Amoena Life Spring/Summer 2015 US

LIFE

Feeling good, looking great.

Spring 2015

www.amoena.us | www.amoena.ca

Transforming Her Life

Positivity and a heart for others in Real Life

Secrets of the Spa Practical tips to get the wellness treatments you crave!

Better Bones, Better Living Lifestyle decisions now can make you or break you

Find Your Inner Fashionista!

new notice

Confidence shines in our Before and Afters

things

A fresh how-to for living more mindfully every day

Know someone who needs caring support?

Sharing is CARing!

Now you can send a FREE GIFT subscription to AMOENA LIFE. Look inside for our Free Gift Subscription Card

PLUS: HEALTH | BEAUTY | PORTRAITS | AND MUCH MORE

NEW fro m t he

We treasure the invitation into your life.

Editor

Amoena FASHION

6

Makeovers PAGE 10

Amoena has a special message for our readers: It’s not every day one arrives at a 40th anniversary. Every day for 40 years and counting, we’ve celebrated our relationship with women like you — the most beautifully brave women anywhere.

We treasure being invited into your lives.

For 40 years, we have dedicated our resources and 100% of our efforts to advance the sciences of comfort and to apply the art of fashionable design to create meaningful, intimate moments.

This is why in sharing our 40th year we are committing, more than ever, to reaching more women than ever before.

We recognize there is a profound significance to 40 years as more than 95% of all breast cancer diagnoses occur after age 40.

Of course, you know this. Just as you know what it means to have friends who listen. You know what it means to be the one who holds the hand. You know the uncertainty. You know how to find your way in new ways. You know the days that shine and the nights that add memories.

We want to be there with you.

For you, like no other.

20

Features 6 Cover Story

Notice New Things A fresh how-to for living more mindfully every day

18 Beauty

Secrets of the Spa

Practical tips to get the wellness treatments you crave

19 Real Life

Transforming Her Life

Positivity and a heart for others

20 Mind & Body Your Living Canvas

Body Painting is personal art with a message

I’m thrilled that this issue is helping kickoff our 40th anniversary year. What our writers and contributors have put together illustrates very accurately what our message above states: that we want to be with you. When you yearn to live mindfully (page 6), when you feel a little bold (page 20), when you want to pamper yourself (fashion makeovers, page 10 and spa info, page 18), and when you’re taking care of your health for the future (page 22).

I’m also feeling serendipity’s touch as I, too, have been celebrating my 40th year!

That I’m sharing a birthday in such lovely company makes me mindful of life’s bold and ingenious connectivity. It’s the little things, and the big things, in a complete and meaningful circle — or maybe, this year, a balloon shape!

Thanks so much for being here.

22 Report

Better Bones Promote Better Living Decisions now can make you or break you

Fashion 10 Finding Your Inner Fashionista Again

Amoena Fashion for every moment, modeled by our survivor Ambassadors

Regulars 4 Up Front

All the latest news on issues that affect you

Lee Thrash, Editor info@amoena.com Facebook.com/AmoenaUSA Twitter.com/AmoenaUSA

To find Amoena near you, visit our store locator at www.amoena.us/stores or call 1-800-741-0078.

As we celebrate 40 years, we dedicate our wishes …To the you that goes forward into each day …To the woman who looks into the mirror each night …To the you with dreams for what’s ahead.

In Canada, visit www.amoena.ca.

www.amoena.us

What makes us Amoena is not a history, but a devotion to being for you, like no other.

Amoena is a registered trademark of Amoena Medizin-Orthopädie-Technik GmbH. © 2015. All rights reserved Amoena Medizin-Orthopädie-Technik GmbH, 83064 Raubling, Germany

19

P.S. Please share your feedback in our Reader Survey (page 26), and share our magazine with your friends by giving a free gift subscription!

Publisher Amoena USA Corporation | Editor Lee Thrash Contributors Dianne Armitage, Julie Auton, Morag Currin, Beth Leibson, Marilyn Wattman-Feldman Art Director Shan Willoughby | Design Sekayi Stephens Photography Dorothea Craven, iStockPhoto, Shutterstock, Veer, Dollar Photo Club Contact Amoena Life, 1701 Barrett Lakes Blvd., Ste. 410, Kennesaw, GA USA 30144, 1-800-741-0078, amoenalife@amoena.com

The entire contents of this publication is copyrighted by Amoena, Kennesaw, GA, USA 2015. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents in any manner is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. Amoena Life magazine is published twice a year and is available by request. Amoena Life magazine is distributed to subscribers, retailers and medical facilities. No liability for unsolicited manuscripts. Amoena cannot be liable for pictorial or typographical errors. While every effort is taken to ensure the information contained in this magazine is accurate, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any use of or reliance on the accuracy of such information. Any information provided is not a substitute for professional care and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you have, or suspect you have a health problem, you should consult your doctor. The editor reserves the right to edit or abridge letters.

24 Feelin’ Kinda Funny

Mindless on Purpose What 20 years of go-go-go living has taught me

25 Survivor Portrait

Fearless, Fabulous Melanie Young Internet radio lets her be her own voice for welnesss’ sake

On the cover Our cover model, Anne-Mary, age 58, is a breast cancer survivor.

Photographer: Dorothea Craven

>>> NEWS & REVIEWS

Upfront

The latest news and tidbits relevant to you

Teamwork!

Amoena’s Guardians of the Bra-laxy Did you gear up, pink-out, get blisters, or otherwise participate in any Breast Cancer Awareness events last October?

We did — we strive to be visible in the community where Amoena USA headquarters is located, to support the women who wear Amoena products hands-on — or rather, shoes-on! This year, on an unseasonably cold and wet Saturday morning, we happily hosted the Survivors’ tent at our local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K. We even had the honor of handing out medals to survivors at the Finish line.

We thought of all of you and your cheerleaders, teamed up and glammed up in pink tutus and custom t-shirts, and were glad to have Amoena Life magazine onhand and in goody bags, to inspire you later, when the shoes come off! Congrats to everyone who raised money and pounded the pavement along with us!

Telling Stories in School High school junior’s fashion photography project serves ROW Bayley Sherman of Chicago wanted to use her fashion photography assignment for good — so she decided to capture the women of Recovery on Water (ROW), a Chicago rowing club for breast cancer survivors. For them, it was a makeover and modeling gig (a local makeup artist donated her time, and Amoena donated Active wear) to celebrate their accomplishments as athletes. Many of them, according to ROW’s website, have never been rowers before, but the group provides camaraderie and encourages them to remain active in their recovery.

Bayley hopes her project will also result in a nice donation for the non-profit, when she publishes a book with her photos; she plans to give them all the proceeds.

She gets an A+ in our book.

4 | Amoena Life

Amoena turns 40! How have we become a companion to you over the last 40 years? Look for our balloon throughout the magazine to find out.

Qi Gong & Tai Chi in Practice

Game Changer?

from Marilyn Wattman-Feldman As a follow-up to the Tai Chi article in our last issue, you might also consider Qi Gong. Here an avid practitioner explains how it works for her:

It was months before I realized the benefits of the weekly Tai Chi class I took from 2008 until 2013. Then, I started Qi Gong in the summer of 2014.

