Free drugs - available now

Cannabis, cocaine, LSD, amphetamines… Maybe you do not want them, but you could have them all for free.

Really?

What about free antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, anti-depressants? Yep, them too! Anticancer drugs? Immuno-stimulants? Anti-cholesterol drugs? Antipsychotics? No problem. All free.

Really! Where from?

This week we find out, and it may come as a surprise. And then access to a great conference made possible with a good discount, but first





               Thought for the day

       I know what the great cure is.

       It is to give up, to relinquish, to surrender,
       So that our little hearts may beat in unison
       With the great heart of the world. 


                                   Henry Miller





Well here it is. Drugs HQ

Commonly known as your own brain – the central pharmacy that controls the production and administration of more useful chemicals than any individual pharmaceutical company.

We manufacture multitudes of medications: antibiotics, antimitotics, painkillers, antipyretics, anxiolytics, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, immunostimulants, anticholesterols, antihypertensives, antipsychotics, cancer drugs, and more.


We can also activate other parallel circuits involving natural counterparts to more culturally and medically scandalous substances: anandamide (cannabis), alcohol, amphetamines, nicotine, cocaine, LSD, endorphins, and more.


The initiator of this whole pantheon of drugs is you. Me. Every one of us. It starts within our brains and finds fruition in our many organs, glands, even individual cells.

Some drugs are produced on demand. Cut a finger for example and antihistamines, anticoagulants, immunostimulants, natural antibiotics, pain killers – and plenty more – all go into production spontaneously. No conscious effort required. Body knows what to do. Amazing.

Some drugs we access “incidentally”. Have a good laugh and a cascade of endorphins is transported around the body. Immerse yourself in gratitude and dopamine flows out. Be inspired and feel the serotonin surging. A very natural high.


Then some drugs can be induced by what we do deliberately. Meditate and a long list of beneficial drugs is created. Consider just a couple - the master hormone melatonin, regulator of sleep, major controller of immune function and many other hormones are produced en masse when we meditate.

Interferon is known to be produced in significant amounts when meditating and has a powerful affect on immune function – and being naturally produced it comes free of the unwantedside-effects so often associated with taking the isolated drug interferon as a medication.

So the point is – get excited!

Be respectful. Your body is amazing. Truly amazing. Resist the temptation to think that all health issues need some external, high-tech solution. There is nothing as high-tech as your own body. Give your body the right conditions, learn how it works and how you can best support it to function at its amazing best, and enjoy this precious life. Along with its free drugs…..

Meditate, not medicate.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT AVAILABLE TO READERS

Happiness and its causes is one of Australia's very best conferences   -  2nd and 3rd  April 2016

Delve into the mind and its role in our happiness, health and of course, wellbeing. This conference is highly recommended and through my association with the organisers and having spoken there a few times in the past, there is a great discount on offer if you use the code MBM, plus they have an early bird rate:

SPECIAL DISCOUNT! SAVE 20%

Happiness is important. It is important for your own life satisfaction and enjoyment.
It is equally important for your family, the people in your care and the people you work with.

ENHANCE HAPPINESS
Discover how rituals and habits help us achieve lasting change with world-leading positive psychology lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar (Israel). Learn how to boost happiness with ground-breaking happiness researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky (USA). Explore the power of music to enhance our wellbeing with music maestro Richard Gill OAM.


IMPROVE HEALTH & WELLBEING
Hear how cutting-edge technology can help us take control of our health with former executive editor of Wired Magazine Thomas Goetz (USA). Rethink the heart of health with pioneering paediatrician Dr Alan Greene (USA). Ditch the guilt and learn to eat joyfully with leading nutritionist Joanna McMillan.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR EMOTIONS
Become aware of your emotional triggers with emotions researcher Eve Ekman (USA). Use laughter as an antidote to stress with coach and comedian Anthony Ackroyd. Explore the power of identity and connection with acclaimed Indigenous author Anita Heiss.

PERSONAL STORIES TO INSPIRE
Be moved by the courage of pioneering surgeon Munjed Al Muderis who fled war-torn Iraq and came to Australia as a refugee by boat. And be touched by top-rating drive time host Richard Glover’s revealing exploration of his family life.

