Book Review – Emotional Support

This book, and Paul Wilson’s later book ‘The Quiet’ both show ways to introduce calm into your life amongst any circumstances. You can learn to relax and reduce the impact of life’s many stresses on your health and emotions

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View Calm for Life on Amazon.com

One day when I was feeling tired, I reached for a fresh orange. I had not eaten any fresh fruit in a long while. Immediately upon eating that orange, I felt a surge of energy. Wow, I thought, food really affects my energy level. Later, I happened to be chatting with a man who wanted to recruit me for marketing a certain kind of berry that was supposed to make you super energetic. I thought to myself, that berry juice is expensive and the orange I just ate has the same fantastic qualities. I wondered, do people need to pay a lot for a product to believe in its amazing healthful effects? Simply eating fresh fruits and vegetables will recharge your batteries as well as or better than many “magical cure” food products.
The foods you eat are very important for combating fatigue, especially with the added demands on your time and energy related to cancer in the family. When you feel like you can’t possibly do one more errand or talk to one more doctor, energy foods will give your body and mind a boost, and even make you feel optimistic.
Certain foods are naturally energy producing, while others diminish vigor and alertness. Think about what you have eaten in the past 24 hours—leftovers, fast-food, highly processed foods….these all lack freshness and will zap your vitality. Here are a few tips for eating for energy:

Once food is cooked, eat it within 4-5 hours

Avoid reheated foods if possible

Although frozen foods should usually be avoided, vegetables that have been frozen raw have more energy than reheated vegetables

Energizing foods include, but are not limited to—whole milk, clarified butter, wheat products (bread, pasta), rice, barley, honey, raisins, dates, figs, almonds, olive oil, fresh veggies & fruit; particularly fresh squeezed juices (carrot and beet juice are outstanding )

Energy depleting foods include: beef, pork, veal, fermented foods, aged or sour cheeses, pickled or smoked foods, onions, garlic, mushrooms, potatoes and other root vegetables (except beats and carrots), refined sugar, alcohol, coffee

The foods noted as energy depleting are not bad, some are very healthful, but you should avoid them when you need an energy boost. Others, such as refined sugar, are best avoided altogether. If some of these depleting foods are your favorites, try eating less of them each day, and note the difference in how you are feeling. It is not reasonable to expect you to change life long habits while dealing with your loved one’s cancer—but make some gradual changes…Even if you consume some energy depleting foods today, you could still add one energizing food, and that is a great start.
These days, when many are living on smaller budgets, it’s nice to know that “miracle foods” are not exotic or expensive—they are in your corner grocery store. One dollar/pound or less will buy you a bundle of energy—a sweet, juicy orange or apple.

Hormone therapy is a common treatment for prostate cancer, but the associated side effects – including fatigue, hot flushes, erectile dysfunction, loss of libido, cognitive problems, depression and anxiety – can have a significant impact on the lives of men who receive it. Unfortunately, many men are missing out on the care they need to help them cope with this impact.

Research carried out by The Prostate Cancer Charity has found that over half of men on hormone therapy are receiving too little information and support to help them cope with the impact that the side effects have on their lives. The Charity’s research also found that the partners of men on hormone therapy need access to information and support to help them cope with the impact their partners’ side effects can have on them.

The Prostate Cancer Charity has launched the ‘Hampered by hormones?’ campaign to call for urgent improvements in the support and information provided to men who receive this treatment. The Charity needs your support for this campaign to show Government and the NHS why improvements in the care of men on hormone therapy are needed. Register as a campaign supporter to receive information about how you can get involved.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/hormones, or call The Prostate Cancer Charity on 0208 222 7622.

To coincide with the launch of the Hampered by hormones? campaign, The Prostate Cancer Charity has developed a booklet for men on hormone therapy. The booklet – Living with hormone therapy: a guide for men with prostate cancer – contains information about the treatment, its potential side effects and the services available to men to help them prevent, reduce, manage or cope with these effects. The booklet is also useful for the partners of men on hormone therapy. Download a free copy of the booklet here.

