I had no alternative but to die or to try to find a cure for myself. I am a scientist – surely there was a rational explanation for this cruel illness that affects one in 12 women in the UK ?

I had suffered the loss of one breast, & undergone radiotherapy. I was now receiving painful chemotherapy, & had been seen by some of the country’s most eminent specialists. But, deep down, I felt certain I was facing death. I had a loving husband, a beautiful home & two young children to care for. I desperately wanted to live.

Fortunately, this desire drove me to unearth the facts, some of which were known only to a handful of scientists at the time. Anyone who has come into contact with breast cancer will know that certain risk factors – such as increasing age, early onset of womanhood, late onset of menopause and a family history of breast cancer – are completely out of our control. But there are many risk factors, which we can control easily.

These “controllable” risk factors readily translate into simple changes that we can all make in our day-to-day lives to help prevent or treat breast cancer. My message is that even advanced breast cancer can be overcome because I have done it.

The first clue to understanding what was promoting my breast cancer came when my husband Peter, who was also a scientist, arrived back from working in China while I was being plugged in for a chemotherapy session. He had brought with him cards & letters, as well as some amazing herbal suppositories, sent by my friends & science colleagues in China .

The suppositories were sent to me as a cure for breast cancer. Despite the awfulness of the situation, we both had a good belly laugh, & I remember saying that this was the treatment for breast cancer in China , then it was little wonder that Chinese women avoided getting the disease.

Those words echoed in my mind.

Why didn’t Chinese women in China get breast cancer?
I had collaborated once with Chinese colleagues on a study of links between soil chemistry & disease, & I remembered some of the statistics. The disease was virtually non-existent throughout the whole country. Only one in 10,000 women in China will die from it, compared to that terrible figure of one in 12 in Britain & the even grimmer average of one in 10 across most Western countries. It is not just a matter of China being a more rural country, with less urban pollution. In highly urbanized Hong Kong , the rate rises to 34 women in every 10,000 but still puts the West to shame.

The Japanese cities of Hiroshima & Nagasaki have similar rates. And remember, both cities were attacked with nuclear weapons, so in addition to the usual pollution-related cancers, one would also expect to find some radiation-related cases, too.

The conclusion we can draw from these statistics strikes you with some force. If a Western woman were to move to industrialized, irradiated Hiroshima , she would slash her risk of contracting breast cancer by half. Obviously this is absurd.

It seemed obvious to me that some lifestyle factor not related to pollution, urbanization or the environment is seriously increasing the Western woman’s chance of contracting breast cancer.

I then discovered that whatever causes the huge differences in breast cancer rates between oriental & Western countries, it isn’t genetic.
Scientific research showed that when Chinese or Japanese people move to the West, within one or two generations their rates of breast cancer approach those of their host community.

The same thing happens when oriental people adopt a completely Western lifestyle in Hong Kong. In fact, the slang name for breast cancer in China translates as ‘Rich Woman’s Disease’.

This is because, in China, only the better off can afford to eat what is termed ‘ Hong Kong food’. The Chinese describe all Western food, including everything from ice cream & chocolate bars to spaghetti & feta cheese, as “Hong Kong food”, because of its availability in the former British colony & its scarcity, in the past, in mainland China .

So it made perfect sense to me that whatever was causing my breast cancer & the shockingly high incidence in this country generally, it was almost certainly something to do with our better-off, middle-class, Western lifestyle.

There is an important point for men here, too I have observed in my research that much of the data about prostate cancer leads to similar conclusions. According to figures from the World Health Organization, the number of men contracting prostate cancer in rural China is negligible, only 0.5 men in every 100,000.

In England, Scotland & Wales , however, this figure is 70 times higher. Like breast cancer, it is a middle-class disease that primarily attacks the wealthier & higher socio-economic groups, those that can afford to eat rich foods.

I remember saying to my husband, “Come on Peter, you have just come back from China . What is it about the Chinese way of life that is so different?” Why don’t they get breast cancer?’

