If you don’t take care of you, it’s impossible to tend your dreams. Kathryn Graves, author and national speaker, learned this the hard way, when a rare cancer diagnosis stopped her dreams in their tracks, health-wise. But this unwanted disease also benefited her in a strange way. She learned to chase a beautiful dream beyond her disease.

Cancer caused Kathryn to consider how she’d treated her body in the past, and how that had gotten her where she was. Cancer also made Kathryn slow down to seriously ponder where she was headed in her future.

Because of the aggressive nature of her particular cancer and its propensity to return within 2-3 years, Kathryn had to learn fast, how to attack the disease threatening her dreams and her very existence. There was no room for “mights”, she had to focus on the “wills”, as in “what will work.”

Her initial dream was survival, her ultimate dream was to blossom. Seven years after her March 2011 cancer diagnosis, she’s done both.

Considerations for a Healthier You:

• Are you aware of the chemicals around you? What unhealthy triggers lurk in your daily life? Did you know that a pure clean has no smell?
• What are you filling yourself with? Are the foods you’re eating healing or hurting you?
• Do you realize the impact of what you’re breathing in?

Even if you have a poor health diagnosis or postponed dream, it does not mean your dream has to die.

There are preventable habits that will help protect your health and your ability to fulfill your dreams, so you can maintain them for the long haul. When you take care of your body, your energy increases, your brain functions faster, and your spirit is lifted. All of these elements make dream tending possible.

This episode’s Dream Planting Tips:

• Go to the Environmental Working Group to find the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 foods to protect and enhance your nutritional health.
• Eliminate processed foods as much as possible—anything in a can, envelope, box, or bottle. Anything that has a container has been processed.
• Good nutrition overcomes many carcinogens. Organic is best, but it’s better to eat raw fruits and vegetables (well washed) than to avoid them because you fear pesticides.
• Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably organic with the “Mother” the fermented strand that provides miraculous health benefits) is an inexpensive, yet powerful fruit and veggie cleaner. Its anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties also help dissolve pesticides.
• Watch ingredient lists. 2-3 ingredients are much healthier than a food item with 10 or more listed on the label–especially the mystery ingredients.
• Never stop pursuing knowledge. Learn how to care for yourself and your dream every day.
• Dreams will languish, they will stay a wish or hope, unless we cultivate and tend them. It takes practical steps and work to make them come true.
• Remember, you are worthy and beautiful. (Yes, this includes you men who are listening.) Ugly ducklings don’t exist in God’s economy. You may be a late bloomer, but you are a swan meant to grace the world with your gifts.
• Grab the Tending Your Dreams’ free giveaways and discounts from every episode. Go to tendyourdreams.com/freebie3 for your gift, just for tuning in. This month’s product discount is 20% off on all autographed books. Enter the coupon code TYD20 to snatch your deal.

Chase Beautiful with Kathryn Graves at kathryngraves.com and discover additional dream tending tips at tendyourdreams.com.