a further three months 0.3 and every three months since it has hovered around 0.4 I have to say that the various consultants and nurses I have now seen seem slightly puzzled and tend to say ‘Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it!’

So! What have I been doing in addition to the Hormone Therapy Treatment?

We first became interested in alternative medicine about nine years ago when a friend introduced us to the concept of making extra money in Network Marketing with a nutritional company. At first sceptical we tried some products and were amazed at how quickly we experienced a feeling of well being we have continued with various supplements ever since. Through this company we embarked on a course of Bio Energetic Medicine which in turn led to the discovery of Reiki and over the last two and a half years I have attained the rank of Master Practitioner.

My first encounter with Reiki was when I had twisted a knee playing squash and six months later I was still limping and having trouble. I went to my Doctor and he showed me a model of knee joint and told me that he thought I would need micro surgery and he would refer me to a specialist. There was a six months waiting list and I thought of a friend who is a Reiki Master and I decided to give it a try. I didn’t know anything about Reiki but she told me it was about channelling the universal energy and allowing the body to heal itself. After my first treatment during which I experienced tremendous heat in my knee I was 90% better. A further treatment two days later and all the remaining discomfort disappeared and it has never returned. As a result of this, as soon as my prostate cancer was diagnosed my wife and I decided to become trained in Reiki ourselves and that has been an amazing journey.

All my research into self help methods had instilled in me the power of the words ‘We are what we eat’. If you think about it, we are composed of many different types of cells and each of these groups is programmed to have a certain life span then to die and be replaced by new cells. These life spans vary from a few minutes to a few years. These new cells are formed entirely from the nutrition we absorb from the stuff we put in our mouth! If we eat junk food we end up with a junk body! The Greek Physician Hippocrates famously said: “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food’. Wise words indeed!

I am not a qualified nutritionist by any means but I have read much on the subject from various sources (see list of recommended reading at the end) and I decided on a simple strategy.

Cancer cells, like any other cells, need nourishment to survive. There is much alternative research available as to which foods enable cancer cells to thrive and which ones they don’t like! So why not try to starve them out of my body?

When I first knew I had this problem I went to the Bristol Cancer Help Centre which is now the Penny Brohn Centre and has earned a national reputation for helping people with cancer and I was delighted when I saw the nutritionist who confirmed that I was indeed on the right track with my plans.

She gave me a list of foods divided into groups ranging from the most alkaline to the most acidic and the interesting thing is how my taste buds have changed. I used to be a big meat eater with large juicy steaks a regular treat, closely followed by roast lamb accompanied by potatoes and a couple of vegetables sometimes even including the boring broccoli! I was also a ‘butterholic’ although even as a boy I have always hated milk.

When we attained level one Reiki my friends told me that might very well become a vegetarian and I laughed and said ‘I don’t think so, I LOVE my meat!’

When the cancer was confirmed I told my wife that I thought I needed to change my eating habits and she agreed to change with me. I have always enjoyed cooking and now I do nearly all the cooking and I have never felt fitter or more full of energy in my life.

So, what are the major changes?

NO dairy whatsoever, and the only meat I use is chicken and fish maybe three meals a week in total with the rest vegetarian only. I could easily be a total vegetarian and when I was eating a lot of meat I wasn’t really interested in the vegetables but now although I enjoy fish, I find the chicken almost boring but the vegetables are delicious. I get very amused when I see the exhortations to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and media commentators saying how difficult that is! EVERY evening meal we have will include eight to ten different vegetables, lunch will be salad and breakfast some cereal and fruit. Evening snacks will be fruit and nuts with some pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Some years ago we bought a bread machine and I have never bought a loaf since. So when we changed our diet I simply omitted the butter from the recipe and now use olive oil instead with wholemeal for a standard wholemeal loaf.

So here is a list of some of the most powerful anti cancer foods which we use.

Top of the list are the major six which are included virtually every day: Onions, Garlic, Broccoli (which I now LOVE!) and Cauliflower, Red Peppers and Tomatoes. Added to these will be a seection from, carrots, parsnips, turnips, butternut squash, sweet potato, all types of legumes ,mushrooms, sweetcorn etc etc!

The result of this is that we have never felt healthier, more energetic or enjoyed our food more and when I consult any of our many cookery books or watch any of the celebrity chef programmes on TV I usually think , 'But WHERE are the vegetables???' Like doctors, most chefs don't seem to think about nutrition.