Translated, Qi Gong means “cultivating energy” using the Chinese word Qi meaning “life force or vital energy” and Gong which means “accomplishment or skill cultivated through steady practice.” Tai Chi or Qi Gong can be classified as martial, medical or spiritual.

I attended Tai Chi classes at a local senior center where we learned traditional moves along with an emphasis on balance that included ballet. The instructor’s intent was for the participants to gain a better sense of balance and hopefully, be less likely to suffer from an injury due to a fall. As someone who fell twice and broke both femurs, (2005 and 2008) I was an excellent candidate for these classes. Not only did I need to develop better balance, but I also wanted to overcome my fear of falling.

In addition, the breathing techniques have proven beneficial for my asthma. In Qi Gong, our instructor places a great deal of emphasis on building better and stronger respiratory function via the power of the breathing techniques we practice.

Qi Gong can be done either sitting or standing, so it’s accessible to everyone. The slow, rhythmic movements make it much easier for anyone who has physical limitations. While there are sessions where technique is practiced and rewarded, I personally enjoy classes where I can do the movements “to the best of my ability” and still get the benefits.

For Your

Researchers Intensify Study of PALB2

Last fall, a report in the New England Journal of Medicine turned attention once again to genetic mutation, indicating that people who possess the PALB2 gene mutation could carry a higher risk of getting breast cancer.

Previous data had indicated that mutations in PALB2 were linked to breast cancer but it was not clear to what extent.

The new data, from 154 families without BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, yielded this result: women who carried rare

mutations in PALB2 were found to have, on average, a one in three (35%) chance of developing breast cancer by the age of 70. Scientists also confirmed that the risk was highly dependent on a family history of breast cancer, where carriers with more relatives affected by breast cancer were at higher risk.

PALB2 might become the next BRCA (BReast CAncer) gene. Considering this level of importance, TheBreastCareSite presented an in-depth feature about it, which might help you make health decisions. Visit www.thebreastcaresite.com and search for “PALB2.”

Bookshelf

It’s Your Life–Choose Well

By Kathleen Keller Passanisi If the pressures of the 21st century make you perpetually tired, emotionally bereft, or just generally “okay” (but not “great”), you’ll be happy to know that there is a way forward. Author Kathleen Keller Passanisi makes her living as a therapeutic humorist, speaker and writer. In her 2003 book, she gathered up years of her wisdom — we’d call it an inspirational reference tool for living better. She asks readers to “think a little more carefully about how well you are taking care of yourself,” so that instead of rushing to get a new pill and hoping it works, you can take some control by making better choices. Friendly and upbeat, it’s medicine more mindfully. Or, better yet, it’s mindfulness without need of the medicine. (Movere Publishing, 2003).

Zen Cancer Wisdom: Tips for Making Each Day Better

By Daju Suzanne Friedman From the Foreward: “Zen is the Japanese word for insight, awareness, and meditative mind. Zen is practiced to resolve the great confusion about life and death.” The perfect guide, then, when one is diagnosed with cancer. Each chapter begins with a story from Zen teaching, and helps patients navigate the days of actual treatment of cancer — but the lessons apply beyond that period.

Meditation, mantras, nutrition, acupuncture, and even qi gong are some of the modalities offered for contemplation.

(Wisdom Publications, 2014).

Amoena Life | 5

>>> COVER STORY

new notice

things

A fresh how-to for living more mindfully every day

By Beth Leibson

6 | Amoena Life

Beth Leibson lives and writes in New York City. She is author of I’m Too Young to Have Breast Cancer (2004) and The Cancer Survivor Handbook (2014).

People who are trying to alleviate stress — and who isn’t, these days?

— often turn to practicing mindfulness, also known as living in the moment.

Mindfulness, the current buzzword in self-help literature and positive psychology, can certainly help with anxiety and stress, but its merits aren’t limited to stress relief alone.

“Mindfulness is basically about being aware of what’s happening in one’s present experience, with acceptance,” says Ronald Siegel, Psy.D., Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and author of The Mindfulness Solution: Everyday Practices for Everyday Problems. “It’s really an attitude toward experience.”

That recipe sounds pretty simple: pay attention to your own life. It isn’t until you sit down and try to practice mindfulness, though, that you see how difficult it can be. In fact, says Siegel, when we try, we realize that we’re living in “a narrative thought stream about some imaginary past that we call memories or some imaginary future.”

We’re so caught up thinking about our past and future that we rarely stop to taste our food, smell the spring morning air, or even truly listen to our friends in conversation.

“It turns out that almost everything that distresses us has to do with these thoughts about the past and the future,” Siegel explains. This is particularly true for a cancer patient or survivor who

worries about what she might have done to cause or deserve the cancer (chances are, nothing) and whether it might recur.

Sometimes it isn’t very obvious when we’re living mindlessly, says Laura Porter, Ph.D., clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences/Medical Psychology at Duke University Medical Center. “We’ve all had the experience of driving somewhere in your car, somewhere you go all the time, and when you get there, you have no recollection of how you got there.”

We are so caught up in our thoughts — our plans, self-criticism, imagined conversations — that we miss much of what is going on around us, she explains.

Practicing mindfulness can train your brain to stop ruminating and focus on the moment. In the way that someone who hits the gym regularly is better able to spring across the street if the need arises, practicing mindfulness allows you to tap into those mental muscles when stress, anxiety or depression hit.

Why Bother?

By focusing on the here-and-now, we eliminate these fears and concerns for the past and future. We see that our experience changes moment to moment; something that is disturbing at ten o’clock may not be as much of a concern at ten minutes past. In this way, we become less tense — and we’re better able to surf the waves of pleasure and pain.

“By expanding your mindfulness, says Porter, “you notice and appreciate things — especially what is functioning well and feels good.”

You learn to be kinder to yourself, to forgive yourself even in the midst Amoena Life | 7

>>> COVER STORY

of difficult emotions, agrees Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center (MARC) and co-author of Fully Present: The Science, Art, and Practice of Mindfulness. “People who practice mindfulness over time show others more kindness,” she adds. “They wish others well and wish themselves well.”

Think about the toll stress takes on our bodies. While we’re rarely being threatened by the proverbial saber-tooth tiger, our bodies experience that same “fight or flight” response that speeds up our heartbeats and breathing and then lands in our shoulders or in the pits of our stomachs. Even though we’re not worried about preserving life and limb, and are probably only thinking about whether we are happy or sad, angry or relieved, or successful in whatever we’re doing, these stresses are physical.

Mindfulness has an opposite bodily effect, explains Winston. It reduces inflammation, which is connected to the rise of cancers, and can even affect the brain itself. That’s not to suggest that mindfulness can prevent cancer, but it certainly can help cope with the pain.

“It teaches you to just be present with the pain, to soften around it, to learn to tolerate it,” says Winston.

Mindfulness Through Meditation…

Often, when people think about mindfulness, about learning to live in the moment, they think about meditation. Meditation often stems from religious traditions, explains Siegel.

“A movement toward ‘connection with others and less preoccupation with me’ is an important feature of most of the world’s religious traditions.” While meditation appears in most religions from Jewish to Christian to Muslim to Hindu, the Buddhist approach has probably been developed the most.

