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.

It's sadly the luck of the draw my cousin died of cancer at 24 she had malignant melanoma when she was 17 no reason she was a typical.17 year old ,it was removed and she was apparently cured 7 years later she started d getting migranes and an mri scan found the cancer had returned and had metastised to her brain there was no cure
She did smoke but so do a lot of young people but she was otherwise young and healthy she was given 12 months and died 13 months later
Children die of cancer it's very sad but it's indiscriminate.

Apologies for the anecdote but my great-grandmother married young, had children in her 20s, lived a very natural lifestyle and died of breast cancer aged 44.

I see your point though. Personally I'm glad to not have 5 kids by 25!

@x2boys I'm so sorry about your cousin

There will always be statistical outliers, following a healthy lifestyle will statistically give you a better chance of a healthy life.

I think the other thing to consider is if you were unlucky enough to become unwell how would you fare? If you had a healthy body going into surgery or an ICU stay or flat bed rest etc you’d do much better than if you didn’t.
So even if you cannot prevent hypothetical sod’s law and being terribly unlucky if something were to go wrong - you could know that all the effort that you’ve made would be helping through your hypothetical treatment.

If cancers start at early ages why not bloody screen us all evry few years if, we want it.

Surely cheaper than treating cancer.

I feel it's exploded it's everywhere, cancer causing plastics, shampoo, face cream... Everywhere.

There are always two factors to longevity - how you look after your body and how resilient and lucky you are genetically.

The majority of people who live a healthy lifestyle in terms of food choices and exercise, will live far longer than people who abuse their body with food, alcohol and/or drugs.

But there's a percentage of people who plain born unlucky. Either with serious health problems from birth or that develop as they age.

Kate and cancer - We can't right now prevent cancer in anyone (other than actions such as mastectomies and hysterectomies).

We're getting better at recognising those who are born unlucky, by recognising which DNA's are susceptible to early death and disease. And early screening, for early treatment and best outcomes.

But if you're born genetically unlucky - wouldn't you rather live every day of your shorter lifespan as a fit and healthy person, who can dance, go hiking, sailing, make love, run from a burning building and still have energy?

I would hope Kate's physical fitness and strength puts her in a far stronger position to fight the cancer - or fight the treatment she has to undergo for cancer.

Go Kate! We love you.

I completely agree. I lost my super fit, healthy eating, non smoking drinking mother way too soon. She was the healthiest person I knew. And now this. It does all now seem a bit pointless.

My grandparents grew up in pretty dire conditions, my grandad was exposed to all sorts of hideous chemicals, and they all lived well past my mum despite heavy smoking and drinking as well.

I think her treatment is considered cautionary, whilst cancer cells were found they were minor & I wonder whether they would have treated in the same way for a normal citizen

Where are you getting this info from? She didn’t say ‘minor cells’ were found?

Her chemo is preventative.

Yes I see your point, just enjoy life and do the things you like,

So much blame is apportioned to people for lifestyle risks to health.

It's just not like that. Whilst statistically certain behavioural factors may influence risk, for any one human they aren't a guarantee of longer life.

Longevity isn't a moral issue, nor are behavioural factors in healthcare. Many people preserve their bodies, then sadly fall victim to alzheimers and end up dependent on long term social care.

Live your life how you see fit, them accept that you're rolling the dice with death to an extent anyway.

I guess by natural you mean something akin to a hunter gatherer lifestyle? I dont think any of us would fancy that!
Although my understanding is that late teens early 20's is the optimal age for childbearing- optimal for mother & child health that is!

Sorry about your mum OP 💐It’s a sobering moment when someone you love passes away.
I think your post is interesting and very pertinent for the times we live in. We are bombarded with conflicting information on what is ‘healthy’ (think keto v vegetarian v paelo etc) on what constitutes healthy exercise. Health is big business and we are inundated with supplements and regimes we should swallow and follow.
For me I’ve made peace with making as much food as I’m able from the best ingredients I can, ensuring we eat fruit, veggies, nuts, reducing alcohol, increasing water. I use the science ‘hacks’ so for instance add lemon juice to bbq food to negate carcinogens, will swap one drink for a green tea, add a shower and drinking water filter etc etc.
Your Pilates is fantastic and if you’re not enjoying running try something else, like a high energy fitness or dance class.
Think about all the good things you are doing to help yourself, be grateful for what you have, keep in contact with those you love and smile every day.
I guess what I’m saying is try to remove this stress and be grateful to yourself for the positive things you are doing.

