my loves

Before I get into my loves of this blog, I want to say thank you to all the incredible people that I know who have helped me get where I am today. Never underestimate the power of love, a hug, a card or good wish. So if you know me and are reading this now, I mean you. I do not want to get too soppy so will leave it at that. Now to the fun stuff!

Food

I love food. Whether it’s blueberries, spinach, seafood or pizzas, chances are I love it. Unfortunately the pizzas have become more of an untouchable love over the past years due to food intolerances. After suffering from tear-jerking stomach cramps for months, tests proved I was lactose intolerant. You can image the shock that was for a lover of milk and cheese. Almost a decade on from experimenting with rice, oat, soya, goat and lactose free milks, I have become a dedicated user of rice milk. Though still tempted by lactose free cheese at times, my numerous, and not always so delicious, lactose (and later also gluten) free pizza attempts all suggest cutting dairy from my diet completely to be the best solution for me. The more annoying thing is, in my case at least, that food intolerances seem to like each other. I started limiting the amount of gluten and wheat I ate about a year or two ago because I felt it literally weighed me down. That feeling got even worse when I started chemotherapy. I found that cutting gluten and wheat from my diet as well as dairy products (including lactose free products) actually gave me a lot more energy, and with energy being a valuable luxury during chemotherapy, I started experimenting with even more free from foods. Cutting gluten and wheat from my intake did make me lose weight so that might be considered a bonus to some. Do speak to a doctor or dietician though before making any drastic changes to your diet, especially if you're undergoing any kind of treatment, as this is just what worked best for me. I should probably also mention that I am not the biggest fan of readymade meals and do not even own a microwave anymore. With all the above in mind, do keep a look out for some of my experimental dairy, gluten and wheat free recipes that I love making using rice milk, gluten and wheat free flour, and the occasional splash of soya. Don't let the sound of free from recipes put you off, they really are good!! 

Travel

Having grown up as a third culture kid it's probably not a big surprise that I love travelling and experiencing new things. Though I haven't travelled much this past year due to my circumstances, looking through photos from previous trips brought an even bigger smile to my face than before. Anyone close to me can vouch for my extensive around the world trip talk over the past months, so let this blog also be an inspiration for future quests!

Photography

As you probably guessed, I love photography too. I am amazed by the beauty of nature and how a small tool like a digital camera can forever capture a breath-taking shot. I find programs like Planet Earth incredible; they make me an even bigger wannabe photographer...Although not really the most pleasing thought at the time of treatment, I am now really glad that I took hundreds of pictures of myself through my cancer experience. Though the whole process probably sounds daunting, I found it to be really good to have documented all the changes happening to me during treatment, whether it is the unpleasant hair loss and rashes to the overwhelming bliss after noticing hair growth again. Ah, the wonders of life through a lens.