Stress, work and exercise

Yes, but we can’t support everyone if we aren’t alive can we?! So it sounds like a good plan 👍

Gosh I've given this one a lot of thought since reading and watching the Compass link yesterday.

It's too easy to fall down the 'what if' rabbit hole of everything we've ever done that may increase the risk of cancer. For me most of the things I stopped many years ago such as smoking and the Yasmin OC. It's a pointless exercise as you can't change the past.

But thinking about the blood pressure meds reducing stress then reducing metastases. Very early in my diagnosis someone mentioned Vitamin D, in googling I saw mention of a correlation between low iron and/or VitD and BC.

Last year I had an endo ablation which solved the low iron I'd been suffering for almost 2 years (including lots of gastro tests with benign colon polyp removal during that time). During all that time, my blood pressure was so high. It was a shock as I'd always had low blood pressure. I put it down to being fat (BMI 29) since I haven't lost the baby weight after my 7 year old was born.

However, during all my recent medical stuff my blood pressure was been 'good' (when stressed out of my eyeballs pre-tests/surgery) and low after surgery/when not stressed. Being 45, my GP doesn't test my blood pressure at every visit, so I can't say at what point it went from low to high, and now from high to low.

I do know that low iron placed a lot of stress on my body. I would get puffed walking at a normal pace and was dragging through life like a zombie at times. So I assume my body was working hard to pump my blood fast to supply what little oxygen it held all over my body. Which would cause higher blood pressure?

So, while I generally manage my stress levels very well (I have to, as I'm prone to anxiety and panic attacks if I don't), maybe my body was under extreme stress for the 2 years prior to my diagnosis thanks to low iron.

Moving forward, I'm not theorising on what ifs. I'm just looking at scientific  evidence that correlates with better recurrence/metastases outcomes.

I'm seriously thinking I may have to drop back work just so I can allocate time for exercise and meal preparation. This would have the twofold effect of reducing stress and losing visceral fat.

We're fortunate that we can pare back things in our life to afford living on a reduced income (and that my part time wage is still quite decent). Just a hard decision as it's my turn to be the breadwinner at the moment, something I've wanted to do for years, and now I'm thinking of cutting back already!

A bit cold and dark out our way for me @zoffiel hence the treadmill.  Travelling for work, etc can take a huge chunk of time - for me it's a minimum of 400kms per week without adding on any extra trips for the kids.
I guess my point is, work out what you are happy doing with regard to exercise - swimming, weights, bikes, running, walking.  Try to assess the best way to go about it that is not going to leave you so tired and stressed that it makes you feel worse.  Then work out what the obstacles to achieving it are going to be and try to come up with solutions.  If you can get rid of the demotivators, you're more than halfway there.

Yep, @Halla just me, the possums, wombats, roos and the occasional snake in summer. And those bloody orb spiders that build sticky bungy-cord wrong webs across the track. It's lovely out there this morning and a balmy 0 degrees

Unfortunately I was stressed, overworked and underexercised before covid and bc. To me it felt like the universe was trying to tell me something. I have heard the message clearly. 

I work less, i exercise vigorously a few times a week and try to eat better.

I feel busier in a way than i was before but im doing at least some things for my health and it feels more in balance.

People who did everything right still get cancer. Dont beat yourself up about it just try to look after yourself is my opinion. Put yourself a bit higher up the priority list. 

Wow that’s very impressive @Zoffiel, 4am, 8kms!! In nature?

After BCV2 In 2016 I'd lost my job and couldn't work. I was also emotionally, physically and financially screwed. Living in Bum Fuck West was not helpful when it comes to finding help for the above conditions.

My breast care nurse got me a 'pity pass' to the closest YMCA. I think that could have saved my life. Unable to afford or access physio, rehab, counselling etc, dragging my sorry arse into the gym a few days a week gave me purpose and helped me heal. I didn't care what I did as long as I could put earplugs in if anyone was yelling at me. It was passively social as well.

COVID, strangely, jettisoned me into back into the full time workforce. I can't get to the gym anymore and haven't had a swim since Feb 2020. I so miss it. My weekly commute is nearly 600 now which doesn't leave much time at either end of the day, hey? So I get up at 4 am, walk myself 8 km then walk The Hound for half an hour. 

 It's up to her how much time she spends sniffing, pIssing and shitting. Maybe she gets more value from that than walking for the sake of it? I can't apply the same philosophy to my difficult body. She has a better time than I do.

Do the best you can, and don't stop unless you physically can't continue. Walk if you can't run. Whatever you can do is better then nothing. Mxx

There's a webinar coming up in June (?) about cancer and exercise - I think it's through Cancer Council NSW.

I feel the same @Halla

@FLClover ...agree with all that ...the body keeps the score...I almost feel lucky that my body has given me a wake up call to look after myself better before it’s too late!