A Testicular Cancer Recovery Journey
At the age of 21, Andy Zagami was in the fight for his life and a full Testicular Cancer Recovery was the only outcome on his mind.
After noticing the symptoms of testicular cancer Andy Zagami was formally diagnosed and subsequently required chemotherapy and multiple surgeries. Life as he knew it was placed on hold as his family rallied around him and together went on the emotional rollercoaster that many families go through when faced with such a diagnosis.
What else may support Testicular Cancer and Recovery?
In the early days of Andy’s diagnosis and at just 21, we wouldn’t blame Andy for not understanding how to support his body to heal after his diagnosis, who would?
Wellness practices were misunderstood and finding ways to complement modern medicine was often not encouraged. It seemed to be the case that if it wasn’t practiced in Medicine then it should not be considered as beneficial.
Nonetheless, Andy took help from the medical teams who were just as motivated to get him back to full health, and continued to search for things he could do to support his body and immune system to take the fight to the cancerous cells creating disease and threatening his life.
In the years that followed Andy took full responsibility for his health. His search for tools that he could use to support his well-being started to show merit.
According to Andy, there are complementary practices that anyone going through cancer, can use to support healing and the immune system instead of relying on chemicals and medicines alone.
To learn more about Andy listen to the interview and grab a copy of his book Unbreakable.
http://www.unbreakablebook.com and for more about his personal training services visit http://www.a2zpt.com.au
To listen to another amazing cancer recovery interview check out this interview with Brigette Sigley from Focus On Living.
Transcription:
Intro 0:04
Recovery After Stroke podcast moving you through life’s transit lounge and helping you go from where you are to where you’d rather be.
Bill 0:14
Hello, everyone, and thank you once again for tuning in to the Recovery After Stroke podcast. As a health coach, I really love hearing about and sharing stories of others that have overcome adversity and ill health. And today’s guest is no different.
Bill 0:33
At the age of 21, Andy was diagnosed with testicular cancer, which subsequently required chemotherapy and multiple surgeries. In the years that followed, he took his health into his own hands, with the realization that there are alternative methods to treating oneself instead of relying on chemicals and medicines alone. Welcome to the show, Andy.
Andy Zagami 0:56
Thanks for having me, buddy.
Bill 0:58
How are you, man?
Andy Zagami 0:59
I’m Brilliant how are you?
Bill 1:01
Yeah, don’t really well, I’m excited to have you on the program, you’ve got an amazing story to share. And it’s kind of one that’s really inspirational at least it was inspirational to me early on, when I kind of needed a little bit of guidance or, or sort of good news stories to focus on when I was going through my own challenges with health.
Bill 1:29
And I figured that there’s gonna be a ton of people out there that are going to be really benefiting from hearing what you’ve achieved and what you’ve overcome. And I want to start by asking you to just tell us a little bit about yourself, Andy first.
Andy Zagami 1:46
Always an interesting question because I never answer it the same way because I guess there’s so much that’s gone on but, you know, for a guy who grew up as a gymnast, I managed to get through cancer a few times and he’s a like, 20s in running my business. Right is, as a personal trainer, just dying to run health retreats. Released my book a year ago, you know, it’s been, it’s been a busy 29 years,
Bill 2:12
Because it’s really in our news it certainly has squeezed in more than most people in the US, right, let me tell you and I met 41. And I’m sort of yet to get through some of the things that you’ve been through and achieved. But that being said, some of the things are not enviable either, right? They’re not
Andy Zagami 2:34
I was just about to say some of the things that I’ve been through, I wouldn’t wish upon anybody Well, that’s potentially a long story for an entirely different podcast, but, you know, they’re interesting experiences, and they taught me a lot. So I am grateful, but yes, you still wouldn’t want somebody to go through it.
Bill 2:49
We are going to do the, you know, let’s go right back to the beginning because the beginning is very interesting as well for you, which is something I want to avoid with most people because you know, In the beginning, there’s you know, I learn to walk and all that kind of stuff. But before you learn to walk, you had a challenge with your brain. Yeah. And that fascinates me because I’ve had challenges with my brain. Tell me about what happened when you were born or near when you were born,
Andy Zagami 3:16
basically. So when I was born, I joined us and they couldn’t work out why it took them a week to work it out. So eventually, they sent me in for surgery, and ended up having a brain hemorrhage. So brain surgery, seven days old.
Bill 3:34
Wow.
Andy Zagami 3:35
Got a nice big horseshoe scar on the back of my head to prove it, which is always a fun party trick. On Yeah, I mean, no, I clearly don’t remember it. But life progressed relatively normally with the exception of a few little things. But yeah, I guess not your, not your average way to start life, that’s for sure.
Bill 3:57
Yeah. It’s a big shock to people as an investor for the National Stroke Foundation, one of the things that I do is talk to people about raising awareness in how to prevent stroke, how to help people recover from stroke, you know what to do if you come across somebody having a stroke, but, and often we talk about that stroke doesn’t discriminate, and we talk about the fact that anyone can have a stroke, but it can also happen in the uterus.
