A Breast Cancer Survivor Mindset Assessment 

How often do you feel guilty or anxious about skipping fruits and veggies? 

Daily, weekly, once in awhile? 

In my experience, this thinking comes from believing the myth that skipping a single food (or foods) will automatically trigger a breast cancer recurrence. 

The truth is, that’s not how food works in your body. 

Here’s a different way to think about it. The pattern of your diet over time is what determines the “healthfulness” of your diet. 

Ask yourself this: “Do I eat produce more often than I don’t?” 

If the answer is yes, you’re doing great and can let that guilt and anxiety go. If the answer is no, that’s a place where you can make some improvements. I call those areas for improvement “nutritional gaps” – how many do you see in your diet?

Taking action to improve areas of your diet that could use some help is a healthier and more productive way to spend your time than feeling anxious or worried about what you’re “not” doing. 

The mental exhaustion from constantly thinking about food in that way isn’t peaceful!

So let’s dig into what happens when you don’t eat enough produce; I’m gonna say right here, it’s probably not what you think.

Why Produce Matters 

Produce gives your body a beneficial combination of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals. 

Here’s why that’s important.

Beneficial compounds support your breast and overall health and may help reduce recurrence risk.

Fiber helps aid digestion, fills you up and keeps you feeling satisfied. A high-fiber diet helps reduce your urge to snack; a painless and excellent strategy for crowding out less nourishing foods. 

One of the things I teach my clients is how to effortlessly add more veggies to a meal or snack through small changes that elevate the health of their plate. Do you have a strategy for that? 

The Emotional Side of Not Eating Enough Produce

When I have discussions with clients about those “nutritional gaps” (especially not eating enough veggies), without fail, the conversation shifts to the worry they feel about “not eating right”. 

I’ll say it again. The pattern of your eating over time vs a single meal determines the healthfulness of your diet overall.

Worry, guilt and shame about the way you’re eating is a guaranteed way to eat even more of those less healthy foods you grab in place of produce. 

So we need a strategy to keep the emotions in check and produce on your plate.

One of my clients loves consistent reminders about adding fruits and veggies on a regular basis, saying that rather than feeling repetitive, they help her eat more fruits and veggies on a regular basis. How would reminders help you eat more produce?

Common Barriers to Eating Enough Produce

For most people, fruit tends to be easier to eat consistently, it’s those veggies that typically get pushed aside. 

Think about an apple. You grab it, wash it, and enjoy. But onions, eggplant and sweet potatoes? 

They take prep and cook time.  

Or maybe an apple often sounds appetizing, but you need to have a taste for veggies, and that may happen less often than you’d like.

Practical Tips for Adding Produce 

• Easy strategies: frozen veggies, dried and frozen fruit, pre-washed/prepped fresh veggies, purchase a full veggie tray (like you take to parties) and nibble from it all week

• Focus on progress over perfection; adding ½ cup of veg at lunch versus no veg at lunch is PROGRESS!

• Create an arsenal of veggie and fruit-based recipes and snack ideas that you tap daily to help you fill those nutritional gaps and enjoy a produce-heavy diet. 

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Ready to start eating with peace and enjoying your food again?

Start here! Click to get your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Worry About Most (and what the science really says)

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

 

Breast cancer survivors often mourn how they “used” to eat. 

Savoring a sandwich. Lingering over a latte. Munching a muffin. Eating was oh-so-simple and something to enjoy! 

Now? 

It’s tough to shake the food stress. Avoid the worry that you’re not making the “best” choices. Nix the niggling thought that one wrong bite will bring your breast cancer roaring back.

It’s not crazy to think that way.

Whether you’re wading through social media posts aimed at clicks vs accuracy, getting “advice” from well-meaning folks, or drowning in the rabbit hole of your “own research”, you know how it goes.

One minute you’re happily making yourself a sandwich, and the next you’re freaking out over the carbs in the bread (ahem, the same bread you’ve been eating for years because you LOVE it).

