Short film update on cancer exercise in Gloucestershire

Hi folks this is another look at exercise - see my original post here where I talk about the Next Steps programme and how this led to a realisation that I wasn’t doing enough exercise. The 6 minute vlog below was in response to an emailing conversation with Mhairi Morris at Essential Cancer Education - she was interested in hearing about plans to promote more exercise for people living with cancer in Gloucestershire. It is a rather rough vlog but gives a taste!

So since the six weeks of the Next Steps I have upped my game a bit. I also take more seriously the importance of rest days plus the absolutely key warm up exercise before exercising properly and the cool down after. I can’t emphasis those enough! I have also now joined a weekly Cancer Exercise class at Stratford Park Leisure Centre in Stroud. This is similar to the one Sarah talks about in the vlog.

The Next Steps was such great advice to get started - however the scheme was only a pilot. I was thus horrified to learn at the beginning of the year that further funding hadn’t been approved despite the scheme’s two years nearly coming to an end and its clear benefits to many. Along with another guy living with cancer, we wrote to the NHS to lend our support (i). It now looks like the scheme will have some more life and the good news is that there seems to be huge support to develop exercise more in Gloucestershire. As I say in the film it really is a no-brainer; if exercise was a pill the NHS would be dishing it out! 

Facebook page

It is also great to see support coming from many quarters - the Stroud class was part funded by the District Council. I understand now, that it pretty well pays for itself, as there are usually over twenty of us going each week. Steve Rowley, who I interviewed in the film, has been working with various folks to establish the excellent website to help promote cancer exercise across Gloucestershire. It has now gone live with a Facebook page and we’re hoping that this will promote exercise not just to people with cancer but also more of the medical profession. 

See more about Cancer Exercise in Glos: http://gloscancerexercise.org.uk/

Credit card size folded publicity cards

I have also joined Steve to meet with Stroud District Council to see how we can build on the class in Stroud and have more of them across Gloucestershire. The classes do need finances to get established but once running should be able to pay for themselves; what a great investment in health when you look at the stats around exercise and cancer - and indeed many other illnesses. There is sadly a way to go regarding funding for further groups and raising awareness - but we are optimistic as there is a lot of interest! Steve is already looking to get more funding to print more publicity cards which seem to be working - two new people at one of the local classes last week.

Mhairi's blog

Mhairi in her blog on cancer writes about the positive impact exercise can have on the cancer, the side effects of cancer and treatment and on improving the efficiency of the treatments. It is well worth a read as it has some great examples of the research supporting exercise (ii).

Of course anyone starting exercise should seek advice from someone who knows. Everybody is different and we should also remember that a sick body doesn’t need exercise but a rest! We also know that too much exercise can be bad. While many treatments for prostate cancer can have a negative impact on our body. Hormones, for example, can lead to significant loss of muscle mass as I experienced - and lead to osteoporosis.  Both the impact of hormones and osteoporosis can be improved through exercise and strength training. Other treatments, such as surgery, can cause incontinence - and we all no doubt know that pelvic floor exercises before and after prostate cancer treatment strengthen the pelvic-floor muscles, which can improve incontinence. Indeed we could all benefit from such exercises even if we don’t have cancer. 

Gordon talking at Maggies

Gordon, the Cancer Exercise specialist who runs the Stroud class recently joined a Prostate Cancer Support Group meeting and got many of us practicing the pelvic floor exercises (iii). Some 18 months ago I’d had a visit to a physio in Stroud when I was first diagnosed, but it is great to be reminded to keep them up.

Anyhow I will post this now as it’s soon time to go to my exercise class! I'll leave you with this BBC TED Radio Hour looking at cancer; at about 31mins is a good bit about lifestyle: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00058hf

Notes:

(i) Letter to NHS:
We wanted to write to let you know how important the Next Steps exercise programme has been to our cancer journeys. Both of us have prostate cancer and see this programme as being a key element of our treatment. We understand it is a pilot, but feel it is important that this work continues for others as the cost benefit ratio must be very high given the already known outcomes in terms of less re - occurrences of cancer and better outcomes on diabetes and cardiovascular indices.

We have engaged with the exercise component of this project, not only because hormone treatment we received considerably weakened our bodies but as you will no doubt be aware, there is compelling evidence that exercise provides many cancer preventative benefits. For example in 2014 a study of 4,623 Swedish men with localised prostate cancer found that those who walked or cycled for at least 20 minutes each day had a 39% lower risk of dying from prostate cancer and a 30% lower risk of dying from any other cause compared to the less active men. If a drug was able to lower risk like that I am sure the NHS would be ensuring it was available to all!

I (Philip) think one of the many things that surprised me, following my diagnosis, was that doctors did not mention exercise. However the nurses did have a tick box exercise regarding any ‘concerns’ that included exercise, plus I was given a thick pack of leaflets, one of which mentioned exercise. But I thought I was fit so didn’t think there was a ‘concern’. A friend mentioned that Next Steps was an excellent group so I rather reluctantly joined it. I (S) had already joined and it was there that we both started to understand what fitness really meant, and to develop bespoke programmes that we can fully engage with and maintain after the training period. As you know in Stroud (and other centres) there is a follow-up post cancer weekly training, sponsored by Stroud District Council, and this has been an excellent follow-up after the Next Steps training.

