Turbo boosting health & healing and relationships with alcohol

For quite some time now I’ve been trying to figure out what to do about alcohol and the role it plays in my life, as although I don’t have what would be deemed or classified as a drinking problem, I’m not happy with my relationship with alcohol.

It’s affecting my health, mentally, emotionally and physically. This isn’t on the night, but it is the days following, and sometimes a little before hand if I’m being honest, with anxiety creeping in. It’s also become more and more present in my mind as to what alcohol is actually doing to our bodies as it is essentially a toxin. In fact screw it, it’s a poison. Perhaps that knowledge is playing a role in feeding or even creating anxiety and I don’t want to hide from that any more.

Last week I had a great result with another scan showing that the residual mass of my tumour is still shrinking and has been doing so consistently since treatment finished in June 2022 🙏🥳

Although I can’t prove 100% to anyone that my daily practice of the Wim Hof Method (I’ve been practicing since June 2021 – 3 months before treatment started) has been a major contributory factor, it feels like a bit of a coincidence that the WHM has been my main consistent healthy habit for the last four years. My consultant is very supportive and encouraging of my lifestyle changes and approach and his words last week that really made me smile where “If it makes you feel good, do it!”

What I don’t think I’ll have any trouble convincing anyone of is that my attitude, belief system and mindset is positively impacting my health and the shrinking of Terry. In fact there are plenty of studies, including a Wim Hof Method scientific study, proving that patients with optimistic mindsets have better outcomes:

The role of outcome expectancies for a training program consisting of meditation, breathing exercises, and cold exposure on the response to endotoxin administration: a proof-of-principle study

Anyway, this article isn’t about the efficacy of the Wim Hof Method, but it is about community and what is in our control that will positively influence our health.

So, at the weekend I made a decision to stop drinking until my next scan in July, and then see where I am at.

One of the main thoughts I’ve been having, and please appreciate these are my thoughts and beliefs as opposed to me saying I have full proof:

If I’ve been shrinking a brain tumour with breath work, cold exposure, my mindset and belief system…..what would happen to Terry (Terry the Tumour) if I stopped drinking, as alcohol is a toxin that inflames the body and requires a lot of energy to process and bring the body back to homeostasis?? Surely stopping would speed up the healing process as there would be more energy available to simply heal

Honestly, what do you think? I’m open to feedback.

A big part of my motivation is to see what effect it will have on shrinking Terry in addition to my WHM daily practice.

However, part of it is to see what it does for me as a person in terms of stress, energy and confidence, three things I talk to clients a lot about! I’m curious and excited to see what it does for me in all areas of my life.

I’d also like to feel proud of myself and more authentic when I speak to friends, family and clients about improving something I’m very passionate about…….performance, health and wellbeing.

There are times when I drink, and drink too much. I then feel shame, guilt and not very good about myself, and I’d like to eliminate that and feel in control and good about myself! I certainly don’t drink like I did when I was in my 30’s, but I do feel ready for a further change.

If my goal is to become a go to health and wellbeing expert, I feel I should at least experience and know what effect 6 months off the booze has on me. Whatever I learn I can share with others. I know there are so many people who have done all this before with great results. These people have inspired me, and I want to experience this for myself. I also know there are many people who aren’t happy with their relationship with alcohol, and so I hope these people take something from my sharing.

The reasons for sharing all this:

Firstly, one of my goals this year is to be authentic with myself and with those around me.

Secondly, I believe that sharing is useful for other people.

Thirdly, accountability brings this all to life, thank you for your support, you don’t even have to do anything!

The aim of sharing isn’t to tell you all not to drink, that’s not my style. I believe that life is all about choice, and I’d encourage you to be curious about your own life and health, and make the choices that are right for you.

My journey has lead me to a place where I’m keen to explore and prove how much more control we have over our health than we currently believe as a society. We are powerful beings, we really are, but we live busy, complicated and stressful lives and have lost touch with our innate power. If you feel you could do with taking the power back, think of a few small changes you could make that would positively influence your health. No matter how small, you’ll be surprised at how much change they make in the long run when applied consistently.

If you think this article might be useful for someone, please share.

Thanks reading and for your love and support,

Breathe, believe and have a cold plunge

Damo xx