I heard the three words nobody wants to hear — “You have cancer.”

What? How could this be?  Just five days earlier, I was having my mammogram done.  They had told me something “didn’t look right,” so they wanted me to have an ultrasound.  I had been down this road many times before because of my dense breast tissue, so I thought, “Okay.  Not a big deal.”

After the ultrasound, the doctor came in the room and said, “Something doesn’t look right. There are three spots we would like to biopsy.”

Okay.  Now they had me a little worried.  I got the dreaded call late in the day on a Friday afternoon.  “You have invasive ductal carcinoma, (IDC).”

What? Had I heard that right?

Yes, unfortunately, I had and it sent my mind reeling down the path of, “How did this happen?” There was no family history.  I had led a relatively healthy life and exercised on a regular basis.  Up until that point, I had not been prescribed any medications, but at every doctor appointment following my diagnosis, they would take my blood pressure once and then take it again, because they could not believe how high it was.

Finally, my general practitioner said, “Sorry, Laurie, but I cannot let you leave the office without putting you on a prescription for high blood pressure.”     So he prescribed me two medications and told me to come back for a blood test to make sure everything was okay.  In two weeks I returned and found out that the new prescriptions I had just started taking were making my potassium low, so I was prescribed yet another medication.

I kept asking myself, “How is this happening?” It became a snowball effect.  I wanted to treat my body naturally, but how?  I wondered who provided that type of treatment.   As I began my quest to find some answers, I discovered that it was God’s tap on my shoulder to get some things in my life figured out and to take better care of myself.  That meant my body, mind and soul, and so my journey began.

I had so many questions; the most pressing: “Where do I begin?”   I went to a homeopathic doctor and an integrative medicine doctor, and they both told me the same thing:  “Do what the conventional doctors are telling you.”   What? Why wouldn’t they want me to explore healing through nutrition and natural treatments?

I was scared.

My radiologist told me that I would increase my survival rate by 30% — if I had the radiation therapy.  I had a lumpectomy and was prescribed 20 rounds of radiation, but before I started my radiation treatment, I decided to go to a biofeedback practitioner.  Again, I was searching for answers and was eager to hear what she had to say.

During my session with her, she highly recommended using an infrared sauna.  She told me it would help remove toxins from my body and help with my high blood pressure.  I started to do my research and was amazed to learn about all the things that infrared sauna use could help me with.

This is one of many statements I came across in my research: “The routine use of a sauna is one of the most effective means by which to detoxify the body, rejuvenate its cellular system and promote a vibrant, disease-free life.”

(https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/infrared-sauna-benefits)

I checked with my radiologist to see if I could use a sauna while having my radiation treatment, and he told me it was okay, so I found a place that I could go to, to try an infrared sauna and see if it was for me.  I went three times a week for a month.  I couldn’t believe how good I was feeling — even during radiation.  I purchased one for my home and continued using it three times a week.

The sauna has become my “healing box.”  As I sit under the chromotherapy light, I can feel the healing happening in my body.   As the heat builds and the sweat forms on my skin, I see it and think, “Awesome!  All the toxins are leaving my body!”  Now that I have been using the sauna on a regular basis, I no longer need high blood pressure medication.  I feel amazing!  I sleep better! I have more energy, and my body does not ache like it used to!

I am completely unplugged from the world for a 45-minute session, so it forces me to meditate – also something I had not done before.  I now understand the importance of meditation to overall health.  That is why saunas are vital components of Breathe Salt & Sauna.

Not only have I experienced health benefits from regular sauna use, my husband, Jon, has experienced tremendous relief for his asthma from the halotherapy (salt therapy).  He no longer needs an inhaler — period.   We both feel very blessed, so we wanted to bring Breathe Salt & Sauna to Johnson Creek, to share this remarkable wellness resource with the community we love.

My vision for Breathe is to provide a safe and natural way for people to improve their health.   Each will have their own reason for visiting, and that is what makes Breathe Salt & Sauna so very special.  It is for anyone seeking wellness.  I pray that God brings healing to all who walk through its doors.

My goal is to help people on their healing or preventive journey.  That is truly what Breathe Salt & Sauna is all about.  We provide healthy treats, fresh fruit and filtered water daily – free of charge – to our patrons.  On July 11, we will be having a Cancer Support Gathering for cancer patients and caregivers.  Keep watching our events page on our website.  We will be starting a meditation workshop, Healing Strong workshops, and possibly yoga.