When you struggle with food fear, anxiety and confusion, it holds you back from moving forward in your survivorship.
How so?
Because you’re treading water in that place where every food decision you make is dictated, if you will, by scary thoughts about recurrence risk.
Here are three things to consider in your effort to break free of that mindset.
WHO
Who are you getting your information from?
Your oncologist is great at managing your medications and side effects, not so great at dishing out nutrition advice. They’re not trained in nutrition!
The oncology dietitian at your cancer center is specially trained to help you with side effects, taste changes, ideas for eating without appetite, and guidance on many, many other diet/food/nutrition and cancer concerns. However, if you’re far enough out in your post-treatment survivorship to be past all of that, you may benefit from working with a dietitian who focuses more on healthy lifestyle approaches.
The well-intentioned family, friends and social media folks you follow? There’s generally a lot of hearsay in what they offer as “advice”, which only adds to the confusion you’re already struggling with.
Inconsistency in messaging from too many sources can leave you even more confused.
Identify what makes you feel a sense of trust in a source; credentials, training, on-going education, experience, balanced and realistic guidance, science-driven?
When you find that person, use her/his advice and guidance as your north star.
WHAT
What do you do with “general” recommendations and guidelines?
Take, for example, the guideline of “moderation”.
I happen to LOVE chocolate.
Moderation in chocolate consumption may mean one thing to ME, and something entirely different to YOU.
Work with someone who can help you identify and apply the concept of moderation (as well as other broad professional standards and guidelines) to your particular needs.
HOW
How do you make the information you learn support your health and nutrition goals for LIFE?
I always advise my clients, audience members when I’m speaking, and followers of my work in general to adopt a realistic approach to their nutrition that allows them to LIVE THEIR LIFE.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day.
There will likely be chocolate involved. If you’re so freaked out by the idea of eating chocolate because it’s not on your “clean” eating list, that’s not sustainable.
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Thanks for reading my blog post!
I help survivors of hormone-positive breast cancer end food confusion, overwhelm and fear to gain peace of mind and confidence about nutrition, exercise and well-being, so they can rebuild their health after treatment.
I’m a registered dietitian, personal trainer, nutrition therapist and coach, speaker and survivor of hormone-positive breast cancer.
Ready for professional support to conquer food fears and gain peace of mind?
Click this link and apply to work with me!
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