Whatever your religious background, though, one way to successfully cultivate mindfulness in your life is by starting small, practicing for five minutes a day, then gradually increasing the time to twenty minutes a day. Winston, who guides the Mindfulness Awareness Practice (MAP) at UCLA, says, “People 8 | Amoena Life

Thanks, Mom! Founder Cornelius Rechenberg borrowed tools from his mother’s kitchen while experimenting to develop Amoena’s first breast form manufacturing processes. Visit www.amoena.us/history to learn more.

report benefits within a few weeks” of training in this way.

…And Through Noticing New Things Ellen Langer, Ph.D., mindfulness expert, experimental social psychologist and Psychology Professor at Harvard University, proposes a more direct route to mindfulness: Notice new things.

“When you notice new things,” says Langer, “you come to see that information is context dependent. In other words, things look different from different perspectives. The more you

our minds even though it’s actually changing. So what we want to do is acknowledge the changes — and look for the changes.”

For instance, rather than operating on autopilot when you go grocery shopping, look around the store. The products might be slightly different than last week. Or they might be organized in another way than they were. There might be different staff members and even the people shopping alongside you are probably not the same neighbors you saw there the previous week.

Try these tips (adapted from lifehacker.com and zenhabits.net):

remission’ with those who considered their cancer ‘cured.’

“If you have a cold and then you get rid of the cold, you don’t say your cold is in remission,” she explains. You say it is cured. “And if you get another cold, it is seen as a brand new cold.” It is possible, Langer suggests, to view cancer survivorship in the same way.

“If the cancer goes away and an oncologist tells you that your cancer is in remission then, based on the work we’ve done, people feel as though the cancer is always lurking and can come out at any time,” she notes. And this stress, if we give in to it, can have a negative effect.

happier and healthier on all the measures that we took,” says Langer.

‘How To’ Guide So, what can we do to bring a more mindful approach to our lives?

The first step, says Langer, is to actively engage the world around you.

“Whether it will remove the cancer or not is an empirical question.” Just focus on what is going on — the everchanging sights, sounds, smells in your environment.

The second step is to recognize that the medical data that led to

“ Mindfulness is being aware of what’s happening in one’s present experience, with acceptance.” notice about things that you thought you knew, the more you become aware of everything that you didn’t notice,” Langer adds. And that newness becomes the rule rather than the exception, which, in turn, leads us to be in the present — to be mindful.

“Forty years or so of research shows that the very simple process of noticing new things is literally and figuratively enlivening,” says Langer.

“We give people instructions to notice new things — and they live longer and their health improves.”

Reconstructing Reality The catch is that this process requires shifting the way you look at the world — in essence, continually looking at the world through new eyes.

“Nothing is permanent, everything is changing and everything looks different from different perspectives,” says Langer. “We tend to hold it still with

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Wash breakfast dishes using your senses. Enjoy the warm water on your hands; appreciate the meal you’ve just tasted.

Set an hourly timer on your phone or computer as a reminder to come back to present.

Allow your thoughts to pass gently, as leaves falling, without judgment.

And you can return to these simple tools whenever necessary, adds Winston. “You can really be mindful when you’re walking down the street, when you’re eating, or even when you’re about to go into a meeting and are feeling really stressed.” It can help you feel more relaxed and be more effective at the dais.

Remission versus Cure Langer did a fascinating study with breast cancer survivors. She compared people who saw their cancer as ‘in

This approach separates the mind from the body. “People get so scared when they get a diagnosis of cancer that many give up,” says Langer. Giving up is never helpful in fighting adversity.

“When you get this dread diagnosis, the mind is overwhelmed with stress, with the fear of negative things and a lot of giving up.” And that isn’t exactly good for you. “We don’t know how much of what happens when one is dealing with cancer is a function of the cancer or a function of the giving up.”

Instead of surrendering to the diagnosis, Langer advocates mind-body unity. “If the mind is in a healthy place, the body is going to be healthier,” says Langer. In her study, the group of women who considered their cancer ‘cured’ reported better general health, more energy, less pain, and less depression than the ones who thought it was ‘in remission’ and still lurking in their bodies.

“Eighteen months later, the women who saw their breast cancer as ‘cured’ were

the diagnosis and prognosis are based on probabilities, statistics that aggregate many people’s experiences.

“Probabilities mean that, for some people some of the time, this is what they can expect,” says Langer. There’s no way to know exactly what will happen in your case. “If you give up based on probabilities, you could be causing yourself harm,” says Langer.

“None of us knows how long we’re going to live. The important thing is to make each moment matter,” says Langer. And if every moment in your life matters — then your life itself matters.

Mindfulness, says Langer, isn’t about specific exercise regimens — though some yoga programs do promote mindfulness — or about particular diets or medical protocols. It is about acceptance, opening our minds, focusing on the present moment, and gaining control over our lives. And it is about enhancing our joy and appreciation. |

Guide Yourself to Mindfulness There are downloadable meditations available online at: mindfulness-solution.com and marc.ucla.edu.

Food First If you’re considering trying out mindfulness, mealtime might be a good place to begin. It is a discreet period of time — no 24/7 commitment — and happens every day.

But — how do you actually do mindful eating?

Remembering to be mindful is often the biggest challenge, says Megrette Fletcher, M.Ed., R.D., CDE, dietician and cofounder of the Center for Mindful Eating. So she recommends turning your attention to your food, which is a new behavior, after you do an existing behavior.

“One of the things I know I always do when I eat is I sit down,” says Fletcher. “Sitting down cues me to observe my food, to notice the colors, to take a deep breath, to turn my attention to the meal, to recognize that now I have the opportunity to taste something, to really taste it.”

Fletcher encourages her clients to notice what they are eating and how it makes them feel. According to the Center for Mindful Eating’s website, the basic steps are: ➤➤ Make the commitment. ➤➤ Make a simple food choice. ➤➤ Think about feeling grateful for the food and the person who created it (even if that person is you). ➤➤ Offer your full attention. ➤➤ Notice as the flavors come and go. ➤➤ Notice any thoughts, feelings, or cravings you might have. ➤➤ Taste the food directly.

Mindful eating can set the stage for a larger mindfulness practice.

It can also lead to better nutrition and habits. For more information, go to the Center’s website, www.thecenterformindfuleating.org

Amoena Life | 9

>>> FASHION

Finding n i a g A r u Yo a t s i n o i h as INNER

F

you men, just like o w l a re — ls mode g Our Amoena ence in clothin d fi n o c w e n r e — discov

Feel confident underneath !

Animal prints fall into the “basic colors” category. This one is a classic neutral, but still a bit of fun and pattern. The bra straightened Nicole’s posture, gave her a lift and a feminine touch with its soft lace. Lucy wire-free bra (sizes 32 to 40, A to D) & panty (sizes 6 to18).

BEFORE Let’s be real for a minute. Sometimes, when you look in the mirror, the image staring back isn’t what you expected.

The dress doesn’t hang the way it used to. The sweater set looks different than you remember. The top is too low cut. The elastic on the arms feels uncomfortable. Maybe, you think, it was a laundry error.

Rest assured, you’re not alone: women everywhere can relate. Cancer treatment adds another level of challenge, and whether it’s due to weight loss or gain, the removal of one or both breasts, lymphedema, scars, or simply a loss of self esteem, finding a way to feel good about your appearance is a pivotal point in your overall recovery.

Amoena is here to help. Our survivor models, chosen during a recent Amoena competition held in France, may have different body “issues,” but their common desire is this: To find the fashionista within!