We have both been very impressed by the professionalism, support and knowledge of the Next Steps tutors; we would welcome that you pass on our thanks to them. We would also welcome hearing that this project will be able to continue and grow; of course you may have already made a decision on this but if not please take our views into account.

(ii) See more re Mhairi’s excellent blog re exercise at:
https://www.essentialcancereducation.com/blog/exercise-cancer

(iii) See more re Pelvic Floor:  

https://prostatecanceruk.org/about-us/news-and-views/2014/9/the-manual_-pelvic-floor-exercises 

The protocol

So this is an overview of my treatment plan. I’ve covered stuff or will cover stuff in more detail in other blogs but this is the overview to date. Do also see why I am currently doing 'Active Surveillance' here despite my NHS doctors recommending radiotherapy and hormone treatment. I can’t hope to cover the detail of all the things I am doing in this blog, but will cover the breadth and hopefully in future blogs will look at each part in more depth. 

My three favourite books that have guided me can be seen here - I’ve read much more but these three are the ones that have helped most with this protocol. I do like the way they explore key aspects like taking control of your health, following intuition, releasing suppressed emotions, managing fear, increasing positive emotions, having strong reasons for living, deepening your spiritual connection and much more.

However this protocol is also based on my own research, talking to others in our Stroud Wigwam, my doctors and others in my ‘health team’. It goes almost without saying that this is ‘my' protocol and I am not suggesting that this will work for others - heck I don’t even know if it will work for me!  But I do know from the research I’ve done and my own current health, that this is doing me good and will be giving me a great shot at my body healing itself.

This protocol started after my diagnosis but has been built on over the last months with for example the supplement regime starting December last year but being fully in action from March this year. I’ve not included the transurethral hyperthermia treatment in November 2017 that was followed by six months of hormones (that will be another blog!). The protocol is also not static; each week I am reviewing aspects and sometimes making changes. I realise how fortunate I am to be in a position to be able to afford to take these actions. It is also worth saying that some of the most healing experiences are not necessarily listed below or have a cost - take for example the wonders of a walk in the woods or a healing conversation with someone. 

Of course I sadly don’t manage to do all of this everyday as work, family and life takes over at times but this is the stuff I aim to do - and most of it does get done. The topics are huge so I can only touch on them here - I imagine that each of them like nutrition or hyperthermia will be at least one blog in the future and I will add them to this post.

So what does a typical day look like? 

Shower; probably goes without saying that we try to use all natural products and have found a filter that takes out chlorine. I haven’t managed to get into dry brushing.

Essential oil mix; for prostate area and have also used certain oils internally.

Squeezed fresh lemon; in warm water about 15 mins before eating.

Exercise; rebounding (small trampoline) 10-15mins probably 5 times a week but also try and get walks in, digging the allotment and doing one cancer exercise class in a gym every Friday. I was doing a weekly yoga and hope I can restart that in summer. I also regularly go through patches when I am good at doing Pelvic Floor exercises. See my initial blog re exercise here but more coming.

Food/nutrition; in short I’m vegan with the exception of oily fish once or possibly twice in a fortnight. I am also gluten free, refined sugar free and avoid most processed goods.

Juices/Smoothies; will try and get one or two of these each day.

Beverages; I try and drink more filtered water as not always good at that but also use Essiac tea, Jason Winters tea, green tea and love my coffees.

Supplements; do see my previous blog on this here - I am now doing most of that plus some extras like a quality CBD product. See more blogs re supplements here.

Infrared sauna; three times a week for about 20 minutes, once a month or every six weeks I will do a hyperthemia treatment.

Baths; very occasional but will use Epsom salts or Magnesium flakes.

Work; I am fortunate to enjoy my work but it has been necessary to slightly reduce hours as I wasn’t managing to do this protocol fully. I also have to note that my work colleagues have ben hugely supportive.

Meditation; this is not at all regular enough. I have found some music particularly helpful.

Other mind stuff; oh my this is a big topic and probably the one that challenges me most and feels the most important. I have had counselling, I value the Wigwam support group and indeed the Prostate Cancer Support Group. 

Sleep; need to get more of this - but worth noting we switch Wi-fi off every night to try and reduce EMF exposure.

My current ‘health team’

Family - I can’t not start this list without mentioning my partner who has been totally amazing on this journey, offering the right amount of challenge and buckets of support - and of course also my family who have helped financially and with emotional support.

Medical team: GP, Oncologist and Nurse

Others: 

Naturopath and healer every couple of months, 

Doctor who specialises in nutritional and environmental medicine for advice and tests every month or so,

Shiatsu monthly,

Healer occasionally

I guess I’ve probably missed some small parts of the protocol but this gives a good overview.

Best three books when you are first diagnosed?

Updated 21/02/20 and republished at: https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2020/02/best-three-books-when-you-are-first.html