The Truth for Every Breast Cancer Survivor

Eating after breast cancer is different. 

You want to eat as well as you can, as often as you can. You’re determined to choose foods that help you stay healthy and cancer-free. You also want to enjoy your food. 

The funny thing is, after breast cancer none of those things seem to fit together. It’s either eat for your health OR enjoy your food – they can’t possibly co-exist. 

Or can they? 

When I work with someone who’s on the breast cancer survivor austerity diet (you know, no caffeine, sugar, dairy, alcohol, processed or non-organic foods) and they’re drowning in guilt because they can’t stick with it, it’s generally because they have no idea how to make eating for health and joy co-exist in peace and harmony.

What Eating Was Like Before Breast Cancer

Before your breast cancer eating was complicated, but also, doable. 

You were either on or off a diet. Being “good” or “cheating”. Gobbling fries and a cheeseburger when you had your period (salt and fat, amen!) or a stressful day. 

Of course you wanted to eat “healthy”, but that approach was generally aligned with trying to drop a few pounds (pssst, it’s possible to eat healthy food and still be overweight).

Before your cancer, regardless of the food path you were on in any given week, you knew Monday was coming and you’d just start over. 

It didn’t feel like your life depended on the recipe you chose to make for dinner.

Now. It’s complicated. 

And you hate it. 

Help for Eating After Breast Cancer

Let me share a simple exercise that will help you get clear on three things: 

1. The food anxiety you feel is real, but there’s likely a reason for that rather than just a “feeling”. Once you know the reason, you can tame the anxiety.
2. Food does serve a purpose in your breast cancer survivor health, and it’s possible to identify that.
3. You can be in charge of your post-treatment eating and meet your risk of recurrence halfway, but, you need to figure out how you want to do that.

Here’s the three-step exercise; grab a piece of paper and a pen (yes, old school!) and work through it.

Step 1

• Identify what it is about food that makes you feel panicked
• Write it down, then ask yourself, “Is that really true?”. You may find that you’re not sure whether something you believe about a particular food (or foods) is true or not, and I’ll remind you, that’s generally due to lack of guidance and education. Think about getting a clear understanding of post-treatment nutrition to help you feel empowered about the choices you’re making.

Step 2 

• Identify at least one positive way that food supports you
• I promise you, regardless of what you’ve been told, one wrong bite of “the wrong food” will not trigger something bad. Food doesn’t work that way. Breast cancer initiation doesn’t work that way. This is an area where nutrition coaching can help you work through the misguided beliefs that you’re holding on to for dear life; beliefs that aren’t helping you. 

Step 3

• Identify how you want to approach your post-treatment eating
• Here’s a hint. If the words “strictly” or “perfectly” come up for you. . .those are words I encourage you to avoid. What can you replace them with? Joyfully? Peacefully? Stress-free? 

Thanks for reading my blog!

If you found it helpful, please leave a comment below and tell me how it helped – I love hearing from you. 

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Ready to start eating with peace and enjoying your food again?

Start here! Click to get your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Worry About Most (and what the science really says)

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

It all started innocently enough. 

You were so worried about food after you finished treatment that you sort of “forgot” how to go about feeding yourself in a normal way. 

Rather that simply fueling yourself, you know; grabbing a plate, putting food on it, sitting down to eat it – you started making up stories to make eating easier.

But those stories began to take on a life of their own, encouraging you to second-guess your food choices, doubt your own judgement about what’s best to eat, and erode your trust in your body’s ability to “handle” any food that wasn’t perfectly in line with the perfect eating you believe you should be executing.

So here you are, struggling to eat without succumbing to the waves of anxiety you feel every time you feel a hunger pang (hunger pangs are dangerous, don’t you know).

One of the best ways I’ve found to help my clients who tell themselves those unhelpful stories is to question those stories for truth. Relentlessly. Repeatedly. Resolutely.