Meet Our Model : Nicole, age 52, is a daycare teacher and o multi-sport athlete wh ct nta Co na oe Am wears ms for t as bre a tur or Na

Mission : To honor

her inner fashionista le while being comfortab or flo the on sit to enough s! kid the h wit e ytim for pla

Fashionista Tip!

Mission Accomplished!

Nicole found her inner fashionista in this top and pants from the Amoena Leisure collection.

Comfortable, stylish and ready to play! Harmony High Neck Top (sizes XS to 2XL).

When she’s walking her dogs, training for the next biathlon, or playing tennis, Amoena Active fits perfectly.

This long tank gives extra coverage over hips and tummy.

Behind the Scenes...

10 | Amoena Life

BOLD IN BLUE: Experiment with color underneath to give your mood a little va-voom! Annette underwire bra (sizes 34 to 48, B to G) and panty (sizes 8 to 20).

Amoena Life | 11

>>> FASHION

Feel confident underneath!

Think Positive: A reason to go shopping!

BEFORE

While many women are able to jump right back into their pre-treatment wardrobe without any alterations, there are probably just as many who find their altered bodies need a new fashion plan.

Have some fun with this wardrobe overhaul. Start with the tried-and-true fashion advice: if you haven’t worn it in more than a year, or you know you don’t feel good in it, donate it. You’ll feel better for more than one reason. Move on.

You’ve probably got a “signature style” already — use it, build on it — then give yourself permission to shake it up a bit. One suggestion from You Can Do It: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls, is to venture out with a fashion-forward friend, and let her suggest new things.

For a night out, Carole wants to feel anything but “mom.”

With Amoena Seduction, her body confidence starts on the inside and shows on the outside! Amelie wire-free bra (sizes 32 to 40, A to D) and panty (sizes 6 to 18).

Meet Our Model :

Carole, 37, maintained her fashion-savvy while pressing “pause” on her career, to focus on family after her breast surgery

Mission:

To honor her inner fashionista while writing and running a household!

Fashionista Tip!

A night in can be just as delectable as a night out. Carole enjoys cooking, so she can savor gourmet life without leaving home. Afterwards, a cozy moment in a supportive, flirty Amoena Romance Dots Nightdress (S to XL) — with the right amount of coverage and a pocket for a leisure form — is just the thing.

Mission Accomplished!

Amoena Valletta gives a pop of bold color and can be the basis of so many great-looking outfits, we lose count! On the go with the kids, or even playing tennis or badminton. Look for it this season in Orchid and Jade (sizes 8 to 24).

Behind the Scenes...

12 | Amoena Life

Stylists and makeup and hair, oh my! Carole said it was a grand experience being pampered and styled all day. This Rebecca underwire set in cherry (34 to 48 B to D; 36 to 46 DD) highlights the tones in her brunette hair and gorgeous skin.

Amoena Life | 13

>>> FASHION

Handcrafted with love. Gifts made by hand are the best kind. Amoena breast forms aren’t crafted on conveyor belts. Every stage, from pouring the silicone, to scissortrimming the edges, to placing the form into the cradle, is done by caring hands.

Watch our video to see this caring in action: www.amoena.us/natura-cosmetic

Quick-fix fashion solutions Breast cancer survivors should rest assured there are solutions to their body-image and style challenges.

Women of every size, shape and nationality — surgery or not — worry about their various figure flaws. Many times, retail boutique employees (and certified fit specialists) are trained to work with customers in identifying the right styles that hide any flaw; however, shoppers need to be willing to share their concerns in order to get help.

Here are a few quick fixes: l Stay modern and current. When you have an updated look, you’re more free to feel comfortable with your body as it is. No need to spend a lot of money; one or two great in-style pieces, like a jacket, boots or a trendy scarf, can update an entire wardrobe of jeans and t-shirts.

l

l

l

eep surgical scars from stealing your K style zen. Our fashion experts suggest necklines that are not plunging but still attractive such as v-neck or boat-neck tops, for chest area scars, and flow-y, semi-transparent sleeves instead of sleeveless.

Mix and match to suit your body type.

Suits and sets are nice, but if you stick with separates, you can choose different sizes, matching a fabulous top in one size with a fun skirt in another size if needed.

(Forgive the cliché, but) Size matters.

One thing women sometimes overlook as an option: Selecting the appropriate size. This often means going up one size than you’re used to, so the garment fits with the proper shape. And there’s no need to sacrifice comfort for a tight fit; feel better, look better.

BEFORE

Feel confident underneath!

Working as a managerial assistant at a hospital, Corinne dresses professionally for the 9 to 5 hours. A bright personality underneath doesn’t hurt anything, though! Karla wire-free bra (sizes 32 to 42, A to D) and panty (sizes 6 to 16).

Fashionista Tip!

Mission Accomplished!

Fashion perfection for workouts? Right here.

The Amoena Tank Top (XS to 2XL), with its high neckline and built-in bra with COOLMAX® pockets, flatters right in the zone with diagonal color blocks.

Coordinating Capri pants (XS to 2XL) are so trendy!

With a Contact adhesive breast form, workouts are no problem — Corinne wears hers to yoga, while Nordic walking, and even in Zumba classes. The Power wire-free sports bra (medium support, sizes 32 to 42, AA to DD) keeps everything in place, but allows body movement and caters to her comfort with adjustable elastic straps.

Meet Our Modn el :

Corinne, 41, a woma t! She who lives to the fulles workloves to shop, travel, rses. out, bake, and ride ho

Mission : To acceanssd

her inner fashionista ime! rock her workout reg Get a closer look at the fashions featured in this issue!

Go to www.amoena.us/new-styles

Behind the Scenes...

14 | Amoena Life

Every girl needs a great hairstylist. Blowing out her bangs and pushing them back brightened Corinne’s whole look. Amoena’s in-studio style team only used natural hairsprays and products, promise. Corinne said this Jane Padded wire-free bra (32 to 42 AA to D) felt like satin sheets — and it fits beautifully!

Amoena Life | 15

>>> SWIM

Swim Logic Beauty Beyond Geometry and Fruit

D

o you ever feel “boxed in” by the shapes and fruits that seem to define our body imperfections? Triangles, ovals, pears and apples grace magazine spreads… but sometimes we’re none of those objects. What we need is swimwear that addresses our body issues directly: my hips look wide, my surgery left a scar, my tummy’s soft.

Amoena’s 2015 pocketed swimwear, and our survivor models, show how different suits can shift you into a great shape — or create the illusion you’re looking for!

Amoena Swimwear to Fit Every Body Still need a geometric clue?

See more shape-ology below.

ROUND

Tummy Tamer Tankini tops with solid colors below the bustline trim the tummy.

To see all the current swimwear styles, visit www.amoena.us/swimwear.

PYRAMID

Hip Slimmer Soften the line of a wider bottom half with the classic sarong skirt.

RECTANGLE

Curve Creator Tummy Tamers

Hip Slimmers

Curve Creator

Loose-fitting around the middle for your comfort, and the interesting neckline keeps “eyes up here.” Combini Blouson tankini, 10-22.

Solid side panels and vertical patterns say “long and slender” and a higher neckline puts the focus on your pretty face. Mumbai princess-seam tank, 10-22.

Getting clever with convertible straps can create graceful curves.

Or take straps off to showcase your shoulders.

