Skin protection

I've always burned in the sun, but avoidance is not the answer. Safe exposure is so important in maintaining optimum levels of vitamin D3, implicated in a healthy immune system. As well as containing toxic xeno-oestrogens and carcinogens, commercially produced suncreams filter out almost all of the ultra-violet light which the skin needs to synthesise vitamin D3.  Our skin is not only a barrier, but a carrier, so whatever you put on it will be absorbed into your blood stream, making more work for the liver. Last summer I made a decision. I ditched the suncream and instead used pure, organic coconut oil. I didn't burn, not even in the hot Ibizan sunshine.

Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acids like capric acid, caprylic acid, lauric acid and vitamin E, all of which nourish the skin and cut down on ultra-violet ray damage. But it's not just about coconut oil's amazing properties. Equally important is my changed diet, which has improved my skin's ability to produce melanin, protecting it against sun damage. I drink at least 6 cups of green tea a day. Green tea contains massive amounts of anti-oxidants, which fight off free radicals, can prevent sun damage and even stave off skin cancer thanks to it's anti-inflammatory properties. I take krill oil which is full of astaxanthin, another super anti-oxidant which offers UVA protection. I supplement with 10,000 iu's a day of vitamin D3, which increases sun tolerance and protects against sun damage, which is a beautiful irony considering we should get 90% of our daily dose FROM the sun. I also drink vegetable juices daily. My morning carrot juice is a valuable source of vitamin A, and is full of antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals, all of which protect, nourish and moisturise the skin. Nutrition from carrots helps to reduce photosensitivity, promotes skin renewal and protects from sun damage.

I'm not advocating the total replacement of suncream with coconut oil. My young children spend hours in the sea when on holiday, and their diets are not sufficiently full of anti-oxidants or phytochemicals to go cream-free. What's important is to maximize safe sun exposure to improve natural levels of D3, whilst avoiding burning. This would mean exposing 80% of your body to the sun for up to 20 minutes, avoiding the hottest part of the day between 11am and 2pm. When I feel that my kids need protection I use a 'clean' sunscreen like Badger, which is unscented and free from chemicals. In previous summers my children never went out in the sun without first being covered in suncream. They NEVER got any natural vitamin D; they were always covered by t-shirts, hats, sunglasses and cream. These days they develop gentle tans, indicating that their skin is reacting positively to the sun. 

We live in a society which warns of the dangers of sunbathing, and suggests that the answer lies in a tube of chemically engineered suncream. Instead the answer lies in proper nutrition and common sense in the sun.

Who Am I?

I'm a woman who has had breast cancer, but I'm more than that. I'm a Wife, a Mother, a Daughter, a Sister and a Friend. Sometimes I'm Scared. Mostly I'm not. I read, I research, and I'm Positive. I believe that I'll remain cancer-free, that I'll see my children grow, that I'll live long enough for them not to need me so much. That's where Fear lives, not in the idea of actually dying, but of leaving my family.

Sometimes I cry tears of disappointment, but never of self-pity. I put energy into my wellbeing, and as a result I feel healthy. But not safe. Never again will I take my health for granted, I know that this area of my life needs consistent, continued input.

I carry the weight of my prognosis constantly. That doesn't always mean worrying about cancer, sometimes it means learning from it, sometimes being driven by it, always accepting what is, and what has been.

I try to listen to my body, but pain still freaks me out. Could it be a recurrence? Have I missed something?

I watch in disbelief as cancer claims the lives of people I know, and I try to find a place of reason and understanding.


I cherish my life, I'm Alive.


I embrace my scars, they're part of me. I rarely feel the loss of my breast, but when I do it's an indescribable grief that I can't comprehend - a raw absence.

Mostly I feel Blessed. Blessed to explore a world of health and spirituality that previously eluded me, to be connected to kindred spirits, in a place of constant learning and healing. Perhaps the gift of cancer is to share all that I've learned with those I love, without them having to endure the uncertainty and pain of a diagnosis. For this I'm Grateful.

A hard lesson, but a good one

I've met some amazing people since being diagnosed with cancer. The inevitable downside to this new world, is that death becomes such a big part of life.

