Online exercise classes for those of us with cancer

Jo Lawrence cartoon

Regular blog readers will know that I was angry to discover about the impact of exercise on cancer because no one in the health service had shared that - it was many months after my diagnosis that I learnt it through my own research and a friend. Of course I was also delighted to know as I could take more action but why on earth are we not told when the impact is so big? 

Anyway it was through the Next Steps programme in Gloucestershire that I learnt I had not being doing enough exercise - see blog here (i). This led to me to start understanding the importance of exercise - see my blog here (ii). Since then I have been involved with other folks locally to try and change that situation (iii); working with local Councils, Macmillan and others to try and increase awareness. Sadly lockdown put a complete stop on all that although we have still been plotting ways forward.

Free online exercise

I joined the Stratford Park Cancer Exercise class over a year ago now - and some have said, why do you need a cancer exercise class, why not any class? Well the truth is that, particularly if you have had surgery or chemo, then you need a tutor (or should that be instructor?) who understands, knows what to look out for and which exercises are helpful. It is also good to be in a group with people who understand some of what you have been through. 

Some exercise tutors won’t take people with cancer because of potential complications. However of course, I'm sure there are many exercise groups that could and do work for people with cancer. Anyhow the class has been running each week and was so popular, that with the support of the District Council, a second class had just started when lockdown came along. 

Well the good news is that for the last month or so the class has gone online and there we are all on Zoom getting sweaty and puffed out. It has been a great way to ensure I do more than just rebounding, walking, gardening or whatever. If you are interested in learning more have a look at our website with details of how to self-refer. I think there are still places in the online group: http://gloscancerexercise.org.uk/ 

We also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/gloscancerexercise/

You can also self refer to this class or can be referred by your local health professional at:

https://www.stroud.gov.uk/health-wellbeing/healthy-lifestyles-scheme/cancer-rehab-classes

Update 29/06/20: Since the 18^th May 2020, we have been offering our Healthy Lifestyles #Stayinworkout classes for FREE. Starting from next week Monday 6^th July 2020 we will be charging £2.00 per person per class. In order to make this transition as easy as possible for everyone to continue to participate in the classes, we have introduced a Healthy Lifestyles Class Pass. You can purchase your class pass online for £20.00, this will give you 12 classes for the price of 10 classes - for details please visit https://www.pulsedursley.co.uk/

Gordon Best - Stroud class tutor

What exercise?

Well to get an idea of the class our tutor, Gordon Best has kindly allowed us to reproduce his ‘routine’. These change each week but are a mix of mobility and strength exercises: http://gloscancerexercise.org.uk/covid-19

Wigwam Cancer Forum focuses on exercise

I have mentioned that in the last month I have started working a few hours a week for the integrative, national cancer charity, Yes to Life, on their Wigwam Cancer Support project. The Wigwam name comes from the idea that people lean into support one another. One of my roles is setting up online Wigwam Cancer Support Groups (iv) but the other key role is to establish a series of free online Forums. 

One of our recent ones was with Lizzy Davis; now an Independent Cancer Exercise Specialist but previously a nurse working in oncology. Her talk and answering questions was great; hugely knowledgeable but also great at supporting us to think about how we can introduce more exercise into our lives. She said over 180 things happen in our body when we exercise and that ‘movement is medicine’ - but how do we know the right dose? 

Clinical trials are on-going but it is clear, it is important to break up the sedentry bits....no sitting for hours at a desk and at least 150 mins of brisk walking a week. Lizzy also shared that it is key to do two or three muscle mass exercise sessions per week using the whole body. It is also cvlear that exercises must be fun and become part of everyday routines. She says lots more and you can tune into the recording of the zoom on the Wigwam website. Well worth a listen

To get access to all the previous Wigwam Forums including Lizzy Davis you will need to join by going to the top of the Home page and clicking ‘Register’:
https://www.wigwam.org.uk

Notes

(i) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2018/11/exercise-what-i-didnt-know.html

(ii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/05/short-film-update-on-cancer-exercise-in.html

(iii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2020/02/exciting-times-more-cancer-exercise.html

(iv) https://www.wigwam.org.uk/get-involved

(v) http://www.canexercise.co.uk/

Trew Health Community launched with key speakers and support each month

This looks interesting....an "online space to learn, grow and live a more connected, inspired life beyond a cancer diagnosis."  It is organised and led by Sophie Trew, founder of the incredible Trew Fields Festival - see my film of last years cancer Festival here (i).

She writes that "The Trew Health Community is a monthly membership where you can learn the tools to support your mental, physical and spiritual health, regardless of what stage you’re at. You’ll be held and supported by a kind, like minded community  focusing on health and healing."