The other day I realised that I hadn’t looked at my list of alkaline and acid foods for over a year and so I looked it up. There are four columns on either side of the neutral line ranging from least alkaline/acidic to most alkaline/acidic. I was pleased to see that the foods I instinctively choose are very largely from the alkaline side. Animals always know instinctively what to eat and they lead far healthier lives than many humans. It seems I have become a bit of an animal! For optimal health the ideal proportion is 80% alkaline to 20% acid.

In addition to the choice of food, very important vitamins and minerals for aiding the battle against prostate cancer are vitamins C, E & D and the minerals Zinc, Magnesium and Selenium and plenty of anti-oxidants.

For many years we have seen the research showing that the vegetables we buy off the shelf now have far less of the essential minerals than they had fifty years ago and this alone is believed to be an important contributor to health problems.

Well, that’s it and if you are reading this and want more information here is a list of recommended reading which have inspired me in my fight against this ‘man’s problem’ which has now robbed me of two of my friends.

Richard Avon

e-mail: richard.avon@blueyonder.co.uk

http://www.GatherTheWealth.com

Suggested reading for ANY type of cancer:

(Please note I have no commercial interest in any of these authors or publishers)

Everything you need to know to help you beat cancer.

Chris Woolams ISBN 0-9542968-0-X

Eat to Beat Cancer

Dr Rosy Daniel & Jane Sen

ISBN 0-00-714704-X

Cancer

Why we’re still dying to know the truth.

Phillip Day

ISBN 0-9535012-4-8

Great News on Cancer in the 21^st Century

Steven Ransom

ISBN 1-904015-07-7

Heal your body.

Louise L. Hay

ISBN 0-937611-35-2

And along came TWO!

2009-03-14T08:28:00.000-07:00

Last week I had a vivid recollection of being 16 and standing at the bus stop waiting for the 8.20 bus. I waited and waited until it arrived at 8.40 closely followed by the bus that was DUE at 8.40!

This memory was triggered by the fact that in my last post I was talking about finding the best online business that I have found in 8 years online and, then lo and behold, along comes a pre-launch that looks like being a perfect companion.

Since the pre-launch was announced around the 12th Feb over 19,000 members have pre-registered which must be something of a record.

At first sight it appears to be just another cycler and, from my last post you will see that I really don't like cyclers but THIS is very different which explains the current worldwide excitement.

It is a 2x2 forced matrix with the claim that even people who never recruit anyone will make money over and over again from a one off payment.

So how can this be possible?

It's because when you join you receive a package of leads which are claimed to be fresh leads of opportunity seekers. Then, everytime you cycle you receive another fresh package of leads.

So what use are the leads if you don't know how to market to them?

Now here is the ground breaking bit that REALLY caught my attention.

These leads can be used to promote THIS business and also ANY of your existing businesses in a TOTALLY AUTOMATED way! Including auto responders AND telephone and text follow up!

There will be default follow up messages but you will have the facility to edit these to suit any other business.

The owners have been testing this system and the claim is, that it will be perfect for complete beginners who will be able to earn from the automation while they learn from the extensive suite of video training material which is the product. Incidentally these training materials will be available on your site for visitors to purchase direct from you at 100% profit even if they don't wish to join the business itself, thus providing another source of earnings.

So what can you earn?

From the business itself, without taking into account any sales relating to your existing businesses which you choose to promote through this system, there are four levels the first of which is bronze which will cost you a ONE OFF $75 and which gives you 500 leads.

Then everytime it cycles it gives you another 500 leads AND pays you £125!

The other levels cost more, give you more leads and pay you a higher figure and you can start by buying as many levels as you wish BUT when you have cycled 15 times at any level you are awarded a FREE upgrade to the next level.

SO you can work your way up to the top level over time with a one off payment of just $75.

The Marketing Training provided by the suite of videos is extremely comprehensive and will enable any beginner who is prepared to learn step by step, to build a successful online business.

And to any beginners contemplating any online business I will say that success takes time BUT you wouldn't expect become a qualified architect after playing with a drawing board for a couple of weeks.

These notes have been compiled after studying the website in detail and attending several of the regular training webinars and reflect my understanding at this stage.

I shall certainly be using this to increase the exposure of my existing business which is already proving to be more successful that anything I have done in the past.

If would you like to learn more please click here Tell me More

Richard Avon
richard.avon@blueyonder.co.uk
44 1454 323123
Skype: richard.avon

New Personal Powerline Pay Plan Takes the Internet by Storm!

2009-02-28T05:17:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to my Blog

I discovered Traditional MLM about eight years ago before I retired and then when I retired from my career in Financial Services I decided to concentrate on my MLM business to supplement my pensions. I was successful in this with, at one time, a downline of over 2,000 people worldwide but changing world conditions led me to the conclusion that the traditional model for MLM Entrepreneurs was suffering badly.