VISIT THE WELLNESS SHOW
A showcase of 100 innovative companies, free interactive seminars, fitness zone, wellness kitchen, wellness bookshop, meet-the-author sessions and more! Spend your breaks browsing the latest in health and wellbeing. Automatic entry for conference delegates!

SAVE 20% OFF FEES - BOOK BY 18 DECEMBER AND SAVE UP TO $680

Book online using VIP code MBM or call (02) 8719 5118 to register

                             35+ speakers, 5 international experts, 6 workshops, 1 masterclass

                          
www.happinessanditscauses.com.au

Integrating work, family and life, plus a Christmas sale

Here we are approaching the end of 2015 and another opportunity to reflect, be grateful, and to celebrate. With Christmas not so far away, we are offering 30% off all our resources (until 30th November) to say thank you to all those whom we have been involved with during this past year and to encourage meaningful giving.

Then some reflection on integrating work, family and life, but first



                  Thought for the day

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. 

Nature’s peace will flow into you 
As sunshine flows into trees. 

The winds will blow their freshness into you, 
And storms their energy, 
While cares will drop away like autumn leaves.

                                        John Muir



Ruth and I are very grateful to all of who support our work; those who came to the workshops, seminars and retreats we presented in 2015, and especially to thank you personally those of you who remain on our database and keep in touch via the blog, Facebook and other communications.

Ruth and I are truly blessed in that our work consistently reminds us of what it is to live well - in body, emotions, mind and spirit. For us, our work really is our life.

Yet so many we speak to struggle with integrating work, family and life. For some it even seems as if the type of work they are engaged in almost demands a compromise. As if they need to leave some of their values, some of their ideals, at the door as they enter to start the working day, and to pick up what ever remains on the way out.

For some too, there is the sense that amidst the busyness, the demands, the very real struggles of daily life, even the family can have a sense of being a burden.

So here is the challenge. How do we hold true to that which we value in life, how ideally we would like to live our life, and integrate that with our work and our family?

My sense is that this has so much to do with the clarity of our intention and our habitual ways of thinking. Check out how you speak to yourself about work, about relationships. Notice what this reveals. When you find yourself saying “ that always happens here” or “that is just what I expected”; then those words reveal habitual ways of thinking. How do these habits work for you?

Be reminded that if you choose to, these habits can be changed with strong intention, backed by imagery and affirmations. They can be transformed by the natural kindness and optimism that slowly and steadily emerges out of the regular practice of meditation. Consciously developing an attitude of gratitude can produce amazing benefits.


In an ideal world
everything we do
will somehow enhance our lives.


This is not to say
everything we do will be easy;
on the contrary,
often it is the difficult things in life
that teach us so much
and bring the greatest rewards.

But here is the problem.

In our modern busy world,
there are so many forces working against a happy, healthy life.

Sad but true.


So much busyness, so many commercial forces, so many expectations, so much to do. And internally our own habits and beliefs to contend with, along with that subtle and innate laziness that is a feature of all our lives. I cannot be the only one with these issues!!

So that is why Ruth and I make time to attend at least 2 retreats as participants each year. Sure, we are fortunate in that we get to lead retreats; but we too feel the need to take time out, to stand back more fully and to reflect, re-evaluate, re-think, re-set priorities and refresh.

For me it is really clear. Amidst the pressures of daily life, and with the intention of being kind to ourselves and functioning well with work, families and friends, attending at least one retreat per year is almost mandatory. Almost in my view like meeting a basic need of survival. Certainly a major step towards continuing a productive, happy and healthy life.

If you would like to join us in 2016, our retreat and program schedule is on our website.

But for now, in gratitude we are offering a Pre-Christmas webstore sale with 30% of all our resources - until 30th November – books, CDs DVD, bundles and the Pearls (really beautiful and meaningful presents).       LINK HERE

RESOURCES 

Meditation Retreats and specific cancer residential programs with Ian and Ruth Gawler CLICK HERE 

Responding to terror - a meditator's view

Paris attacks: The headlines trumpeted “France vows 'merciless' response to unprecedented atrocity”. The French president, looking somewhat dazed, reflected what many felt: "France will stand firm. We are going to fight and our fight will be merciless."

