health and fitness

My healing journey

By Posted on 1 2 m read
waves on the beach

I am not here to give advice or tell anyone how to live their lives or how to heal during or after any illness or period of stress. I am on my on healing and wellness journey and the path I travel is unique to me.

If anything I write about resonates with you, that is good and if not, also good.

Given that I have had a couple of recent health challenges (check my previous posts here and here for further information), I am pleased that most people tell me I look fit, well and fantastic. It’s lovely to get positive feedback. But I actually do feel fit and well. The surgery slowed me down a little, momentarily, but I have literally bounced back to my own self fairly quickly.

Mostly because I was already super fit and healthy and also because I know how to listen to my body and do things that work for me.

I have also decided to go completely WFPB (whole foods, plant based). I feel this is very much the right decision for my body in terms of healing, getting optimal nutrition, re-setting my immune system and for the best health outcomes.

If you want to know more about this – I’ve found a couple of legit websites for you to peruse for further details. WFPB (for beginners) and this from Doctors for Nutrition for further guidance. If you’re looking for some recipes to consider or if this is something new to you and you don’t know where to start, check out Forks over Knives for some nutrition packed and delicious recipes!

I love my food and I love new and interesting and tasty recipes! It’s always fun to experiment and broaden out my culinary repertoire. I find I am eating way more nutrient dense foods and that’s a plus. I love it and I am full of energy, vitality and super happy!

What I am not so fond of is folk telling me what I should be doing health-wise. I recently got bailed up in the toilets at my dance class venue! I was washing my hands, minding my own business, then got chatting with a friend about my current health situation. An acquaintance came out of one of the stalls and started berating me about my medical and health choices.

Alright then.

My friend said “her body, her choice.” Yep, ain’t that the truth!

Acquaintance carried on regardless.

When she was done spouting her view of what I should be doing with my body (and no, she has no medical or nutritional qualifications or expertise), I said to her that next time she is welcome to her thoughts, but she should aim to keep them in her head and not let them wander out of her mouth as they are not welcome.

I then left her with mouth agape, waltzed out the door and went about my business.

 

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health and fitness

Mother’s Day, breast cancer, love & well-being…

By Posted on 0 4 m read
two women in a park

Hello my lovelies

It was Mother’s Day in Australia and the US (UK is a different month/day) on Sunday just gone.

I have a tradition whereby I run a 5km fun run that is a fundraiser for breast cancer research. I have entered the fun run for several years now as I’ve always believed it’s a good cause and I have had a number of friends impacted by breast cancer and one friend died last year after contracting it for the third time (plus it had spread throughout her body). She refused any further treatments as she wanted to go out on her own terms. Full respect for her and her decision. She was a beautiful soul.

Last year my daughter joined me for the run (usually we’d catch up for lunch after I completed the run). It was fantastic to have her with me and little did we know that a year later the run would have far more significance for us.

(The main image photo is my daughter and I after we finished the run – the love and bond between us is clear to see. She is the best human I have ever had the honour to know and love and I am so grateful to her for all the support she has given me, plus her quirky humour and kind and generous nature.)

Now I am the 1 in 7 women who has been directly affected by breast cancer. Read about the stats at the link here understanding breast cancer.  My diagnosis was less than two months ago, my surgery (lumpectomy and 5 lymph nodes removed) 8 weeks ago.

I have healed really well and I have returned to all my former pursuits. Running, dancing, gym workouts, hiking and walking my dog. I’m also back at work, I never really stopped, but some of my specialist appointments and my surgery and recovery days were during working days (I work part-time, 3 days/week). My workplace has been super supportive and my boss has said I can take as much time as I need, even if it means I suddenly need to leave work – which actually did happen when I first saw the surgeon and had surgery the following day.

I have also made some changes to my health and wellness routines. I quit alcohol completely, the minute I got the diagnosis, I’m like “I’m done…” alcohol is toxic and my body was unwell and now healing and there is no place for toxins. There is a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and cancer. Studies show that alcohol increases the likelihood of certain cancers, but there is no clear indication that it impacts one after a cancer diagnosis, but the recommendation is to steer clear – see this link for further information alcohol & cancer.

I am currently dealing with two separate cancers (got a diagnosis of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma a couple of weeks after the breast cancer diagnosis). So basically, for me, alcohol is off the menu – permanently and I don’t really care, it’s not something I will miss.  Whether alcohol played any role in my cancers is irrelevant really, my aim is to have optimal health and only consume things that have a positive impact at the cellular level and help with my healing journey.

I truly believe that the lymphoma was stress related. There is research that has found a link with chronic stress and speeding up the spread of cancer. Chronic stress also weakens the immune system – you can read more about it here connection between chronic stress and cancer. There is no direct evidence stress causes cancer (however a weakened immune system due to chronic stress may be a trigger), but it sure as heck makes it grow and spread like wildfire.

Therefore, in addition to rejigging my health and wellness routines, I have eliminated all forms of stress from my life. People who aim to cause me stress are no longer a part of my life, I literally cannot afford to have drama queens/kings causing me distress or trauma. I am meditating daily (it really, really does help in creating an inner peace) and focusing on the positives in my life, of which there are many.

