There comes a moment in life when you realise something has to change.
For me, it wasn't a dramatic event. It was something much simpler.
Every morning, I would wake up knowing that the first few seconds of the day were going to hurt. The pain in my feet was so intense that I dreaded putting them on the floor. Instead of looking forward to a new day, I found myself bracing for it.
As a breast cancer survivor, I'd already been through more than I ever imagined possible. My treatment had saved my life, but I knew my body had been through an enormous amount. I reached the point where I thought, I can't carry on feeling like this. Something has to change.
So I began researching.
Not miracle cures. Not quick fixes. Just simple, evidence-based ways to support my health for the years ahead.
The first thing I did was ask my GP for a blood test.
The results surprised me.
My vitamin D levels were dangerously low.
After discussing the results with my healthcare team, I started taking vitamin D supplements to bring my levels back into the healthy range. Within a relatively short time, the pain that had greeted me every morning began to improve.
That experience opened my eyes to how important nutrition and lifestyle can be in supporting our overall health.
Since then, I've made a few habits part of my daily routine.
- I take an age-appropriate multivitamin.
- I drink green tea every morning.
- I take turmeric as part of my supplement routine.
- I try to eat as well as I can and keep active.
One area that particularly interested me was vitamin D. Research has shown that low vitamin D levels are common in many people, including those diagnosed with breast cancer. Scientists continue to study the relationship between vitamin D and cancer, but while maintaining healthy vitamin D levels is important for bone health, immune function and general wellbeing, it has not been proven that taking vitamin D prevents or treats breast cancer. That's why it's important to speak to your GP before starting supplements, and ideally have your levels checked first.
What I've learned is that we can't always control what happens to us, but we can often control how we look after ourselves afterwards.
These small daily habits aren't about chasing perfection. They're about giving my body the best chance to stay healthy, strong and resilient.
Cancer changed my life.
But it also changed how I value my health.
Sometimes the smallest changes become the beginning of the biggest transformations.
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