We decided to utilize our joint scientific backgrounds & approach it logically. We examined scientific data that pointed us in the general direction of fats in diets.
Researchers had discovered in the 1980s that only l4% of calories in the average Chinese diet were from fat, compared to almost 36% in the West.
But the diet I had been living on for years before I contracted breast cancer was very low in fat & high in fibre. Besides, I knew as a scientist that fat intake in adults has not been shown to increase risk for breast cancer in most investigations that have followed large groups of women for up to a dozen years.

Then one day something rather special happened. Peter & I have worked together so closely over the years that I am not sure which one of us first said:

“The Chinese don’t eat dairy produce!”

It is hard to explain to a non-scientist the sudden mental & emotional ‘buzz’ you get when you know you have had an important insight. It’s as if you have had a lot of pieces of a jigsaw in your mind, & suddenly, in a few seconds, they all fall into place & the whole picture is clear.

Suddenly I recalled how many Chinese people were physically unable to tolerate milk, how the Chinese people I had worked with had always said that milk was only for babies, & how one of my close friends, who is of Chinese origin, always politely turned down the cheese course at dinner parties.

I knew of no Chinese people who lived a traditional Chinese life who ever used cow or other dairy food to feed their babies. The tradition was to use a wet nurse but never, ever, dairy products.

Culturally, the Chinese find our Western preoccupation with milk & milk products very strange. I remember entertaining a large delegation of Chinese scientists shortly after the ending of the Cultural Revolution in the 1980s. On advice from the Foreign Office, we had asked the caterer to provide a pudding that contained a lot of ice cream. After inquiring what the pudding consisted of, all of the Chinese, including their interpreter, politely but firmly refused to eat it, & they could not be persuaded to change their minds. At the time we were all delighted & ate extra portions!

Milk, I discovered, is one of the most common causes of food allergies .

Over 70% of the world’s population are unable to digest the milk sugar, lactose, which has led nutritionists to believe that this is the normal condition for adults, not some sort of deficiency. Perhaps nature is trying to tell us that we are eating the wrong food.

Before I had breast cancer for the first time, I had eaten a lot of dairy produce, such as skimmed milk, low-fat cheese & yogurt. I had used it as my main source of protein. I also ate cheap but lean minced beef, which I now realized was probably often ground-up dairy cow.

In order to cope with the chemotherapy I received for my fifth case of cancer, I had been eating organic yogurts as a way of helping my digestive tract to recover and repopulate my gut with ‘good’ bacteria.

Recently, I discovered that way back in 1989 yogurt had been implicated in ovarian cancer. Dr Daniel Cramer of Harvard University studied hundreds of women with ovarian cancer, and had them record in detail what they normally ate. Wish I’d been made aware of his findings when he had first discovered them.

Following Peter’s and my insight into the Chinese diet, I decided to give up not just yogurt but all dairy produce immediately. Cheese, butter, milk and yogurt and anything else that contained dairy produce – it went down the sink or in the rubbish.

It is surprising how many products, including commercial soups, biscuits and cakes, contain some form of dairy produce. Even many proprietary brands of margarine marketed as soya, sunflower or olive oil spreads can contain dairy produce. I therefore became an avid reader of the small print on food labels.

Up to this point, I had been steadfastly measuring the progress of my fifth cancerous lump with callipers and plotting the results. Despite all the encouraging comments and positive feedback from my doctors and nurses, my own precise observations told me the bitter truth. My first chemotherapy sessions had produced no effect – the lump was still the same size.

Then I eliminated dairy products. Within days, the lump started to shrink
.
About two weeks after my second chemotherapy session and one week after giving up dairy produce, the lump in my neck started to itch. Then it began to soften and to reduce in size. The line on the graph, which had shown no change, was now pointing downwards as the tumour got smaller and smaller.

And, very significantly, I noted that instead of declining exponentially (a graceful curve) as cancer is meant to do, the tumour’s decrease in size was plotted on a straight line heading off the bottom of the graph, indicating a cure, not suppression (or remission) of the tumour.

