Straight from the pen: Linda

Now that according to the doctors I no longer have to worry about breast cancer in my body, because they claim to have removed everything, you would think that I can just continue as I did before the diagnosis.
Nothing could be further from the truth. In 25% of cases, the development of breast cancer is related to alcohol consumption, and sugar and processed food also have a significant share in the development of cancer in your body.

When my treatments were finished and I was actually allowed to do it all 'myself' again, I made a number of decisions. I resolutely wanted to live a healthier life, because I absolutely want to prevent breast cancer, metastases or another form of cancer. For me, this decision means that I live almost 100% alcohol-free and that I avoid sugar and processed foods as much as possible. It's not that I immediately get stressed if I occasionally take a piece or a bite of sugar-rich or processed products, but I prefer to avoid them as much as possible.

Although it is unfortunately still a bit of a mess in my head, and I find it difficult to accept my status as an (ex?) breast cancer patient, the first 6 weeks of the new year in terms of food and drink went very well for me.

I had resolved to put my new habits aside for a week during the spring break. It is quite difficult to convert old habits into regular habits. For a very long time, your good intentions remain new habits that can be wiped off the table in a fraction of a second, by a smell, a comment or a feeling, causing you to tack and fall back into an old habit. Very irritating, because of course you want to be strong and not give in, but human because it happens to many. Sometimes it even seems like others can do your new habits better to trade if you make a mistake every now and then. Perhaps because their habits, which you have just renounced, then differ less sharply from your intended new habits.

Sometimes I am even encouraged to make a mistake. Like: "Ah, one can't hurt, right?!"
It would also be much easier if, for example, I suddenly found red wine really dirty, then it is super easy to say 'no'. But it's not like that, because I still love it!! If they invent something that would allow me to drink red wine "with impunity", I would buy it right away.

Holidays
I had therefore consciously allowed myself and intended to enjoy white wine with lunch, chips and perhaps a gin and tonic with drinks, red wine with dinner, desserts, tarts and other delicacies and I also had craving for a tasty pizza again!!
I know summed up in one sentence, it sounds like I was going to go crazy on the first day, but luckily it didn't go that way. I did it all, but not in one day.
On the first and second day, I even postponed my alcohol moment until dinner, while the others were already enjoying gin and tonics with slices of orange and lemon during drinks, which we could pick fresh in the garden of our holiday address.

And yet, while I loved it all, I couldn't enjoy 100%. There was regularly a little voice in my head that spoke to me and a finger that waved at me in disapproval. I felt really guilty at times and also found myself sometimes wondering why I was continuing, pouring another glass or having another chocolate.
What does a third glass of wine add when you've already had two? A small piece of cake is just as tasty as a large piece and the bottle does not necessarily have to be empty. That last glass from the bottle now can also be your first glass tomorrow.

Done with it
On the penultimate day of vacation, I decided that enough was enough. My guilt rose and I saw myself as if instead of ducklings I was feeding cancer cells.
The alcohol started to annoy me, and I secretly regretted, because I noticed that I was having trouble keeping to my own imposed standard.
I consciously enjoyed my last glass of wine and actually that was a kind of liberating feeling. I just wouldn't drink on the last day of vacation, and that felt like a good plan.
A plan that I carried out and now, two weeks later, still follow.

Would you like to read more about my new lifestyle habits, how I am getting better and trying to prevent a recurrence of breast cancer? Then take a look at: http://cestlavie-linda.blogspot.com.