Was it random bad luck that you got cancer?
You may have read that we all develop cancer cells, but it depends on our immune system as to whether they grow or die. All your cells have a specific life-span, except cancer. They don't have an off-button, they keep on multiplying uncontrollably and eventually form...
Did you contribute to your cancer?
At some point after our diagnosis, most of us ask ourselves a few questions. Initially it might be "Why me?', then "Did I do something to cause my cancer?" . You may especially start to ask these types of questions if you've seen some of the new research showing that...
Exercise is the icing on the nutritional cake for cancer survivors
Prior to my cancer diagnosis at 48, I had always exercised. . I had 4 children in 5 years in my early thirties, so life was busy but I found a way. For years a like-minded friend and I would meet at the pool with our gaggle of seven, and take turns doing laps a few...
Is a lack of sleep the missing link to your optimal health?
In recent times the importance of adequate sleep has come to light. . In fact your brain needs you to sleep so it can remove toxic proteins from its neurons that build up as a normal by-product of your daily activities! A lack of sleep can negatively impact your body...
Is there a link between EMFs and your health?
This week I interviewed Dianne Elson from Rest Assured North Queensland. Check out the interview here. Dianne explains: . I had read about the adverse health effects associated with exposure to EMF and wanted to educate myself on the topic as much as possible. I...
Embracing whole plant foods: The best cancer-kicking strategy for women
What immediately comes to mind when I say "Dietitian"? . Deprivation diets? Weight loss? Healthy food pyramid? . Sometimes I don't want to tell people I'm a Dietitian. Not because they quickly excuse what they are eating or hide the contents of their trolley, but...
Supporting your health after cancer if you are susceptible to addiction
When do you decide enough is enough? When that one glass of wine continually turns into two? Or is it when that weekend chocolate treat becomes a daily affair and you realise that it's time to reign it in? . The twist is that when you've had cancer, you need to take...
Why your health needs you to get back into the kitchen post-cancer
After life returns to some kind of normalcy, you will no doubt find yourself back in the kitchen. Even if your pre-cancer diet was 'healthy', or so you thought, you are now keener than ever to eat well. . You've researched a lot since your diagnosis, and you know...
Plan your diet to optimise your health after cancer
After the intensity of treatment is over, it's easy to get caught up in popular protocols that promise all sorts of cancer-fighting solutions. I know I did, all driven by fear. . When in reality, there were quite a few cancer-fighting solutions right in front of me....
More reasons to ditch sugar after a cancer diagnosis
It wasn’t that long ago that we didn’t think twice about eating sugar. After all it was just a benign calorie that could cause tooth decay. Haven’t we come a long way since then! . For those who have had a cancer diagnosis and have begun the climb back up to regain...
Are your daily decisions affecting your health?
You know the answer is yes… . However it can be hard to relate what you do in the moment to your health five, or even ten, years down the track. . . Those extra kilos take months or even years to creep on. Your fitness can gradually decline as your lifestyle...
Do you live in fear that your cancer will come back?
I was 48 when diagnosed with breast cancer. After the treatment was over, I tried to get back to ‘normal’ - but what is normal after cancer? My NEW norm was living with the underlying fear that the cancer would come back. . Does it ever go away? Being at the 5 year...
My favourite mastectomy bra
When I first lost my breast and had to wear soft bras with a little fluffy boob-shaped pillow I was constantly pulling it down because it liked to creep up my neck. As a result when I stepped out into the public eye, I would ask my children (then older teens) if I was...
Are the daily chemicals we are exposed to a cancer risk?
Regardless of how many chemicals have been introduced in the last 50 years, we are exposed to a LOT more than great Grandma was! We are bombarded on a daily, if not hourly, basis. . We find them in our food, in the water we drink, our personal hygiene products,...
What’s the go with GMOs, are they a cancer risk?
Genetically Modified Organisms, or genetically engineered foods, are foods that have been artificially altered to change a plants characteristics. . This is different from selective breeding, which is done through sexual reproduction. Fruit and vegetables are often...
Optimising your health after cancer: Reducing inflammation and eating the right type of fat
acuteOptimising your health after cancer, includes reducing inflammation, which means eating the right type of fat. . Trying to stay healthy means we want to avoid inflammation in our body. Inflammation appears to be at the core of all our lifestyle diseases and our...
