Former Countryfile and Watchdog presenter Julia Bradbury has opened up about the significant health oversights she believes she made prior to her breast cancer diagnosis, sparking a complete lifestyle transformation.
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Julia Bradbury, the beloved 55-year-old television personality, received a life-altering breast cancer diagnosis in 2021, during the height of the Covid pandemic. This shocking news led directly to her undergoing a single mastectomy and prompted a profound re-evaluation of her daily habits and overall wellbeing.
Speaking candidly to My Weekly magazine, Bradbury admitted the diagnosis forced her to scrutinise her lifestyle, and the reflection was stark. "Having cancer made me re-evaluate how I was living - and the picture wasn’t pretty," she confessed. The presenter, who had considered herself "immersed in wellness," identified two critical errors in her routine.
The Two Major Lifestyle Shifts
Bradbury pinpointed excessive sugar consumption and chronic sleep deprivation as her primary missteps. "I was stressed, I ate too much sugar and I never really honoured sleep," she stated. In response, she has enacted sweeping changes to safeguard her health.
Her new regimen is strict yet purposeful: "Now, I’ve mostly cut alcohol and completely cut sugar, I meditate and I have early nights." The decision to eliminate alcohol was particularly driven by medical advice. Doctors warned her that consuming more than four units of alcohol per week could increase her risk of cancer recurrence by a dramatic 28%.
This statistic had a profound impact, making her feel as though "death looked me in the eyes." While she acknowledges her choices sometimes attract "pushback on social media," she clarifies her message is one of personal experience, not blame. "All I'm saying is, this is what I went through. It was a wake-up call," she told The Times.
A New Perspective on Life and Pace
The cancer journey impacted more than just her physical health; it reshaped her outlook on life, self-assurance, and finances. While describing herself as "very, very fortunate," Bradbury is honest about life's complexities, including parental cancer diagnoses, loss, and financial worries.
Since her diagnosis, she has authored books like Walk Yourself Happy and Hack Yourself Healthy, channelling her experience into guidance for others. However, she now questions her own relentless drive. A doctor recently reframed her fearless streak, suggesting she was "running on a credit card" of energy.
"I realised you don’t have to win every race. You don’t have to overcome everything," she shared with The Express. "I don’t want to max out the credit card." This new philosophy prioritises sleep, emotional health, and time with loved ones.
Thankfully, Bradbury has now received the all-clear but continues with annual check-ups. Her story stands as a powerful testament to the importance of listening to one's body and making preventative health a non-negotiable priority.