Merciless. What then constitutes a measured response? What can we do with our emotions and our actions? How would a compassionate meditator respond to terrorism?

US President Barack Obama led a chorus of world leaders condemning the attacks. “France is an extraordinary terrorism partner and an attack on the French people is an attack on all humanity. We will do whatever it takes to bring these terrorists to justice".

Is justice compassion? Challenging questions this week, but first






                          Thought for the day

                                  Where vision vanishes 
                                   The people perish

                                      The Book of Proverbs








Seems people respond to terrorism in quite a few different ways.

Base instinct
Lashing out. “Let’s nuke the buggers!” Some sort of retribution. Revenge. The notion that reciprocal violence is more than justified. More than warranted. Heavy-duty retribution.

Maybe if we kill enough of them, it will stop. If not, at least we will feel avenged.

Really? Yes really. Throughout history this has been the common approach. The base instinct unleashed.

Problem is that centuries of history would indicate this approach has limited long-term benefits. You could make the case for the odd war halting mass aggression, but the general trend? Violence begets more violence. Pity really when violence seems to appeal to so many.

Fear
Terrorists thrive on fear. It is the stated purpose. Disrupt with fear. Use fear as a weapon.

Successful? Often. One can easily imagine life will change rapidly in France. And many other places as well, as the fear of terrorist acts is fuelled by terrorist acts. Some become paralysed, some despair. Some drift into apathy while others descend into depression.

Others use fear to drive the aggression. The base instincts thrive on fear. A culture changes. Terrorists have their day.

Intellectual override
“It is genuinely sad so many were killed in Paris. But think about it. Each week in Australia, around 1,000 people die of cancer. In the last month across Australia, around 100 people died in car accidents. In Africa, cannot even begin to think how many people are dying right now of starvation or violence.

“Chance of being caught up in a terrorist attack? Very slim. Relative risk? Very small. No need to worry. Put it out of mind”.

Could be true.

Could work.

Satisfying???

Transform our way of thinking
Let us hope. It is highly probable that our own chance of becoming caught up in a terrorist attack is very small. So what to do? What happens in our own mind and how can we transform those common and fairly natural base instincts and destructive emotions into something more constructive.

Start with understanding
All human beings are basically the same.

Most human beings are concerned for their survival, the survival of their family and friends; and they all want happiness, whatever that means for each one of us. This we all share in common.

With terrorists, it is easy to think of them as something very different. Something very different from us. So it can be a real challenge to make the effort to recognise that they too are human beings. Just like us.

It can be a start.

Put yourself in the others shoes (or shoe as the case may be)
How does a fellow human being come to the conclusion that the best thing they can do with their precious human life is to strap explosives to their precious human body, walk into a crowd of fellow precious human beings and blow self and other into pieces?

Crazy?

Maybe. Could well be. But people seem to do it regularly. In a calm, premeditated way. How so?

If we make the effort to put ourselves in the others shoes, to contemplate the sort of life, the sort of life experiences that leads to the conclusion that becoming a human bomb or that shooting others at random makes sense; if we take time to really contemplate how that happens, maybe we move closer towards some deeper understanding…. Then we may have the beginnings of a real solution.

Practise compassion 
“Passive” compassion
We can pray. Many do. Many feel its benefits.

Many make the effort to resist the base instinct responses of fear and aggression. They think of peace. Talk of peace. Dream of peace. Maybe pray. Maybe just hope.

Calling all this “passive” compassion is not to denigrate these aspirations, just to speak of these being personal internal responses. Maybe a little passive. But maybe quite potent as well.

“Active” compassion
Become involved in efforts to build understanding, community, peace.

What does this mean in your own community. What about in your own family? What about in our own hearts?


 We can never impose peace on the world. A peaceful world will only ever exist when each individual human being has found peace in their own heart. When we have a world full of peaceful people, we will have a peaceful world.

