How have I changed my lifestyle after cancer?

How have I changed my lifestyle since having cancer?

Don’t eat sugar. It fuels cancer. Don’t eat dairy products. They’re linked to cancers. Don’t drink alcohol. It causes cancer.

Cancer muggles. Defined by the urban dictionary as “People who haven’t had cancer but like to give advice as if they have a clue.”

When you’re diagnosed with cancer, it’s very, very hard to avoid well meaning friends or distant acquaintances who offer unfounded advice about nutrition, lifestyle, supplements and more. Always with the very best intentions. But it’s hard to know how to handle them. You know they mean well. But you’re not ready for, or don’t know whether to believe, their advice.

Pretty much everyone who has cancer makes changes to their lifestyle as a result. Who wouldn’t? It’s a major wake up call. And an opportunity. But it’s a very personal choice. So, here’s how I weed out fact from fiction and here are the changes I’ve chosen to make. This is what’s right for me! It’s not a prescription.

Firstly, I choose what I believe carefully. I don’t shy away from Dr Google completely and read a lot about cancer - it’s my job. But I do make sure I only believe info from reliable resources. In the UK, Macmillan, Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Now are good options.

I follow a wide variety of people on social media but I only trust the ‘real’ ones. For breast cancer patients, I love Dr Liz O’Riordan. She’s a breast cancer surgeon who’s had breast cancer three times and is on a mission to debunk the cancer myths. I trust that she’s done the research before she opens her mouth.

I also listen to a lot of podcasts around a wide variety of wellness topics and from a huge range of sources. But I go into my listening with my eyes, or ears, wide open and don’t believe everything I hear.

Secondly, I surround myself with an incredible support team, who I trust implicitly. My oncologist, surgeon and physiotherapist are all integral to my recovery and ongoing health. If I have a question, I ask them first. And I believe their advice. I’m lucky to have an incredible team, but I also took my time to find them. I sought second opinions twice when I wasn’t 100% sure that I had a good fit. Cancer is a long haul and it’s vital that your medical team understand you.

So, what have I decided to change in my life?

I have chosen to follow the advice of my oncologist and go for ‘everything in moderation’, as I think I was starting from a pretty healthy place. Food wise, I do still eat meat sometimes, but am mainly plant based and I try to buy organic. I also still eat dairy. It’s a controversial topic in the breast cancer world but my personal conclusion is that the benefits of moderate consumption outweigh the potential - as yet unproven - link with hormone cancers. For me, I feel I need the protein and the calcium for my bone health. Again, I try to buy organic and I don’t consume a lot. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to completely give up my ice cream addiction!

What else? I have always eaten pretty healthily but I have significantly increased the amount of vegetables and fruit I eat. I also make sure I include protein with everything - even if it’s just a little snack. I do sometimes supplement with protein shakes or bars if I feel I’m not getting enough on a particular day. But in general, I choose not to take supplements, other than prescribed ones - vitamin d and calcium - because I think I get everything I need from my diet. I have regular blood tests to check.

Alcohol. This is probably my biggest change. I’ve never been a heavy drinker - my nickname is Lightweight Lightfoot - but I did drink frequently before cancer. There is a proven link between alcohol and many common cancers. And also a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer recurrence. Now? I drink occasionally. I still enjoy a glass of wine once in a while. I’ve decided that life is for living so I choose to have one on a special occasion. I don’t want to feel guilty every time I sip a glass of red, so the advice I’ve chosen to follow is that 1-2 drinks per week doesn’t increase the risk of recurrence. On average, I actually drink less than this, but at Christmas for example, I drank a couple of nights in a row.

Exercise. This is a big mental shift for me. I’ve always exercised but I’ve changed my reason why. It’s no longer about performance and now about longevity. But that’s a whole other blog!

Stress. Who knows why I got cancer, but I’m pretty sure that five years of intense stress was a contributing factor. So I’m on a mission to reduce stress in my life. Obviously life can’t always be controlled but I am taking ownership of the things I can. I will never go back to a highly stressful work environment. I not willing to surround myself with people who give me negative energy. And I am actively trying to take the pressure off myself and lower my expectations (not always easy!). Life with two five year olds can be pretty full on and at times overwhelming. But I’ve done a lot of work on boundaries and time management. It’s hard to measure but I definitely feel more relaxed than pre cancer me. And according to my watch and my sleep patterns, it seems to be doing the trick!

And sleep. This has become a major priority. I’m not the greatest sleeper - menopause insomnia, yey! - and I think I’m still suffering from the sleep trauma of twins, so I am very protective of my sleep. My evening routine is all about winding down to bedtime. I have become insanely dull … no TV, no screen time, no distractions or bright lights. It’s not very exciting but it’s helped me hugely and I feel so much better for a regular bed time and 7-8 hours sleep per night.

That’s it. I would say I’ve tweaked my lifestyle rather than overhauled it. I want to make changes that are sustainable, long term. And, two years in, I’m definitely a healthier, better balanced, better rested and less crazy version of myself. I prefer her. I think my friends and family do too.