Bill 4:25
So even before birth, and I’ve never met anyone that that’s happened to, although I’ve met a lot of children that have had strokes of different kinds. And did it stop you from doing anything? Sort of in your early development, reading, writing, walking talking any of that, and not that I’m
Andy Zagami 4:45
aware of, and I’m pretty confident that because mom and I had a big chat about it while we’re while I was writing the book, and the only thing it did, which I think is more because of the surgery than anything Technically it made me blind. But because I was so young
Andy Zagami 5:06
Thanks to neuroplasticity, which we’ve spoken about many times, some. I love the way my eye doctor explained this to me. He just said because I was so young, I had some extra brain cells lying around that just took over the job of my eyesight which is a very layman’s way of saying Yeah. And which is one last that’s not perfect and it never can be. But yeah, thanks extra brain cells.
Bill 5:32
So most most of your life your brother’s family and friends would have been tempted to grow Brian right. And that would have been coin your brainless. I know that. That was the experience of my lovely relationship with my brother.
Andy Zagami 5:44
Oh, yeah, absolutely. And the amount of times I’d have brain scans, you know, the doctors always check Don’t worry, there’s still something left in there. There’s a big black hole. But apart from that,
Bill 5:52
That’s beautiful. So you had proof that you had a brain from day seven. I had to wait until my 40s before I can Prove that I actually had a brain. But that’s another interesting sort of way to start a conversation at a party.
Bill 6:09
And we’ll go through that at the moment, which continues with the interview. So tell me a little bit about, you’re a gymnast you used to go and you know, swing around on high stuff and all that kind of thing. Is that what it was?
Andy Zagami 6:25
Yeah, that’s, like looking at it.
Bill 6:27
That’s my difficult time.
Andy Zagami 6:28
Yep. Yeah, it could have been worse. Yeah, I started gymnastics at the age of four. And by the age of six, I was training with the elite squad to train for the Olympics, which clearly I had no idea about at the time. I was too young. I was just having fun. So I didn’t care.
Andy Zagami 6:47
And then yeah, I got to travel all around Victoria train at several different clubs, Won 20 medals. I’ve got them all pinned up on my studio wall, which is nice. Yeah, that has changed part of my life. Do you know? started when I was four I didn’t stop until I was 18 so it was definitely in my blood that’s for sure.
Bill 7:07
Wow okay, so when you stopped doing that what did you just get over not being interested in gymnastics?
Andy Zagami 7:17
No, I was still interested. My body definitely thanked me because of the number of injuries, if you look at the first page of my book, they list every injury, and it just yeah so many interests from it. So my body eventually got over it, which was nice.
Andy Zagami 7:39
I kept it up a little bit, just doing my own stuff at home, which I’m slowly getting back to now just working on a few other issues to fix up and whatnot. But yeah, unfortunately, the way I ended it was kind of cold turkey, to be honest. And I was in year 12 you know how to study and yeah, just getting Had a glandular fever and all the rest so it was all kind of a bit of a crazy time to be finishing it anyway.
Bill 8:05
Looking back now, was there kind of a Do you reckon you sense that somewhere in your body that you know it’s the right time to stop after the group? What I would imagine will be really grueling, you know, from a kid going through all this training, all this jumping and swinging and turning and all that kind of stuff.
Bill 8:23
Feel like maybe there was a little bit of a sense that hey, this is something I’ve got to stop because if I don’t do if I continue, I’m going to be even more physically unwell, just because of the gymnastics. No, you’re absolutely right.
Andy Zagami 8:40
You know, between the age of, we’ll say 13 to 16 and a half 17. I had so many injuries, and a fractured spine in one of them that my body area was like it was telling me that you need to slow down and I just, I think I knew I knew in my heart that as much as I loved that it was like, I need to stop.
Andy Zagami 9:04
Because, you know, I don’t want to be in a wheelchair when I’m standing. Right. Okay. Um, so, yeah, for my own health, and I kind of I didn’t reach my goals entirely, but I suddenly reached a lot of them. So I was happy to stop.
Bill 9:23
Yeah. And then after that, and then after you stop that, what was your were you working? Were you at uni? What were you doing?
Andy Zagami 9:33
Yeah, well, just finished up here at 12, which was a disastrous year for very, very many reasons. So we’ll avoid but it just ended up going into sport and recreation and event management costs, which within a couple of months realized was boring and not at all what I wanted to do. So I started doing my personal training course pretty quickly after that, and that was what set me on the path of where I am today.
Bill 10:07
Okay, so your personal trainer?
Andy Zagami 10:09
Yes. So yeah, but by the age of 21, I was a qualified personal trainer. Pretty much. Yeah, I’ve my business just for my 21st birthday.
