Here’s PART II of my two-part series exploring how the emotional side of breast cancer impacts your relationship with food.
This is the stuff you won’t get from a breast cancer nutrition handout or 20-minute diet consultation at your cancer center, so let’s dive in.
STRESS
Stress is any type of change that causes physical, emotional or psychological strain. It’s your body’s response to anything that requires attention or action.
Ask yourself this, does brie cheese really cause you physical, emotional or psychological strain?
Managing food stress requires self-reflection, so I encourage you to give this some thought: since your ER+/PR+ breast cancer diagnosis has eating become a source of stress for you?
It’s possible that shifting your stress AWAY from your diagnosis or treatment and ONTO food gives you some emotional relief.
It feels better to stress about what you’re eating than what you’re facing.
But that’s no way to live.
Hormone-positive breast cancer is stressful enough on its own; adding to that stress by obsessing over food creates a non-stop negative ripple effect in your life.
GUILT
Guilt is actually useful, it teaches us right from wrong.
Guilt also signals behavior that doesn’t meet our expectations by telling us we’ve disobeyed.
I’m curious; when you eat a cookie, what are you disobeying? What is it about food that makes you feel guilty?
If guilt is all about keeping you in line and following the rules (it is that, right?), the guilt you feel may be about breaking “food rules” you’ve set for your breast cancer diet.
You know the most common one.
Eat the PERFECT diet and never, ever deviate. . .or your breast cancer will come back or get worse.
There’s no scientific evidence to prove there’s a single PERFECT diet for hormone-positive breast cancer, but that doesn’t stop you from trying to attain it, then feeling guilty when you don’t, right?
Could you eat a healthier diet than the one you eat now? Maybe, maybe not.
Should you feel guilty when you don’t? Absolutely not.
Inappropriate guilt about food stems from uncertainty about what to eat, when to eat, and how much to eat to keep you cancer-free and out of harms way.
Listen.
Freeing yourself from guilt about food will happen when you gain food confidence!
And I promise you can get that, but first ask yourself this: What purpose does guilt serve for me?
Your answer can pave the way to eating guilt-free, and move you to seek the help you need to move forward via hormone-positive breast cancer education and guidance.
WHAT TO DO NOW?
- Identify the foods that stress you out the most. Identify why they made the list, is it based on accurate breast cancer nutrition facts or false nutrition myths?
- Reflect on whether your food guilt started after your diagnosis or has been with you since before. It can help you tease out the root cause so you get clarity about your food emotions.
- Get trusted guidance on how food supports your breast and overall health; it’s a smart way to smooth that emotional ripple so you can make confident diet decisions.
If this two-part series has been helpful and you’re ready to explore how my Peaceful Plate program will help you get off the emotional food roller coaster so you can eat with peace, not panic, let’s chat! CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video, then apply to my program.
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This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your dietitian or doctor for guidance specific to your needs.