Sophia bikini, 6-16.

Inset: Morena side-shirred tank, 8-20.

Inset: A drawstring top can have the same curvy effect. Melbourne tank, 6-14.

Inset: Empire waists have been popular since the 18th century for a reason! Verona Swimdress, 8-20.

16 | Amoena Life

All the celebs are wearing mono-kinis; you can, too.

Under its charming crochet there’s a two-piece look, giving you virtual curves.

Amoena Life | 17

>>> BEAUTY

REAL LIFE <<<

Secretsof the S

life

TRANSFORMING her P A

Practical tips to help you stay mindful of your body while getting the wellness treatment you crave During and after breast cancer treatment, you deserve to be pampered, to relax and to trust that your treatment is going to benefit you. Going to a spa or clinic for a facial, manicure, pedicure or massage is a treat, but what kinds of things might be different for you now? Consider these challenges:

Lymphedema

Skin Issues

Nail Issues

Lymph nodes removed during surgery can leave you with a lifetime risk of lymphedema. Each individual is different and lymphedema may not occur immediately — it can occur years later. Even a mosquito bite can trigger lymphedema, so the pressure of some massage techniques or the possibility of a nick or cut with nail clippers can present a risk.

All cancer treatments can affect the skin to some degree — some issues like dryness, itching or rashes arise in local areas, and other skin issues may affect the whole body. Side effects can be short term or long term. Spa professionals trained in skincare can help support your skin during treatment, even including reconstruction of brows, lashes and other skin imperfections with corrective makeup. Most importantly, it’s about taking care of you, so your outward appearance is a healthy one.

Hand and foot-related issues can occur during treatment. Hand-foot syndrome and peripheral neuropathy do require necessary modifications to any spa treatment. There are added risks of infections if hands and feet are exposed to unsanitary equipment.

Ideally, the implements used on you should be “one use only,” and disposed of after use.

Immune System Cancer and its treatment can weaken the body’s immune system by affecting the blood cells that protect against disease and germs. When white blood cell counts are low, infection is a much higher risk, therefore spa treatments such as hair removal, chemical peels, microdermabrasion and extractions are to be avoided. When platelet counts are low there’s a higher risk for bruising/ bleeding; therefore, the therapist needs to adjust her pressure at all times or avoid working on the area. Energy healing is an alternative during time of low platelet count.

Pampered with Confidence Seeking out a certified spa professional who has had training about cancer, side effects from treatment, and any possible side effects is important.

The focus of these spa professionals is to provide you, the client, with a beneficial and safe treatment when you visit a spa or clinic. They will

Skin Care Products Spa professionals trained in skincare know which products are safe for use, especially after getting necessary information from you. They know to keep product choices simple. This applies to the number of products you use, and the number of ingredients in a product. The focus should be on soothing, hydrating and protecting the skin rather than stressing the body further with numerous additional chemicals. need to ask questions, and to keep accurate records. To help them, please arrive early to give them time for the necessary paperwork, and bring a list of all medications or supplements you may be taking, including the purpose of each.

Author Mórag Currin suggests, “If no certified spa professionals are available in your area, please contact

Psychological Spa professionals trained in Oncology Esthetics are aware of the emotional effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment. These professionals are trained to be supportive during their time with you. They know how to be mindful by paying attention in the present moment with an open and accepting attitude.

Empathy from a trained spa professional can change the perception of everything — and her knowledge can make your spa experience a safe, rewarding one. | the experts at info@oncologyesthetics. com. Our volunteer group of spa professionals will offer a free consultation at your convenience.

You’ll then be able to give the list of modifications to any untrained spa professional, plus you will have the confidence to request these modifications and control the outcome for any spa treatment that you have.”

Mórag Currin pioneered the only Oncology Esthetics® certification for spa professionals and has set the standard in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. She is the author of Oncology Esthetics: A Practitioner’s Guide (Allured Books, 2009) and Health Challenged Skin: The Estheticians’ Desk Reference (Allured Books, 2012). Learn more at www.oncologyesthetics.com.

18 | Amoena Life

Positivity and a heart for others changed Ginger Johnson

“Life is constantly changing, moving forward,” says Ginger Johnson, a breast cancer survivor who has turned her own difficult experience into a positive force for herself and for those around her. “It’s going forward that gives life depth and gives you the skills you need for your own life and to help others.”

Ginger was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31. She was teaching fitness classes and had never been in better shape, physically. She and her husband had just bought a home twenty minutes outside of Salt Lake City, they had two young children and Ginger was pregnant with a third.

Everything seemed to be perfectly placed. But she had this nagging feeling that “this is too easy,” she remembers.

When she was about two months pregnant, a reddish-brown mark appeared on Ginger’s areola.

It grew quickly. Three months later, on Halloween, which she calls “the scariest day of the year,” Ginger was diagnosed with breast cancer.

After considering all her choices, Ginger decided to undergo a

mastectomy during the pregnancy; she preferred this option to terminating the pregnancy or waiting four or five more months to take action. And, thank goodness, she gave birth to a healthy baby boy right on schedule.

Once he arrived, the medical fun began. At a week and a half postpartum, Ginger got her tubes tied and her chemotherapy port installed.

About a month after that, she started chemotherapy.

It wasn’t just the physical difficulties that were a challenge for Ginger. “I also felt mommy guilt,” she remembers, “because I couldn’t do the things I wanted to do for my baby,” such as nursing. “I think I didn’t bond with my youngest son until he was nine or ten months old.”

In a matter of months, Ginger went from the fitness world — where her sense of herself was connected to her body image, strength, beauty, and her being upbeat and energetic — to the world of cancer treatment — where “everyone was sick, no one was happy. It was a struggle to go from feeling strong and powerful to feeling weak and powerless.”

A spiritual person, she turned to God. “I never asked ‘why me,’” she says. “I know the answer to that. It’s because I’m human. No one is exempt from bad things.”

Rather, Ginger turned to God for advice about how to improve the situation for herself and others. After her first chemotherapy treatment, Ginger had an idea to try “chemo bingo” in the chemo suite. She spent hours putting together a bingo set, but when she returned for her second treatment, she changed her mind. “No bingo today,” she decided.

Infusion of happiness Instead, Ginger tried to figure out how to do something nice for her fellow chemo patients. She solicited donations from local businesses. And then, at her third treatment, Ginger went into the chemo suite, got hooked up to the infusion, then stood up and addressed the other fifteen or so patients there with her. She said she was proud of them for fighting the disease, and she sang a song. Then she walked around the room, dragging her infusion pole, and handed out prizes to each patient, saying “Happy Chemo.”

Ginger had completely changed the atmosphere in the suite. The patients talked to each other, laughed, and shared their stories. “It touched my heart to see it,” Ginger says. People started to call her the Happy Chemo girl.

Ginger has built impressively on that initial success. After she finished her treatment, she started HappyChemo.com, an online network of freebies and discounts for cancer patients and survivors; she has become president of Get Screened Utah, a grassroots movement to increase health screenings in her state; and is publisher and editor of Utah Cancer Connections magazine.

Cancer helped Ginger see where she wanted her life to go. That’s not to say that she’s glad she had the disease.

“Cancer’s not the gift,” asserts Ginger.