Bill 10:21
Awesome. So what’s the goal of personal training to achieve something specific for your clients? Or do you have different clients and have individual needs,
Andy Zagami 10:30
The majority of them are for weight loss. I’ve transitioned a little bit away from that. I mean, that’s still the majority of it, and that’s what we do, and that’s fine. And, you know, my method works as long as they follow, which, as you know, with your clients isn’t always as easy.
Andy Zagami 10:48
But I guess that’s why I’ve kind of transitioned a little bit more into the retreats because I’m far more interested in educating people, giving them the tools to go and make the changes rather than just the training because that’s not where the real results can come from at least long term.
Bill 11:05
Yeah, I see the coaching that I do, and I’m not sure about you because you do it slightly differently. But I see the coaching that I do as something that gives people color, like a help helping hand. Sure. And I really don’t like to make people whatsoever reliant on me.
Bill 11:24
So I don’t want to, I don’t want me to be the reason why they’re changing, evolving, growing, overcoming, you know, old rather, maybe the guy who just sort of gives them a helping hand every once in a while and make them reliant on themselves so able to sense whatever it is that they feel they need so that they can go down the path that they need to I could come up with 1000 different ways to help people overcome their challenges.
Bill 11:52
But if that’s not what they enjoy doing, if their heart’s not in what I’ve got to say, I feel like I’m not going to get results. And not only do I feel like the evidence is there, you know, I’ll talk to my clients and they’ll say, how’d you go last week?
Bill 12:05
And I said, Well, I didn’t do anything about what you said. And when I asked them why I kind of took an understanding of it, I realized that perhaps it’s not really what they’re truly interested in doing. And when we uncover what they’re truly interested in doing, then I take a backseat, I don’t have to be involved.
Bill 12:22
And often I get clients coming back saying, Wow, I had a really amazing week I did this, I did that. And it was everything I ever expected and more and all that type of thing. Is that the type of is that the way that you see your relationship with your clients as well?
Andy Zagami 12:37
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, ideally, from a personal training point of view, I would love to train clients for, let’s say, three months, and then they turn around and go cool. We’ve learned what we need, you know, and we’ll just we’ll kind of check in with you every two weeks, every month, whatever. And I’ve managed to do that with some climbs. majority of them.
Andy Zagami 12:57
The reason they come to me in the first place is they don’t have the motivation. Do themselves, right? You know, 99% of my job is being an accountability coach. So they need accountability, so they’re never going to go anywhere.
Bill 13:09
Okay, I like the sound of that. Yeah.
Andy Zagami 13:11
Which from a business model is clearly a good thing. But when it comes to actually educating people, it is tough because they’re so stuck in that mindset. And when you’re in that setting of personal training, it’s really hard to take them out of that and put them into a coaching frame. Because they’re sitting there going, we should be training not talking about whatever we’re talking about.
Andy Zagami 13:34
Whereas the retreats, yeah, you know, I would love for them to come to the retreat for a weekend. Learn what they need to learn, go and do their thing. And maybe we check in every, whatever couple of months as a bit of a top-up.
Bill 13:51
Yeah, too. So I feel like our job is more of a to do with being a sort of a like a place to go to when You’re feeling off track or a little bit uncertain about what’s next sort of kind of given, given that everything changes for everybody, rapidly and all the time, you know, it’s a good place to go back and say, Okay, this is where we’re at. This is where we’ve come. Alright, let’s work on what I need to do next to take me to that next level.
Andy Zagami 14:21
Yeah, absolutely. Right. If I had more clients like that, I would be a happy man.
Bill 14:26
Yeah, well, it’s something worth striving for, you know, it’s definitely, I find that I get better. Well, I don’t get the results. My clients get better results when we create that kind of relationship, which means that there’s no need for them to come and see me X amount of time. There’s no fixed sort of daily routine or weekly routine or anything. It’s really built around what the client requires right by cleaning slowly, not your needs,
Andy Zagami 14:55
yeah, I like it because otherwise, you’re just projecting your model of the world on them, which is now the way to go.
Bill 15:01
Yeah. Couldn’t agree more. So you’ve got your coaching practice up and running around just before the age of 21. And then you took a little bit of a detour for it in what it was that you had planned, and the plan center can become a little bit unraveled time a little bit about what happened just after, was it your 21st?
Andy Zagami 15:31
Yes. So well, just to give a bit of an idea of how quickly it’ll happen. So, I’ve been in business since April 2007. I have my 21st in May. Then, in July, I’m lying in the hospital being told I have cancer.
Bill 15:46
Right.
Andy Zagami 15:47
It was a busy three months.
Bill 15:50
Wow. Sure. Did you have some kind of warning? Did you feel like there was something not right that led you to go to the doctor what was going on?
Andy Zagami 15:59
It’s always interesting. Because basically what happened was I was DJing at a mix 21st up in Sydney. big night as you’d expect, and fairly hangover the next day. I’m still feeling fairly hungover the day later. And the morning after that. And here’s me thinking there’s no way I drank that much.
Andy Zagami 16:24
I’m like, yeah, and it tended to come to that. But yeah, so I always wonder what, when it would have come out if I hadn’t had that ignite, because the doctors were always saying, well, that eventually spurred it on. At least to some degree.