So world peace starts within the hearts of each and every one of us. We can all make a difference.


So what can we do to become more peaceful within ourselves?

Contemplate the violence in our own lives and do what we can to be free of it. Is there any way we can live our own life more peacefully? Something we can do that is a concerted, peaceful act?

Not speaking hatefully would be helpful. Not breeding more fear. Do what we can to be understanding. Be vigilant not to generalise or stereotype particular sectors of our community. Really feel compassion for the bulk of Muslims who are just like us, very decent human beings, and go out of our way to help them deal with the implications and ramifications of terrorist issues and what must be an extremely difficult situation for them, just as it is for many human beings at present. Smile at others. Smile at others.

Consider what community activities we can become involved in that foster peace and build good relationships locally.

Consider supporting groups that make a business of peace. Donate. Give time. Offer support.

Speak with politicians. If ever there was a time for a measured response to an issue that affects most of us, this is now. Please, lets move past attempting to solve violence with more violence. This is a time for peace.

What then of justice?
Is compassion and an aspiration for peace incompatible with justice. Not at all. But true justice does not carry hate or revenge or retribution. Justice is warranted and needed as part of what deals with terrorism; but measured justice, not fury disguised as something else.

Finally, in response to terrorism, maybe we can acknowledge how fortunate most of us reading this really are. We live in free countries. We have personal freedoms. We have a choice of responses. Makes how we respond even more important. And significant.

How cancer forms and 7 things your own body can do about it

It comes as no surprise to know many people are deeply scared by cancer. For many, just about everything about it is one big scary mystery.

Yet science can tell us a good deal about why and how cancer develops, and better still, tell us about the multiple defenses our own bodies have against it. Great information on which to base a personal prevention or treatment program.

So this week, how we can work with the body to prevent or recover from cancer. Great information – please share and in doing so, reduce the fears and help raise confidence in our own bodies, our own capacities to prevent and recover from cancer.

This blog comes amidst the series of posts related to my personal retreat these past 3 months; next week, the next exciting episode! But first

            Thought for the day

Basketball is an intricate, high-speed game 
filled with split-second, spontaneous decisions. 
But that spontaneity is possible 
only when everyone first engages in hours 
of highly repetitive and structured practice
- perfecting their shooting, dribbling, 
and passing and running plays 
over and over again
- and agrees to play a carefully defined role on the court.

            Spontaneity is not random. 

                                  Malcolm Gladwell


Cancer genesis
Cancer cells form in the body after normal cells undergo damage to specific genes called oncogenes. When a cell in the body reproduces itself, it is the oncogenes that determine whether the new cell will become a healthy one or a cancer cell.

All cell lines – such as skin cells, breast cells, prostate cells and so on, have their own specific oncogenes. There are usually 2 to 4 of them and it takes a series of damages to convert a healthy oncogene into one that will cause cancer.

The causes of cancer
Research tells us that most of what causes this genetic damage is related to our lifestyle – what we eat, whether we smoke or not and so on. More details are in You Can Conquer Cancer. Obviously, avoiding the causes is the key to cancer prevention.

Our body’s defenses
However, even when oncogenes are damaged and activated, clinical cancer is not always the result. Many scientists are of the view that this genetic damage is occurring on a daily basis in everyone's body and the most conservative view is that potential cancer cells form at least 40 times during our lifetime.

Clearly, not everyone develops cancer and this is because the body has its own series of defenses that are designed to recognize potential cancer cells and destroy them before they become a problem.

Genes that repair genes
One of the first ways the body does this is that it has genes that actually have the job of repairing damaged genes.

Front line defense
Next, the immune system is the body’s front line defense system. It has many responsibilities including recognizing unhealthy tissue within the body, destroying or removing unhealthy tissue and restoring health.

Camouflage
With cancer, this is much easier when potential cancer masses are quite small, as one thing cancer does as it grows is to coat itself with what is effectively a camouflage layer that makes it difficult or impossible for the immune system to recognize it as a problem. Anything that disrupts this “camouflage”, opens the cancer to direct attack from the immune system.

