Take Back Control: A Guide to Finding Strength and Clarity in Challenging Times.
When life feels overwhelming, this book offers a roadmap to rediscovering your strength and taking charge of your journey.

Life can feel overwhelming when faced with unexpected challenges. Controlling the Odds is more than a book—it’s a compassionate guide to rediscovering your strength, finding clarity, and taking back control of your life. Whether you’re navigating a personal health journey or supporting a loved one, this book offers practical tools and heartfelt insights to help you move forward with hope and confidence.
Created by Matt Straight, a dedicated nutritionist and wellness coach, Controlling The Odds was born out of love and a deep desire to help others feel empowered during difficult times. Matt’s personal journey began when his mother was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer in 2016. Faced with uncertainty and a lack of clear guidance, he set out to create a resource that would provide clarity, compassion, and actionable steps for those seeking to take control of their health and well-being.
At its core, this book is about empowerment. It’s about understanding that while life may throw unexpected challenges our way, we have the ability to make choices that can profoundly impact our journey. Through a thoughtful, ten-step framework, Matt addresses not only the physical aspects of health—like nutrition, toxin avoidance, and medical consultations—but also the emotional and mental components, such as mindset, stress management, and emotional well-being.
Controlling The Odds is more than a guide—it’s a community. It’s a place where you’ll find nourishing recipes, inspiring stories, and practical tools to help you feel supported and uplifted. It’s a reminder that even in the face of adversity, there is hope, and there are steps you can take to create a life filled with vitality and purpose.

This book is for anyone seeking to feel empowered, informed, and hopeful. It’s for those who want to take an active role in their well-being and discover the strength within themselves to thrive.
Your journey is unique, and you deserve to feel supported every step of the way. Let Controlling The Odds be your guide—a source of light, encouragement, and empowerment as you move forward with courage and hope.
Take the first step today. You are stronger than you know, and your path to wellness begins with a single, empowered choice.
Your Road Map to Recovery
Take a Deep Breath

Getting diagnosed is an unsettling and stressful experience, but it is important not to rush into making any decisions. Don’t be scared to seek second opinions and explore alternative therapies.


Ask for Help

During your journey, you may require physical and emotional support to get you through. Start to “Build Your Village”, your dream team of health professionals, friends and family members.
Planning your journey to wellness



Manage your mindset

Being diagnosed and then trying to find the right path to take can be stressful and emotionally draining. Choosing your mindset and forming habits to ensure you maintain a positive mindset is important to your recovery and staying well.
Eat to Heal



Eating The “Fit 50”

Get Moving



Removing Internal & External Toxins

Controlling Your Environment



Thriving Beyond Remission: Returning to Everyday Life

"Controlling The Odds" is your comprehensive guide to regaining control of your life after a cancer diagnosis.

This all-in-one resource empowers you to become an active participant in your journey back to wellness.
We explore essential insights on nutrition, mindset management, building support networks, internal and external toxin avoidance, questions to ask your doctor, essential tests to request and how to interpret the results, common treatment terminology, and so much more.
Start Taking Control of Your Journey to Wellness Today!
Why is what we eat so important?
The old saying couldn’t be more true, “you are what you eat”. Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells and the quality of each cell is directly related to the quality of the building blocks we provide it from the foods we choose to eat.
While there is no one food which can cure cancer alone, If we take a holistic approach and consciously nourish our bodies with the right nutrients, we can encourage healthy cell growth, boost our immune systems and even repair damaged/mutated cells.
Consuming the right foods and avoiding the wrong ones is one of the many ways we can start controlling the odds in our favour when combatting cancer.
Stay Updated with Latest Resources & Tips!
Cancer Warrior Stories

Prostate Cancer Survivor at 66 | Defying the Odds with Strength and Resilience

Beating Prostate Cancer: Evan's Inspiring Journey to Wellness at 52

“Are you seeking a meal plan that’s easy to follow, packed with nutrient-rich, cancer-combating foods, and incredibly tasty? Look no further!”
