To think the PoW’s diagnosis makes healthy living seem pointless?

[Notsuretoputit]

I try my best to live heathily (although definitely not fanatical). I try and stay away from ultra processed foods, try and avoid saturated fat, too much meat etc., try and exercise every week. I’ll have the odd takeaway and definitely overindulge on wine, but always try and be mindful of living heathily because so much information is constantly battering me through the radio, media etc. about getting ill from various foods and not exercising.

I’ve recently lost my mother far too young too, so I suppose it’s particularly on my mind at the moment. But then you hear Kate’s diagnosis, who obviously exercises regularly, has the best instructors, best food, best ingredients, best preparation, and she still falls ill, and it all seems a bit pointless.

AIBU to feel this way? I just wonder whether I really should make an effort to watch what I eat and run when I don’t feel like it if really, what will be will be regardless.

We don't really know what kind of lifestyle Kate leads though do we? Kate Moss said in an interview during her 90s modelling years that she lived on Diet Coke and cigarettes and she looked absolutely gorgeous and slim at the time.

To be clear, I am NOT in any way saying the POW does this, or that her cancer was caused by lifestyle as there are many factors to cancer, but I don't think you can automatically assume that just because someone is slim and looks attractive that they must lead a super healthy lifestyle.

She has a point though.

This is a bizarre thread.
I think you understand that leading a healthy lifestyle will reduce the risk of cancer / cardiovascular disease / stroke etc but will not guarantee you won't have any of these diseases.

As to what to do / not do - well I don't eat as much sugary food as I could. I do eat cakes etc but I don't over indulge. I enjoy alcohol but I don't get drunk.

I know I should eat more fruit and veg. I could do more exercise - I know these are good things to do.

Just because someone got cancer who looked healthy does not mean we should stop doing things that reduce the chances of getting ill

If you think it’s bizarre then by all means, hide it and stop participating in it.

I was going to say this. I imagine being in the public eye creates a very stressful lifestyle also. I never thought of the PoW as being super healthy, she's just slim.

When I was underweight I had a terrible diet and was very unhealthy. People always told me I looked great - but slimness isn't health, and it's bizarre to think so. A lot of slim people are malnourished

No - because it's important people understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and relative and absolute risk.

Do you think that's important to understand?

No, but I think I will get them checked. Thanks.

I’m not here to answer your questions. I’m not sure what you’re getting out of coming onto a thread about how a public diagnosis in the midst of a personal loss and grief has made someone feel just to be rude.

Two of my aunts on my father’s side had extremely healthly lives, one died of a heart attack and the other bowel cancer, in their mid-seventies. On my mother’s side nearly all were overweight, never did any exercise and lived to late nineties/over a hundred. I think it is a matter of the genes you are born with.

Think of your chances of getting cancer as a series of switches. You have switches that are open or closed because of genetics, switches that are open or closed because of environment, and switches that are open it closed because of what you do or don’t. Some switches may open regardless of what you do, and others won’t. It’s still definitely worth doing as much as you can to prevent those switches opening, and to slow the opening.

I don't think we ought to be discussing the PoW figure and whether she looked healthy or not.

Have some respect.

She's asked for privacy.

I understand your view on this. My parents were non smoking vegetarians. Keen ramblers. They were both slim and mindful of their diets and rarely drank. Mt dad died of bowel cancer and my mum had ovarian cancer and alziemers. My sister is also vegetarian slim non smoker dies cold water swimming and very good diet and had cervical cancer. My mum, myself and my son all had gall stones. I have just been diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. Sime things just happen whatever you do it prevent it

As a result of this thread (lighthearted not meant to offend OP), I gave my sugar reduction and low carb routine a good kicking just now.

Huge mug of tea, a raspberry muffin with cream and a Wispa bar. Sometimes being disciplined is just not worth it!

Was delicious BTW and I'll do it again in a few days time. A little of what you fancy and all that.

Seems to me that the pressure on people (mostly women) to do all the right things, stay slim, run, go to the gym, be an earth mother, a great lover, a parent carer, career woman and shopping whizz kid (all on the same day) is just too much for many of us. Could it be that trying too hard to meet the expectations of others is killing us off?

@doublec

I'm on chemo. She's you by two decades permanently? I've not heard about this. Can you tell me more?

I see where you’re coming from. Everyone knows that the main correlation is with age. But whenever you hear about rising cancer rates being discussed on the radio, unhealthy lifestyle and obesity always seems to be cited. The first shock is that she is only 42 and secondly that she is very slim. Unfortunately, it’s often just bad luck.

@Delatron

Chemo takes 10 years off your life?

I'm having chemo. I've never been told that. Can you tell me more about this or point me in the right direction?

You have started a thread saying that you

"’ve recently lost my mother far too young too, so I suppose it’s particularly on my mind at the moment. But then you hear Kate’s diagnosis, who obviously exercises regularly, has the best instructors, best food, best ingredients, best preparation, and she still falls ill, and it all seems a bit pointless."

It's not pointless

I lost my mum at a young age. She was in her 40s

She drank sherry, smoked and did not do much exercise.

It's not pointless. Reducing the amount of things that have been shown to increase the probability of getting diseases is a good thing if you want to reduce the risk of getting that disease

Do you have a problem with that message?

I’ve been saying this the whole way through this thread. After everything and people are saying she’s a smoker and maybe she drinks too much and she’s too thin etc et. It’s just awful. But people just carry on merrily.

You think that was helpful or relevant?

I agree. For example type 2 diabetes is widely considered to be a lifestyle choice and preventable. In my family, my dad who has never been overweight has it. So does his brother, and so did their mother, who was really tiny. Both of my siblings and I have it, and my daughter has recently been diagnosed. Before I was diagnosed my doctor told me it was not a matter of if I would get it, But when. Although I have managed to lose some weight. It has made no difference to my blood sugar levels. My mum, who has been overweight since childhood and is now in her 80s does not have diabetes. Everyone knows of people who seemed fit but died young, and people who smoked, drank, had terrible diets and never exercised who lived well into old age. Life can be unfair, and it’s not helpful to blame people for their illnesses. Wishing Catherine well and hope she gets better soon.

Why be so obtuse.

Look, who cares what K eats or drinks. I know one thing though, IF she likes a drink and eats crap I want some of whatever she's having so I can be as slim as she is.

Her diagnosis is awful for her and her family, I am sympathetic and wish her well. But this is getting a bit personal towards her now.

Helpful for the discussion about seatbelts that came up

When seatbelts were discussed, people found all kinds of ways to stop them being compulsory.

Understanding risks, relative and absolute, is important to any kind of public health discussion

Am not sure what you mean.

I wrote that chemo ages the body by around two decades (or words to that effect).

Chemo circulates throughout the body. It can cause issues with the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, all of which are monitored during treatment. I was also told, and read, that chemotherapy accelerate ageing by up to two decades.

(Although this might just be breast cancer which I have/am being treated for. The chemo drugs I had BC - doxorubicin and doxetaxol are two of the strongest and can cause long lasted damage).

Not all chemo is the same, be it the drugs used or the way they are administered. This is something you can ask your MDT about, your chemo nurse or even Macmillan.

Hope this clarifies things.

It’s disregarding the point.

Other things to consider:
drugs - all legal or not
additives in food
skincare ingredients
exposure ro second hand smoke and pollution
genes

perhaps if she hadnt all the pluses OP losted her health would be worse and outcome not as good