This post is in honour of my friend Renee, who has taught me something beautiful about death. She died yesterday, surrounded by love, celebrated by those whom she has touched, and free from the fear that many of us experience when faced with death. She was so passionate about life; she never stopped living in order to die. Her beloveds wished and prayed only for a gentle journey for her, a sweet transition into the next realm. How extraordinary that rather than being held onto, she is released with love. To be surrounded by so many loving and grateful souls is a direct reflection of Renee's spirituality and compassion. 

It's wonderful to believe that we're part of something bigger, that we have a purpose, even if that purpose is only to explore, communicate, love and play on Earth. How liberating to feel our importance and lack of it, to shift our focus to joy and trust. This, to me, is Renee's legacy. She shows us all by example how to live fully in the moment, surrounded by love.

Guest blog

It's Asbestos Awareness week, and to draw attention to this subject Cameron Von St James has written a guest post. He talks about his experience following his wife Heather's mesothelioma diagnosis, and gives an insight into how it feels when a loved one has cancer.

Mesothelioma has a poor prognosis, but Heather is now cancer free. I once read that if you can find ONE person who has survived with your type of cancer, then it's also possible for you to survive. The power of hope can never be undervalued, and Heather is a beacon of light for others with the same cancer diagnosis.

How We Got Through Cancer

After the birth of our daughter Lily, my wife and I were excited about making her first holiday season special. However, everything seemed to change a few months later. On a late November day, my wife Heather was given a cancer diagnosis. It was the day that I was forced into a position that I would never be ready for: the caregiver of a wife with malignant pleural mesothelioma. The job began the moment she got her diagnosis.

Her doctor began giving us background information on her condition and advised us to see a specialist. He gave us three different options, but my wife was in a total state of shock. Within a matter of seconds, I made it clear to him that we would be seeing the specialist in Boston.  His name was Dr. Sugarbaker and he was renowned for his experience in treating mesothelioma. While this decision was the best one for Heather's health, it would not be easy to make it through the next few months.

It was becoming increasingly difficult carry on with our lives. Between taking Heather to her appointments and taking care of Lily, on top of working as many hours as I could to support us, I was overwhelmed. Going from having two full-time incomes to less than one after Heather had to leave her job eventually put us in a financial bind. Feeling overwhelmed by our situation pushed me to my breaking point. I sat on the kitchen floor one night and suddenly felt myself coming apart. There was nothing I could do to fix the mess we were in. Nevertheless, I knew that I was going to have to find a way to be strong for my wife.  At that point, all I could do was keep moving forward and do the best I could to get my family through this tough battle.

I thought we had to go through this alone, but I was wrong. Friends and family members were able to help shoulder some of our burdens, be it emotional support, a meal, or even financial help to get us through our tough spot.  I had to learn that there was no room for pride in this fight, and once I accepted that, these offers of help lifted a weight from my shoulders.

Having gone through this experience, I can honestly say that it is not easy on anyone involved. While Heather had to focus on getting well, it was my responsibility as her caregiver to make things easier for her. It is important to learn how to manage negative emotions. Once they find a door, anger and fear will certainly try to sneak their way in. Relying on friends and family is the only way to keep from drowning in the despair.  Above all else, never give up hope.

Despite the difficult fight and the bleak prognosis for mesothelioma, Heather is here seven years later, and is cancer free. This entire experience has taught me to value my family, our time together and my stubborn streak. It just goes to show that with a little bit of hope, people have the ability to achieve their heart's desires.  Heather and I hope that by sharing our story, we can help inspire others in their own battles with cancer, to never give up and never, ever stop fighting for the ones they love.

Taking responsibility

There seems to be a direct correlation between the evolution of modern medicine and a growing disconnection with our bodies. Over the past few decades we've handed the responsibility for our health over to the 'professionals'. In trusting others we have lost the ability to trust ourselves. Pharmaceutical and food companies are businesses motivated by money, not the greater good, and we must remember that. 

To regain or retain wellbeing we must take back responsibility for our health.

When cancer woke me up I did just that. I suddenly understood that the only person who could heal me WAS me. A Western Doctor is trained in Medicine. A Western Doctor can only give me what is in their tool kit, in short, drugs and diagnostics. I wasn't interested in drugs, I wanted to DEtoxify my body, to return to a place where I could begin to heal. My amazing body knew how to grow my 2 babies, while I consciously had no understanding of that process. In the same way I realised a simple truth - that my body is programmed to heal. I don't need to understand HOW, I just have to give it what it needs; nutrients, hydration, relaxation, oxygen. And trust.

