Exercise increases endorphins and happy hormones such as serotonin. When you have the energy to exercise, it can be a really helpful way to increase your physical health, stamina, and boost your mood! Increasing your heart rate & oxygen levels is also super helpful. In my video ‘cancer on a budget’ I suggest lots of practical and accessible ways you can keep active. If you are interested in Pilates then I have a wide range of classes here on my online studio.

Yoga has vast mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health benefits and can be extremely healing when practiced regularly. With 23 years teaching experience I recorded classes whilst I was recovering from my own breast cancer op which you can do with me here on Conscious Chemo: post-op videos I also have a huge range of yoga classes for all levels including beginner, chair and wall based, meditations and breath practices on my online studio

I found sea ‘dipping’ instrumental during my high dose Chemo. The cooling water counteracted the heating treatment, it is an excellent tool for stress as it increases the resilience of sympathetic nervous system, it is fantastic for emotional balance, boosts immunity and made me feel really uplifted. I could literally feel every cell in my body dancing, plus being out in nature and seeing the sunrise was magical! Check out my video ‘do something you love’ for more!

Sleep is nutrition! Our bodies heal whilst we are resting and sleeping. Your body also makes melatonin at night, a hormone which helps to regulate your sleep / wake patterns . Good quality, regular sleep is always important, however, even more so when you are on a healing journey. Here is a breath practice that may help you to help you sleep and rest well! There are Yoga nidra’s, meditations, breath practices and Yin Yoga on the online studio all of which can help to prepare you for a good nights sleep!

I believe clearing the decks and prioritising self care has been instrumental to the way I have felt during my cancer journey! Your body needs energy to heal, so preserving as much energy as you can during high dose chemo is paramount. Even tiny moments of self-care throughout the day can improve our overall feelings of wellbeing and help us on our healing journeys. I share helpful preparations I made and things I did to support myself which is all part of self care.

Friends, family and the people around you are SO important! Surround yourself only with people who make you feel supported and good - this is a time to put in your boundaries! I was really nervous about telling the kids, however, we have created so many beautiful memories over the past year it has been really bonding. I believe the most important relationship you have is with your truest, deepest self - and when you are able to connect to this you will never feel alone. Try the meditation here to experience this connection…

At our essence, we ARE nature! Nature is the song and dance of life and it's there for us to tune into at any time we like, irrespective of what is going on. Feeling the breeze and sun on your face, lapping up the vitamin D, a sun set, sun rise, the moon, stars, trees, birds… and breathing in fresh air can be very grounding and make the world of difference to how you feel. Standing outside for 5 minutes or going for a 10 minute walk can make all the difference... just do it!

Being organised and calling on supportive friends and family when you need them will help you to manage the additional time that is needed to attend appointments and treatment. Having a plan can also help you feel proactive and on top of things, improving your mental health. I talk about my improved delegation skills as being one of the positive side affects of my cancer! And that some of the changes I have made I’ll keep forever for an improved quality of life moving forwards!