Andy Zagami 16:42
So no, I didn’t necessarily feel anything other than really seeking. And at the time, I just equated it to the alcohol. Nothing else. I mean, I was 21 years old I didn’t really know anything about my body. And you know, I’d grown up basically, being unbreakable, doing whatever I want. I did whatever I wanted, and never noticed The thing so
Bill 17:02
and then what made you go to the doctor?
Andy Zagami 17:08
Basically filling off my appendix was going to blow up.I was at work and I just couldn’t move. Like I was bent over on a chair. excruciating pain, because I’ve felt worse since then. But, you know, if anyone’s ever had the experience of their appendix bursting or along those lines, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I just called Mum and she’s a nurse and I said, this is what I’m feeling.
Andy Zagami 17:38
She’s like, yep. Appendix call straight to the doctor. Pays me to the surgeon. I was in surgery the next morning.
Bill 17:47
And it was your appendix.
Andy Zagami 17:49
No, no, no, no. So that was just like a random referral chronic pain never really worked at that time. It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter at the end of the day it was like whatever that pain was gone.
Bill 18:04
through often did you go to surgery though? Did you have surgery?
Andy Zagami 18:09
Yeah. So I had I was in for surgery the very next morning.
Bill 18:12
What did they do?
Andy Zagami 18:12
So this is all kind of they cut open my stomach effectively. And yeah, just it was an exploratory surgery because he said he felt a lump just below my ribs and didn’t know what it was. So he had to cut me open and check it out. Right. And because of because I was in so much pain he like, normally they probably would have done an X-ray or CT, whatever the first biggest pain is just like, forget it. Let’s just check it out. Because its clearly not good.
Bill 18:12
So tell me what you think about that situation. Right? So I’m sitting here freaking out. I’m thinking, What do you mean they just cut you open without knowing what was their, highest hindsight? What do you think about that now?
Andy Zagami 18:59
Look at the end of the day. I mean, knowing everything I know now, I would never go through that again. But given the situation I was in, I might make an exception. Like it was there, there was just so much pain that no amount of natural remedies would, would get through that, at least looked to be fair, I don’t know how far along the council was I don’t think it actually was too far along.
Andy Zagami 19:27
So from a natural point of view, maybe you could, but it was a lot of pain. You know, painkillers didn’t work, right? sitting in the car, like very little of the car would move while you’re driving. Was that that hurt more than the actual thing? So sitting still, still was painful but driving was no good at all. So yeah, look, I mean, everything happens for a reason, right? So
Bill 19:53
Well, apparently.
Andy Zagami 19:55
The power of the universe has some grand plan, whatever
Bill 19:57
Yeah, you have so so there’s So drew back up, they found nothing or dinner.
Andy Zagami 20:02
So no, no. So they found they found cancerous tissue. So, I woke up from surgery. I won’t say what happened. And basically, I woke up being told I had cancer. I won’t spoil exactly what I said, because that’s the first paragraph of the book. Yeah, fair enough. Yeah.
Andy Zagami 20:21
Yeah.
Bill 20:22
So then. So then what happens then I imagine there’s a gathering of your thoughts. There’s sort of family stuff that’s going on, but at some point, like you need to be traded, how soon do you go from opening yourself up where they find where they found in the past pre-cancerous cells? And then what was happening after that?
Andy Zagami 20:45
Yes, so it was three weeks, I think. Before I went into chemotherapy. I kind of half knew what to expect with chemo because my younger brother had been through and My grandma had been told as well.
Bill 21:02
Wow, how how? When had your younger brother been through it,
Unknown Speaker 21:07
and when he was 12 he had a brain tumor, right? Yeah. And so you know, I’d seen how he reacted It was crazy I don’t know how he did it he would have come over and then go play cricket later that day. Well, kids a machine, that’s awesome. But in saying that he would also then walk through the doors of the Children’s Hospital and throw up. So,
Bill 21:33
yeah, and how about you was your experience the same? Not quite.
Andy Zagami 21:40
So I would go through chemo for five days straight at the time. And by day three, I pretty much felt good and refused to get out of bed they had to care for me just cuz I wasn’t eating and drinking enough. So you know, chronically dehydrated Especially realize, and yeah, just a terrible experience to me.
Bill 22:06
And then you got through it, right?
Andy Zagami 22:07
Of course.
Bill 22:09
And you got through it and how long after the usual therapy and all that type of stuff where you sort of clear again,
Andy Zagami 22:17
so bye October so many dates in my head. I think it was October 15 was my last surgery in 2007. Right. So I ended up having chemo done by September, early September and then I needed a few weeks for my immune system to reveal itself and whatnot before they threw me in for surgery.
Bill 22:41
Yeah.