I find there are four common stories that come up over and over and over (relentlessly, if you will). Let’s look at them here, and then. . . explore them for truth.

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The “Morality of Food” Story

Pernicious and persistent, at its most basic this story says: eating good = being good. 

Translation, if you eat the “right” food, the virtue of doing so elevates you to “perfect eater” status and you’ll be untouched by breast cancer ever again. And let’s face it – the moral judgement you level at yourself when you eat or don’t eat certain foods feels necessary to keep you in line (we’ll overlook the helping of guilt served with that).

Eating inside the lines, towing the “right diet” line, walking the straight food line – these are the only ways to keep you safe, am I right?

It makes sense, to a point. 

If we would all (remember, I’m also a survivor) to just eat what we’re “supposed” to eat, we’d fill our bodies with so much nutritional goodness that breast cancer wouldn’t stand a popsicle’s chance in hell of returning. 

But you, my smart reader, know that’s not true. You can eat all the things and avoid eating all the things and still, there’s no guarantee of no recurrence. 

Let’s explore this for truth and look at what’s really behind this thinking. Of course we all want to do the “right” thing, in all areas of our life – especially food. It feels protective. Feeling on track in the food morality department may offer a level of psychological protection that insulates you from the fear, but it doesn’t actually translate to any physical protection, and without fail, it ratchets up that guilt I touched on earlier.   

Try this instead: Remember that food terms like “clean”, “unprocessed” and “whole” are often used in an inflammatory manner to get your attention. Unfortunately, they also ratchet up your anxiety. The goal is to decrease your anxiety around food, so I invite you to think of all food as neutral, not good and not bad. Some foods are better for you than others, absolutely! Choose those most often and let the rest go. 

The “Food is Scary” Story

As a breast cancer survivor, the fear that food will do something “to” you is powerful. You may be at a loss to explain it logically, but in your food fear-riddled mind, you’re convinced it will do all sorts of horrible things, primarily, bring your breast cancer back. 

Other things food could do TO you? Make you want more of it (bad), make you gain weight (scary), soothe your sadness, loneliness, anxiety (weakness). 

Let’s explore this for truth and look at what’s really behind this thinking. When you focus on all the horrible things food could possibly do to you, it takes your mind off all the horrible things you’ve just been through. It gives you a level of relief that feels necessary to help you heal from the trauma, but the truth is, you’re trading one fear for another; and that keeps the trauma wheel spinning. 

Try this instead: Focus on what food does FOR you (gives you energy, immune system support, maintains healthy bones, muscles and nerves). And don’t forget to focus on the joy of eating – you CAN get that back, I promise. 

The “Falseness of Food” Story

This story is about all the rampant breast cancer survivor food myths that abound, and your willingness to believe them. 

That’s not a slam against you; it’s a lovingly honest assessment of how so many breast cancer survivors treat food myths as truths and cling to the false information spread by untrained, uncredentialed influencers more interested in earning clicks than actually helping people.

It’s easy to do. When you don’t know who to trust or what to believe, of course you’re going to be confused. Nutrition is a science, not an opinion, but opinionated social media influencers don’t care about that. Their goal is to confuse you even more. 

Soy, sugar, red meat, dairy, organic – what comes to mind when you read those words?

Overwhelm? Bewilderment? Stress?

Food falsehoods are a little bit of truth blended with a whole lot of bunk, and getting the straight story on what you should actually eat gets lost in all that.

Let’s explore this for truth and look at what’s really behind this thinking. You have every right to feel clear and calm about the food decisions you make, and following a simple “eat this, not that” food strategy seems like the best way to calm you the f— down, but the reality isn’t that. Only food facts, an individualized plan, and guidance on eating in a way that supports your goals will give you that clarity and calm.

