About
Ever wondered which supplements might actually help you feel better during or after cancer treatment and help ease menopause symptoms? And which ones are worth your money?
When you're feeling exhausted, struggling with symptoms and desperate to feel more like yourself, it's tempting to head straight to the health food shop. But with so much conflicting advice, and healthcare professionals often telling us there isn't enough evidence, how do we know what's safe, what works and what to avoid?
I'm delighted to welcome Dr Muninder Walia, GP, menopause specialist and breast cancer survivor, to the podcast to explore one of the questions she hears most often from people affected by cancer: What about supplements?
What I particularly love about Muninder's approach is that she doesn't simply shut down the conversation. Instead, she encourages curiosity, open discussions and informed decisions.
Because when we're looking for ways to feel better, we deserve more than simply being told there isn't enough evidence.
Having experienced what it's like not to feel heard by her own medical team, Muninder is determined to be the kind of doctor she once needed, one who listens, takes every question seriously and makes sure her patients feel heard, informed and empowered to make the decisions that are right for them.
We talk about:
- Why so many of us ask about supplements
- Muninder's "try it, give it six to eight weeks, and stop if it doesn't work" approach
- Why she's honest about the safety side too, including liver toxicity, anaphylaxis, and checking your immune system and inflammatory markers during treatment
- How her own diagnosis changed her practice and her thinking about survivorship
- The omega-3 and omega-6 balance, and why oestrogen loss can drive up inflammation.
- Vitamin D, magnesium and B12. We also talk about the research linking low vitamin D with breast cancer
- Private testing, including gut health tests that have dropped from hundreds of pounds to around £100. We also talk about why we should look for evidence and not gimmicks
- Reformer Pilates, friendship, family, CBT-style positive thinking and the power of a second opinion
- Her message to everyone: ask the question, and ask us, not ChatGPT
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
04:20 Discussing traditional supplement use
08:13 Balancing medical advice with misinformation
11:08 Finding positivity after cancer treatment
14:43 Discussing omega-3 testing options
17:35 Using diet to reduce inflammation
23:13 Seeking a second opinion
Here are the links to support this episode:
- My earlier episode with Professor Thomas, an oncologist and integrative doctor, on turmeric and evidence: Episode 224 and Episode 225
- My book, Navigating Menopause After Cancer https://amzn.eu/d/073dhfvj
- You can find Muninder here: https://www.berkshiregrovehospital.co.uk/surgeons/dr-muninder-walia