Resources
Julie’s Online Favorites
There are lot of great tools and resources that will be helpful on your journey. Instead of feeling like you have to buy everything listed on this page, perhaps you can borrow some of these from others. We are very grateful for caring people in our lives who lent us, gave us, or recommended resources to us—such as items we should buy or therapies we should explore.
The question we are most frequently asked is what items we have bought for our personal care and home, so I have provided links to all of the products we have found valuable. Most of the items on the list below are mentioned throughout the website on various pages, but here is a categorized list to make things simple for you.
Almost everything below can be purchased on Amazon, but there are many other websites or local stores as well.
I hope you find these items valuable! I will continue adding to this list as I learn about helpful tools. Thank you for using these links to purchase items. Clicking the links below are another way for me to fund cancertodolist.com.
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Julie’s online favorites for the hair, face, and body.
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Julie’s online favorites for the home from air filters to favorite kitchen items.
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Julie’s online favorites for exercise and pain relief.
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Julie’s online food and groceries favorites.
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Julie’s online favorites to have on hand or use during treatment. These also make wonderful gifts for loved ones dealing with cancer.
FOR THE Body
Hair
Hair spray - I use a dab of plant oils to hold my hair in place and to control frizz.
See “Hair Reset“ for my hair journey, hair coloring tips, and more.
Face
Cleansing
Brown rice bran (face scrub) - mix with jojoba oil to form a smooth scrub.
Use olive oil to remove make-up, even mascara.
Moisturizing
Whole Body
Body Soap
Castille liquid soap (thin) - has the perfect consistency for the shower soap dispenser (below).
Soap dispenser (attaches to shower wall) - I have these in all of our showers, and they are easy to re-fill with the thin soap.
Body moisturizer - Jojoba oil (mix with essential oils like eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, or lemon). A month after my double mastectomy, I began mixing jojoba oil with frankincense essential oil to rub on my scars and chest.
Detox bath: see detox bath section
Detox bath
Take a detox bath 2-3 times per week. Soak in the tub for at least 20 minutes. Fill the tub with hot water to cover the whole body. Add to the water:
2 cups bath flakes (organic magnesium salt) or epsom salt (100% pure magnesium chloride is supposed to provide better absorption than epsom salt, but either will work.)
1 cup baking soda
2 tablespoons ginger root powder, and any essential oils.
Air Filter
Water filters
Visit the Hydration page to learn more about all things water.
Carbon water filters: If you don’t purchase the whole house filter, be sure to purchase under sink (for drinking and cooking) and shower head filters.
Bedroom
Sheets (100% organic material) - I also love these 100% silk pillowcases
Weighted blanket - great to use during chemotherapy
Eye mask (100% silk) - great for sleeping
FOR THE Home
kitchen
The kitchen was one of the first places I began my detox efforts by eliminating plastic and other toxic materials. I added glass dishes and containers, bought all-natural baking and cookware, and even replaced my dish towels. I went a little crazy, but then I learned more and I eased up — adding back in a few plastic lids to make life convenient. Since they didn’t touch the food, I didn’t worry as much. Although detoxing and rebuilding my kitchen made me feel better, the most important change I made in my kitchen was the food in my refrigerator. To assist with this healthy food prep, I designed a kitchen to support our health habits. Below are some of my kitchen favorites. Visit the Kitchen Treats page for in-depth details about prepping food, simple solutions to eating well, my favorite recipes, and organized shopping lists.
Appliances
I have a pretty small kitchen, so I had to choose a few functional appliances wisely. I have been asked a myriad of interesting kitchen questions, so below is a pretty comprehensive list of exactly what I use in my kitchen.
Blenders
High-speed blender (Vitamix)
Convection oven - TrueNorth Health Center teaches that convection ovens are ideal for healthier cooking. I have a convection oven and I love it! I use it for baking, roasting, and warming up food. I have learned that I don’t need a microwave, so we got rid of ours. It’s okay to use a microwave, so don’t panic if that’s easier for you. If you don’t have a convection oven, here is a good option:
Food processor (10-cup)
Juicers
Omega MM900HDS Low Speed Masticating Juicer - I have this juicer and I love how simple it is to clean. You do have to cut up large fruits and vegetables into smaller pieces to feed into the chute; but the clean up is so much easier than other juicers, and that is important to me!
Here are other options: Breville, Nama J2, or Super Angel
Popcorn machine - air popped popcorn is a great snack!
Rice Cooker
Waffle maker (small, stainless) - Use to make whole grain waffles, and also waffle fries: place a baked Yukon gold potato and press down for perfect, crispy waffle fries with no oil!
Cookware
Cast iron - I have cast iron cookware. I love everything about it, except the weight of the pans. It cooks food quickly, evenly, and keeps it warm longer.
Steamer basket - fits perfectly in the 2¼-quart saucepan.
Soup pot (Dutch Oven 7¼-quart) - this is my favorite soup pot!
Stainless steel - another good option if you aren’t inclined to use cast iron.
Multicooker set - comes with 3-quart and 8-quart pots with steamer basket included.
Food Prep and Utensils
Chopper - This is great for chopping and dicing!
