My work at Hope as a lymphoedema therapist
I started working in the Hope Centre back in 2016 as a lymphoedema therapist and more recently as a bra fitter for breast cancer clients. I feel very privileged to work with the clients who attend the centre.
Lymphoedema is a poorly understood life-long condition and people who develop it after a cancer diagnosis and treatment often feel lost and alone. It is fantastic that the Hope Centre provides support and treatment for lymphoedema clients so that they can better manage their condition and not feel isolated.
I am honoured along with the other lymphoedema therapists to work with these clients to improve their quality of life.
Body image for a woman who is or has gone through breast cancer is often not discussed. Its amazing how a lady feels when she wears a properly fitted bra. It improves her posture, her clothes fit better and she feels more positive about themselves. The Hope Centre provides a comfortable, relaxed environment for these ladies to attend for this services and I am fortunate to meet and care for these ladies.
The centre is a credit to all the people of Wexford who support it through on-going fundraising such as Hope & Dream 10 and it is a vital resource for anybody, their family or friends who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
– Sasha Roche Kelly THOSE WHO ARE physically active tend to live longer, healthier lives. Research shows that moderate Physical activity – such as 30 minutes a day of brisk walking – significantly contributes to longevity. Even a person with risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes or even a smoking habit can gain real benefits from incorporating regular physical activity into their daily life.
People who start exercising usually try to make healthier choices with their diet which helps them tone up and lose any excess weight, thus giving them the confidence to keep it going. Regular exercise can help lower blood pressure, control blood sugar, improve cholesterol levels and build stronger, denser bones.
In the past weeks we have covered hydration, carbohydrates and protein and this week we are going to cover healthy fats. This will then have covered the main macro-nutrients and making the small changes each week to include these in our diet is a huge step towards your healthy lifestyle and also getting you well fuelled for the big race day on April 7. Healthy fats in the diet
Good fats can improve blood cholesterol levels, lower your risk of heart disease, and benefit insulin levels and blood sugar. Healthy or “good” fats, such as omega-3s—are vital to your physical and emotional health. They are essential to help manage your moods, stay on top of your mental game, fight fatigue, and even control your weight. The human brain is nearly 60 percent fat, therefore healthy fats are vital for proper brain development and function. Learning to make healthy choices of replacing bad fats with good ones will promote good health and well-being as bad fats can wreck your diet and increase your risk of certain diseases The best sources of healthy fats
• Fish such as Salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines etc
• Avocados
• Olives and Olive oil, Rapeseed oil, Almond oil, Camelina oil, Hemp oil
• Nuts (almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, peacans, cashews, walnuts, brazil nuts etc
• Sunflower, sesame, flax, chia and pumpkin seeds
• Natural peanut, cashew or almond butter
• Algae such as seaweed
(high in EPA and DHA)
Just be careful choosing nut butters as two peanut butters that look the same but one might be 100% peanut with no added extras, this one is perfect, where as the other option may have added palm oil and sugar, a far less healthy option. Also be careful when you see low fat, just because a label says low fat doesn’t make it the healthiest choice. Watch out for added substitutes, long lists of ingredients tend to mean unnecessary extras. Always say, if you don’t recognise an ingredient, don’t put it in your body. Nutritional labels can be confusing but a good guide is to follow the 365 rule. Look to see the nutrition content of 100g on the label and aim to only buy foods with up to 3g fat, 6g fibre or more and 5g sugar or less.
Omega 3 fats are proving to be especially beneficial with the following
• Prevent and reduce symptoms of depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder • Protect against memory loss
• Reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and certain cancers
• Ease arthritis and joint pain
• Support a healthy pregnancy
• Helps you battle fatigue, sharpen your memory and balance your mood Types of bad fats to be avoided or limited • Processed foods such as baked pies, sausages and sausage rolls, bun burgers, chicken nuggets doughnuts, cakes and cake mix, crisps etc.
Recipe of the week: Avocado and chia seed after workout smoothie
1 to 1.5 cups full-fat coconut milk ƒ ripe avocado
1 tbsp of nut butter
1 tbsp chia seeds (soaked in three tbsps of water for ten minutes)
2 tsp cacao nibs, cacao powder, or cocoa powder or 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder 1 tbsp of coconut oil
Few ice cubes ƒ cup water if needed
For topping, cacao nibs and cinnamon Blend all ingredients together until well combined, then top with cacao nibs and cinnamon and enjoy ( yummy)
Now that we have covered all the major nutrients, next week we will discuss the vitamins and minerals needed in everyday life. We will also cover different food plans to help us get fit and ready for the Hope & Dream race on April 7.
For anyone interested in joining a beginners’ group to help on their journey from 0 to 10k, I am already involved in two beginner groups, New Years Resolution 2,5k in Enniscorthy running track Monday and Thursday 8pm to 9pm and also Fit-Nutz in shelmaliers Gaa grounds in Castlebridge every Tuesday and Fridays at 7pm to 8pm I will be be there myself on all of the above nights or you can contact Mag at 087 6366905 for NYR,2,5k or Darren at 086 8563872 for Fit-Nutz Tip of the week
It’s never too late to start eating healthy it may be easier than you think, take it one step at a time. The first week you select and commit to one new healthy eating goal. The following week add a different goal making sure you continue to maintain your healthy eating goal(s) from the week(s) before. Focus on your healthy eating goals every week and remember the more often you incorporate them into your lifestyle, the better you will feel. When you’ve achieved six different healthy eating goals, congratulations you have started a routine for a healthier lifestyle.