Posted in Cancer

With the days getting longer and the sun finally peeping through the clouds, we start to remember one of the most important vitamins that our body needs to stay healthy, especially during winter.  Yes, we're talking about Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D plays an essential role in the function and maintenance of the human body.  It helps our body absorb calcium, which is important for the maintenance of healthy bones and it ensures that our immune, muscle and nervou...

Diet is often one of the first things breast cancer patients look to improve to support their recovery and help protect them from recurrence.  In this blog piece we take a closer look at 'A Mediterranean or Ketogenic approach to Breast Cancer: Which diet is best?' Whilst there has been much research into the field there is limited evidence to support one definitive dietary therapy for breast cancer patients. Does diet really have an impact? Yes it does! Influence of diet ...

Coping with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer ripples out to those close to the person managing their illness. In this blog post we acknowledge 3 frequent themes caused by the ripple effects of cancer.   Being a care giver Navigating the unfamiliar environment of medicine and finding a course of treatment requires considerable courage and effort at a time of heightened worry. Understanding terminology and procedures to be able to support your loved one t...

For many young people with cancer, fertility is another major source of fear and anxiety when it comes to cancer and cancer treatment. Depending on your gender, age, type of cancer, treatment regime and short or long term family plans, your fertility is something that should be discussed with your health care team ideally prior to commencing any treatment.  We are lucky to live in a world where medical advances in fertility have become the norm, and if you indeed are struggling with f...

Knowing how to do a Breast Self Exam is an important skill, and a habit you should really be getting into once a month. It only takes a few minutes, and it can literally save your life. If breast cancer is detected early, and confined to just the breast, the 5 year survival rate is 96%. If however it has started to spread to the lymph nodes that drops down to 80% - that's a risk you don't want to take! "The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer by the age of 85 is 1 in 8...

What is Acupuncture & is it safe for Cancer Patients? Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine single use, disposable needles into surface areas on the body that can directly influence the internal organs and systems, as well as the muscles.  In the hands of a well-trained practitioner Acupuncture is considered safe for people undergoing cancer treatment and beyond and has been found to be cost effective for some conditions, with minimal side effects compared to some drugs and othe...