Andy Zagami 22:43
So yeah, by mid-October, I was done and clear and 10 kilos lighter and I had to teach myself to walk again, thanks to another massive tear up and of my stomach that you’re just hurting reaping all the reaping what I had in an AIPAC clearly no longer,
Bill 23:05
Right when your muscles sort of decayed muscles, right? Okay. Yeah. So you were 21 still, right? Yeah. And then you’re back on track, you’re feeling better. And then what happened then after that,
Andy Zagami 23:18
So the next few years progress as they would, you know, covering nothing major, just usual checkups and stuff. Slowly got back into running the business again. A couple of nice family holidays as a celebration. And it wasn’t really until 2007 it wasn’t till 2010 that I was running down one tower row.
Andy Zagami 23:46
And in no way I just stopped. I just couldn’t I could barely move. I just built myself up to be running like six, seven K’s, or never It was pretty comfortable, and then you just out of nowhere. Just couldn’t run at all, and to kind of wind behind and just be just that was my first, the first time where I was like, okay, something is actually wrong now.
Andy Zagami 24:10
I could sense that there was something going on. Yeah. I had a scan coming up in a couple of weeks anyway. was too late to push it to bring it forward. So I just waited and just kind of relaxed and just let my body do its thing. And then yeah, when interscan Hey, presto, cancer had spread.
Bill 24:33
Right, and was it up the second time that they had diagnosed diagnosis you or was it more? Have there been other instances?
Andy Zagami 24:43
No, that was Yeah, that was the second. So between the end of October 2010, and the end of 2007. nothing other than checkups and they’re all clear.
Bill 24:55
Right? So that’s awesome. So you’ve got to that point where now you’re dealing With another bout of chemotherapy and all the stuff that’s coming up, how did you handle that?
Andy Zagami 25:06
Well, what they ended up doing this one was just so they came up with spread material cancer spread to my lungs. So what they did for this one was just kind of part of my lung to just a measly 10%, no big deal.
Andy Zagami 25:23
So, you know, my thinking at the time with surgery was whatever, you know, telesurgery, get in a permanent sleep or wake up in a couple of hours. So I never thought anything past that. I had a friend, quick tangent. I had a friend who would always ask me, you know, how do you deal so well with surgeries, and took me ages to work it out.
Andy Zagami 25:47
And I think it was because back then I used to eat so much food because he had too fast for you know, 12 hours, give or take for surgery. Maybe that was it. It was that I was so hungry. Nurses like to hurry up and go to sleep. So Wake up eight men care what you’re doing to be a slave. Just knock me out.
Bill 26:05
Yeah, whatever works.
Andy Zagami 26:06
Exactly. So yeah so you know certain surgery but then and they got it was all clear after the surgery but then within five weeks when I went back for a checkup, the cancer went back again.
Bill 26:22
Okay the cancer grand back now in a different location the time
Andy Zagami 26:26
Well higher up in the lung that, Oh yeah, just above where they chopped out parts.
Bill 26:33
And what was the plan this time?
Andy Zagami 26:35
They thought well surgery didn’t work. Let’s go came right okay, so more chemo, but at least this time for the chemo. It was I got to stay in the hospital for the whole time. This meant that I was being pumped for fluid when I wasn’t having chemo so I wasn’t dehydrated till I actually felt fine. It was it wasn’t until I went home after my rounds of picking I see purely because I wasn’t drinking enough water and wasn’t eating.
Bill 27:05
Right. Okay. So tell me a little bit about your you’re at home now what’s, what’s the plan? So what are you doing? How are you supporting yourself? What information were you given? No, what did you know about how to support yourself so that you can recover?
Andy Zagami 27:24
To be honest, the information I was given was very little. I think I won’t go on too much of a tangent but I think the medical industry doesn’t seem to acquire certain lifestyle factors and nutrition into healing between surgeries and chemo and all the rest. So what I was told was just go home and relax.
Andy Zagami 27:54
Basically, I’m sure there are a few other things they told me but you know, that’s that was the gist of it. Yeah, you know, they say whatever you want. It’s not gonna make any effect, which I’m sorry, that’s BS. But anyway.
Bill 28:08
Yeah. So you’ve gone from going to hospital having all the, you know, the medical interventions, and without them, really a lot of us wouldn’t be here. But then how do you keep out of the doctor’s surgery and the operating room, you know, in the future because that’s,
Bill 28:29
I think what people want to know, they want to know how are we going to be able to heal ourselves and recover from these things that we go through so that we don’t have ongoing challenges and our life short as a result of the things that come up.
Andy Zagami 28:44
On the test, There are so many ways you can go about it. I mean, one of the first things that got me into changing my ways was I saw an interview by a doctor who explained that cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment.
Andy Zagami 29:02
So as soon as I heard that I was like, cool, I’m gonna make myself alkaline because at the end of the day if that’s going to kill off cancer and not let it grow seems like a pretty good place to start. So that was definitely my starting point.