Try this instead: Get help from a trained nutrition pro. I’m not kidding. That pro doesn’t have to be me, although I’d love the opportunity to work with you, but it really does need to be with someone who’s trained, credentialed, and experienced in breast cancer nutrition. It’s the only way to cut through the clutter, get the answers you need and the peace of mind you deserve. 

The “Blame the Food” Story

Let’s face it, we all want to know why we got breast cancer (ask me how I know this), but honestly, cancer of all types is so complex it’s pretty much impossible to identify the exact cause. 

Of course, there are genetic factors and family history, but even with that we can’t say for sure exactly how/when it happened. By putting the blame for cancer on a “thing”, YOU feel better because it feels better in your BRAIN to connect the dots with an “if this, then that” situation. 

Our brains like things to make sense. They like patterns and to attribute meaning to things that are random; and what feels more random than breast cancer? 

Calling out the cheeseburger, pizza and too much processed food as “the reason that makes sense” feels good. It gives you something concrete to hurl your anger at. 

I can’t tell you how many women have said to me, “I think it’s the _______________ (fill in the food of choice) that gave me breast cancer.”

A random breast cancer diagnosis (especially when you “did everything right”) feels too uncomfortable to live with, blaming an actual food feels better. 

Let’s explore this for truth and look at what’s really behind this thinking. A breast cancer diagnosis makes you question your lifestyle choices – including diet. Diet is often discussed in relation to risk, and while the intention of that is to educate, it can trigger feelings of guilt. You may feel like you failed in your personal responsibility to take care of yourself, or hold a strong belief that certain foods really did cause your breast cancer. 

Try this instead: Understand there’s nothing and no one to blame here – not your dietary choices, not your lifestyle choices, not even your decision to put off your mammogram for longer than you felt comfortable with – breast cancer can happen to any woman, anywhere, at any time. 

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Thanks for reading my blog!

Ready to start eating with peace and enjoying your food again – one plate at a time? 

Start here! Click to get your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Worry About Most (and what the science really says)

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

Feeling More Obsessed About Your Food?

During October, you may find yourself oh-so-much-more focused on your food, am I right? 

I’m not surprised.

Pink ribbons everywhere. Breast cancer nutrition and health articles and news headlines. The walks, the runs, the raffles. . . all of that laser focus on breast cancer is hard to escape! 

Because it’s so all-consuming, there’s a tendency for everything to feel heightened, including the foods you choose to put on your plate. 

If you’ve recently finished treatment and were hoping for a little space from all things breast cancer, sadly, this isn’t the month that’s gonna happen. 

 I know you may need extra support with your food this month, so I want to offer something for you to consider. 

Rather than obsess about all the pinkness and breast cancer mania, let’s explore some ways you can take charge (I include myself in this gentle reminder!), starting with your food. 

Consider How You Think About Food 

The way you think about food translates to how you view food; is food an enemy to be feared or an ally that aids in rebuilding and maintaining your health after treatment ends?

If you view food as an enemy, you’ll think all food is dangerous, that there are no “good” foods, and that food companies are out to poison you (yes, I’ve heard all of those things from Peaceful Plate clients).

Let’s dig into this thinking. . .

Food Is The Enemy

Not true.

Of course some foods are healthier for you than others, but I invite you to consider the idea that all food is neutral. When you think of food as neutral you eliminate the “danger” associated with eating food. For example, if you consider cheese neutral, craving a slice on your veggie burger won’t make cheese the villain that brings your cancer back, rather, you’ve intentionally chosen to enjoy it based on your food likes, dislikes and preferences. Liberating! 

Eating Is Dangerous

Here’s what’s dangerous about food.

Making it the enemy.

It’s that type of thinking that encourages deprivation from limiting your diet to only a handful of foods, declining social invitations because you don’t trust the food (or yourself), losing too much weight, and not getting enough nutrients to support your health. It’s possible to eat a diet that’s balanced, varied and optimal in calories and nutrients without fearing every bite will kill you. Again, liberating!

All Food Companies Are Out To Poison You

Nope. Nope. Nope.