The question is what you do with your experiences. “You can choose to build yourself up or you can choose to be bitter,” she says. “It’s the opportunity to transform that’s the blessing.” | Amoena Life | 19

>>> MIND & BODY

Your softer side: An engineering focus launched Amoena, developing better silicone breast forms. Over time, intuition and experience told us you wanted better lingerie, too. So, in 1992: Welcome, fashion designers! For a collection of fashion and beauty tips we’ve shared over the years, visit www.amoena.us/top-tips

Body

Painting Ephemeral art with a lasting message Body painting — a ritual of social and spiritual life — has been practiced in many cultures for ages.

In the 1960s it re-emerged as a provocative means of self-expression. Now an art form of its own, body painting can also send a message.

Since the dawn of time, body painting has been used to symbolize important moments in people’s lives. The painted body can represent origin, status, power and experience, and can even function as an identity card, as among the Maori for example. In India, North Africa, Oceania and among some indigenous peoples of South America, body painting ritualizes events like marriage, death and coming of age. Contemporary body painting has mostly detached itself from these ritual meanings, and what is an ephemeral art form can now be immortalized by photography.

Neither naked nor clothed Unlike indigenous body art or today’s very popular tattoos, contemporary body painting isn’t permanent. Artists use special pigments, safe for skin, in the same way as makeup. The body — a living surface — allows a vibrancy no other canvas can offer. The boundaries between the body viewed naked and clothed, between art and life, are dissolved.

Body painting can be both beautiful and an expression of rebellion, strength and independence. Within the breast cancer community, body painting allows women who’ve undergone a mastectomy to deliver a message while freeing themselves from their own conflicts and taboos.

A tool of reconstruction The psychological impact of breast cancer is doubly unique.

First there’s the image of cancer as the dreaded disease. Then there’s the symbolism of the breast — femininity, sexuality, and motherhood — all intimately related to a woman’s self-image.

Breast cancer also affects her family and the way people regard her, especially if she doesn’t opt for reconstruction.

With body painting, “body identity” becomes “body communication” in a creative way that links the painter and the model. And if body art was originally a ritualistic way to stand apart from others, models who’ve had mastectomies are

sharing, and highlighting our sameness by exposing bodies that are no longer symmetrical but still human like everyone else’s.

Painting the body was probably humanity’s first ornamental gesture. Today, the dramatic nature of the painted body presents to us a woman who can be regarded, despite her differences, as a work of art.

Bénédicte’s Story: “A fascinating form of expression” Bénédicte had never imagined living with one breast. In the 11 years since her operation she has rediscovered her body — a different one, but hers nonetheless. She understands that femininity, deep within every woman, goes well beyond the breast.

Her journey was far from easy. The operation brought on a hurricane of fear, anguish and outrage. But time allowed her to mobilize the energy necessary to overcome her shame, accept her difference, and deal with the reactions of others. A meeting with the European breast cancer advocacy group Europa Donna gave her the chance to use a new tool: body painting. Her decision was spontaneous. She volunteered to model for Maud, an artist who had come to present her project. “Body painting is something magical for me, a living work of art. The body becomes a canvas,” Maud expressed.

Having already participated in Le Corps Amazone (The Amazon Body), a documentary on body art by German film director/cinematographer Anja Unger, and having posed for pictures for Art Meyers, a California-based photographer, the decision wasn’t hard for Bénédicte. She volunteered for the artistic encounter so she could be actively involved in creating happiness — showing that she can be a woman, beautiful and flirtatious, even without undergoing reconstruction. Body painting gave Bénédicte a different perspective, one that let her see her body as a work of art — plus, the opportunity to reassure other women who are facing a mastectomy. Her artistic collaboration sends a message — that there is beauty to be discovered in our difference. |

“Skye’s the Limit.” ©2004 MDC - InkSpot Designs/UNCOMMON Stock (www.uncommonstock.net)

The Breast Cancer Awareness Body Painting Project Michael Colanero, founder of The Breast Cancer Awareness Body Painting Project (BCABPP), thinks body painting is gaining appreciation in the art world, and this is a good thing. “It’s definitely coming forward as an art form,” he says, noting that more and more clubs in south Florida — well-known for vibrant nightlife — are showcasing painted models/dancers for product promotions or events.

20 | Amoena Life

Colanero, a digital artist and photographer, noticed a few years ago that when these events were for breast cancer awareness, the models weren’t actually survivors. So he encouraged a woman he knew to have her postmastectomy body painted, and the idea inspired BCABPP. Now in its fifth year, the project has welcomed 27 brave survivors to model for Colanero. His goal is a book

of 50 survivors, plus exhibits of the finished photos in galleries around the U.S. Deeply moved when she saw BCABPP’s photos online, Jamie Inman, 63, a double mastectomy survivor with reconstruction, says, “I knew it would be a powerful way to tell my unique story,” and Colanero agreed. His process is to talk with the survivor about his or her cancer story and personality, then to create a concept. Once it’s finalized digitally, he brings in a female artist to do the painting.

Jamie recalls the experience with great affection: “All of us summoned courage to expose our bodies in this manner, but we gained so much in return. After months of watching our bodies be smashed, cut, poked, burned, and re-examined, to trust our bodies to the compassionate artistry of the team felt powerful and lovely.”

While it might not be for everyone, for Jamie it was “redemptive.” BCABPP is still looking for participants; to learn more, visit www.facebook.com/BCABPP.

Amoena Life | 21

>>> REPORT

Caring through sharing: Amoena, available in more than 70 countries worldwide, donates more than $26,000 every year and our people spend at least 45 collective hours each month in service to breast cancer charities all over the globe.

bones Better

Living Promote Better

Lifestyle decisions now can make you or break you

t

he signs are all too familiar: elderly women hunched over as they hobble down the street. Middle-aged friends suffering fractures from a fall. People curbing activities due to back pain. Chances are they have osteoporosis, a bone deterioration disease impacting around 75 million people in Europe, USA and Japan. Osteoporosis is the leading cause of fractures and carries significant consequences, including chronic pain, disability and even an increased risk of death.

Estrogen loss during menopause exacerbates bone decline, putting older females at higher risk. Cancer survivors who have undergone chemotherapy and must restrict estrogen intake are also susceptible. Remarkably, people have the power to avoid or minimize the disease.

“Previously, it was thought that bone loss was a normal part of aging and osteoporosis or osteopenia — conditions in which there is an imbalance in the building and resorption of bone — was inevitable,” says Sara Baker PT, MS, OCS, president and founder of Inspire Health and a STOTT Pilates® certified instructor. “That’s no longer the consensus; bone loss is now believed to be a systemic skeletal disease that’s preventable.”

According to Baker, nutrition, activity level, lifestyle choices, hereditary factors, hormonal levels, early onset of menopause, the amount of sun exposure and how many children a woman bears can all contribute to bone density loss.

“While women may have no control over some factors, many are modifiable and related to lifestyle choices,” Baker stresses.

Making healthy decisions to avoid bone decline is critical.

Consider this fact: one in three women over the age of 50 will 22 | Amoena Life

by Julie Auton experience a fracture related to low bone density, according to Baker.

“This is a staggering percentage of our population, and the result of a fracture later in life can be devastating,” she says.

“Fractures can result in pain, loss of strength, postural changes, loss of mobility, hospitalization and institutionalization. The postural changes in the spine and pelvis can also create other health concerns, such as decreased lung capacity, decreased blood flow to organs and a greater risk of falls.