Andy Zagami 29:20
So I cut out a lot of food. And so you know, three main food groups meat and dairy, see a letter processed foods, just you name it, cut everything out, and I just started eating as clean as I possibly could. And I think one of the biggest things as well is that we don’t actually give our bodies enough credit to actually heal themselves. If our bodies are very, very, very smart machines. problem is we’re constantly bombarding rubbish and not giving you the chance to clean its filters and do its thing.
Andy Zagami 29:53
So, you know, that’s where kind of a juice fast or water fast whatever comes in. And can be and can have such profound effects. So, you know, yeah.
Bill 30:05
So I was gonna say that you didn’t make those changes after the second time that you ended up in the hospital. You made these changes after the third time in the hospital.
Andy Zagami 30:15
After they. Yeah, there’s this Well, technically the second letter came over. Yes. The third doesn’t assess because, yeah. So it wasn’t that all these changes didn’t really start until mid-2011.
Bill 30:27
Yeah. So So why the shift, though? So what was it in your mentality that sort of gave you the opportunity to think about this in a different from a different perspective?
Andy Zagami 30:37
Yeah, well, it finally hit me. I was just like, I thought I was a healthy person. Why, why is this happening? so much? Like why? Why is conventional treatment not working? And then I was like, well, they’re clearly not addressing the cause. So what’s the course?
Andy Zagami 30:57
And at the time, I didn’t necessarily have an answer, and I potentially still Now when I’ve got theories, and I’ve proven them, but you know, chemo and surgery do not address the cause. Right? It just took me a few years to work that one out.
Bill 31:14
So as well as food intake, the changes that you made in your diet, what other changes did you make?
Andy Zagami 31:23
The biggest thing outside of that was the little things that I do every day. Like, going for a walk first thing in the morning, actually breathing in some fresh air meditation, having a gratitude journal, like Patel, some people that they just look at me going, Yeah, what about that, man, that’s, that that’s whatever, it’s not gonna do anything. I’m like, you know what you go try that for 20 days, 30 days, see how you feel.
Andy Zagami 31:52
I guarantee it’ll change your outlook. If they are such small things, but I know when I go for A 20-minute walk in the morning, I feel so much better for the rest of the year. Simple as that, if it’s going to make me feel better if it’s going to affect my, you know, my mood, let alone My body on a daily basis just by doing something basic like a walk, which is free so people don’t have an excuse not to do it.
Bill 32:23
Well, fancy that I free to go for a walk.
Andy Zagami 32:26
Holy moly.
Bill 32:28
That’s awesome. I never thought about it that way. But you’re right. I often hear in other interviews, people talk about some of the things that they do. And you wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard, you need to get moving, get moving, we’re supposed to be moving not stagnant. And the simplest form of getting moving is just going for a really gentle walk.
Bill 32:49
One doesn’t. One that doesn’t sort of have a massive impact on the knees or, or the muscles or anything like that. It’s just literally getting the blood flowing.
Andy Zagami 32:58
And so that later on, Yeah, I mean, for me, it’s partly it’s a little disheartening in the sense that, you know, going from being a gymnast feeling, feeling unbreakable, growing up being able to do some things to now not being quite that agile and strong and whatnot. But at the same time, I can appreciate good work whereas 1015 years ago, I would have been scoring. So big mind shift, that’s for sure.
Bill 33:29
Right, So there’s more of a reason to go for a walk now before it was about just being bored and now it’s about really, this is actually assisting me in recovering This is helping my body work properly. This is you know, putting fresh oxygen into my lungs. This is you know, sending those oxygen that oxygen into the extremities in my body and in my organs and all that kind of stuff. It really does change what a walk really is about.
Andy Zagami 33:59
absolutely
Bill 34:00
If you can see the upside of how it affects your life in a positive way, then I suppose that is a greater reason to go for a walk. And I feel, you know, similar to you, I, I’ve done a lot of one-percenters, the little 1% all add up and become something really massive that actually impacts your life in a positive way together.
Bill 34:24
And I was similar to you in the past, you know, I needed to find a good excuse not to go for a walk. And when my wife would ask me, you know, let’s go for a walk. I would say, ah, like, you know, my toe hurts or anything I quit to get out of it. And it was because I was also bored. I thought it was the most boring thing you could do. Now, when we go for a walk, we have an awesome chat. And I know that I’m doing my body good.
Bill 34:51
And we walk in an area that’s as flat as possible. You know, if we’re not feeling like having a sort of rigorous walk, so we can choose the route that we take and we don’t have to have the kind of walk that’s going to bring us back feeling tired and feeling like you know, that was too hard. I don’t ever want to do that again tomorrow. Yeah. And slowly.
Andy Zagami 35:12
I find it funny you say, too hard. So I posted it posted a thing on Facebook this morning saying, talking about Hill sprints. I can’t remember the exact words. But, you know, the idea of people doing a hill sprint, and let’s equate that to a walk can sometimes say hard.