6oz/150g self-raising flour
4oz/100g sugar
4oz/100g margarine or butter
a little red jam

Method

Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Put the flour into a bowl and rub in the fat. Add the sugar, then work together by hand until the mixture forms a dough. Roll into small even-sized balls and dent the top with a finger. Place on a greased baking tray, leaving plenty of room for the cookies to spread. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden, then cool on a wire rack. When the cookies are cold, put a little jam into the ‘crater’ in the centre of each.

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, why not make a small donation to Blythe House Hospice in Barbara’s memory. Click here to be taken to the donation page at Just Giving.

Following the death of her mother from cancer in 1991, and her mother-in-law’s experience of breast cancer in 2004, Anne became increasingly aware of the valuable work performed by charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support and also hospices. Her involvement with her local day-care hospice when living in Derbyshire inspired her to explore ways in which to share the positive philosophy she discovered there. As she researched, she realised she was uniquely qualified to help those who are related or closely connected to cancer sufferers. They are also affected by the diagnosis of the disease, and yet support is so often lacking for them.

Anne gained her expertise through personal experience. Her mother was diagnosed with secondary brain tumours in early 1991. The months that followed to her death were extremely challenging – in spite of the fact that Anne had very little physical input to her care. Each of those who loved her had a different perspective, their own experience. And all found the process very traumatic. Whilst practical support was available, emotionally the family just ‘got through’ the experience as best they could.

Anne then undertook many years of personal development, during which she gradually made sense of her experiences. When her mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer, Anne was older, wiser and able to truly support her in whatever ways she needed. This time the outcome was happier, and Anne had coped much better with the stress in her own life. In sharing the insights she has gained over these years, she is finding her own sense of purpose in encouraging others to find their own lessons in the challenge that has been put before them.

July 16, 2008 – IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“I never expected to have one Mum with Cancer, let alone two – but that’s how I found myself in the Cancer Fall-out Zone.”

Anne Orchard knows from personal experience the pain of coping when a loved one has cancer.

Her mother died after an eight month battle against secondary brain tumours in August 1991 and she then helped her mother-in-law (her other ‘Mum’) fight breast cancer years later.

The 44-year-old from Charmouth wrote her first book ‘Their Cancer – Your Journey’ (available to pre-order from Amazon or online at www.familiesfacingcancer.org) after noticing a dearth of resources, support groups and literature for carers and loved ones.

Mrs Orchard, who has two sons aged nine and six, said: “The person who has cancer knows what their job is – to be completely selfish and do everything they can to get better.

“For the people around them who feel they have to be strong, they have no one to turn to, no one to cry to and no support network.

“I had never experienced cancer before mum was ill for eight months, which seemed a lifetime. I used to burst into tears at work because there was no other outlet.”

Mrs Orchard now acts as a mentor and life coach for those coping with the cancer of a loved one. She would like to see the same help offered to carers in every hospital treating cancer.

“Cancer takes no prisoners, it doesn’t pick and choose,” said Mrs Orchard, who is also a member of Dorchester coaches support group.

“One in three of us will get cancer at some point in our lives which means everybody is going to be one of those people on the sidelines.

“There’s not enough support out there. That degree of stress can have an impact on their health and could even lead to them getting cancer.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Two million people are living with, and after, cancer according to new research by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Amongst those statistics are talk show host Trisha Goddard, 50, who is battling breast cancer and breast cancer survivor Kylie Minogue, 40. Actor Patrick Swayze, 55, is being treated for pancreatic cancer while American swimming champion Eric Shanteau plans to compete in the Beijing Olympics before being treated for testicular cancer.

To obtain a review copy of ‘Their Cancer – Your Journey’ contact Anne Orchard on 01297 561591 or email anne@familiesfacingcancer.org or visit www.familiesfacingcancer.org for more information and media resources including photographs.

About Anne Orchard

Anne Orchard is an experienced life coach based in Dorset. Her areas of expertise include offering support to those affected by illness or the death of a loved one and helping then to rebuild their lives.