“Additionally, an increased kyphosis (excessive rounding of the upper back) is a predictor of mortality,” Baker explains.

“So bone loss essentially becomes a matter of life or death.”

Postural changes due to bone loss can be compounded with shifts in posture following mastectomies and reconstruction surgeries — another reason breast cancer survivors need to pay attention to bone health.

Joyce King, FNP, CNN, Ph.D., associate professor at Emory University School of Nursing in Atlanta, concurs.

“Fifty percent of older women who experience a hip fracture eventually can’t live by themselves; it’s the major cause of older women becoming dependent. Fractures can lead to immobility, and being immobile for a period of time carries an increased risk of pneumonia and death.

“In fact, when you look at annual incidents of fractures due to osteoporosis, it far exceeds heart attacks and breast and other gynecological cancers,” King points out. “This is not to minimize other health concerns, but it’s the No. 1 problem for older women — even over heart disease and cancer.”

To understand why bone health matters, one must know how bones work.

Bone Basics The skeletal system is dynamic — continually going through changes. Bone density is made up of minerals, primarily calcium.

Females build bone density in adolescence, acquiring 90 percent by age 20 and reaching peak density by age 35.

Loss occurs because bones contain cells (osteoclasts) that resorb “worn out” and damaged calcium out of the bone while other cells (osteoblasts) fortify bones with fresh supplies of calcium to keep them strong and healthy.

“Many people do not realize bone is a living, specialized kind of tissue that is constantly being broken down, resorbed and created all at the same time,” Baker says. “It’s estimated that every three months our bone has been completely ‘recycled.’”

Estrogen stimulates osteoblasts, the bone-building cells, so when a woman loses estrogen, osteoclasts become dominant and osteoblasts can’t keep up with reinforcing the bone. Chemotherapy further contributes to bone loss since it shuts down estrogen-producing ovaries.

Taking the Test The best measure of a person’s bone health is a bone density test. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that all women should start scans at age 65; those at risk should begin by age 60. Some physicians request testing at earlier ages for breast cancer patients.

FRAX (http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/) is another useful tool to gauge bone volume. Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), this computer program helps predict the risk of fracture, taking into account age, gender and other osteoporosis factors.

Healthy Choices Reap Rewards The good news is women are not powerless in combatting this disease. Healthy behaviors, such as regular, weight-bearing exercise, a nutritious, calcium-rich diet and

Eat Sweat &Be Merry The following tips can start you on your way to hearty bones:

not smoking all contribute to strong bones. (See below for details on diet and exercise.)

While positive practices can offset osteoporosis, women at higher risk may need additional help through medications.

Products that are used to treat the disease include: lB isphosphonates

(such as FOSOMAX®) block osteoclasts from resorbing calcium lS elective estrogen receptor modulators (such as EVISTA®) act like estrogen on bones lC alcitonin is a natural hormone that helps prevent resorption and mostly used to treat osteoporotic pain lA newer injectable drug, Forteo®, is a manmade parathyroid hormone that builds bone density

Coping with Loss Taking preemptive steps early is the best way to foster robust bones, but what if osteoporosis has already progressed? Since weakened bones increase the chance of falling and fractures, maintaining good balance is key. Choose exercises that build balance and muscles and improve posture, such as Tai Chi, Pilates and yoga.

If suffering pain from osteoporosis, King suggests ways women can cope, such as medicine, acupuncture, physical therapy and applying a heating pad and then icing the area.

“Once you lose bone density, you can only minimally build it back up,” King notes. “Fractures can heal, but they can still have compression and cause changes in posture due to fractured vertebrae.

“The key is building and maintaining peak bone mass and preventing loss through diet and exercise,” she adds.

“It’s also essential to get bone density scans, so if your healthcare provider starts seeing a decline, they can stop it with medication.”

Osteoporosis doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging. Diet, exercise, a bone density test and medicine, if needed, can help a woman stay healthy and functioning for the entire span of her life. |

1 T ake 1200 mg of calcium daily.

2 E at enough dark, leafy greens, dairy products, and nuts and seeds.

3 S ince calcium in food is not always absorbed, supplements like calcium citrate can help.

4 T ake 1,000 units of Vitamin D, which many women are deficient in.

5 E xercise helps prevent bone loss and can be part of a treatment plan.

6 A fter reconstructive surgeries, engage a physical therapist to help

determine which muscles to work or stretch and how, especially for the upper body.

7 A void smoking and alcoholic beverages (more than 1 per day); these leach minerals out of bones in higher quantities.

Julie Auton is the former editor of Competitive Edge Magazine, has directed editorial services for Coca-Cola USA and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games. She lives and writes in Atlanta, GA.

Amoena Life | 23

>>> feelin’ kinda funny

PORTRAIT <<< Touchstones every hour. Today, Amoena is with you from wake up to workout, from leisure to business-casual, in the pool and on the trail. With you, all day long. For you, like no other.

Purpose Mindless on

What 20 years of go-go-go living has taught me

S

Author, health coach and radio talk-show host Melanie Young can walk breezily into any room to lead with authority. A successful career in PR and her entrepreneur’s drive guarantee it.

But she’ll do it on her own terms these days: with genuine warmth and grace, clearly focused on her audience’s well-being. And don’t expect her to be wearing stilettos.

She gave up things like truly uncomfortable shoes when her health dictated that she eliminate sources of what she calls “toxic stress” from her life. Co-owner of a highly regarded marketing events firm serving the wine

Fearless,

ince breast cancer has been a reality for me three times, I’d be nuts if I didn’t try to figure out what triggers my body to harbor such an unhealthy visitor. I’ve spent nearly 20 years taking a closer look at my lifestyle in order to hold on to the positive and let go of the negative. So what wisdom do I have to offer? I’d love to say I am now a maven of the mantra. But if I’m being truthful, it’s much closer to the nincompoop of Nirvana.

I was born before the term “hyperactive” had become part of our popular jargon, but I’m pretty sure anyone who has encountered me would attest to the fact that I often seem to be going a thousand miles an hour. Unfortunately, this sort of high speed “travel” tends to take a toll on our bodies over time.

As a child, I was called precocious (probably known to some as obnoxious). I was the kid that endlessly asked, “Why?” When some poor, unsuspecting adult responded, “Because,” it became my job to then ask, “Why because?” On the school bus, I sang endless rounds of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall (remember, you can take one down and pass it around)… and when I wasn’t screeching that beloved song, I was probably delighting the driver with Found a Peanut!

As a teenager, I think I nearly broke the land speed record for incessantly talking on the phone. I feel blessed that we didn’t text in those days because I am sure I would have worn my fingers to the nubs!

My point? I have been mind and body on the go, always.

It wasn’t until I reached adulthood that I began to envy the people who are able to simply slow down and take it easy.

When my kids were young, I attempted yoga classes and had some success, but the demands of motherhood and a job made it difficult for me to find the necessary time, so eventually that pursuit just sort of fell by the wayside.

At various times over the years I’ve tried meditation, Pilates, yoga, walking, jogging, Tai Chi and reflexology. You name the -ology and I’ve probably got a t-shirt for it! Each one provided me with huge benefits — and yet each time I would quit, blaming it on my work schedule, or lack of money, or whatever excuse I could conjure to get off the hook and back to tasks.