Andy Zagami 35:29
But, you know, the heel itself will never change. It’s just your attitude towards that hill. Yeah. The more you do it, the easier it gets, the more your mind will switch and go, Hey, this is actually easy. Yeah, then the endorphins kick in and you actually feel good. On the other hand, you can take it to the extreme and do what I did a few years ago and go off the Inca Trail and South America that’ll change your perspective on more walkers.
Bill 35:56
Yeah, that’s Um, I’ve heard a little bit about your Time up in the South American mountains or something along those lines.
Andy Zagami 36:07
the Andes? Yeah. Yeah, it was a very profound experience even though, like my lung was gonna explode several times.
Bill 36:16
Yeah. Tell me a little bit about how is it that you got yourself to decide to go and do this particular trick. Is that kind of like a was that a thing on your to-do list or was it something that you thought was going to bring a lot of joy and happiness to you as a result, personally, you know, physically have a positive effect on your health and well being.
Andy Zagami 36:40
Yeah, most of the second one, I guess the opportunity came up to go with a group and I, as soon as I saw the opportunity, I was like, Great, that’s awesome. I’d love to go you know, it’s, it was a holiday. It was a way of giving myself something for everything that I’ve been through.
Andy Zagami 37:02
And yeah, it was. It was a, it was an active holiday. Yeah. So it was kind of it was twofold for me, you know, going on a holiday where you actually get to experience something like that is phenomenal. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. So just the peacefulness of walking through there, and quite literally waking up in the clouds, you know, meditating in Machu Picchu. It’s just an experience I’ll never forget. And something that I would gladly go do again tomorrow.
Bill 37:41
What do you say to people that have been putting off the trip of their lifetime or that have been putting off something that they really really want to do? And they have come up with so many reasons why it’s not possible. What do you say to people like that?
Andy Zagami 37:55
Stop making bullshit. We get so stuck. You know the daily routine of having to work nine to five every day have to do this have to do that. We’re going to hold on one day How long have you been saying one day you’re wasting your life? Where am I here for a short time we’re here to make the most of it and enjoy it and create experiences that we’re gonna remember forever.
Andy Zagami 38:20
The guarantee is you’re not going to remember the hundred-hour weeks that you were, well you might but they’re not going to be a pleasant experience. You know, I’d much rather not be working crazy hours being able to look after my body and go and experience something.
Andy Zagami 38:38
And sure you know it might be an expensive holiday, but prioritize. If that means you need to save up for however long and you have one less lunch out one less dinner out. It adds up the number of clients I come across so they can afford it and then when you look at how much money they spend going out and during the wait for coffees, lunches, dinners, drink You know, spending a couple of hundred bucks, or like just on that. Stop doing that for two months. Hey, there’s a hole.
Bill 39:08
Yeah, it is pretty. It’s another guy again, it’s a shift in mindset. It’s this moving from this, you know, I don’t have I can’t afford it and I can’t do to everything is possible as a matter of what you’re focusing on and paying attention to where you’re putting your energy and what’s sucking your energy and your resources.
Andy Zagami 39:28
Yep, absolutely right.
Bill 39:31
I recently had a trip to Greece in 2013, after my first sort of second after my first two blades in the brain, and my goal to get back to grace began in 1993 and I am for 20 years. I kid you not every single year for 20 years. I would say next year, next year, and next year, and I had to get to the point where I, you know, I thought, geez, I might die, I might not be here next year. A bit of bloody go.
Andy Zagami 40:15
Good motivation?
Bill 40:16
Because if I didn’t go, what, what have I bloody done in that 20 years What have I done that was so memorable. That meant that I should miss out on going on a trip to Greece, you know, and enjoying my time with family friends, and you know, the experience of being in Europe and all that type of thing. And I just had nothing. I had nothing.
Bill 40:36
I looked back in those previous 20 years, and there was nothing there that I had done that I could say, well, that was worth not going to grace. And one of the things that I didn’t that one of the excuses that I made was because I had to work and I had worked for a certain person who sacked me anyway A few years later,
Bill 40:58
So it wasn’t Like the cheese and I was loyal to somebody for a period of time, and I missed out on opportunities because I didn’t want to be away from work. And I didn’t want to let another person down, but I let myself down. And I didn’t say that it took 20 years and some serious health is serious health conditions for me to look back and go, well.
Bill 41:21
You know, I’ve waited way too long. So I bought the ticket and went overseas. It was the best, it was the best sort of it wasn’t a homecoming, but it was the best kind of like, wow, I finally made it here. And there are no more excuses. I don’t have any other reason not to be here. And that was really liberating.
Andy Zagami 41:42
Sounds pretty perfect.
Bill 41:45
Yeah. So I encourage people to get to that point where they run out of excuses, way before their life’s on the line and why before they think that they might not be around tomorrow because the fact is that we all might not be around too much.
Bill 42:00
This is not meant to be a doom and gloom show though, it’s really important to highlight what people have been through and what they’ve overcome. So the whole premise of the show is helping people go from where they are to where they’d rather be. Yeah. And I imagine that you would have spoken to many a cancer patient in your last sort of 10 years, or nine or nine years or however long it’s been, and encouraged them to fight overcome.