One Saturday afternoon after about six weeks of excluding all dairy produce from my diet, I practised an hour of meditation then felt for what was left of the lump. I couldn’t find it. Yet I was very experienced at detecting cancerous lumps – I had discovered all five cancers on my own. I went downstairs and asked my husband to feel my neck. He could not find any trace of the lump either.

On the following Thursday I was due to be seen by my cancer specialist at Charing Cross Hospital in London . He examined me thoroughly, especially my neck where the tumour had been. He was initially bemused and then delighted as he said, “I cannot find it.” None of my doctors, it appeared, had expected someone with my type and stage of cancer (which had clearly spread to the lymph system) to survive, let alone be so hale and hearty.
My specialist was as overjoyed as I was. When I first discussed my ideas with him he was understandably sceptical. But I understand that he now uses maps showing cancer mortality in China in his lectures, and recommends a non-dairy diet to his cancer patients.

I now believe that the link between dairy produce and breast cancer is similar to the link between smoking and lung cancer.
I believe that identifying the link between breast cancer and dairy produce, and then developing a diet specifically targeted at maintaining the health of my breast and hormone system, cured me.

It was difficult for me, as it may be for you, to accept that a substance as ‘natural’ as milk might have such ominous health implications. But I am a living proof that it works and, starting from tomorrow, I shall reveal the secrets of my revolutionary action plan.

Extracted from Your Life in Your Hands, by Professor Jane Plant
Link:   http://www.cancersupportinternational.com/janeplant.com/

So what’s that doing to my skin? Equally importantly what’s my mood doing to my skin? Those chemical reactions must be hard work to keep up with sometimes. But we can prepare and combat the effects of weather not only for our moods (and conversations but also for our skin.

In summer (& spring), quickly changing weather conditions like chilly winds and burning sun (especially here downunder) can exist together, causing our skin to suffer. It can dry out, feel tight, and sensitive. And even harsher for our lips. Protect the skin’s natural barrier with a good moisturiser and lip balm and lock in moisture to relieve that sensitive tight feeling. A good moisturiser restores strength to skin attacked by our harsh weather changes and defends it against future attacks and free radicals. And don’t forget about drinking plenty of water.

On those chilly days, the weather can hide the fact that your skin is beginning to fry under the sun. Sometimes, you won’t feel the full effects of a sunburn until after 24 hours. So don’t forget to apply your sunscreen even when its cloudy, and if you have unfortunately got a little burnt, have ready something soothing and hydrating like cucumber, aloe vera, yoghurt and avocado – these all make fantastic masks that will soothe your skin.

Home-made skin preparations are great – as well as super-natural. They also “force” you to take some time out for yourself. Make it a weekly thing – YOUR time. Great for your skin and excellent for your mood.

And let’s face it – when we are happy and (fairly) relaxed, so is everyone around us. And our skin will look glowing and gorgeous.

In today’s busy world, time is precious and busy working people are not eating a well-balanced diet.  We are so tired from hours spent working, traveling to and from our jobs, looking after the children and running them to all their after school activities, that by the time meal time arrives we are totally exhausted, or simply just don’t have the time.  The supermarket shelves are full of easy pre-prepared meals in a packet that can be made in a flash, but they can have minimal nutritional value.

Not only does your body, health and mental well being suffer by not giving it the nourishment it needs, but so does your skin.

You don’t have to be a dietitian and I certainly aren’t one, but ensuring that you eat “5+ a day” really will make a huge difference, as well as ensuring that there is a good balance of whole grains, lean proteins, essential fatty acids and lots of water.  Not having too large (or too small) portions also makes a difference.  Putting in the right amount of food to replace and replenish the energy you use during your day.

There are certain vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your skin.  Here is a quick overview:

B vitamins are particularly helpful to your skin. B1 (Thiamin) helps with circulation.  B2 (riboflavin) helps to eliminate brown aging spots on the skin, and B6 helps prevent dry skin as well as eczema, acne, psoriasis and hair loss.  Plus it is also the vitamin that helps us girls with our monthly moodiness.  Biotin is part of the B6 Complex group and is the most important B vitamin. It forms the basis of skin, nail, and hair cells.  Your body makes plenty of biotin, and it is also found in many foods, including nuts, bananas, carrots, avocado,  and rice.