Well, a third diagnosis has been a hook I simply can’t wiggle off of. I’m determined that regardless of my life circumstances, I am going to be serious about taking “me” time each and every day. Quiet time. Reflective time. Time spent contemplating possibility — not responsibility. Because at the crux of all this, I’ve been speeding along the highway of life thinking it was my job to take care of everyone’s needs but my own.

Don’t get me wrong: I have enjoyed nearly every moment I’ve been given, and for the few that have been unpleasant, I’ve learned to appreciate the gift adversity often gives us. It’s just that I want to slow down now, so I don’t miss the things that are truly important.

So this Type-A, rah, rah, rah woman is ready to hand off her pompoms (I wish I’d done this a long time ago, because I might still have my ta-tas if I had)! It’s taken me a long time to realize that in order to be mindful, sometimes you have to be mindless.

Now that’s profound! |

Dianne (Browne) Armitage was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. The eldest of six children, her early aspiration was to write the great American novel. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996, 2005, and again in 2013, she believes humor has helped her deal with her diagnoses and just might be therapeutic to others as well. In addition to her work with Amoena, Dianne has written for Dr. Susan Love’s website and is a frequent contributor to several other health-related sites.

24 | Amoena Life

Talk about a consummate professional.

and preventive ovarian removal since she was BRCA2 positive), she also made some significant life decisions.

“During this same time, my father died.

Everything was difficult, emotionally and physically. I decided I would begin to fully take care of myself, and knew I’d never go back to my previous lifestyle — but I didn’t want to give it up completely, either. I had to strike a balance.”

Writing was therapeutic for her: “I’ve always been a writer, as a form of self-expression,” she says. It had been part of her job, too. “I wrote all the time for other people, clients — but realized I no longer wanted to be someone else’s mouthpiece. I wanted to be my own voice.” Which led to the publication of her first book, Getting Tune In!

Fabulous

Melanie Young

Internet radio lets her be her own voice for wellness’ sake

and food industries, living in New York City with her husband and business partner, she loved the glamorous life, but blames it, to a certain extent, for her unexpected breast cancer diagnosis.

“In 2009, I was …hobnobbing with famous chefs, drinking world-class wines and traveling the globe,” she recalls. It was high stakes and fastpaced. During what should have been a fabulous business trip to Italy, she discovered a lump and was soon diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer — tumors in both breasts.

Quite a wake-up call. While Melanie continued to work full-time through her treatments and surgeries (she had a double mastectomy, reconstruction,

myself anymore, either, since I’d made these decisions about keeping stress out of my life.” With a little networking, she developed her own show where she interviews inspirational women and experts in health and beauty. “We’re talking about this book, bringing in top-notch guests, and producing the content we want to share with others,” she says, “and it’s getting great response.” (See below for details.)

One fantastic thing about internet radio is that it can be done anywhere.

Melanie and her husband, in fact, gave up their NYC apartment and moved to the country where their lives can be more balanced. “I changed my diet, learned to change my habits. I’m still a work in progress myself — always will be,”

Listen to Melanie’s weekly radio show, Fearless, Fabulous You! Monday evenings, 9pm ET/6pm PT on W4WN: the Women-4Women Network: http://w4wn.com/radio-shows/fearlessfabulous-you/ and iHeartRadio, a free mobile app, or online at www.iHeart.com/show/209-Fearless-Fabulous-You Read Up! Be inspired by Melanie’s award-winning book: Getting Things Off My Chest: A Survivor’s Guide to Staying Fearless & Fabulous in the Face of Breast Cancer (Cedar Fort Inc.,2013) Read her latest work: Fearless, Fabulous You! Lessons on Living Life on Your Terms (Cedar Fort Inc., 2014) Read Melanie’s blog, Getting Things Off My Chest, at www.melanieyoung.com

Things Off My Chest, and her wellknown blog of the same name.

She’s now engaging audiences as a professional speaker and trained as a certified health coach. And career connections have recently launched the next adventure for Melanie: internet radio.

“My husband had been guest hosting on another radio show about food and wine,” she shares. “I guesthosted with him once when the co-host was away, and we both thought, ‘Hey, this is almost easy for us, and we’re enjoying it!’” Melanie, who had just finished her second book, Fearless, Fabulous You, saw it was a perfect opportunity: “I didn’t have a budget for PR, but knew I didn’t want to do it

she confides. Playing with her dog, and frequent walks in the woods near home help her stay stress-free and mindful; she also loves relaxing luxuries like having a facial when she’s in the city, and of course, drinking fine wines in moderation.

Her main goal now, and the goal of her radio show, is to help people rediscover joy and purpose. “I actually believe you have to put yourself first,” she explains. “You can’t sacrifice yourself for your business, your family, or your whatever else; you’re irreplaceable. I think most survivors know this, but they don’t always do anything about it.” Thankfully, Melanie Young intends to continue speaking this message — and living it. | Amoena Life | 25

>>> SURVEY

We’re ever grateful for your friendship

It’s a special year for Amoena, as you’ve read throughout the pages of this issue. The best way we know to celebrate it is to tend our relationships mindfully, and that includes our relationship with YOU. Would you please take a moment to share your wishes and thoughts? This will also help us plan the magazine with articles you are guaranteed to want to read!

Take our survey online: Go to www.amoena.us/survey.

Or complete this page and mail it to us. Send it to us, postmarked

by July 1, 2015, at: Amoena Life Survey, 1701 Barrett Lakes Blvd., Suite 410, Kennesaw, GA 30144.

US residents only.

1. Are you a member of Club Amoena? ❍ Yes ❍ No If yes, what do you expect to receive from Club Amoena? Please be specific. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. What would you like to see MORE of, from Amoena, both online and in print? ❑ Nutrition/recipes ❑ Fashion pages ❑ Survivor profiles ❑ Essays by fellow survivors ❑ In-depth news articles ❑ Other____________________ 3. We’d really like to know you better. Tell us some things you like to do in your spare time (ex., dining out, gardening, surfing, theater, knitting, book club…) _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 4. What or who inspires you the most and why? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 5. What have you discovered about yourself that you never knew before? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 6. We’re celebrating Amoena’s birthday, but we would like to celebrate yours, as well. Would you share it with us? (Note: You will need to be a member of Club Amoena. Sign up at www.amoena.us/club-amoena) My email address_______________________________________________ My birthdate: Month___________________ Day_______________________ 7. Would you consider attending an Amoena-sponsored “Meet-Up” in your local area? ❍ Yes ❍ No If yes, how far from home would you consider driving to attend? ❑ 10 minutes ❑ 30 minutes ❑ 20 minutes ❑ 40 minutes or more

26 | Amoena Life

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As children, the lesson of sharing can mean taking turns, or dividing something in half so that everyone gets an equal portion. …Sometimes tough to learn, but it makes everybody happier.

When we’re teens and young adults, sharing a soda and a bag of popcorn might mean you’re beginning to feel intimately connected with someone. What luck — what fun!

In the Internet Age, sharing means something new, and the idea of sharing our random thoughts, our favorite articles and videos, our family photos, and what we ate for lunch is ubiquitous. Some good has come from this. When kind gestures are shared and talked about — the “pay it forward” concept, of doing something nice, just because — it begets more goodness and kindness.

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