by It was the most devastating time of my life between two hospitals when my two parents fought against cancer. My mother Jackie was a hard and pronounced woman. She never left anything unsaid and I loved her for it. When she died tragically of lung cancer in connection with smoking in 1997 at the age of 62, I was broken with a broken heart.
One of the worst parts was to know that she would never meet her grandchildren (my oldest child was born four years later), which she would have completely worshiped. My mother always said when I grew up and had children, she would take her out one night a week so that my husband and I could have dinner together. When my children were babies and I had sleepless nights, I always remembered it.
There are no rules for grief, and you can feel sad and sad decades later. A few months ago I started to present a new TV show, and for a second I thought: “Oh my god, I didn’t tell my mother.” It was a current dilapidated because I quickly reminded that it had disappeared for decades.
Sometimes when I talk about this terrible period of time, it doesn’t feel like I was actually there. It is like talking about someone else. My father, Clive, had diagnosed colon cancer a year before my mother, which was a complete shock for all of us. During his hospital stay, he caught a super bow and had a stroke. It all felt very surreal. I visited my parents in their separate hospitals and watched how they became sick and sick, because I knew I couldn’t do anything to help them. My father actually received the all-clear the day my mother died. It was a blessing in the middle of grief.
It feels so long ago, but I have learned that life is unpredictable, as well as grief, and there should be no shame when one day they cry and then laugh closest.
I have worked for almost three decades since my parents’ cancer to raise awareness of cancer symptoms and tests. I have lost my mother and too many friends to the disease, including Dame Deborah James (many known as a intestinal), who spoke their last years fearlessly about their illness. It would make sense if I were constantly paranoid and anxious. While I am certainly vigilant about cancer symptoms and want people to know that it is normal to be afraid, the most important thing is to continue living and to find joy in everyday moments.
Since my mother died, I have read everything I can to get fitness, health and nutrition. I am determined to live healthy and happy as long as possible by implementing small and sustainable changes and talking about the taboos instead of living in a bladder of paranoia.
I have lost so many people I love about cancer. I miss them all terribly, but instead of concentrating on the grief and allowing fear and paranoia, control my life, I try to continue living life to the fullest. There is nothing better than connecting to other people. We should not be lonely creatures and although social media and at home have their incredible advantages, many of us become more lonely and isolated.
When I look at each other and create these safe spaces for unpleasant conversations and taboo topics, I hope that more people are authorized to live fearlessly and joyfully. Fuel your body with good, healthy food. Try to go as much as possible. And as my late friend Deborah taught me, there is absolutely nothing better in life than a laugh and dance with your friends.
Gaby’s top tips to stay healthy
Cut out the ultra processing and with high Sugar food
I will always start my morning with a bowl of organic Greek yogurt with blueberries and muesli. My favorite is Lizi’s muesli – it is rich in protein and fiber, low sugar and absolutely delicious. Prioritization of intestinal health and not to eat with a high sugar content is crucial. We know that too much garbage can lead to poor health and illness.
The food of a protein-rich breakfast is so important because it holds them full until lunchtime, which means that they are less likely to immerse themselves at 11 a.m. and reach for an ultra-processed bar or chips with chips. I have been studying nutrition for years and I am partly through my family history, but also through my wheat allergy, which was actually diagnosed to me before my parents’ diagnoses. I don’t eat gluten, so I chose the time to discover the food that not only agree with me, but also feel good.
Go as much as possible and lift weights
I am easily obsessed with walking and made it an important part of my daily routine – six to 10 miles per day. It is so good for your mental and physical health. If you can only run for 10 minutes a day, please do it. Start Klein – If you run 100 levels on the first day, think: “Maybe I could manage 150 steps on the second day. All of these small changes make a difference.
I also love to raise weights three or four times a week. Maintaining healthy muscles and bones is as important as we get older. Lifting weights is also great for mental mobility, and I will do everything I can to keep my brain healthy and at the same time stay physically fit. At the end of the day everything is connected – mental health, physical health, intestinal health – so it is about taking care of it to ensure that it works well.
Don’t wait, get cancer tests
I saw how beloved people live with cancer and I know that cancer symptoms and tests are not easy to speak. After seeing that both my father and Deborah suffer from stool cancer, I have the need to break the “Poo -Tabu”. Everyone should carry out cancer screening tests, and if you notice a change in your intestinal habits, you have to tell someone or see a doctor.
I was for mammograms, colonoscopy and had my feces checked. I remember all that I know that checking your intestinal health is as important as the review of your breasts or testicles. It is obviously uncomfortable to poote on a stick or colonoscopy or to undergo colonoscopy, but the alternative is far worse. It may not be anything, but it is much better to know that.
One of my friends recently found a lump and went straight to the doctor, who diagnosed him with testicular cancer. Because it was caught early, they managed to get rid of it immediately. Another friend was diagnosed with colon cancer after discovering blood in the urine and immediately looking for help. You have all clear since then. The best that you may be able to do if something doesn’t feel right is to go directly to the doctor. If it is caught early, your chances are so much higher.
Don’t take life too seriously
I always try to remember that life is so important for the day. We all have our worries and life is difficult, but let’s try to concentrate on what happens now instead of fixing yourself on yesterday or to argue tomorrow. When I need a breather, I love to jump. Please try it out. Jump once, then twice with a smile on the face, then a third time with your hands in the air. You will feel more energetic and joyful immediately. Jumping is one of my “tiny tasks”. Another smiles. If you smile at someone and smile at them, you have successfully spread the joy. It’s so easy.
Your mental health is as important as your physical health. People called me Pollyanna when I was younger because I kept giggling and had fun, but that was always my philosophy of life. It’s about finding joy in everyday moments.
As Ella Nunn said
