by Linda Castillo
Laurie Scolari was going to the doctor for a few years about various symptoms but the doctor could never tell her what was wrong. For three months, she suffered from severe muscle spasms in her legs, felt nauseous, very weak and fatigued. And then one day she discovered a small, hard lump on her breast. In Spring 2014, Laurie was diagnosed with Stage 1 Ductal Carcinoma Breast Cancer, the type of breast cancer that spreads rapidly.
Prior to receiving the diagnosis, Laurie was starting to become a vegetarian but she hadn’t been consistent. However, after doing more research about the causes of cancer associated with a diet consisting of diary and red meat she became a 100% vegan. Laurie went to a cancer recovery center that is nutrition-based once her radiation treatments had been completed. It was there she learned so much more about the importance of what we put in and on our bodies that can be cancer promoting.
Upon her return from the recovery center, her mother moved in to take care of her. Laurie fondly recalls how her home was filled with Virgin de Guadalupe statues and the sweet aromas coming from the kitchen as her mother roasted chiles. Her mother comes from Puebla, Mexico, a town known for making moles. “My mom makes so many moles and salsas, the house was always filled with a delicious aroma,” recalled Laurie. Like many Latina moms, her mom saw food as a way to help heal Laurie. But the way her mother traditionally made the food, the dishes had many ingredients that Laurie could not eat. Together they created meals that were organic, vegan and oil free. “Some of the meals didn’t turn out great and those ones wouldn’t make it to the blog,” said Laurie laughing. It was a wonderful and special time bonding with her mother as they created new recipes together.
During her healing process, Laurie received a lot of calls from friends and family to talk about the changes she made to her diet and lifestyle. Laurie wanted to share what she learned in her journey to beat cancer so she created Planta, a blog focused on plant based meals with a Mexican twist to help others live a healthy, cancer-free lifestyle. The blog features meals inspired by her mother’s hometown. The recipes are plant-based, vegan, gluten free, oil free, salt free, and delicious cancer-fighting meals.
Laurie says that her vegan diet helped with her recovery. In fact, after the changes to her diet and in her lifestyle, the doctor noticed a significant decrease in the size and location of the tumor from the previous month. With these changes in her tumor she no longer needed a partial mastectomy. With her new plant based diet, Laurie said that she had energy during her radiation treatment.
Five staples that you will find in Laurie’s kitchen:
- Potatoes – A good source of protein and they provide a lot of energy.
- Corn Tortillas – Corn also has protein. She makes them with everything – essentially turning everything into a taco!
- Hummus – She uses hummus in all types of recipes. It is a great replacement for cheese and substitution for butter.
- Almond Milk – Contains vitamin D and calcium. She prefers the natural Califia brand sold at Whole Foods.
- Vegetable Broth – This is the base for all stir fries instead of oil. She makes a lot of veggies on top of rice.
“People have a negative perception of carbs but her diet consists of potatoes, rice, corn and beans. You just need to eat healthy carbs,” says Laurie.
Some other tips from Laurie include adding 3 cancer fighting foods to your diet:
Chia Seeds – They have a ton of proteins and Omega 3 fatty acids. Every morning Laurie starts the day with a Yogurt Chia Seed Parfait.- Berries – They have a high level of antioxidants. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are one of her favorite got to snacks.
- Brown Rice – Look for ways to switch to brown rice based food such as chips, crackers, etc.
Laurie practices an immune-building exercise plan and researched the most effective methods for promoting health. Diet is only one component of living a cancer-free lifestyle. Laurie is essentially going back to nature with what she is putting on and in her body. She explained how beauty products and animal products could throw off your hormone levels potentially leading to cancer. “Never believe the label of products,” says Laurie. She recommends using the Environmental Working Group website www.ewg.org to research products that may have cancer causing effects. You can research everything from your facial cleanser to household cleaners.
Laurie recommended 3 things you can do to help live a cancer-free lifestyle:
- 30-Minute Walk – Every day go for a 30-minute walk in the sun. This reduces cancer from coming back by 50%.
- Beauty & Cleaning Products – Use beauty and cleaning products that don’t have cancer causing effects.
- Dietary Changes – Incorporate some of the suggestions that can be found in Laurie’s blog Planta.
“One in three Latina women will get cancer in their lifetime. It is imperative for every single Latina to look at cancer prevention. Look at what could be causing cancer. Do one thing – go for a walk, swap out products to lower your chances of getting cancer,” Laurie says.
All of the recommendations that Laurie shared with Modern Latina are simple and small changes that will have a big impact towards living a cancer-free lifestyle. Laurie is one spirited, strong, passionate, modern Latina who is sharing her story and helping others with her blog, Planta. Visit Planta for recipes and be sure to check out two of Laurie’s favorite recipes are Yogurt Chia Seed Parfait and Roasted Corn & Pepper Stuffed Potato.
Linda Castillo is the Founder and Executive Editor of www.ModernLatina.com. She writes on topics that empower and inspire Latinas including art, motherhood, green living, culture, travel, and issues transforming the Latino community. Linda has earned a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Mass Communications from San Jose State University.