Bill 42:35
If you are not putting in a small little bit, you could give somebody some tips on how to begin the process of taking back a little bit of control where so much control is given over to others during a time of ill health. What would you say to them, what would you sort of encourage them to do?
Andy Zagami 42:57
So anyone going through it or anyone who wants to prevent illness. I mean, prevention fish, but anyone who’s going through it, ask around, see what natural things you can start doing. You know, if you are going through chemo, here’s a perfect one. fasting for three days has been proven to completely new your immune system.
Andy Zagami 43:20
So if you do that Peter three-day fasting before you go into chemo, you will, you’re far less likely to feel the side effects from the chemotherapy because your body’s going to be as strong as it can be. Simple things like that could make a massive difference.
Bill 43:39
So this experience has inspired you in many ways. And you’re recently written a book and had the pleasure of reading it before it was finished. And offered it was an awesome read and was really gripping. It was really amazing to sort of hear what it was that you’ve ever come A little bit about the book.
Andy Zagami 44:04
If you told me 10 years ago, I was writing a book, I’d be like, you’re looking at the person behind What’s going on? No, I’m not a writer, and I don’t proclaim to be one of either in that book, but I guess it just details everything that we’ve spoken about and a lot more.
Andy Zagami 44:23
I wanted to, I wanted to be able to help people. And I’ve been told many, many times throughout an inspirational story, and it took me a long time to say that, you know, for me, it’s just like, well, that’s my life. That’s what I’ve been through. It’s my experience, whatever, that’s fine. But then once I really dug into it, I just thought, you know what, there’s actually some really interesting life lessons in there that could help many people.
Andy Zagami 44:49
So, I guess that was the premise for starting the whole thing. And now here we are a year after it’s been released and the number of messages and emails I’ve gotten People who read and never expected that a lot of people going through chemo a lot of people who had been through it, or loved ones going through it, you know, they all yet just everyone was very appreciative and a lot of people have got a lot of information which is just bad.
Bill 45:21
Yeah, fantastic show. That’s an excellent man. How can people come across you more? How can they find you and your book? What’s the best way for people to get in touch?
Unknown Speaker 45:33
So I can find the book at unbreakable books calm, which has a whole bunch of follow-up information afterward with the books so that’ll be really helpful. And they can also find me at a2zedptcom.au, which has got all my personal training, coaching packages, and whatnot.
Bill 45:54
Right. Fantastic. So are we set for a personal training session Maybe you know, Sunday morning at 530. That’s the kind of session that you do.
Andy Zagami 46:07
Not on a Sunday, but every other day and half the show. Sunday is my one day of peace. Thank you very much.
Bill 46:13
Fantastic. That’s the day that I plan on capturing your personal reading
Andy Zagami 46:17
you will make an exception.
Bill 46:20
I was hoping you’d say now sorry, I don’t work. Sundays can’t do it. It’s not possible, therefore I got out of it. know me better than anything for you. Yeah. You know me better than that. So you’re gonna make me suffer. And the man, it’s been amazing to have an opportunity to actually get to talk to you in this forum. I know a heap about you.
Bill 46:43
And it’s always more interesting to actually interview somebody as if I don’t know them because I learned things about them that I didn’t know, prior. So I really appreciate your time. Thanks so much for making some time available for me today.
Bill 46:59
Hey, guys. Bill, here again, I hope you enjoyed this episode of the transit lounge podcast helping you go from where you are to where you’d rather be. It’s always interesting to hear how others approach ill health and recovery.
Bill 47:13
And he’s one inspirational guy. If you’re interested in taking back control of your health and you feel that you could benefit from a health coach to guide you on a journey of recovery or disease prevention if you’re just looking to address excess weight, low levels of energy, or any other health challenge, do get in touch, you can visit my website at www dot bill gaseous comm fill out the contact form and I’ll be in touch. The first session is always free.
Bill 47:47
And if you are not in Melbourne or even Australia and cannot meet in person, I’m happy to chat with you over Skype. If you like the show, please leave us some feedback on the iTunes page and if you have this Episode is helpful to you or to others you might know, share it on your Facebook feeds, and any other social media accounts.
Bill 48:09
It will make it really possible for people to get a different perspective on health and overcome challenges in this really easy way without having to spend any money to gain some extra knowledge. So Until the next episode of the transit lounge podcast, thanks again for listening, and I’m wishing you good health.
Intro 48:32
The presenters and special guests of this podcast intend to provide accurate and helpful information to their listeners. These podcasts can not take into consideration individual circumstances and are not intended to be a substitute for independent medical advice from a qualified health professional. You should always seek advice from a qualified health professional before acting on any of the information provided by any of the transit lounge podcasts.
Intro 49:00
This has been a production of https://recoveryafterstroke.com/ Check out our page on Facebook and start a conversation by leaving a comment at https://www.instagram.com/recoveryafterstroke. Subscribe to the show on iTunes and check us out on Twitter.