I take full responsibility for every choice I made up until the point of diagnosis. I chose what I put in my mouth, what I put on my skin, and how I reacted to stress. At the time I was unaware that these WERE choices, but they were, and they made me ill. By taking responsibility I regained my power, I never felt like a victim, hope was never lost. I didn't rely on anyone but MYSELF to heal ME. That's not to say that I didn't ask for help. I turned to professionals for guidance, but I did the work. 

We each have the innate gift of being able to listen to our bodies, an ancient, instinctive wisdom that we have almost lost. We need to reconnect with ourselves, and maintain responsibility for our choices, in order to heal. 

Everybody loves the sunshine

As living beings, we rely heavily on the power of sunshine to develop, grow and stay healthy, but in recent years, the sun has become the enemy. We've bought into the myth that we must protect ourselves from it's dangerous rays, and in the process have made suncream companies rich. Many sunscreens use harmful ingredients (more on this in another post) which permeate the skin and are far more carcinogenic than sensible sun exposure could ever be. How is it possible that in Britain, skin cancer rates have almost doubled in the last 7 years? 

Our immune systems rely heavily on vitamin D3, 90% of which we would ideally get from sunlight. Small amounts are available in egg yolks, butter, cod liver oil and cold water fish. We also need D3 for calcium metabolism and bone building. Interestingly, people with auto-immune disorders, including cancer, are often massively deficient in this important vitamin. Studies have shown that people with the highest levels of vitamin D3 at the time of diagnosis have better survival rates, suggesting the importance of raising levels.

On average we can get enough vitamin D3 from 20 minutes unprotected exposure to the sun (avoiding the hottest part of the day between 11am and 2pm). However, people with darker skin need more sunlight, and those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere where the sun is weaker, may need longer exposure. It's important to avoid burning!

Taking a good quality supplement can entirely reverse deficiency, but current daily recommendations are set far too low; cancer patients need between 5000 and 8000 iu's per day. It's worth investing in a high quality product, and at all costs avoid using Vitamin D2 supplements, which are synthetic, less potent and poorly absorbed. During the winter months, and even on summer days when there is no sunshine, I use 4 drops of Liquid Sunshine, which delivers 10,000 iu's of D3. I would recommend bi-annual blood testing as it IS possible to overdose on supplementation. Interestingly toxicity does not occur when D3 is synthesised from exposure to sunlight.

Change

Many years ago I was given a gift of Janey Lee Grace's fantastic book 'Imperfectly Natural Woman'. Everything within those pages seemed so unachievable, so far removed from my then-lifestyle. And yet I've become one of those annoying women who eats gluten free porridge with chia seeds for breakfast and who makes their own almond milk.

How did this transformation take place? For me it took a cancer sized kick up the backside, but in reality it was as simple as crowding out the bad with the good. I replaced milky tea and coffee with green tea, sugary snacks like cakes and biscuits with nuts and seeds, and alcohol with coconut water (in a wine glass!). Drinking 2 litres of filtered water per day flushed toxins from my system. I started juicing, and my sugar cravings disappeared because my body was finally getting what it had been pleading for; nutrients! I began to cook with herbs and spices, removing the need for salt. Feeling the benefits of this new regime motivated me to stay focused. I had more energy, felt less toxic, and as certain chronic ailments like gum disease and painful periods disappeared, I began to believe that I was giving my body what it needed to heal itself.

I now have four daily rules. 

       Alkalise (eat clean, whole, unprocessed food, and drink green juice)
       Oxygenate (breathe and move)
       Relax (meditate, say daily affirmations, take enemas, laugh)
       Hydrate (drink filtered, alkaline water)

These are the non-negotiables, but I'm a work in progress, so there's always room for improvement. Taking exercise seriously has yet to happen!

Change can be difficult, and many of us actively avoid it. I began to embrace it when I stopped looking at food as a reward system. I now see every mouthful I eat for it's nutraceutical potential. Food has the power to heal, and these days I get my rewards elsewhere. I no longer 'treat' myself to a glass of wine or a bar of chocolate at the end of a long day with the kids, rather I see my long day with the kids as reward enough. I feel very lucky to be here, and to be well. That's motivation enough to carry on.