Dr. Katie Deming and TCM expert Brandon LaGreca share pearls of wisdom

I have still been settling in since returning home from my 30 day water fast… all of my clothes have been falling off of me, so yesterday, I went to Girlfriends and Second Act, the best consignment shops in Friday Harbor, and had some fun outfitting this new slim body of of mine. I got home and then started bagging up all my old clothes to consign and then woke up super early to continue. I listened to this podcast as I worked…

Brandon LaGreca is in remission from a stage 4 cancer diagnosis from over 10 years ago. His nearly 2 decade path as a practitioner of TCM, qigong, and tai chi mirrors mine. The way that Dr. Katie and he discuss cancer from a TCM perspective is absolutely wonderful. I love how Brandon emphasized the difference between standard of care cancer doctors and the way holistic practitioners operate- the western doctors are experts in disease, and we are experts in health. Both perspectives are vitally important so that patients have clear options when deciding how they want to move forward.

In addition to the fundamental root cause of cancer and most diseases- being out of harmony with nature- they discuss the different personality types and types of diseases they are most likely to manifest and to whom. There is always an inner and an outer reason for the way things are. We live in a world full of human created pollution and toxicity- but why do some people get cancer and other people get heart disease? Brandon beautifully weaves the “Type C” personality into the discussion; these are the classic people pleasers who may have challenges with boundaries. They are the type of people the tend to be caregivers, focusing their energy on making sure everyone else is okay while simultaneously neglecting their own needs.

This deeply resonated with me- it is always easier to look outwards than inwards, lest we find a monster we don’t feel ready to deal with. In this way, cancer can be a gift- a reckoning with what we have missed. My cancer diagnosis has been the most wonderful gift, and I know that is such a strange thing to hear. I feel like it has helped me to clear out the cobwebs of my inner vision, my self doubt, my fear of the unknown. As my attachment to outcomes dissolves, I become more whole in the present moment. And this present moment is where I want to be, always <3