Christy Begien | The Non Toxic Lifestyle

I’m grateful for and love my life. I love my husband, my children and grandchildren. There are wonderful people scattered all over the world who are cherished friends and family. I love animals, especially our two sweet dogs, good books, real food, a good laugh, learning through travel, getting my hands dirty in the garden, shoes (hey I’m a girl!), photography, the beach and the glorious air at the top of a mountain. I love music that makes me dance or cry, and inspiring movies. I love life and all it has to offer.

So… when I was diagnosed 14 years ago with breast cancer I was stunned.

My first thoughts were, “ Will I live to see my children marry?” “Will I meet my grandchildren?” “Will I grow old with my husband?” I had no known family history of breast cancer or any cancer for that matter. I thought I was living a healthy lifestyle. All of a sudden I was cast into a world of having to make decisions I had no idea how to make. I ended up with double mastectomy surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and a case of shingles over the next ten months. It was not fun.

Since my diagnosis and treatments, I have developed a passion for learning about every alternative health practice I could find and research. I believe that my love of life and my passion for learning both contributed to my recovery and healing. Thankfully, I’ve just celebrated 10 years as a breast cancer survivor, and during this time I’ve also learned so much about how to avoid a recurrence and what’s required to live a happy, healthy life. I continue to research, as the learning never ends.

It’s important that I also tell you that I know intimately the life of a single parent, particularly the life of a single mom. With two years of college under my belt, I was married early in life, and had two beautiful children. I divorced after 7 years, him completing both undergraduate and law degrees. At 28 I returned to college, becoming our family’s first college graduate with a business degree four years later. During that time, I was working 30 hours per week and raising my children. I paid my student loan off at the age of 47. I have been employed, unemployed and self-employed. I’ve had budgets so tight that I worked a second job in addition to my full-time job during the summer months while my children had summer visitations with their dad. I got remarried almost 20 years ago to a wonderful man. While life is now much easier, I continue to have deep respect for every woman who is working hard, everyday, at home and outside the home, with or without a partner. I have been and am MANY of you. We are all in this together.

In addition to writing this blog, I am also a Reiki practitioner and enjoy sharing this healing modality with my clients.

Friends have often encouraged me to share what I’ve learned with a broader audience that might benefit from it. More than ever, people seem to be recognizing that it is possible to CHOOSE good health habits to improve their longevity and avoid preventable diseases. The goal of this site is simply to share my knowledge and experiences with you – hopefully you’ll find something in it that will benefit you as you work toward creating your own happy, healthy, non-toxic life. I plan to stick around for a long time and invite you to join me in making simple, everyday choices!