Former Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury has spoken about her desire to stay as healthy as possible and her desire to stay alive for as long as possible.
Julia, 55, was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago and she has been open about the toll the disease has taken on her from a physical and psychological standpoint.
The author and broadcaster had a single mastectomy in late 2021 to remove a six centimetre tumour. She has now spoken about her renewed desire to live for as long as possible.
She told The Times: “I’ve got the biggest motivator in the world for trying these things – I want to stay alive for as long as possible. But I don’t want everybody else to have to get into my position to be as motivated.”
In the same interview, Julia also hit back at criticism of her following another interview she did about her typical weekend which saw her mocked.
The mocking reportedly occurred after she revealed that she sometimes removes sweets that her children stash in their bedrooms.
Julia explained that what she was actually talking about was a type of cuddly toy that she says have a lot of microplastics.
She said that when she picked up one of the toys from the carpet that she found it was hiding a box of sweets. Away from her children’s health, Julia said she has decided to take more charge of her own physical wellbeing.
The Dublin-born presenter told the Mirror: “I’ve really taken charge of my health. I want to make sure that I’m in the driving seat, rather than responding to crises.”
This includes taking a more proactive approach to her diet. She explained: “I cut out gluten, I cut out alcohol, I really started paying attention to my hormones.
“I also increased my fibre content and I’ve generally reduced my overall inflammation in my body – and I’ve done that under the guidance of medical professionals.”
Julia’s comments about her health came weeks after she marked International Women’s Day with a heartfelt message about an American physician diagnosed with cancer.
Julia highlighted the work of Jerri Lin Nielsen, who died at the age of 57 in 2009, a woman who self treated her own breast cancer whilst stationed at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in South Africa.
Julia said: “To mark International Women’s Day I’d like to celebrate the extraordinary story of the American doctor Jerri Nielsen. My new series heading to Antarctica for ITV brought her story into my orbit.
“In 1999 Jerri Nielsen was the only physician wintering at the Amundsen‑Scott South Pole Station, responsible for the health of about 40 colleagues.
“In the coldest, most isolated place on Earth, this woman achieved something incredible, and continued while treating herself and healing, to take care of others. I can’t imagine how afraid she must have felt going through a breast cancer diagnosis in this situation.”
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