Screenshot from Zoom talk with Dr Samm Watts and Sophie Trew

Sophie is launching this after this weeks three taster days where we had talks from Dr Nasha Winters, the mushroom expert Dr Martin Powell and more - see below more details - they are well worth a view (ii). But you have to hurry as membership closes on 30th June. It will then only open to take in new members at the end of September/early October.

Each month Sophie has a theme - starting with July as Mind-Body connection, looking at building a supportive mindset and the power of your mind over your body - and July's masterclass is with David Hamilton (iii) (author of 'How your mind can heal your body'). She plans to organise each week so there will be a piece of content bite sized so it's not overwhelming, but folks can make progress. 

She writes: "My vision is for this to be a global community of those interested in their healing to support, uplift and empower each other"

And it feels like she's the right person for that job. You can join us here: https://trewfields.com/trew-health-community/

Notes

(i) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/09/trew-fields-festival-my-long-film.html

(ii) You can also see more on their Facebook page with links and passwords to the talks this last week: https://www.facebook.com/groups/267621324680647/

• Masterclass with Dr Nasha Winters- Treat the terrain not just the tumour

• Meditation with Naomi - Naylou Holistics

• Breathwork workshop with Nicola Price – Inspirational Breathing

• Chronobiology & Herbal Medicine, ‘How to’ talk with Dr Sam Watts: Mind-Body Medical

• Why all mushrooms are magic, a talk with Martin Powell

(iii) See my clip of David Hamilton at Trew Fields last year: https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-need-to-take-nocebo-effect-seriously.html

What websites to visit - and the rise of censorship?

Beyond Conventional Cancer Therapies

BCCT graphic

Finding out good information is a big challenge. A blog I wrote last November covered some of my go-to websites - see here (i). In that blog I mentioned the site 'Beyond Conventional Cancer Therapies’ (ii); well I’ve recently been exploring it further and it really does seem to be a very useful site. It is growing slowly but already has quite a lot of 'cancer handbooks' including prostate. It is a big site so I can recommend watching their video to show you around the site before beginning - see here (iii). There are pages on choosing treatments, questions for you’re provider, dealing with emotions, many integrative approaches, treatments and side effects plus blogs, stories, videos and more. To give a taster here are a couple of the useful pages for those of us with prostate cancer:

Approach: they have 7 Healing Practices and pages on how to help manage those:  https://www.bcct.ngo/integrative-cancer-care/integrative-approaches-to-treatment/7-healing-practices/

Prostate Cancer Handbook: this section opens with the lines ‘Prostate cancer is a prime example in which an integrative approach may be incorporated not only for reducing the risk of primary prostate cancer, but in treating and reducing risk of progression or recurrence.’ Yet my oncologist dismissed my talk of diets or exercise. The ‘handbook’ goes onto look at US clinical practice guidelines, then treatment approaches from noted specialists, then various protocols and a look under the headings of those 7 Healing Practices about what can help. This for example looks at an overview of the research about foods and prostate cancer, exercise, sleep etc. It is basic compared to what is available elsewhere but still a good starting point if newly diagnosed. There is also stuff on treatment and great summaries of natural therapies and also how to tackle side effects of some of the treatments; https://www.bcct.ngo/cancers-and-symptoms/cancer-handbooks/prostate-cancer

So PubMed?

PubMed has been my go-to site for reputable research; it requires a lot of energy to unpick what some of the research is actually saying - and how useful it is - but all that research in one place is a wonder. Indeed most research scientists use PubMed database - owned and operated by the US National Institutes for Health with more than 30 million citations for biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books. It is widely recognised for its evidence-based medicine.

Last week in the newsletter from the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH) I read that PubMed is changing (iv). PubMed has a new version and that new version seems to make a load of research far less accessible. In particular the new PubMed lacks the dropdown menu of PMC - unlike the legacy version which gives you access to the other databases such as PubMed Central (PMC), PubMed, MedGen, Books, etc. Indeed the ANH carried out some tests and found that 'The number of articles found on the new PubMed following insertion of same search terms was often considerably less than when we searched the PMC database’. 

There were more problems like key scientific papers missing, and they concluded: 'Whatever the reasons, we've demonstrated that PubMed is next to useless as a database and resource for the kind of subject areas central to our mission and vision'. So beware.

Facebook, Google and more

The PubMed news is worrying for those of us wanting good quality research about lifestyle and complimentary medicine. Google and other search engines including DuckDuckGo are already favouring the new PubMed engine in place of the legacy version that allows you to select PMC and other databases. 

The issue goes much wider. We have seen how Facebook, Google and others are also reviewing and, some would say, 'censoring' content. I remember reading that Facebook was removing over 80 alternative health sites a couple of years ago - see here (v). Google last June 2019 also had removed massive numbers of pages. For example most of Mercola.com pages were removed from its search results yet the site had fully referenced content that had been at the top of the health search results for over 15 years. Google traffic to Mercola.com plummeted by about 99% in the weeks after that change.