I sometimes hear this as a reference to ingredients food companies use; they’re not safe or good for us. To that I say, yes, the ingredients food companies use are “safe” to eat, and at the same time, it’s true that not all of those ingredients are “good” for you.

Learn to read food ingredient labels, become familiar with marketing terms and understand the hype behind food advertising and social media fear mongering. You’ll start food shopping with confidence and stop second-guessing every item you toss into your grocery cart. Btw, I teach this in my Peaceful Plate program!

A Balanced Way To Think About Food

I want you to think about food as an ally that aids in rebuilding and maintaining your health after treatment ends. 

I want you to have a balanced, realistic perspective about food that allows you to eat with peace. 

Here’s why that’s liberating. 

Because when you’re in charge of your food and have realistic thoughts about what you’re putting on your plate, that serves you well. It allows you to thrive in your survivorship, eat with peace and feel good about your food during October and beyond; you deserve all of that and more.

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Thanks for reading my blog post! Want to leave a comment? Scroll all the way down to find the comment box. 🙂

Ready to heal your post-treatment food trauma so you can eat with peace and enjoy your food again? 

CLICK HERE and grab your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat

CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video!

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

 

We’re Dealing with Food Trauma

I host a weekly masterclass group coaching and education session in my Peaceful Plate program for hormone-positive breast cancer survivors. On a recent call one member shared this; “I feel like the whole food piece is trauma.” That beautifully honest comment launched a deep discussion about food trauma and its impact on survivors. It also made me realize I need to speak more about this! Let’s talk about the “elephant in the room” aka FOOD TRAUMA.

According to the American Psychological Association, “Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more.”

As a survivor of hormone-positive breast cancer your “terrible event” is just that. . .the cancer experience. 

Keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to a traumatic event; one person’s trauma response is not everyone’s trauma response. 

For the survivors I work with, food fear, anxiety or worry is a common way of attempting to “cope and manage” with their cancer experience, as well as their constant concern about recurrence (more on that below). 

Why Breast Cancer Survivors Suffer Food Trauma

While there are plenty of ways to get information about what to eat or avoid after hormone-driven breast cancer, you and I both know you need more than that! 

In my opinion and experience, simply knowing what to eat isn’t enough to move you beyond your constant food panic  – you can follow every food list on the planet and still be crippled by food trauma. 

The most effective combination for ending food trauma is tailored support, guidance and education combined with encouragement from and camaraderie with others who’ve walked the same path – I regularly witness the transformative power of this combination!  

Listen. Food trauma is about one thing. CONTROL. 

Honestly, was there any time in your life where you felt less in control than when you were going through breast cancer? 

I would bet not. 

And when everything feels out of control, what’s the easiest and most available thing to control? Your food. 

It seems comforting to control foods you purchase, prepare and eat – until you realize you’re terrified to deviate even the tiniest bit from your plan – doing so would mean you aren’t in control of your food universe. 

But here’s the thing. 

Trying to stay “in control” only serves to accelerate your food trauma; if your food is “out of control” it can mean just one thing. . .recurrence. 

Three Signs You Stuggle with Food Trauma 

Hypervigilance Around Food

• Questioning every ingredient or meal prep method
• Being scrupulous about every bite of food you put into your mouth
• Worrying about foods you yourself didn’t prepare (i.e. restaurants or social events)

Worried Specific Foods Cause Recurrence

• Feeling guilty after eating “no-no” foods like chips, baked goods, candy or fried foods
• Obsessing over individual nutrients, minerals or ingredients on food labels vs considering the big picture
• Singling out individual foods like sugar, cheese or red meat as the food that will make your cancer come back

Confused by Conflicting Nutrition Messages

• Reading too many different nutrition recommendations leaves you unable to decide what’s best for your unique needs
• Basing diet decisions on the results of a single breast cancer nutrition study you found while “doing your own research”
• Bouncing from one diet approach to another in search of the perfect way to eat, yet never feeling confident you’re on the right path

What to Do?

