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 we can’t blame our genes anymore! Apparently only about 10% of ALL diseases are due to genetics, including cancer. This is actually good news…

Because if you contributed to your cancer, you can contribute to your healing.

Like any disease, cancer is your body telling you something isn’t working. Whether it’s your diet, your lifestyle or your environment – something needs to change!

So get curious and ask the question: ‘What do I think may have caused my cancer?’. Now when some possibilities start to pop up, write them down without judging or blaming yourself.

Be open to the idea that some of the choices you have made in the past, may have been damaging to your health.

None of us go around thinking we’re going to get cancer, so let yourself off the hook and investigate what you could differently moving forward.

I am definitely biased when it comes to food!

You can either be eating foods that are fighting cancer cells or feeding them.

At the end of the day we want to be focussed on eating foods that stop cancer cells dead in their tracks!

Don’t get me wrong, I totally believe that our environment can play a role in cancer as can stress, but either way, addressing what we eat needs to be a part of the plan.

The most powerful cancer-kicking foods on the planet are plants.

Phytochemicals are found in plants, and possess profound anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties that directly target many of the cancer growing pathways. We need to start getting more of them in YOUR diet.

With less than 8% of the Australian population eating the recommended servings of vegetables and working with hundreds of clients, I can make a calculated guess that you need to be eating more! Here are some ideas to start eating more vegetables:

Always add greens to your smoothie. Every morning I blend my banana with celery, cos lettuce, baby spinach or a stick of kale and pour it over my oats that I have soaked overnight.
Eat a salad before lunch or dinner or both. If that seems too hard, just grab a carrot and munch away while you’re preparing lunch or dinner.
Try and prepare your vegetables before you need them.
Peel and cut up the whole kilo of carrots in different ways. I would grate some for salads, chop some in rings ready for a casserole and half the rest ready for a roast. Yes, they will be fine in the fridge for the next 4-5 days.
Cabbage can be sliced for a coleslaw, diced for a stew or curry.
Kale can be riced and put in the freezer ready for your next casserole.
The trick is, if it’s washed and chopped and ready to go you’ll be more likely to use it.

I believe this is why so many diets fail.

We commit to a 6 week challenge - pay for a coach or announce it to the world and off we go!

But then the coaching ends OR the 6 weeks are up!

When I work with clients at some point they’ll say...I almost ate XXX on the weekend, but I knew I had to tell you so I resisted.

I am acutely aware that I will not be in my clients' lives forever.

So I never pass quickly over these revelations because I want to make sure they have the tools to deal with these situations when I’m not around.