ANH comments on such ‘censorship’ in a different article (vi): "Whilst not blocking access (yet), in doing this, Google is actively removing our freedoms - choice and health being just two of them. Google’s June 2019 update shifted algorithms to make it extremely difficult for individuals to find natural health information in organic searches. Instead, Google prefers mainstream, conventional (approved!) information and places these links in the top ranked search pages.” 

It is, of course, very true that unverified health advice can be dangerous - and cost loads if people believe they’re getting a cure with something that’s not actually going to help them. But who is checking the fact checkers? What of free speech? This is a complicated area indeed! 

ANH write that 'we have reached the era in which Dr Google may have more influence than the family doctor….Whether we realise it or not, we’re increasingly being faced with an ever-narrowing view of easily accessible information across the main media platforms as content is increasingly tailored and moulded to each one of us — individually. This not only can serve to blinker us from open debate due to our own searching habits, but can actually lead the companies in charge to decide what we should or shouldn't be exposed to’. 

There are of course alternatives like the ANH site itself, where there is good info. One article by ANH showed what you can do to help them as they have had Facebook ads blocked; subscribe to their newsletter and share their website content (vii). ANH have several useful articles looking at these issues here. It seems very sad when so much good info is now available from reputable sources that that information is now being made harder to access.

Notes

(i) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/11/best-websites-for-cancer-support.html

(ii) https://www.bcct.ngo/

(iii) See their video that guides you around the website: https://vimeo.com/345932276

(iv) https://www.anhinternational.org/news/be-careful-what-and-where-you-search

(v) https://globalfreedommovement.org/facebook-censorship-rampage-killing-alternative-pages/ and see ANH comment: https://www.anhinternational.org/2018/08/29/facebook-falsehoods-and-the-framing-of-alternative-health/
Hear Rob Verwerk of ANH being interviewed: https://www.anhinternational.org/news/natural-health-censorship-by-social-media-platforms-goes-into-overdrive/
(vi) https://www.anhinternational.org/news/is-big-tech-bringing-us-closer-to-orwell-s-1984-fiction/
(vii) https://www.anhinternational.org/news/our-facebook-censorship-appeal-to-you/ 

Lots of great info online: Trew, Wigwam, Sabbage and more

So many questions!

One of the good things about C-19 is the range of online courses, talks and groups seems to have grown enormously. In recent years there have been growing numbers of resources and in addition to those, it seems like every other week there is some big US conference with info related to people living with cancer. 

At the moment there are two days left of ‘The Mind, Body & The Vagus Nerve Connection Summit’ (i). I’ve only dipped into a couple of their talks - there seems to be a growing knowledge about the importance of the vagus nerve. It has also been called the “10th cranial nerve” and is the longest, largest, and most complex of the cranial nerves. Researchers are linking its activity to migraines, inflammatory bowel disease, depression, arthritis, and many other illnesses. It has been interesting to become more aware of this key nerve but can see we are only just beginning to understand it’s complexity (ii).

 

However I also want to note a 'health warning'; I have a tendency to throw myself into learning rather than actually making time for the being. Yes I love understanding more - and for some of us that is key - but am also aware, understanding is only a tiny part of the picture - and as we know only too well, alot of the views can be diametrically opposed. So take care when embarking on learning more! However having said that I think the stuff below is very useful!

Online Wigwam Cancer Support Group and Forums

Two weeks ago I started working a few hours a week for Yes to Life on their Wigwam Cancer Support project. I have already co-founded the Stroud Wigwam (iii) more than 18 months ago and been involved supporting the new developments around Wigwam, but am delighted to now be more involved in helping build the website, groups and Forum. We have been doing fortnightly free Forums on a range of topics including fear, exercise, functional medicine and mindfulness. The last one had over 70 people on Zoom; there is a chance to ask questions but you can also remain anonymous if you wish. We are planning more (with a break in August) but also welcome ideas for future Forums. 

Wednesday 24th June at 4pm - 'Mushroom Bioscience to promote quality of life’ - this is the next Forum and is with Hania (BSc, LicAc, BHSc, MBAcC), who has worked in the health and wellness sphere for over 10 years. She draws her experience of working in 5 star wellness resorts and in clinical practice as a traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturist, Naturopath and Life Alignment coach. Book here (iv)

Wednesday 1st July at 4pm - Online Wigwam Cancer Support Group - this is different from the Forum and is about a small online group of people living with cancer, coming together regularly to support each other, and explore and share information about lifestyle and cancer care choices. Seven people have expressed an interest or joined the first meeting and would love to welcome a few more to this next meeting. The group is initially being facilitated by myself and Clare who is a Yes to Life Trustee, Mindfulness tutor and experienced her own cancer journey. Once you are signed up we will send you details of how we will connect on Zoom. To join, please complete the Get Involved Form, ticking the 'Join an Online Group' box here (v). You can also hear more about the Support Groups in this new radio show with myself and Clare: https://www.ukhealthradio.com/player/?ep=21463

Access to Wigwam resources - The 'Get Involved' form (v) is a great way to connect if you are interested in other aspects of the charity, but it is also worth noting that you can join Wigwam. To do this go to the top of the Home page and 'Register'; this will give access to the 'Resouces' section which will contain recordings of all the previous Forums.