Angiogenesis
Another critical issue for cancer to grow and become larger is that it needs to develop its own blood supply. This process is called angiogenesis and anything that disrupts it weakens the cancer. If angiogenesis is halted, the cancer is starved of nutrients and dies.

Metabolic disruption
Once cancer has developed into a significant mass, it has its own metabolic needs. Anything that disrupts this metabolism can weaken the cancer and if the disruption is severe enough, it will kill it.

A useful metaphor here comes from the garden where plants have their own preferences. For example, camellias thrive in acid soil and are severely weakened or die when planted in alkaline soils.

In much the same way, changing the milieu in the body, manipulating the metabolic environment in the body through things like therapeutic nutrition can have a direct influence on cancer cells.

Many of the ways in which therapeutic lifestyle approaches influence cancer can be explained by how they influence the above factors.

New biologically elegant treatments target the above factors, for example:

1. A great deal of research is going into how to reverse oncogene damage and switch the oncogenes back to normal.

2. Treatments aimed at enhancing immune function have been around for many years and continue to be actively researched.

3. Promising research has found a major protein that builds the cancer’s camouflage and targeted immunology offers the possibility of removing it, laying the cancer open to be recognized and attacked by our immune system.

4. Anti-angiogenesis agents are called angiostatins and some of these are already being used clinically while further research continues.

5. Many new targeted therapies aim to disrupt cancer’s metabolism.

Application through 
guided imagery

An understanding of how cancer develops is also very helpful for people aiming to use guided imagery and this is a large and exciting topic in its own right.

But as just one example, we know that in hypnotherapy the mind can be trained to stop bleeding.

If that same principle were to be used to stop blood flow to a tumour (ie to have an angiostatic effect and reverse what is shown in the above diagram), that tumour would be destroyed very quickly.

Exciting possibilities…. That are at the heart of what we call "Accelerated Healing" - see the related blogs below.

RESOURCES
BOOKS
You Can Conquer Cancer , Ian Gawler - chapters on causes of cancer, therapeutic nutrition and lifestyle, and guided imagery.

The Mind that Changes Everything , Ian Gawler – details on guided imagery

CD or Download
The Gawler Cancer Program – has all the above information plus more that you can share or listen to over and over to help with understanding and confidence.

RELATED BLOGS
Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 1

Accelerated Healing 101 - Part 2

NOTICEBOARD

The last meditation retreat and more specific cancer residential program Ruth and I will present in 2015 are both rapidly approaching. Both are in fabulous New Zealand :) 

Details of all coming programs  are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are these next two:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

Alcohol and cancer risk

Is the odd glass of beer likely to give you cancer? What about a couple of glasses of wine regularly over a meal? The research has very clear and possibly disturbing answers on this, so this week we investigate what alcohol is, what it does in our bodies and important questions like does red wine prevent cancer?

Then there is some breaking news on the subject, and my old friend and valued colleague Dr Nimrod Sheinman returns to present around Australia (see the Events Section below) but first,



                           Thought for the day

                  The world is too much with us.
                   Getting and spending,
                     We lay waste our powers.

                                       William Wordsworth




In an earlier blog we examined the alcoholic content of various drinks and their impact on health generally. That blog came with general recommendations for the consumption of alcohol generally and may well be worth revisiting (see the link below), but this time we investigate the specific connections between alcohol, cancer and stress; connections that make for fascinating reading.


What is alcohol ?
Alcohol is actually the common term for ethanol or ethyl alcohol, a chemical produced by the fermentation of sugars and starches by yeast.

We drink it in beer, wine, and liquor, and it is commonly found in medicines, mouthwashes, household products, and essential oils.

What is the evidence that drinking alcohol is a cause of cancer?
The evidence is very strong.

Research shows that heavy or even regular alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing cancers of the oral cavity (excluding the lips), pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), oesophagus, liver, breast, colon, and rectum, while the risk of developing cancer increases the more alcohol a person drinks.


The National Toxicology Program of the US Department of Health and Human Services lists consumption of alcoholic beverages as a known human carcinogen – cause of cancer. Based on data from 2009, an estimated 3.5% of all cancer deaths in the United States are alcohol related.