I also decided at the beginning of last week to alter my diet to being entirely plant-based. For years now I have tried to eat only fresh food, mostly plants – but in addition I did eat meat and fish, eggs and some dairy. I feel that this is the right decision for me and my health, wellness and recovery/healing journey. I love finding veggie recipes and already had a bunch of go-to recipes that are plant based. I love chickpeas, hummus is life! So far, I am not missing or craving meat and I am increasing my nutrient intake with more veggies, legumes, nuts and pulses. And yes I am aware that I need to ensure sufficient Vitamin B12 (nutritional yeast for the win!); calcium and iron. I’m good at ensuring I get the right mix of food each day. Plus two tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily. There is evidence to suggest that the lignans in flaxseed have a beneficial effect, particularly in relation to breast cancer. Read about it here: 3 nutrients cancer survivors should know.

I have also eliminated refined sugars, the processed kind, not the sugars that you obtain from fresh fruit. There are different types of sugars and it’s the refined ones that cause damage at the cellular level. There is no direct evidence linking sugar and cancer. However, there is “…accumulating evidence that sugar consumption is associated with increased cancer risk, recurrence, and mortality.” (Reference link Sugar & Cancer UCSF.)

I’ll keep you all updated on my health and wellness journey, particularly with my tweaked nutritional regimen. In the meantime, stay well, stay healthy, stay strong!

 

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health and fitness

What are you grateful for in your life?

By Posted on 0 3 m read
gratitude - photo of woman on a beach

Gratitude is an interesting concept. It’s important to acknowledge what we have in life for which we can be grateful. Sometimes it’s challenging to find something. When life is testing you or presenting you with serious challenges you can lose sight of the good things.

I’ve had a rocky start to 2023. It began with a long-term relationship ending suddenly and abruptly. However, with time to reflect, I have realized it was one of the best things to happen. The person who removed themselves from my life was not good for me and given the things that happened shortly afterwards, I am deeply and sincerely grateful that they decided to end things. It has given me the space and time to reflect, move on and prioritize my own well-being.

In rapid succession I was diagnosed with breast cancer, then non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and a wee bout of Covid thrown into the mix! In the weirdest way I am grateful I found the lump in my breast and eventually got the surprising (and unwelcome) diagnosis of cancer. Because of that I had scans that picked up the non-Hodgkins.

If the other person had not decided to walk himself out of my life – I think my health would have been far worse as the stress and impact on my emotional and physical wellbeing would have been overly taxing!

As for my health journey, I am feeling fantastic. I have a team of medicos looking after me and I have a Naturopath for the complementary treatments and advice. I have tweaked my diet to be even healthier than ever, no alcohol, no refined sugar and exercise daily.

For me gratitude is important. Even if it’s just “hey, I woke up and here I am!” I am meditating daily and I have found that is so helpful in staying centred, calm and balanced emotionally.

What am I grateful for?

  • my daughter (she is my rock)
  • my sister (she is in touch daily and we share health updates and humour)
  • my body (it has allowed me to recover from surgery quickly and it is capable of so many things)
  • my dog (he is awesome!)
  • my job (it’s fun and I have the best colleagues)
  • my meditation app (Balance – check it out and no, I’m not paid to promote it)
  • My gym (I have literally the best trainers and gym buddies)
  • My friends (they know when to get in touch and when to let me get on with things)
  • My dance classes and teachers and dance friends (they are supportive and fun)
  • The place where I live (it is literally paradise on earth!)
  • Running (I love to get outdoors and go for a run, living near the river is a bonus!)
  • Hiking and getting out into the countryside (I find my emotional well-being is uplifted)
  • My medical team (I don’t always agree with them, but they are all fabulous in looking after me)
  • The amazing women and men I have met on this cancer journey (their strength and endurance astounds me, our gallows humour is the best!)
  • And you! All of you 🥰
  • I probably have many more things to be grateful for and I will add to the list when I think of them
  • Lastly, I would like to acknowledge gratitude to the man who walked out of my life at the beginning of the year, he did me a favour by leaving and for that I am deeply grateful. I wish him well in life (far, far away from me!😂)
    .

What are you grateful for? Let me know 🥰

gratitude rituals

 

main image credit: Fernanda Festucci

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Relationships

Healing, healthy, happy…

By Posted on 0 2 m read
This is just the beginning of my journey

Hello, lovely readers!

After years of dealing with partners who were emotionally unavailable, controlling, or downright abusive, I now have incredibly strong boundaries and I will not accept less than respect – that goes both ways!

But let me be clear, healing from toxic relationships is not an easy process. It takes time, self-reflection, and a willingness to confront the pain and trauma that has been inflicted upon us.

For me, the healing process began by recognizing the patterns of behavior that were present in my previous relationships. I had to take a hard look at myself and acknowledge the ways in which I had contributed to these toxic dynamics, whether it was by enabling my partner’s abusive behavior or by suppressing my own needs and desires in order to keep the peace.

Once I had gained this awareness, I began to set healthy boundaries and prioritize my own well-being. This meant cutting ties with people who were toxic or who did not have my best interests at heart and learning to say “no” to situations that did not align with my values or needs.

It has been a difficult and painful journey, but one that was ultimately worth it.

So, if you’re currently healing from a toxic relationship, know that it is possible to move on and find love again. But it requires doing the hard work of self-reflection and prioritizing your own well-being. Trust yourself and your instincts, and don’t settle for anything less than a partner who treats you with love and respect. It’s never too late.

Until next time, keep loving life and moving forward towards the healthy and fulfilling relationships you deserve.

image credit: @espiritu iluminado

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