
I'm Maya
Two times Cancer survivor
and this is my story
How I ended up on the road I'm on now!

In August of 2008, I felt a lump in my right breast and another one on my chest. A week later I was diagnosed with stage 3B breast cancer, that had metastasized to a few of my lymph nodes. At the same time I started having thyroid problems. Ultrasound revealed a thyroid nodules, and biopsy showed cancerous cells. Shocking right? I couldn't believed it, 2 cancer diagnosis within 2 weeks plus diabetes.
Endocrinologists were pushing for thyroid removal, but knowing that thyroid cancer was the slowest growing cancers, after discussing everything with my oncologist, I decided to focus on my breast cancer first by refusing thyroidectomy at that moment and repeating biopsy in a few month.
Follow up thyroid nodule biopsy a month later did not show any sign of a cancer.
That thought me a lesson not to make any rational decisions out of fear, trusting my gut instinct saved my thyroid glands.
End of 2008 and 6 month of 2009 I went through mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation followed with breast implant insertion.
Chemotherapy put me into premature menopause with severe hormonal changes and side effects, like hot flashes that would come every 30 minutes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, weight gain, mood swings, joint pain, stiffness and other symptoms.
I lost my hair all over my body, including eyebrows, my nails turned black, I got severe candida grow from chemotherapy. When I would look at my face in the mirror, I wouldn't believe that the person in the mirror was my own reflection.
After my treatment I was put on tamoxifen, and I was on it for almost 6 years.
Somewhere deep inside my conscience, I knew I should stop taking tamoxifen, but fear of cancer coming back was stoping me from doing so.
After my treatment, life sims started going back to normal. I was following a fairly healthy lifestyle. I run my business and worked hard 12-14 hours day on running my business, plus being a mommy and wife. Without realizing how much stress I was putting on myself.

In 2015, I started feeling discomfort and cramping in my lower abdomen area. A couple of months laters, I started bleeding again, as if it were a regular menstrual cycle, which I have't had since 2009. I scheduled appointment with my gynecologist and had endometrial biopsy procedure. A few days later I heard those words again: "Maya, I'm so sorry... your cancer came back with metastasis to the endometrium". It sims world turned upside down, I stood there still trying to grasp what I just heard. Suddenly, everything went blank. I just felt that I was floating in space in the darkness all by myself.
NOW WHAT?
Next couple of weeks was an agony for me. Going through additional testings, asking all this questions, that no one had an answer for me.
Why I got breast cancer. I had no family history?
What could have caused me getting a cancer?
What triggered cancer to grow in my body?
Can diet cause cancer?
Can lifestyle cause cancer?
What should I do different to heal?
How long do I have to live?
How my kids and family will be without me?
Am I going to have more chemotherapy? and many more other questions.
During my visit to see my oncologist to discuss treatment plan, as my doctor was explaining how she will approach my treatment, suddenly I had a strange feeling, more like an instinct. I was listening to my doctor and nodding my head, saying "OK" to what she was saying, but the voice inside my had was whispering "NO, Maya, don't follow. Don't listen. This is not going to work. It is not for you. You know what to do".
What would I do? I had no idea what and where to start, but I remember I left doctors office with an incredible feeling of no fear, with confidence, determination and believe.

The next few weeks wore all about reading, researching, learning and understanding. Yes there was moments of doubts and questions "what if I'm wrong? Where do I start? What should I do?" Question after question was popping into my head every second, and one night I couldn't fall a sleep with all those thoughts, I turned my head to the window and with faith, said "Please guide me to the right path, give me a clue please, and I'll take it from there." Moments later I opened my computer and suddenly came across a video about cancer and natural healing. She was saying, if you don't know where to start, start by eliminating sugar, dairy, gluten and animal products meanwhile, starting with green juicing, and smoothies, and continue with your research.
That is how my healing journey started and that is how my entire life had changed. I remember that day clearly, September 13, 2015.
Truly for me cancer was really a blessing in disguise.
My first cancer experience I followed standard procedure.
Second time cancer diagnosis, had opened a completely new door for me. It was then I knew, I needed to become an expert of my own body.
I began to research
I started seeking for answers myself. I started learning.
I learned to let go my fear and gain a determination and power
I learned how to stay positive
I learned how to control my mind
I learned what matters in life most
I learned what real self love is
I learned how to be strong
I learned about my surroundings
I learned how to let go of things that does not impact my life in any way
I learned how to be healthy and thrive.
I consider myself truly blessed for the opportunity to have approached in this life changing the news with faith rather than fear.
I'm extremely grateful for knowledge I gained and was able to change my life.

My credentials :
Graduated nursing school in my home town Baku, Azerbaijan in 1989. My family moved in United state in the beginning 1992. Here I worked in the medical industry as phlebotomist, medical assistant and office manager for 19 years.
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Functional Nutrition & Lifestyle Practitioner (FNLP)
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Certified Holistic Cancer Coach
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National Association of Nutrition Professionals (HANP)
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National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching ( NBHWC)
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Certificate from Functional Nutritional Lab - Full body system
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Chestnut school of herbal medicine.