I can’t stress this enough, p-l-e-a-s-e don’t try to resolve your post-treatment food trauma on your own!

I would imagine you’ve tried already, or if not, you’re dealing with it the best way you know how. . .by suffering silently. 

The first thing I advise is to become aware of how often you experience food trauma on a daily basis; it can show up as worry about what to eat, second-guessing your food choices or feeling guilty for not eating the “right” thing. 

 Food trauma is insidious and can wreak havoc even without bringing you to your knees. 

If you’re thinking “Food trauma seems a little dramatic for what I’m experiencing”, I encourage you to dig a little deeper. 

How often do you experience any or all of these? 

• Avoiding certain foods 
• Overthinking simple food decisions 
• Anxiety over what you ate yesterday and confusion about what to eat tomorrow 

You get the picture. It’s likely that you can share food trauma experiences of your own with me! I’d love that, by the way; comment below and tell me about yours.

And if that’s the case my friend, food trauma has its claws in you – but it doesn’t have to be that way. 

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Thanks for reading my blog post! Want to leave a comment? Scroll all the way down to find the comment box. 🙂

Ready to heal your post-treatment food trauma so you can eat with peace and enjoy your food again? 

CLICK HERE and grab your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat

CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video!

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

 

Not a week goes by where I don’t hear from other breast cancer survivors interested in learning what’s best to eat to support recurrence risk reduction and a healthy survivorship. Knowledge is power, and they know that the more they know, the more confident they’ll feel making diet decisions.

There’s no “quick” answer to that question, because in my opinion, applying research-based nutrition recommendations in an effective way requires a tailored approach.

Of course there are specific foods breast cancer survivors can include to create a BALANCED, VARIED, HEALTHFUL diet, and the more often they do, the better!

Yet I always say, you can know what’s best to eat, but when your kids/grandkids are home sick, you missed an important appointment, or you just feel overwhelmed by the weight of the world you’ll head straight for the “feel good” foods like cookies, chips and chocolate; broccoli be damned. 

HEALING FOODS FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS!

Here’s a brief overview of the power of food and all the “good stuff” your post-treatment body thrives on; refer to it when you need a little reminder: 

• Foods that contain indole-3-carbinol and sulphoraphane, compounds that support estrogen metabolism. . .think crucifers! 
• Foods high in lignans, which studies suggest may have anticancer activity. . .seeds are just one example.
• Anti-inflammatory spices that may inhibit cancer cell growth. . . black pepper, anyone?

There are so many foods that fit here, and the multitude of health benefits from them for breast cancer survivors like you are nothing short of astonishing, but I have to ask; how may of the few I listed above are you eating on a daily basis? 

 If you’re looking for more examples and specific foods that support healing and post-treatment health, be sure to get my FREE guide, The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat; click here! 

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Thanks for reading my blog post! Want to leave a comment? Scroll all the way down to find the comment box. 🙂

Ready to heal your post-treatment food trauma so you can eat with peace and enjoy your food again? 

CLICK HERE and grab your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat

CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video!

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

 

I’m guessing that when you think about heart health and breast cancer survivorship, you consider them separate issues.

And while that is true, they are related, so in this post I’ll shine a light on that connection.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.

You thought it was breast cancer? You’re not alone.  

What do your ticker and your breasts have in common?

Surely you know already, in the way of day-to-day functioning, not much.

Although they occupy anatomical real estate in the same neighborhood, their respective physiological responsibilities aren’t related in the least; your heart exists as an underground dweller you tend to forget, your breasts demand constant attention like a Queen Anne Victorian slowly succumbing to neglect and disrepair if you allow it.

The sole purpose of a woman’s breasts? 

• To nourish newborn children.

The sole purpose of a woman’s heart?

• Well, it has more than one.

You could argue the same for breasts, but that’s a completely different focus than I’ve planned for this post.

