Hello I am Bryan a fifty something man who has survived cancer three times! In June 2010 I was diagnosed with Stage III bowel cancer. I didn't expect to survive six months, but here I am five years later. I knew that my high living, stressful City lifestyle had been partly to blame for the cancer, but with a stage III diagnosis I thought it was too late to make a change. But after embracing a new way of bring healthy, I have for the last two and half years amazingly cancer free.
I had worked in London for a large International Accountancy Firm for a long time, commuting an hour each way every day, enjoying a hectic lifestyle of business lunches or hurried lunches snatched at my desk whilst trying to meet another deadline. When I look back at that time, it just screams out to me STRESS. I am sure that there are many of you who know that feeling. My idea of a healthy lunch was a white baguette filled with ham and cheese and a packet of crisps. How wrong could I have been!
After my initial diagnosis, I spent the next two years having chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. After the initial round of treatment, I was keen to get my life back on track. I had been given the all clear. I was doing well and feeling good but a scan in January 2012 revealed I now had a tumour on my liver. It had matastised and I was now stage IV. There is no stage V.
I had an op to remove that tumour. Whilst I was recovering, I decided that a radical review of my diet and lifestyle was necessary. I read up on how I could make a change. If you look in the Resources section you will see some of the books and websites that have had an impact on my life. I visited the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre nr Bristol where I learnt so much on their "Living Well" course. I then consulted some specialists in this area, and feeling empowered by their support, I embarked on a journey that was quite different than the one that I had been travelling on so far.
7 months later, (September 2012) a scan revealed another tumour in my lung. I was so angry and full of negative emotions. I became even more determined to keep to my new lifestyle. I carried on with even more enthusiasm. I had to give my body the best chance it deserved. Results do not come overnight. Another op removed the tumour. There was no post operative chemotherapy. The oncologist had said that I was chemo-resistant as he preferred to keep the heavy duty chemo for when I needed them. He also told me that there was a 60% chance that the cancer would come back. I disliked statistics on survival or recurrence of cancer as it made me feel that there was nothing that I could do. it made me feel that there could the outcome was inevitable, this didn't seem good.Taking control of my lifestyle did and it empowered me to determine my own outcome. I promised that I would do the very best for me.
That was two and a half years ago. I must be doing something right. I look at myself now and I feel so much better as a person. I must have been ready to embrace this new adventure as I have stuck at it. I believe that a healthy lifestyle is about the whole package, focussing on my mind, body and soul to live my life authentically for the first time. I became an ambassador for my own health and embarked on a journey of discovey, I started eating things that I had never heard of - quinoa, millet,spelt and lots of vegetables!. My family and friends have got used to eating my new repertoire of dishes. As my journey progressed, I soon realised that it's not all about food.
So why did I decide to start a blog? The motivation was a desire to share things that I have picked up along the way. It's not because I have all the answers, but it's because I have learnt so many wonderful things, I only wish that someone had shared them with me earlier in my life.
I have also found a lack of blogs or websites for men of a certain age. I know that there is generally a general consensus, that most men consider healthy food as hippie food. I thought the same. My experience has been different. You have to give it a try. Ye,s I have tried things that I did not like or which were not for me. I'll share some of these with you, as well as the ones that I did like and that made a difference. It's not all about Tofu, which by the way was one of my dislikes.
I do not follow any rules or regime, I indulge in less healthy options from time to time. I love the odd glass of red wine occasionally - after all it's full of antioxidents. I believe that the best rule to follow is to eat everything as unprocessed and local as possible, whether it is something raw, a vegan dish or an indulgent homemade cake. Everything in moderation! I guess if you have to put a label on it (not that I like labels) the closest would be a "flexitarian" - with the exception that red or processed meats are a no-go zone! The truth is I do my best. Above all it's about keeping it REAL!
I had worked in London for a large International Accountancy Firm for a long time, commuting an hour each way every day, enjoying a hectic lifestyle of business lunches or hurried lunches snatched at my desk whilst trying to meet another deadline. When I look back at that time, it just screams out to me STRESS. I am sure that there are many of you who know that feeling. My idea of a healthy lunch was a white baguette filled with ham and cheese and a packet of crisps. How wrong could I have been!
After my initial diagnosis, I spent the next two years having chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery. After the initial round of treatment, I was keen to get my life back on track. I had been given the all clear. I was doing well and feeling good but a scan in January 2012 revealed I now had a tumour on my liver. It had matastised and I was now stage IV. There is no stage V.
I had an op to remove that tumour. Whilst I was recovering, I decided that a radical review of my diet and lifestyle was necessary. I read up on how I could make a change. If you look in the Resources section you will see some of the books and websites that have had an impact on my life. I visited the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre nr Bristol where I learnt so much on their "Living Well" course. I then consulted some specialists in this area, and feeling empowered by their support, I embarked on a journey that was quite different than the one that I had been travelling on so far.
7 months later, (September 2012) a scan revealed another tumour in my lung. I was so angry and full of negative emotions. I became even more determined to keep to my new lifestyle. I carried on with even more enthusiasm. I had to give my body the best chance it deserved. Results do not come overnight. Another op removed the tumour. There was no post operative chemotherapy. The oncologist had said that I was chemo-resistant as he preferred to keep the heavy duty chemo for when I needed them. He also told me that there was a 60% chance that the cancer would come back. I disliked statistics on survival or recurrence of cancer as it made me feel that there was nothing that I could do. it made me feel that there could the outcome was inevitable, this didn't seem good.Taking control of my lifestyle did and it empowered me to determine my own outcome. I promised that I would do the very best for me.
That was two and a half years ago. I must be doing something right. I look at myself now and I feel so much better as a person. I must have been ready to embrace this new adventure as I have stuck at it. I believe that a healthy lifestyle is about the whole package, focussing on my mind, body and soul to live my life authentically for the first time. I became an ambassador for my own health and embarked on a journey of discovey, I started eating things that I had never heard of - quinoa, millet,spelt and lots of vegetables!. My family and friends have got used to eating my new repertoire of dishes. As my journey progressed, I soon realised that it's not all about food.
So why did I decide to start a blog? The motivation was a desire to share things that I have picked up along the way. It's not because I have all the answers, but it's because I have learnt so many wonderful things, I only wish that someone had shared them with me earlier in my life.
I have also found a lack of blogs or websites for men of a certain age. I know that there is generally a general consensus, that most men consider healthy food as hippie food. I thought the same. My experience has been different. You have to give it a try. Ye,s I have tried things that I did not like or which were not for me. I'll share some of these with you, as well as the ones that I did like and that made a difference. It's not all about Tofu, which by the way was one of my dislikes.
I do not follow any rules or regime, I indulge in less healthy options from time to time. I love the odd glass of red wine occasionally - after all it's full of antioxidents. I believe that the best rule to follow is to eat everything as unprocessed and local as possible, whether it is something raw, a vegan dish or an indulgent homemade cake. Everything in moderation! I guess if you have to put a label on it (not that I like labels) the closest would be a "flexitarian" - with the exception that red or processed meats are a no-go zone! The truth is I do my best. Above all it's about keeping it REAL!
As part of my new lifestyle I wanted to incorporate more exercise in my daily life! Luckily i found a handsome dog at the RSPCA. I am not sure who rescued who! I called him Colin and he makes sure that I get outside everyday for two walks a day, in all weathers. I will talk more about exercise throughout the blog. |
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