The Million Women Study in the United Kingdom provided a more recent, and slightly higher, estimate of breast cancer risk at low to moderate levels of alcohol consumption: every 10 grams of alcohol consumed per day was associated with a 12% increase in the risk of breast cancer.

However, for two cancers – renal cell (kidney) cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) - multiple studies have shown that increased alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of cancer. A meta-analysis of the NHL studies found a 15 % lower risk of NHL among alcohol drinkers. The mechanisms by which alcohol consumption would decrease the risks of either renal cell cancer or NHL are not understood.

How does alcohol increase the risk of cancer?
Here are some of the many ways that have been identified

1. The ethanol in alcoholic drinks is metabolised into acetaldehyde, which is a probable human carcinogen that can damage both DNA and proteins.

2. Alcohol generates reactive oxygen molecules that can damage DNA, proteins, and lipids (fats) through oxidation.

3. Alcohol impairs the body’s ability to break down and absorb a variety of nutrients that are cancer protective including Vit A, the Vit B complex, Vits C, D and E, folate and carotenoids.

4. Alcohol increases blood levels of oestrogen, the female sex hormone linked to the risk of breast cancer.

5. Alcoholic drinks may also contain a variety of carcinogenic contaminants that are introduced during fermentation and production, such as nitrosamines, hydrocarbons, phenols and asbestos fibres.

How does the combination of alcohol and tobacco affect cancer risk?


Again the research is clear. Those who use both alcohol and tobacco have a much greater risk of developing cancers than people who use either alcohol or tobacco alone.

In fact, for oral and pharyngeal cancers the risks associated with using both alcohol and tobacco are multiplicative; that is, they are greater than would be expected from adding the individual risks associated with alcohol and tobacco together.


How do a person’s genes affect their risk of alcohol-related cancers?
A person’s risk of developing an alcohol-related cancer is influenced by the genes that encode (and regulate) enzymes involved in metabolizing alcohol.

For example, one way the body metabolizes alcohol is through the activity of an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, or ADH. Many individuals of Chinese, Korean, and especially Japanese descent carry a version of the gene for ADH that codes for a "superactive" form of the enzyme that speeds the conversion of alcohol to toxic acetaldehyde. As a result, when people who have the superactive enzyme drink alcohol, acetaldehyde builds up and this results in a higher risk of pancreatic cancer.

Another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2), metabolizes toxic acetaldehyde to non-toxic substances. Some people, particularly those of East Asian descent, carry a variant of the gene for ALDH2 that codes for a defective form of the enzyme. In people who have the defective enzyme, acetaldehyde builds up when they drink alcohol.

The accumulation of acetaldehyde has such unpleasant effects (including facial flushing and heart palpitations) that most people who have the ALDH2 variant are unable to drink large amounts of alcohol. Therefore, most people with the defective form of ALDH2 have a low risk of developing alcohol-related cancers.

However, some individuals with the defective form of ALDH2 can become tolerant to the unpleasant effects of acetaldehyde and consume large amounts of alcohol. Epidemiologic studies have shown that such people have a higher risk of alcohol-related cancers.

Can drinking red wine help prevent cancer?
Laboratory research has found that certain substances in red wine, such as resveratrol have anticancer properties. Grapes, raspberries, peanuts, and some other plants also contain resveratrol. However, clinical trials in humans have not provided evidence that resveratrol is effective in preventing or treating cancer.

Breaking news - the latest research findings

Even Modest Drinking Increases Breast Cancer Risk Having just one drink per day increases breast cancer risk, according to a study just published in the British Medical Journal.  For women, having just one alcoholic drink per day increased the risk for alcohol-related cancers (mainly breast cancer) by 13 percent, compared with those who consumed no alcohol. Many previous studies have found moderate alcohol intake increases breast cancer risk. Among men, colorectal cancer was the principal alcohol-related cancer.   References: Cao Y, Willett WC, Rimm EB, Stampfer MJ, Giovannuci EL. Light to moderate intake of alcohol, drinking patterns, and risk of cancer: results from two prospective US cohort studies. BMJ. 2015;351:h4238. Scoccianti C, Lauby-Secretan B, Bello PY, Chajes V, Romieu I. Female breast cancer and alcohol consumption: a review of the literature. Am J Prev Med. 2014;46:S16-S25.