• February is American Heart Month.
• February is National Cancer Prevention Month.

The connection?

As it turns out, especially if you’ve had breast cancer, these two seemingly disparate body parts DO have something in common.

Heart disease and breast cancer share several overlapping RISK FACTORS:

• age
• diet
• family history
• alcohol intake
• hormone replacement
• obesity/overweight
• physical activity
• tobacco use 

Beyond risk factors, “current breast cancer treatments can negatively impact heart health by potentially causing left ventricular dysfunction or accelerating cardiovascular disease in general, and for women with pre-existing heart disease, cancer treatment decisions by both the patient and physician may be influenced.” (1, 2) 

And finally, improvements in breast cancer detection and treatment have led to an increase in the number of survivors at risk for potential long-term complications of treatment, as well as age-related heart disease.

According to the American Heart Association, “For older women, CVD poses a greater mortality threat than breast cancer itself.” (2)

AHA Scientific Statement

To address this issue, in February 2018 the American Heart Association released its first scientific statement on coronary heart disease and breast cancer.

I was especially encouraged to see prevention and treatment of CVD in breast cancer patients addressed through references to:

• overall dietary pattern
• attention to type and amount of dietary fat intake
• alcohol and red meat consumption

Lifestyle patterns of physical activity, overweight/obesity and tobacco were thoroughly covered as well.

The bottom line?

When you eat to support a healthy heart, you also support healthy breasts.

How to Eat for Heart Health and Breast Cancer Survivor Health?

Deliberate, intentional, quality “care and feeding” of your physical self is critical to reducing your risk of both heart disease and breast cancer.

“Care” in terms of regular physical activity, wellness check-ups and screenings. “Feeding” in terms of what and how much you choose to actually feed yourself. (4, 5)

Eat more:

• legumes, peas, pulses
• plants (vegetables, fruits, plant-based protein)
• quality fats (in limited quantity)
• whole grains

Eat less:

• alcohol
• fried foods
• high sodium foods
• red meat
• sugar-laden, chemically and artificially preserved/colored/flavored foods

Increase:

• fiber and quality nutrition 

Decrease:

• restaurant meals 

Cardiovascular disease simply means “heart disease” and includes many different conditions such as arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and heart attack.

Diabetes, hypertension and abnormal cholesterol are all causes of heart disease, but each of these conditions can be improved or managed with diet and lifestyle behaviors. 

Here’s a list of foods shown to be beneficial in lowering cholesterol and supporting healthy hearts; they also happen to be beneficial in supporting healthy breasts.

How many of these foods can you eat this week?

• Apples*
• Almonds: 1-1.5 ounces or 2-3 tablespoons almond butter*
• Beans, peas, lentils: ½ cup*
• Berries: ½-1 cup
• Broccoli: As much as you can possibly hold
• Dark chocolate: At least 70% cocoa, 1 ounce
• Flaxseed: 2 tablespoons, ground*
• Oatmeal or barley: 1 cup (cooked)*
• Red, yellow and orange fruits and veggies: 1 cup (minimum)
• Salmon, tuna, trout: 3-4 ounces
• Walnuts: 1-1.5 ounces*

*Aim to eat DAILY | Eating for weight control? Choose 1-1.5 ounces TOTAL almonds and/or walnuts daily.

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Thanks for reading my blog post!

Ready to heal your post-treatment food trauma so you can eat with peace and enjoy your food again? 

CLICK HERE and grab your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat

CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video!

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

Sources

1. Late cardiac effects of chemotherapy in breast cancer survivors treated with adjuvant doxorubicin: 10-year follow-up.
2. Cardiovascular Disease and Breast Cancer: Where These Entities Intersect: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.
3. The American Heart Association’s Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations
4. Breast Cancer Survivorship

I know you think your potato chip habit will be to blame should you experience a breast cancer recurrence, but I’m here to tell you, nutrition doesn’t work that way. 

