I now offer this exercise to others as a starting point in reassessing their lives en route to finding greater fulfillment. This simple exercise became not only the foundation for my cancer prevention plan and ultimate survivorship, but also the cornerstone for finding satisfaction in my life. To get started on the process of finding balance in my life, my Health Coach had me complete an exercise called “ The Circle of Life.” Doing this exercise with honesty and a genuine desire for improvement was transformational for me, as it revealed in simple stark terms the imbalance in my lifestyle factors - the parts of my life I was happy with and where I truly lacked fulfillment. As explained by Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City: “When primary food is balanced and satiating, your life feeds you, making what you eat secondary.” Primary food is more than what we eat - it consists of lifestyle factors for optimal health, such as flourishing relationships, regular physical exercise, a fulfilling career and some kind of spiritual practice to fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. Rather than simply concentrating on the foods I should or shouldn’t eat, my Health Coach introduced me to a whole new world of healing, growth and balance called integrative nutrition, which utilizes the concept of primary food and secondary food. As a first step, I began working with a Health Coach who recommended a new and different approach that far exceeds traditional nutrition counseling. I realized right away that I needed to find a healthier way to live. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, I knew I had to make changes in my life in order to not only survive but to thrive.