'Take Control and Live' by Gillian Gill - A Review

Today’s post is a review of the recently published ‘Take Control and Live – Surviving Ovarian Cancer’, an autobiography by Gillian Gill.

In October 2000, Gillian Gill (or Gilly as she is known) was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Her prognosis was bleak, with her oncologist breaking the devastating news that she had only a few months left to live. Yet here we are 14 years later, reading a very different story. Gilly’s book is the story of her unique journey through cancer; it is a story full of painful truths but also an incredible account of hope and an indomitable will to live.

The book’s title, ‘Take Control and Live’, is a mantra which runs through Gilly’s whole experience of cancer and is what she sees as the fundamental tenet of her recovery:

‘I can sum up my story like this: although different therapies help in different ways, recovery is about trying to give oneself positive healing messages, by natural means and by becoming adept at listening and responding to your body’s needs. It’s a bit like driving a car and being personally responsible behind the steering wheel. Fundamentally, it’s about being empowered to do things for oneself, not about handing it over to others. They can help, yet ultimately it’s only you who can do it’

Inspired Nutrition and Yes to Life take on Brighton

Today’s post is about our recent Cookery Well-being workshop which took place at Brighton Cookery School last Saturday. The morning was hosted by the wonderful Jenny Philips and Jeraldine Curran of Inspired Nutrition who brought a whole load of tasty recipes, years of expertise, a sunny vibe and plenty of jovial flair to the kitchen. If you missed it we are running two more workshops with Jenny and Jeraldine this year, keep up to date with our events calendar for more info.

Think of that person in your life who has cooked for you, gathered fresh ingredients, laboured over chopping boards and stoves with the passion of nurturing you: a mother, grandmother, sibling, friend, partner…then you have some impression of what it felt like to walk into Jenny and Jeraldine’s kitchen. These women are not professional chefs but they are something far more important, cooks who understand the power of food to heal, support and protect.

Although they are both qualified nutritional therapists, it is Jenny and Jeraldine’s personal experiences as much as any qualifications, which make them both such incredible fonts of knowledge.  Jenny recovered from breast cancer ten years ago and Jeraldine has been a close support for family members with cancer so they both understand the topic inside out and were happy to share their stories. The selection of dishes they prepared were designed to support the body through any stage of cancer diagnosis, and it was possible to tailor each to specific requirements…they were also delicious!

Our First Manchester Seminar: ‘Lifestyle Choices and Cancer’

Today’s post is about our recent seminar ‘Lifestyle Choices and Cancer’ which was held on the 22nd November 2014 at the Manchester Conference centre. With talks from integrative oncologist Dr Francisco Contreras, Cancer Options’ Patricia Peat and Gloria Halim, self-confessed ‘breast cancer warrior’, the morning was full of fascinating insights. Stay up to date with future seminars on our events page or by joining our mailing list (on the right of the page).

The weekend’s grey weather could not put a dampener on the excitement of hosting our very first northern seminar. Whilst the Yes to Life office is based in London, our beneficiaries are spread across the country so reaching out to different regions is very important to us, and the welcome we received in Manchester could not have been warmer. We settled into our seats, notepads at the ready, to learn more about how lifestyle choices can influence experiences of cancer.

Mind Choice: Being with Uncertainty

Today's post is the third written by Clare McLusky who provides us with an insight into her experience with cancer and the popular practice of Mindfulness. 

Clare has a Masters degree in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy from University of Oxford and teaches Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy to people living with cancer. Clare is also a qualified Occupational Therapist, Yes to Life Helpline volunteer and one of the founding members and facilitators of Oxford Sangha, practicing in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh.

My experience over the last two weeks has been a strong reminder of how difficult it is to be with uncertainty, by which I mean staying present with the sheer awfulness of not knowing.  For me this meant not pushing for answers or trying to ‘fix’ things but letting go and allowing things to unfold in their own time.  It also meant not self-medicating with TV or food or wine or endless chatter or searching for solutions but being present to the mind states and emotions that passed through.  To begin with I literally felt weighed down by it and was physically dragging myself around – my mind heavy and numb.  Then the cracks in this armour of a mental state started allowing the sadness of the situation to wash through my heart and I’d find myself in tears but somehow that was refreshing, at least I felt alive.

Cashew Nut and Spinach Soup

Today's post is written by Jenny Phillips who specialises in supporting cancer patients with diet & lifestyle interventions. She herself recovered from breast cancer 10 years ago. 

Jenny has kindly shared a recipe with us which contains spinach, a vegetable packed with vitamins and minerals.

Cashew Nut and Spinach Soup

Green leafy vegetables really are a superfood – and spinach is no exception. Optimising cellular health is a key anti-cancer strategy and spinach is a fantastic source of B vitamins, which are essential for cellular energy production. It also contains high quantities of natural folate, one of the vitamins to protect against anaemia. Folate is essential for cell replication and the very important process of methylation which regulates gene expression.

Spinach is also a rich source of minerals including magnesium, an essential nutrient for energy production, the maintenance and repair of healthy cells and bone health, and one of the best plant sources of iron.

This soup is fast to make, particularly if the vegetables are pre-cooked. It’s just simply a case of blending cashews, vegetables, hot water and stock to have a meal on the table in minutes.

The coconut cream can be switched for soft goat’s cheese if you are including goat’s dairy within your eating plan.

A Mid-Week Treat: Prawn and Mango Curry Recipe

Today's post is written by Jenny Phillips who specialises in supporting cancer patients with diet & lifestyle interventions. She herself recovered from breast cancer 10 years ago. 

Jenny has kindly shared a recipe with us which contains turmeric, a spice which can make a positive contribution to your health. 

The Golden Spice: a recipe to brighten up your day

Turmeric is the bright yellow spice most often used in South Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. It adds a golden colour and is frequently used along with other spices to create a curry flavour. In this easy to make recipe it is paired with cumin in a creamy coconut sauce. The mango adds a subtle sweetness.

The active ingredient within turmeric is curcumin, and this has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is one of the ten supplements discussed in a review by the Society of Integrative Oncology (1), who quote:

“Curcumin has been shown to prevent a large number of

cancers in animal studies. Laboratory data indicate that

curcumin can inhibit tumor initiation, promotion, invasion,

angiogenesis, and metastasis.”

Although this curry will not deliver curcumin at therapeutic levels, eating this spice within meals increases its absorption, and may make a small but positive contribution to overall health.

PRAWN & MANGO CURRY

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Top 10 Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips For Optimal Recovery

Today's post is written by Faye Butler and Sophie Tully who are Nutrition Scientists at Igennus Healthcare Nutrition. Igennus Healthcare Nutrition focus on providing natural means of improving health based on scientific research.

Top 10 Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips For Optimal Recovery

1. Reduce refined carbohydrates 
Sugar, including foods containing it, such as cakes and sweets, causes blood glucose levels to rise significantly and regularly eating these foods has been linked to increased risk of certain cancers. Keeping intake low is therefore important for cancer recovery as high intake of sugars can suppress the immune system which will, in turn, inhibit the healing process.