Shortly after my diagnosis of, Triple Negative Breast Cancer, back in April 2018, I was invited, along with other volunteers, to a filming studio, in Salford, to talk about, alternative treatments for cancer, like cannabis, and how I had introduced it in to my recovery…..

This is a picture of myself, Deryn Blackwell, son of Callie Blackwell, a walking miracle, The Boy in 7 Billion, definitely worth a read, Jannette Clements, an advocate for cannabis, and a beautiful soul. In the centre is TV Doctor Arun Ghosh, and then it’s the beautiful Kate Shemirani, and two other volunteers.

Myself & my good friend Sara, parked up at Media City Salford, Sara flipped down her sun visor, plonked down an array of cosmetics, more than I had owned in my entire life, on to her lap, and began to touch up her make up, whilst I, on the other hand, was wrestling with the seat belt, wondering what the hell had I agreed to, fortunately I didn’t have to worry about titivating my face, I knew I was getting it done, before filming began!!!

Right!!! “We ready then?” I said. As Sara made her way to ring the relevant doorbell, I just did one last check in the wing mirror, to see if any stray hairs had sprouted, between Preston & Manchester, I was as bald as a coot, with a head as shiny as a Buddha’s rubbed belly. We waited patiently, only to be met by a beautiful, vibrant, young woman, who escorted us to the “Green Room”….Unknown to me, but, the next person I was about to meet, would be the woman who introduced me to an “Alkaline Lifestyle”, a woman who fights for freedom, a woman who still guides me today, and a woman who I love dearly x

The “Green Room” was small, with a table laden with all sorts of foods, good and bad, drinks, hot and cold. Sat by the table, eating grapes, was a leggy blonde, whose long pins I scrambled past, to get to a seat. It wasn’t long before Sara was in full conversation with this woman, talking about legumes!!! They may as well have been chatting in Cantonese. I’m stood by the table, eyeing up all the carbs I can gorge on, thinking…WHAT THE FUCK IS A LEGUME???

By this point, we now know that the leggy blonde is called Kate. Kate Shemirani.

Placing my focus back to the conversation on legumes, and now eating fruit, I sat back in my seat next to Sara, and began learning about the “Gerson Therapy”.

Kate proceeded to tell us her own story of self healing, how she followed the Gerson Therapy, how she gave herself Coffee Enemas, how she followed an Alkaline Lifestyle, and how she self medicated with Organic Supplements, as well as praying to God.

I was fascinated by Kate’s presence, she had taken me under her wing, and genuinely wanted to help me, to heal naturally. This is when I made the decision to ditch conventional medication, turning to holistic and more alternative treatments, mainly plants. I was already using Cannabis Oils to help with my recovery, I had taken it from my diagnosis, but the alkaline lifestyle was something I was not familiar with, I had never thought about what foods were acidic or which were alkaline before.

Throughout my life I have tried so many fad diets, none of which ever made me feel alive, like I do now. I use the word “Lifestyle” rather than “Diet”, when I talk about “Alkaline”, because it isn’t just about diet, yes, its about cleansing your insides, it’s about ridding your body of parasites, mucus build up, worms, and whatever other nasties are swimming around in our gut but, it’s about being aware of what you are putting on your skin, your hair, your nails, it’s about going back to basics, plant to plate, it’s about removing toxicity from your life, living clean. Just for the record, in  case you see me eating a Kit Kat, I follow a minimum of 80% alkaline now. I don’t just want to exist, so I allow myself treats, even though it makes me sick, however, the more alkaline you become, the less acidic foods, trigger foods as I call them, you crave.

Becoming more alkaline, has helped me to learn more about, me as a person, about my body, what it needs, rather than what I think it wants.

Myself, Sara, and Kate swapped numbers, and true to her word, Kate kept in touch, guiding me, when I was scared. I had been brought up to trust in those people in white coats, what they called again?…Doctors, there the ones…And now I was entering a whole new world, daunted, frightened and a tad dubious. I had put my trust in a stranger, a woman who I believed was going to heal me. To say some of my friends and family were a little shocked at my decision at first, is a bit of an understatement, however they did come round, once they realised I believed it was working, and they saw how quickly I was recovering. My life, my choice.

On one occasion I recall Kate saying to me, “You’ll be in the CANCER CLOSET for 2 to 3 years. I hadn’t got a scooby what she was on about. I was still going to BA Fitness, I seemed to have loads of energy, I even did a 5k fundraiser on the Ski Erg, in the gym, whilst rocking the, “Don’t mess with the Baldy” look, I was the only gym member to finish without a hair out of place!

Then it came, “THE CRASH”. I had been racing on the after effects of chemotherapy. My world turned upside down. “Where had Toni gone?” “Who had I become?”

I was lost, in limbo, unsure of any future. Twenty Five counselling sessions later, with a better understanding of my mental health, my body and, eating as alkaline as I possibly could, there was now light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s been a tough road, with many more miles yet to cover. Educating myself on “Electric & Alkaline Foods, has been the best move I have made regarding my health, so much so that I created a Good Gut Seed Mix, all approved by trading standards, and recently launched it mid summer. I run a Telegram Group on “Good Gut Health, Detox, and Well Being” as well as mentoring, some of my “Cancer Buddies”. I love who I have become, I love what I do, and I can help you to, too.

Eating alkaline, being free from toxins, makes me feel alive. It helps me to focus, to heal, to have inner peace. I have a totally different outlook now , compared to  life before the “BIG C” came and knocked on my door.

In February 2022, it will be three years since I rang the “End of Treatment Bell”. Kate was bang on, with her prediction, of my time in the closet!!! I am back, Toni has re entered the building xxx

I have Kate Sherimani to thank, for where I am today, among many others, and “Yes” I do believe, Fate lead me to Kate xxx

If you want any advice and tips regarding an alkaline diet…Give me a follow on Instagram @toni.riddick