Vitamin A is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamin A.

Vitamin C assists the immune, cardiovascular and nervous systems and helps the body fight free-radicals (a harmful by-product of sunlight, smoke and pollution). Free radicals destroy collagen and elastin, which are fibres that support the skin structure.  Depleting collagen results in wrinkles and other signs of aging.  Skin, teeth and bones all benefit from Vitamin C although we need to obtain it through our diet or take supplements as our bodies cannot produce or store it.

Vitamin E is an antioxidant, it slows down the aging of skin cells and helps reduce the harmful effects of the sun.  It also helps reduce wrinkles and leaves your skin looking and feeling smoother.

Another very important vitamin that maintains great skin health are Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s).  Our body is unable to make EFA’s, therefore it is up to us to provide our body and skin with this important Vitamin (also known as Vitamin F).  EFA’s are found in evening primrose oil, borage, sunflower, Omega 3 and 6, flaxseed, olive oil and oily fish.  Insufficient intake of EFA’s can result in a loss of skin elasticity and dryness which increases the risk of premature ageing.   EFA’s are also wonderful applied topically to the skin – my favourite being organic Rosehip Oil.

And of course – don’t forget that drinking plenty of water is most important to achieving and maintaining healthy skin.  Water hydrates the cells of the skin, and eliminates waste products.

Taking the extra effort to spend more time in the fresh fruit and vegie department or your local market grower store is so very worth it and your skin and body will love you for it.

With the huge shift towards a natural alternative in lifestyle and what we put in our body and put on our skin, there still seems to be some hesitation.

Is this because we ask ourselves “can natural be really as effective as chemicals”, or is it because we still do not truly understand what these chemicals are and the impact that they can have on our overall health and well being.

Some large companies are saying their products are natural, yet they still contain some potentially harmful chemicals – like Propylene Glycol, a synthetic humectant that is an anti-freeze. If we ingested it, it would kill us, yet we allow ourselves to put it on our skin, which is absorbed into the body, circulates around the blood stream and eventually ends up in the liver where contaminates are stored.  It is here that the contaminates find it difficult to leave and we slowly get a build up of toxins in our body.

Other “natural” products contain the horrible Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, unnatural colourings, deadly preservatives, sickly fragrances, and much more, so how can they be called a natural product.   Surely, if we make the conscious choice to take a closer look at what we use for our personal care, then there will be less illness and disease, skin conditions, allergies and sensitivities.

Up to 60% of what you put on your skin is absorbed into the bloodstream and circulated throughout your body.  A lot of these chemicals cannot be processed by our systems, so just stay there and build up during our life times.

Sounds grim, I know.  But wouldn’t you rather know, and have the choice.  These big companies put these ingredients in our products because its cheap, it bulks up the product, it temporarily works, and because they can.  You should be able to make your own informed decision about what you put on your skin and eventually your body.

We watch what we eat – isn’t this just as important?

Our skin cells are eaten away by acids, pushed and scrubbed around, abraded with machines and then promised miracle pots of products.

We have forgotten that regardless of these brutal attacks with acids, laser or other harmful ingredients, skin cells are going to do what skin cells do – which is divide and move to the surface of the skin.  Most of the cells will be totally unaware of what we are trying to do with our attempts to speed up the ‘exfoliation’ process.

What actually happens to cells that are being bombarded with these horrific acts, is they spend most of their time trying to defend themselves against our acts!

Skin cells have their own rate of cell division.  As we age, and subject our skins to harsh peels, laser, and other treatments, most of us see the results which gives an appearance of tight, fresh skin but in fact the skin is defending itself, and months later the true skin story appears as the our skin looks thin with reddened capillaries, pigmentation problems and dehydration.

There is no quick fix that does not damage the skin, but a journey of skin improvement can be obtained if a correct skin program is prepared under your professional beauty therapists’ recommendations, along with correct diet and water intake, exercise, stress management and skin protection.