Welcome to Health and Healing: Real Wellness for Real Life
Updated: Sep 28
Learning to Heal in a Body That’s Been Through It All
Let’s get something straight: I’ve spent most of my life thinking I was doing health wrong.
Why? Because I was an hourglass-shaped woman trying to fit into a society that tells us flat stomachs are the definition of fit. I tried every fad diet. Every “quick fix.” If someone swore it worked, I gave it a shot. I researched health and nutrition to find a more effective approach. But no matter what, I would never fit the world's mold of health. At Surviving Life Lessons, we talk openly in our community chat groups about how damaging those molds can be, especially when they ignore lived experience.
In the military, I rode a bicycle to work over the hills of Roosevelt Roads. I was an avid runner. When someone wanted to go to a Jazzercise class, I was there. I didn't drink, but I loved to dance. I was at the club every night dancing for a minimum of four hours. Bartenders always had my water waiting for me. We had to do PT tests regularly. I could do 200 sit-ups in 2 minutes, run a mile in 7 minutes and 25 seconds, and do 19 push-ups (not my strong suit). At the time, I was 36-26-36, but only 5'3". But the military had me on the fat boy program because of my hourglass shape.
After my second child, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The pounds crept on even when I was barely eating. I had no appetite, but my body held onto everything like it was preparing for famine. One day, a guy I worked with—who happened to be a personal trainer—offered to help. He told me to track what I ate for a week. When he looked at my chart, his jaw dropped. He thought I was overweight because I was overeating. But that wasn’t it at all. My body wasn’t working the way it should.
That’s when I joined Weight Watchers—not to lose weight, but to re-learn how to eat. I was afraid of gaining more, and I didn’t know what “normal” even looked like anymore.
As I had more children, my weight continued to increase. The thyroid issues made losing weight nearly impossible. And sitting all day for work didn’t help. I went through the same cycle for years—diet, lose, gain, repeat. It felt like my body and I were at war. Funny thing is that everyone looks at you and says you're not trying.
Then cancer hit.
What Cancer Taught Me About Health (That No Diet Ever Did)
When I got diagnosed with cancer, I thought I already knew everything about nutrition, vitamins, and what was “healthy.” But cancer changes everything.
Suddenly, I wasn’t just eating to look good—I was eating to stay alive.
I studied my bloodwork like a medical student. I wanted to know how to feed my body based on it's needs. I stopped worrying about how fat I was and how I needed to lose weight. When chemo stripped me of nutrients, I learned how to eat foods that replenished my body—even if I couldn’t taste them, even if I wanted to throw up, even if I was too tired.
Health wasn't about losing weight anymore. It was about staying on this earth.
Healing Isn't Linear—It's Personal
I don’t always eat like I should. I still battle sugar, cravings, and inconsistency. But I focus on whole foods as much as I can. I try to move, even if it’s just a few steps around the room.
When doing Chemo, they recommended that you move every 2 hours, so I did. Even when I could barely stand. Even when I had to use a walker, a cane, or a rollator. Even when I had a mass so painful that moving a toe sent pain stabbing up my spine. I moved when I could. And when I couldn’t, I promised myself I’d try again tomorrow.
I've had bones fused. I've had cancer return. I've had medications that mess with my joints, my blood sugar, and my cholesterol. I’ve sat in more doctors’ offices than I can count.
But still—I move. I try. I keep going.
Why I Created the Health and Healing Blog
This blog is for people like you and me—the ones trying to figure out how to live better in bodies that feel broken or worn out. Not for perfection. Not for six-packs. Not to impress anybody.
This is for the survivors. The ones with chronic pain, stubborn weight, or a medical history too long for a clipboard. The ones who are tired of being told to “just eat less and move more.”
We are not lazy. We are not hopeless. And we are not alone.
What to Expect Here
Every month, we’ll take on a different real-life health topic—not the fluffy stuff from health magazines, but what real healing looks like when your body has been through a lot. Some posts will dig into science. Some will walk you through personal lessons. We just want to eat a little better and move a little more to be healthy. Some will help you eat better, move smarter, or feel stronger—physically or mentally.
Here’s what we’re not going to do:
Judge anyone’s body
Pretend there’s one right way to heal or move
Ignore how complex medical journeys really are
Here’s what we are going to do:
Talk honestly about health after cancer, after injury, after weight gain
Share clean eating strategies that don’t require perfection
Talk about mindset shifts that help when life gets hard
Invite stories from other survivors who are healing too
I am where you are. I am 58 and I want to do the best I can. Cheat on purpose from time to time. But be the healthiest I can with the body I have. If I plan to live to 93, then I need to keep working toward that goal through eating, drinking and moving.
Let’s Challenge the System Together
Doctors often prescribe without the full picture. But I believe every patient deserves genetic testing of their body and their tumor. That’s the future of medicine. Instead of giving me a chemo that works in 30% of cases, what if we knew which patients that drug actually helps?
I got genetic testing done. It revealed options no one would’ve looked at otherwise. I now take drugs designed for other cancers because my rare cancer doesn’t get the attention or research funding it needs.
This blog will also challenge the belief that cancer is “over” once treatment ends. I believe we should be followed for life. I believe we need maintenance plans to slow or prevent recurrence. I believe survivors need more than follow-up appointments. We need full-body healing—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Need to Talk? You’re Not Alone Here.
This isn’t just a blog. It’s part of a bigger mission:
Life survivors helping life strugglers.
If you’re hurting, confused, or unsure what your next step should be, you don’t have to do it alone. You can:
Share your story in the comments
Talk to someone right now through our [Neighbor Talk] service (casual chat, no pressure)
Get goal-based help with [Next Step Coaching] (SMART goals, support, strategy)
Join a group
Whatever you’re carrying, you don’t have to carry it by yourself.
One Last Thing…
You might not feel like moving today. You might not want to cook something healthy. You might be fighting fatigue, fear, or frustration. That’s okay.
Just don’t give up on your healing. Not yet.
Because healing isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s about showing up for yourself anyway.
Welcome to Health and Healing. Let’s walk this path together.
Where to Go From Here
Real wellness touches your body, your mind, and your relationships. At Surviving Life Lessons, we believe in life survivors helping life strugglers. Our Personal Growth and Healing group is a place to share what healing looks like in your real life, and our Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain Support Group connects you with others managing ongoing health challenges. You can also browse our Community Groups Catalog to find every group that fits where you are right now.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with Emotional and Physical Healing Tools That Can Change Your Life or Why Healing Feels So Hard (And How to Know You're Still Making Progress).
Your Story Matters
We need your nice comments below! Your thoughts, experiences, and lessons learned might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.
Drop a comment, Say Hello, and join the conversation.
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Helpful Resources for Your Journey
Explore our collection of books, journals, coloring books, and printable PDFs designed to encourage, inspire, and support you every step of the way.
Get to know the people behind Surviving Life Lessons: Meet the Team
About the Author:
Deborah Ann Martin is the founder of Surviving Life Lessons, a published author, poet, speaker, and trainer with over 20 years of management experience across multiple industries. An MBA graduate, U.S. veteran, single mother, and rare cancer survivor, Deborah brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her writing on resilience, leadership, personal growth, and overcoming adversity. Her mission is to empower others with practical wisdom and real-life insight to navigate life’s challenges with strength and purpose.
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