What I do
I gave up alcohol when diagnosed with cancer and continued to be an alcohol free zone for around 20 years. Then it seemed I was avoiding alcohol more out of habit than good reason, given that in my view modest amounts occasionally are not problematic and it is often easier in social situations to have a little; and I do like a cold beer on a hot day and an occasional glass of good wine.

The beer I drink at home is the Coopers brand, Birrell’s. It is very low alcohol, tastes great and is bought off the shelf in the Supermarket (due to its 0.5% alcohol content).

When out I usually drink Cooper’s Light as it is low alcohol and naturally brewed and Birrells is not usually sold at restaurants and the like. Artificially brewed beers have a strong association with increased risks of bowel cancer.

So I am not wanting to sound like a wowser, but Ruth and I often share one glass of wine between ourselves when we eat out, and often do not actually finish it all.

Recommendations
Everyone knows moderation makes sense. Alcohol free days are really helpful if you are drinking regularly.

And do remember to drink responsibly :)

Enjoy!

RELATED BLOGS
Alcohol, health and wellbeing

A volatile mix – stress, epigenetics and cancer

NOTICEBOARD

Details of all coming programs Ruth and I will be presenting are on our website: www.iangawler.com/events, and here are the next few:

NEXT MEDITATION RETREAT
Meditation Under the Long White Cloud   24 - 30 October 2015

7 day retreat at Mana Retreat Centre, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

                 Take time out from the busyness of everyday life; spend time with your self
           Slow down, reflect, contemplate – regain perspective, vitality, balance and clarity
      Deepen your understanding and experience of mindfulness, contemplation and meditation

Full details, CLICK HERE


SPECIFIC CANCER RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS

CANCER and BEYOND     October  2015     Monday 12th to Friday 16th 

Finding peace in the Healing Process

Five Day Residential Follow-up Program at the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley

This program is specifically designed for those with cancer along with their support people who have attended a previous Gawler Cancer Foundation program or equivalent such as with Sabina Rabold, CSWA, Cancer Care SA, CanLive NZ, or with the Gawlers themselves.

A unique opportunity to meet with like-minded people once again, to consolidate what you already know, to learn more from the combined knowledge, experience and wisdom of Ian and Ruth, to reaffirm your good intentions, and to go home refreshed and revitalised.

FULL DETAILS Click here 

MIND-BODY MEDICINE and CANCER    November  2015    Tuesday 10th to Saturday 14th

Five day Residential program in the beautiful surrounds of Wanaka, New Zealand
- an easy drive from Queenstown airport and very accessible for Australians

This program is open to anyone affected by cancer. Health professionals interested to learn more of this work are also welcome to attend.

While the focus of this program is on therapeutic meditation and nutrition, the power of the mind and emotional health, ample time will be given to answering any questions you may have relating to the Gawler program - exercise, positive thinking, healing, balancing medical options, successful ways of dealing with setbacks, sustaining your good intentions and the relevance of finding meaning in life to healing and recovery.

FULL DETAILS Click here

DR NIMROD SHEINMAN RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA 
for a highly recommended series of presentations

Please help spread the word and help distribute the events

- October 8th, Mindfulness in Education, Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership, Melbourne.

 http://www.bastow.vic.edu.au/Documents/Flyers/TWILEducationAwarenessNSheinmanOct15FINAL2.pdf

- October 8th, Mindfulness-based Therapy in Paediatric Care, National Institute for Integrative Medicine, Melbourne.

http://www.niim.com.au/events/mindfulness-based-therapy-paediatric-care

- October 12th, University of Canberra, School of Education

- October 14-15th, Nan Tien Institure (near Sydney)

- October 17th, Mindfulness With Children – Empowering Resilience, Emotional Intelligence

and Wellness, The Relaxation Centre, Brisbane. 

http://www.relaxationcentreqld.com.au/presenters/dr-nimrod-sheinman/