People no longer wanted the onus of a monthly ‘autoship’ of maybe $100 worth of products a month as a condition of getting paid so I turned my attention to the internet to see if I could find a suitable income opportunity. Now we have the familiar story! I have tried SO many things, made some money on some and been burned by MANY more!! This taught me some very valuable lessons.

I have always been prepared to support my downline fully and guide them in all ways to their chosen goals but nowadays in these turbulent financial times I have become VERY picky when deciding on a suitable opportunity and my criteria can be summed up as follows:

1. The parent company must be established with a proven track record. Rushing headlong in the next ‘Big Thing’ is not for me, I have been burned too many times following this path.

2. DEFINITELY no Cyclers or Money Games. Mathematically they cannot survive and always leave casualties among the late comers. If it says I don’t have to sponsor anyone I don’t believe it!

3. How do I and my downline get paid? Will I be waiting a month or more or even longer for the promised ATM card?

4. Will the plan be affordable for the sceptical ‘Newbie’?

5. What level of training and support will be available from above so that I don’t have to carry the WHOLE can?

6. How effective is the Website in engaging and holding the prospect’s attention and guiding them to a decision?

7 What FREE benefit can I offer to attract the ‘Window Shopper’

Recently I was delighted to find a programme that satisfies ALL my criteria and MORE!

So to answer the above points:

1. The business started in October 2007.

2. Very valuable products with 100% Resale rights. A REAL Business.

3. We get Paid INSTANTLY into our favourite online account, e.eg PayPal, AlertPay or Safepay which are free to join.

4. Everyone can afford to join at just $10 and a one off $47 which YOU don’t pay until you have your First Sign Up because I will pay it for you when you join.

5. Provided you join MY Team you will have access to Three FREE Webcast Training sessions per week which are very successful at helping the newcomer.

6. The MOST Powerful Website I have ever seen which does all the explaining for you.

7. What FREE benefit can I offer? A FREE TOUR and then I will PAY YOUR WAY IN to the FIRST LEVEL at $47

There are Five levels in all and if you have the money you can buy as many levels from 2-5 as you want when you start OR leverage yor way up as you recive the commission payments.

So what can we earn?

INSTANT payments of $47, $97, $247, $497 and $997 paid direct to US when we sponsor a new person AND when THEY sponsor new people down to on infinite level which is why, when your business starts to grow you can look forward to receiving daily payments up the level of the HIGHEST PACKAGE you have bought for yourself.

And ALL starts with a $10 payment.

So why not start TODAY? By taking the TOUR at:

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Richard Avon
richard.avon@blueyonder.co.uk
+44 1454323123
Skype: richard.avon

My First Blog

2009-02-08T06:13:00.000-08:00

Having been 'retired' for some years now I suppose it is time for me to start my own blog. After all when my five year old grandaughter contradicts me because she thinks she already knows everything (Don't they ALL? Didn't WE at that age??) I ask her 'Freya (for that is her name) do you think you will know MORE when you are my age than you know now? Because, quite honestly, if you don't; you will have totally wasted your life'. I think she got the point.

The point of this is that I am hoping that after all the varied experiences I have had in my wonderful life there will be things that I can contribute that may be of interest to others. Of course the problem is that when we hear the pontifications of older people, we never seem to recognise the value of what they are saying until we get to their age ourselves.

We then realise that what they were trying to tell us was right all along and if only we had heeded their advice at the time we might have avoided some of the mistakes we have made. But 'twas ever thus and it wasn't until after my own Mother's death that I realised that when she said that I shouldn't marry a certain lady she was absolutely right! Fortunately, and expensively, that was corrected almost a quarter of a century ago and I have been idyllically married to My Darling Bente - a Full Blooded Viking - ever since. (I suppose it needed the fire of Viking Blood to cope with me!).

I believe that laughter is the Best Medicine and those of you who stumble on these meanderings, will I hope find the odd chuckle here and there.

For Instance when were having dinner with Freya and our daughter, Lisa and our Son-in-Law, Martin, recently, Martin said:

'Freya, please can get two more beers from the kitchen, one for me and one for Grandpa?'

So off she trotted but came back empty handed saying:

'But Daddy, there are only two bottles left'.

'That's right.' Said Martin, 'One for me and one for Grandpa'

'But Daddy there are only TWO bottles left!'

'Yes! One for me and one for Grandpa'

'But Daddy, are you SURE you want to waste one on Grandpa?'
Out of the mouths etc!

Well that is enough for now so I'd better get back to making some more money online.