Introducing the ‘Trew Health Taster Series’

23rd- 25th June - 3 days of free health, healing & inspiration masterclasses

Well, like many I was disappointed to miss Trew Fields Festival this year - it is such an inspiring event. You can see my long or short film of last year here. Anyhow the wonderful news is that there is a chance to get a bit of a 'Trew-fix’ next week. Here’s the programme;

• Masterclass with Dr Nasha Winters- Treat the terrain not just the tumour  – 23rd June, 8.15pm

• Meditation with Naomi- Naylou Holistics – 24th June, 7pm 

• Breathwork workshop with Nicola Price – Inspirational Breathing- 24th June, (after the meditation with Naomi) 7pm 

• Chronobiology & Herbal Medicine, ‘How to’ talk with Dr Sam Watts: Mind-Body Medical, 25th June, 12.30pm 

• Why all mushrooms are magic, a talk with Martin Powell, 25th June, 7.30pm 

More details at: https://trewfields.com/trew-health/

Just released; videos of last years Trew Festival speakers

Fi at Trew Fields last year

I have just been revisiting these four films of speakers from last year that have just been made public. They are so worth a revisit and give those who haven’t experienced Trew a flavour of the quality of talks they put on.

Fi Munro's talk at Trew Fields 'Live Like You’re Dying’ is very powerful with so much food for thought even on a second listen - see here (vi). Fi’s not so well at the moment but if you follow her on Facebook she still has this amazing ability to bring joy and live her mantra 'Live Like You’re Dying’ - a total inspiration and I also recommend her book - see here (vii). 

Rob Verkerk's talk 'Keto- fad, fake or breakthrough?’ Gives me food for thought as big questions around ketogenic diet and prostate cancer. I’m still getting my head around all that - one day a blog is coming! See his talk here (viii).

Leanne and Saima

Dr Nasha Winters 'Treating the Terrain, Not Just the Tumour' is wonderful and so comprehensive. I remember the speaker who came after her, Sophie Sabbage, made a lovely comment recognising how daunting it might be if you were to try all the aspects of the terrain - to me this is to be worked on over a long period of time - so don’t be too daunted listening into this here (ix)!

Leanne Pero and Saima Thompson talking about cultural challenges for ethnic minorities - see here (x). I did a quick blog here last year (xi) as this issue still doesn’t get enough attention - that is an understatement.

Transformation in the Time of Coronavirus 

 

A masterclass in shifting fear, loneliness and grief

I’ve been doing this excellent course online and it seems like you can still join it. Sophie Sabbage, author of my favourite ‘cancer book’, 'The Cancer Whisperer'  launched this 10 week course for $149 to look at how we can 'shift fear, loneliness and grief’ and 'lead us to experience the greatest connection we have ever know’. There are discounts available. 

 

Previously I have been on a one day course with Sophie and she is certainly one of the most experienced facilitators that I’ve come across. She is living up to that in this course looking at life shocks and how we can learn from them - well its more than that - and brings to life her second book ‘Lifeshocks And How to Love Them’. Unfortunately the regular webinars are the same night each week so with other commitments I’ve missed some but they have recordings of them available so you can still be a part of it all. I’m learning lots but I does require time in your week - this really is an investment in wellbeing not a quick fix. More info at: https://www.moretolife.academy/

 

What else?

 

Well some of the other cancer charities like Maggies and Penny Brohn have got some good online workshops and courses at the moment - I joined a nutrition one at Penny Brohn that was great. Lastly my next blog will look at a website that I've come across with some really useful info....

Notes

(i) https://vagusnerveconnectionsummit.com/

(ii) https://elemental.medium.com/science-confirms-that-the-vagus-nerve-is-key-to-well-being-c23fab90e211

(iii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2020/04/wigwam-cancer-support-forum-online.html 

(iv) https://www.wigwam.org.uk/event-details/mushroom-bioscience-to-promote-quality-of-life  

(v) https://www.wigwam.org.uk/get-involved 

(vi) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/09/trew-fields-festival-my-long-film.html 

(vi)  https://vimeo.com/372598056

(vii) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2020/02/fi-munro-time-to-live.html 

(viii) https://vimeo.com/372603949 

(ix) https://vimeo.com/372610507 

(x) https://vimeo.com/372627081 

(xi) https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2019/10/one-in-four-black-men-will-get-prostate.html