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Welcome, @Devonshire_MS and Caerlynn Nash! You’re joining up right when the Cauldron is starting to bubble!

In My Head: Ohhhh, I don’t think I want to scare annoy fascinate frighten horrify delight impress terrorize tell you too much; let’s not bother you folks with all of that just now, shall we?Let me straighten up a bit before I invite you in for tea, and what not.

In My Cup: Coffee. Strong. Necessary.

Currently Playing: I could actually use some suggestions at the moment. Anyone got anything they’re loving in their Ipod right now?

Daily Run: I’m going to try an easy mile and see what happens with the coughing today. Keep your fingers crossed!

On the Desk: Treatment for a new, high-concept fantasy series; blocking for the Vestribliss Academy Chronicles, and The Mighty Knights

On the Nightstand: Philippa Gregory, The Lady of Rivers; The Encyclopedia of Alchemy

BPal of the Day: Catherine

Catherine Diabolus Named for the ambitious, vengeful poisoner Catherine de Medici, who used perfumes to perform her dark deeds. A sinful blend of orange blossom, rosemary and rose… allegedly the exact perfume she utilzed in her work. $17.50 Purchase!

Now, I don’t know how sinful it is, but I love this once it has dried down. For some reason, it smells like suntan lotion going on, which is weird, since there’s no coconut in the blend. Maybe it’s just my weird olfactory. :)

Papers Graded: 3 3.5 (so far). it’s a long, slow process….

SO, things are bubbling away here at the Cauldron. Mighty Knights is at 98,000 words as of this morning, when (I have to share) after an hour of drafting-followed-by-tinkering, I walked away from my desk having written what I honestly consider to be one of the best paragraphs I have ever crafted. Any writer can tell you that we are our harshest critics, so being able to walk away from a session with that sense of pride in what I accomplished is a real gift from the Universe. (NO, darlings, I can’t share it with you yet. Patience….!) I also continued to flesh out a VERY promising new high-concept series proposal, and re-framed Vestribliss yet again (Some day, I’ll be satisfied enough with the overall outline to take the plunge and draft the whole thing, instead of starting and stalling all over the place on Book One). I know where I’m going… the “how to get there” is the hold up right now. Again, be patient, and know that the Musettes are on it. ;op

Today, I wrote #JustOneMore paragraph before leaving for work, and I graded #JustOneMore(almost!) paper this morning. What is your #JustOneMore moment today?

For those who initially were attracted to the Cauldron because of my chronicling of my experiences with cancer, we have a guest article today from David Haas on the importance of diet and exercise in management of cancer treatment. As you are aware (having read through my blog) I credit my relatively easy time with surgery, chemo and radiation largely to my proactive approach to overhauling my diet and fitness regime, and I do believe that this is a crucial step in the management of treatment and side effects, and one of the only things you actually have some degree of control over throughout the stressful months following a cancer diagnosis.  Without further ado, here’s David:

Ensuring a Better Healing Process from Cancer through Exercise

David Haas

It is important to be physically active so as to maintain your body in good health. Physical activity not only keeps you healthy, but also helps in combating various diseases. The following benefits of physical health may help people diagnosed with various types of cancer to cope with the treatment and healing process.

•    Physically activity helps to boost energy levels. It also helps the body to keep energy levels constant. This is important with the big energy fluctuations that are experienced during cancer treatments.
•    Physical activity improves your mood. During physical activity, the levels of stress are reduced. This has an effect of brightening your mood. People diagnosed with life-threatening conditions such as cancer need to maintain a positive attitude. This makes for an easier treatment and healing process.
•    Exercise reduces body fat. The presence of excessive body fat may be a hindrance to effectively fight cancer. Body fat affects proper circulation, which is a condition that may abet proliferation of cancerous cells.

The initial diagnosis of cancer and the harsh treatment that follows often leaves you feeling out of control with your body. Managing a treatable cancer like skin cancer or dealing with a rare mesothelioma treatment may require chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, or even a combination of several methods. The sheer strain on your body while undergoing treatment can easily overwhelm you. Maintaining a constant level of physical activity and proper nutrition will ensure that your body is able to withstand the process.

Joining a cancer fitness program or creating your own is important to take control of the general wellbeing of your body. The National Cancer Institute tracks the results of various studies carried out on cancer patients. According to the institute, the amount of physical exercise before diagnosis was not related to survivorship in patients of colon cancer. The observational studies tracked however reported a reduced incidence of recurrence for people who are more physically active after diagnosis. Although the relationship between physical activity and fighting cancer is not definitive, the research is promising.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that physical activity could help to prevent certain forms of cancer.