This is a guest blog from Cathy Leman who is a registered dietitian, personal trainer, nutrition therapist, speaker, writer and survivor of ER/PR+ breast cancer.
A common belief in the breast cancer community, especially for women diagnosed with hormonally-driven cancer, is that certain foods will make their cancer return.
Well-intentioned
friends and family perpetuate that belief with (un)helpful comments like, “Why
would you eat THAT? You had breast cancer!”
Cue
the guilt.
The
fact is, the synergy of any single
food is the “coordination” of all the biological compounds that particular food
contains. That’s why it’s difficult to tease out the impact on cancer risk of a
single food.
That
said, it’s true we “consist of what we consume”; and since what we consume
likely influences our health, it’s smart to focus on quality, variety and
balance for a healthy eating pattern.
But
if you have/had breast cancer, you’re likely familiar with this rule: you must
eat only certain foods and avoid others. And so, that fact doesn’t apply.
On
the contrary it does, very much.
Your
dietary pattern over time, in other
words, ALL THE FOODS YOU PUT INTO YOUR BODY, has the most significant impact on
your breast and overall health.
Upon
hearing that information, what do you do?
Aim
to eat 100% perfectly, 100% of the time. Because obviously, a perfect dietary
pattern equals perfect health.
And
then, you fail miserably and abandon it all.
Cue
the guilt.
Why
do you insist that “eating healthy” means bad tasting, boring, breast cancer
penance food that doesn’t make you happy and leaves you dreaming of pasta and
pastries?
Because
you’ve been brain-washed to believe there’s no other way.
I’m
here to un-wash your brain. It’s possible to shift your eating pattern to be
(mostly) nutritious, healthy AND delicious, feel good about the impact your
choices have on your health, AND keep the treats.
The
greatest gift you can give yourself is to enjoy your food, and eat without
stress and guilt.
Here
are 4 tips to help you get started:
Progress Not Perfection
I’ve
shared this concept with clients for years, long before it became a common
phrase.
Of
course it’s important to improve your diet; quality nutrition is crucial to
rebuilding your health after treatment. But you can’t do it in a single day.
Changing
deeply ingrained habits requires small, consistent steps forward, the only way
to make lasting change.
Remember
that the smallest amount of progress is still progress. And by the way, forget
about a “perfect” diet or way of eating. That’s a myth perpetuated by the diet
industry.
Uplevel Your Nutrition
Life
without treats would be a very boring life, indeed.
Maybe
you’re a chocolate chip cookie lover. Can you imagine never eating another
chocolate chip cookie? Of course not! But that’s exactly what you think you’ll
do once you “perfect” your diet.
You’ll
eat only apples, and skip the cookies.
Who
says you can’t have both? Literally. When you eat a cookie (or other treat),
uplevel your choice by pairing it with an apple, grapes or an orange. And if
you bake those cookies, choose whole wheat pastry flour, healthy fats/oils and
decrease the sugar.
Avoid Good Food/Bad Food Labels
Murder,
cheating and lying are bad; cake is not. Neither are you for eating it.
When
you label food good or bad, you subconsciously label yourself. When you feel
bad about what you eat, guilt and stress take over and make it impossible to
enjoy your food.
Habits
can be good or bad. Your mindset can be good or bad. Behaviors can be good or
bad.
Are
your habits, mindset and behaviors health-supportive or health-destructive?
When
you think about it that way, you leave the food (and your character!) out of the
equation. You’re empowered to make choices based on whether or not they support
your health goals, rather than beating yourself up for being “bad”.
Identify & Challenge Your Food
Fears
Discover
what makes food scary for you. On a sheet of paper, list every fear you have
about every food. Maybe it’s a food “act” that scares you, such as eating at a
restaurant.
When
you name the fear, you can begin to tame the fear.
Consider
this: food takes away our hunger, gives our body nourishment and energy, helps
us heal. Food is culture, celebration, tradition and ritual.
Embrace
all the positive things food does for you, and use that discovery to challenge
yourself to leave your food fears behind.
Instead of Food Rules, Create a
Nutrition Philosophy
Do
you have breast cancer food rules? Rules you wouldn’t dare break?
Food
rules take the pleasure and joy out of eating by dictating a strict approach to
food with no room for spontaneity.
Instead,
try creating a nutrition philosophy that honors your body, your health and your
love of food.
For
example, maybe your nutrition philosophy is that you choose to eat mainly whole
foods, yet you’re flexible when travelling.
A
fluid nutrition philosophy versus iron-clad food rules is like permission to be
human, and you deserve that.
Cathy’s bio
Cathy Leman helps survivors of ER/PR+ breast cancer conquer their phytoestrogen food fear, eat without stress and guilt, and confidently rebuild their health after treatment. Cathy is a registered dietitian, personal trainer, nutrition therapist, speaker, writer and survivor of ER/PR+ breast cancer. Cathy is also the founder of HIGHER GROUND HEALTH REBUILD REVOLUTION, an online membership for survivors of ER/PR+ breast cancer, and REBUILD, her 8-week private coaching program. Learn more about her programs here: www.cathyleman.com and follow her on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian and Facebook
The information and content provided in all guest blogs is intended for information and educational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice. Please seek professional advice or speak to your medical team if you have any questions about the issues raised in this guest blog.