I hear you! I’ve wondered myself sometimes but I don’t give in to the feeling. I exercise six days a week, eat organic fruits and vegetables, you get it. You never know what people are doing behind the scenes. For example, I read, a long time ago, that Cate and her mother did the Dukan diet to shed weight quickly. So I tried it myself! And guess what? It worked! But, I came to my senses and realized that is not a healthy diet and switched to whole foods and healthy living. I believe it helps fend off disease and all any of us can do is the best that we can.

Yiu can see it on here, people desperately clutching for reason Kate might have actually been unhealthy behind the scenes so it's "her fault" rather than misfortune.

People don't seem to be able to accept the role chance plays in our lives

I know, that’s what makes it so scary, there’s no guarantee how you live will guard you against it. I’ve had cancer myself (when I was in my thirties) and it turned out I have a cancer gene which puts my risk at 80% higher than the average person 😕 So I’ve already had it, plus preventive surgery to remove future high risks. I know it’ll probably get me in the end I just hope it won’t be for very many more years.

I well remember a couple of years ago being whipped into A+E with cardiac symptoms. I was diagnosed eventually with Afib which in itself is not life threatening, but unless blood thinners are taken it can lead to stroke.

Anyway I got the fright of my life, had all the tests etc. and asked the doc if I was in danger of any cardiac issues like heart attack etc. He turned around and said "no, but something else will get you in the end!"

There is NOTHING wrong with saturated fat! That was a myth put about by the food industry to make their ultra processed junk sound ‘healthy’. Just saying.

Agreed. Butter is a hell of a lot better for you than the ultra-processed spreads that are marketed as healthy.

She could be downing 6 double gins every night, for all you know. God knows I would if I had to lead that life…

NHS guidelines on fats
‘ as part of a healthy diet you should cut down on saturated fats and trans fats and replace with unsaturated fats ‘

Although I'm a big believer in lifestyle medicine, it's because I was once so very ill that I am passionate about it. When people say "You gotta live" as I'm eating my salad, it's like "Well, yes, that's what I'm trying to do!"

Few of us have been lucky enough to have been fed "perfectly" from birth - things that our mothers were taught to feed us up on such as milk to make us grow, is now known to contribute towards hormonal cancers in both men and women. Meat is a carcinogen but we were all fed the we need meat protein to be big and strong. Parents just doing their best . Few of us have never experienced pollution, stress, even if we are doing our very best now, and even those who eat badly often have reasons for it. Some people think they are eating healthily when they are eating cancer causing foods. So we should never judge sickness. Just feel grateful it's not us.

One amazing Dr who reversed herself from Lupus, Dr Brooke Goldner, and now helps others reverse various chronic illnesses using a strict nutritional protocol (needed to get results) and teaching stress management techniques, always says just do it while getting on and enjoying the rest of your life. She attributes a "cheese addiction" Mac Cheese and Pizza :) as a child to triggering a genetic disposition, but she's been Lupus free for about 17 years after changing her diet. She is especially remarkable as she just lost a child in a terrible car accident but says this has given her the impetus to save others lives as she wasn't given a chance to save her son. She has helped transform thousands of peoples lives who were told there was nothing more that could be done by mainstream medicine.

I just see it as if you are given an opportunity to live a better life if not necessarily a longer one through life style choices, then that's a gift. Some of us were blessed with better genes, but we can all do what we can. Empowerment not judgment or victim blaming. Any person who is seriously ill has enough to contend with already. It's up to everyone to find our and make their own choices though. No judgement.

I wouldn't necessarily consider her to have a healthy lifestyle though. Yes, she is slender, but what does she eat? You can have all the private chefs you want, but if someone is existing on celery and diet shakes and herbal teas, that's not a healthy diet. Not saying that's what the PoW eats, but thin doesn't mean healthy.

Also do not discount the huge implications of stress on the development of chronic illness. The stress of constantly being watched, followed, your every move analysed, having to have nannies and protection officers trained to shield your children from a targeted attack just so they can safely get to school every day and back. Money can't undo the stress of living a life in a fishbowl. Just look at her being off due to illness and treatment, the world press had her being in a coma and abducted by aliens. The mind-body connection in development of chronic illness, including cancer, is no joke. It doesn't surprise me at all that she's ill.