While it’s common to focus on eating/not eating individual foods as a way to “manage” your recurrence risk (especially foods you eat regularly), I want to encourage you to view your diet with a healthy, balanced perspective. 

In order to do that, it’s critical to learn about and understand the impact of your dietary pattern, let’s get into it!  

DIETARY PATTERN DEFINED

Dietary pattern is your pattern of eating and drinking over time, such as over one week, one month, or one quarter. One single meal or food is NOT representative of your overall dietary pattern, although I realize it can certainly feel that way!

This is a concept I teach in my Peaceful Plate program, and I can’t overemphasize how important it is for you to understand it. 

What fans the flames of your food panic, worry, or fear is that you think whatever you’re eating or drinking, at any time, will make your breast cancer come back. 

There’s a common tendency to drill down to single foods or beverages as the culprit in causing a recurrence. Why? Because when you’re trying to manage food fears, it feels empowering to place all the blame on foods you can name.

If you can name it, identify it and avoid it. . .you’ll keep yourself safe, right?

Here’s an example of that thinking: “I have a sweet tooth and I especially love chocolate chip cookies. I know eating so much sugar isn’t good for me after my cancer, and I’m afraid my love of sweets will lead to getting cancer again.”

While I’m not going down the sugar and cancer rabbit hole in this post, you can click here to read what I’ve written about that topic. 

What I want to point out is that focusing only on the sugar in chocolate chip cookies is myopic thinking.

FOODS THAT INCREASE RISK

Yes, there are certain foods associated with increased cancer risk; i.e. alcohol and processed meats.

Alcohol increases the risk of several cancers (including breast), and processed meats (sausage, ham, bacon, hot dogs, salami) when eaten regularly, increase the risk of colorectal cancer.  

Having said that, it’s still necessary to look at an individual pattern of drinking the booze or eating the processed meats to get a sense of whether or not you’re following a healthy or potentially risky pattern. 

And even when we DO identify dietary patterns, it’s still not possible to point to a single food or beverage as the “culprit” in a breast cancer recurrence, even as much as you’d like to blame all the cheese and crackers you “stress eat” to manage your fear. 

In survivorship, the goal is to eat to support your breast and overall health, as well as manage your recurrence risk. Regardless of the type of diet you choose, there’s no guarantee of no recurrence, but research does show an association between a healthy dietary pattern and a positive impact on potentially reducing recurrence risk.

WHAT SHOULD YOUR DIETARY PATTERN LOOK LIKE? 

My number one tip is to put more plants on your plate. The goal is to fill ⅔ of your plate with veggies, fruits, whole grains and beans (legumes, peas and lentils), and  fill ⅓ or less with animal protein. 

Focus on your pattern of eating over time; is your typical eating pattern filled with produce, plant-based protein, nuts and seeds, fiber and real, whole foods? 

If yes, you’re on track. 

If not, start today! Keep it simple, such as adding one cup of veggies at dinner and an extra serving of fruit during your day. 

And remember. . .a healthy dietary pattern doesn’t mean a perfect dietary pattern. 

Perfection isn’t possible, but doing a little bit better than you did yesterday is!

APPLY TODAY & JOIN US!

The Peaceful Plate program is your after-breast cancer cure for food panic, overwhelm and confusion. Do you want the nutrition information you need to progress forward? Are you ready to feel confident in your eating plan and stop worrying daily about the food you put into your mouth? Then take the next step; click here, watch my 2-minute informational video and apply today. I can’t wait to help you start eating with peace, not panic, and enjoying your food again. xo

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Thanks for reading my blog post! Inspired and/or enlightened by what you read? Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a new post. 

Subscribe by CLICKING HERE to get your FREE copy of The Five Foods Survivors Should Eat

CLICK THIS LINK and watch my 2-minute Peaceful Plate program video!

Follow me on Instagram @hormone.breastcancer.dietitian

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. 

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