Parchment paper (unbleached) - This is a less toxic way to line baking pans and wrap foods. It also eliminates the need to oil the pan.
I use my Vitamix high-speed blender to make our morning smoothies and so much more!
I love this little rice cooker - it makes perfect brown rice! In the last few minutes, you can throw greens on top of the rice and steam them.
We love our cast iron pots and pans, but they are super heavy. That is their only negative feature.
The Zyliss Easy Pull Food Processor chops carrots, onions, peppers, and other vegetables in a matter of seconds.
KITCHEN - Food and Groceries
Almonds (sprouted)
Aloe juice (whole leaf)
Bread (sprouted)
Brewer’s yeast (A great source of B-vitamins and trace minerals.)
Cereal (dry, sprouted)
Cranberry juice (unsweetened)
Food powders - Plant food powders have many uses, such as sprinkling on salads or soups. These food powders can increase the nutrient density of your smoothies, enhancing your diet. Adding them to your smoothies is also a simple way to consume them. Here are some of my favorites:
Got Sprouts - company in FL that ships fresh sprouts in the U.S. https://www.gotsprouts.com
Lentils (dry, sprouted)
Medjool dates (pitted)
Mung beans (sprouted)
Mustard (stoneground)
Nutritional yeast (not the same as Brewer’s yeast)
Oatmeal (sprouted)
Pasta
Parchment paper (unbleached)
Popcorn (organic) - use an air popper machine like this.
Quinoa (sprouted)
Rice vinegar - my favorite salad dressing!
Seeds - We always add flax seeds to our morning smoothies, but we also rotate other seeds from time to time. I have found other uses, such as sprinkling ground seeds on salads or soups. Remember these are higher in fat, so use sparingly (1 tablespoon or less). Here are some of my favorites:
Soy milk (unsweetened)
Spices - Add spices and herbs to your foods. Use fresh or dried, as they both have benefit. Here are spices I use on a regular basis:
All-purpose (basil, black pepper, coriander, garlic, thyme, onion, oregano, parsley, sage etc.)
Pumpkin spice (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove)
Teas - There is a lot of evidence that tea is beneficial for health. Here are some of my favorites:
Essiac herbs (visit the CAM Treatment page for the Essiac tea recipe)
Green tea (brew but also edible leaves)
Jason Winters (blend of red clover, chaparral, oolong tea leaf, herbalene spice blend, and Indian sage leaf)
Tortilla (sprouted)
Exercise AND Pain Relief TOOLS
Cardio
Jump rope: choose your cable length according to your height.
Rower: indoor rowing machine that is low impact for the beginner, and intensive enough for the fittest athletes.
Skier: can be wall mounted or used with a floor stand.
Stationary bikes:
Trampolines:
Mini trampoline ($)
Mini trampoline ($$$$)
Equipment (Strength - Basic)
Kettlebells: (9LB - 203LB) I currently use 35LB
Medicine ball: (4LB - 30LB) I currently use 12LB
Equipment (Strength - Advanced)
Bar: (choose one of these bars)
Bar (for beginner - 15LB)
Bar (for women - 35LB)
Bar (for men - 45 lb)
Plates/bumpers (10LB - 55LB)
Box: (plyometric—choose one of these boxes)
Loop bands: loop over ankles to work glute
Sled: (choose one of these sleds)
Utility bench: (flat)
Wall-mount rack with pull-up bar:
Monster bands to assist with pull-ups
Rings need to be hung from pull-up bar, ceiling, etc.
Treatment TOOLS AND GIFTS
Below are some items to have on hand or use during treatment. These also make wonderful gifts for loved ones dealing with cancer.
Castor oil pack (castor oil) - Believed to reduce inflammation, among other benefits. Wrap a wool cloth soaked in castor oil around the torso or apply to inflamed area.
Chamomile tea - May sooth or prevent mouth sores caused by treatment. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15693704/
Detox Bath - See recipe above.
Essential Oils / Diffuser - Use a carrier oil like jojoba oil and rub lavender oil on the bottom of feet to relax the body and/or to help with sleep.
Eye mask - A non-toxic eye mask can improve sleep because it blocks out light, which results in increased melatonin production.
Foot Bath - It is very soothing to soak feet after treatment, especially with a foot bath that heats and massages. Essential oils can be added to the water.
Heating pad - Provides targeted heat therapy to help soothe and relieve pain.
Lemongrass tea - May help patients with anemia and digestion.
Lip balm - To moisten dry lips during chemotherapy.
Lozenges - Some chemotherapy patients notice a metallic taste in their mouth as a result of treatment.
Silk pillowcase - Proven to regulate sleep temperature.
Weighted blanket - To calm the nervous system and ease the cold feeling that often accompanies chemotherapy (called cold dysesthesia).
Mastectomy recovery tools
Bras
Clothing
Jojoba oil can be mixed with essential oils like eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, or lemon. A month after my double mastectomy, I began mixing jojoba oil with essential oils like frankincense to rub on my scars and chest.
Recovery Robe - 4 internal pockets (for more comfortable & easier post-surgical drain management after breast surgery (2 on each side)