3 Top Reasons Why Women Who Have Had Cancer Need To Rethink Red Meat
I know this flies in the face of the popular Paleo diet. To be fair, I do think the Paleo movement has brought to our attention the importance of knowing, what we eat 'eats'. . In other words what are our animals eating because we will eventually end up eating it!...
Why aren’t we talking about dairy and breast cancer?
Most breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive, so elevated levels of estrogen increase the risk of breast cancer. . Last week I discussed some of the ways we can unknowingly increase our estrogen levels. You can read about that here...
The link between breast cancer and dietary hormones… are you eating too much estrogen?
As most breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive, higher than normal blood levels of estrogen can increase the risk of breast cancer. . So where is estrogen hiding in our food? . Dairy is by far the biggest culprit. It is a hormonal liquid from pregnant cows...
The breast cancer risk factor that we are NOT talking about
As a former bulimic who grew up vowing I would not end up overweight like my beautiful Mum, I understand the body image struggle. . I applaud the 'accept your body' movement. . However as an advocate for women's health, I can't ignore the importance of a healthy body...
The benefits of Febfast are NOT all about reducing the risk of breast cancer
So you've decided to put down your wine glass for 28 days...what can you expect? . Reduce your risk of breast cancer - a given! Studies clearly show that alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer. This is due to the liver giving alcohol preferential treatment,...
The 28 day alcohol free experiment that will significantly reduce your risk of getting breast cancer again
Febfast is coming…will you do the 28 day alcohol free experiment? . This is coming from someone who drank for over 3 decades and did NOT know how to do life without wine. . Relaxing with wine was a deeply ingrained habit. So I understand the attachment. . But the link...
What your oncologist may not tell you about how to reduce the risk of your breast cancer returning
There is so much you can do for yourself to reduce the risk of breast cancer returning that you won't hear from your oncologist, but it's NOT their fault. . Medical professionals are bound by strict codes of conduct. If they make recommendations outside of the norm...
Will your diet & lifestyle habits reduce the risk of your breast cancer coming back?
Will your diet & lifestyle habits reduce the risk of your breast cancer coming back in 2019? Working with 'Survivors' and being one myself, the one little worry that is at the back of our mind is……'what if it comes back?' I used to live with that fear all the time...
Dietitian With A Difference
Having been a dietitian for nearly 3 decades, I have seen many fads and diets come and go. I do not follow any of them. I have come to realize that there is no one diet that is perfect for everyone. There are too many factors that affect our tolerance to foods for one...
Is Today’s Bread The Same As Grandma Used To Eat?
How different is the bread great Grandma ate to today's bread? We’ve been eating bread for hundreds of years, so why is it being linked to so many health issues? A few years ago, I asked the same question. I’ve been a Dietitian for over 25 years, and had my own...
Are You Like Me And Won’t Be Told? What’s That Got To Do With The Sugar In Your Diet?
I like to experience things myself - do you? Sometimes that experience is not what I thought or I am left feeling disappointed. But I try to find a positive in everything. When a client comes to see me after they have had an unsuccessful attempt to lose weight I help...
Is This You? A Client’s Journey
Before... I'm anxious about seeing a Dietitian? I wonder if she can she really help? I mean, my food struggles have been going on for years, if not decades. I'm doubtful that a diet expert will understand the roller coaster I'm on. I'm confused about all the...
Are You Using Diet Confusion To Ignore What’s Right For You?
Are you using the confusion around what is 'healthy eating' as an excuse to not look at your own diet? Are you throwing your hands in the air and saying, 'It's all too hard, I give up, I don't know what's healthy and what's not any more'. Is this your 'out' so you can...
My Journey – Part 3
They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. If that's the case I was insane! It wasn't until I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 48 that I stopped and considered my insanity. I was extremely fortunate to have found...
My Journey – Part 2
Newly married and determined to leave bulimia behind, I embraced the current dieting trend at the time which was low fat/high carbohydrate. This enabled me to satisfy my love of eating and not gain weight – but I was hungry all the time! We began a family immediately....
My Journey – Part 1
We had plenty of food growing up in our house! My Father was a milkman and then he owned a small supermarket. However, I did not grow up watching healthy eating habits. Sadly, my Mum struggled emotionally and food was the way she anaesthetized her pain. She has...