Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach

After breast cancer, many women stay stuck in patterns of hypervigilance, overthinking, poor sleep, and emotional overwhelm without realizing the deeper cause: their body doesn't feel safe. In this episode, we explore: • How the nervous system processes safety • Why childhood patterns affect you today • Why fear of judgment activates the same pathways as physical threat • How safety influences digestion, sleep, inflammation, and healing • Daily practices that shift your body out of protection and into presence This is a powerful conversation for anyone who feels tired, wired, stressed, or stuck in old patterns—especially heading into the holidays. Listen and learn how to help your body feel safe again.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

In this episode, Laura speaks with three-time stage-four cancer survivor Paloma Soledad, the creator of Luxcare Clothing, chemical-free, Sun-safe, adaptive, and sustainably made pieces designed for women in cancer treatment and recovery. Paloma shares her story of immunotherapy, lymphedema, and living in a post-cancer body, and how her background in fashion led her to create clothing that honors both comfort and beauty.   Topics include: • How cancer inspired her slow-fashion brand • The hidden chemicals in fabrics and why they matter for survivors • UPF 50+ fabrics and sun safety during treatment • The emotional impact of clothing during recovery • Meditation, healing, and living fully after cancer   Listen now + shop Luxcare Clothing: Website: https://www.luxcare-clothing.com/   Instagram https://www.instagram.com/luxcareclothing/   YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@luxcareclothing   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuxCareClothing   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

In this episode, Laura explores a question that often brings women more confusion than clarity: "What is my purpose?" Drawing from her own reflections and from coaching breast cancer survivors, she reframes the conversation around a far more supportive question: "Am I living on purpose?" You'll hear how intentional living supports cognitive health, stress resilience, emotional wellbeing, and metabolic healing after breast cancer. Laura breaks down the psychology and neuroscience behind purposeful living, explains why so many of us resist it, and shares simple, doable ways to build intention into your daily life. A perfect episode for the end of the year as you reflect on how you've lived and how you want to live moving forward.   Listen in to learn: Why chasing a single "life purpose" keeps so many women stuck after breast cancer How intention, not pressure, supports healing in the brain and body What research really means when it talks about "purpose in life" The three layers of living on purpose—awareness, alignment, and action Why intentional living feels vulnerable and how to begin gently How small, daily choices create a meaningful and aligned life over time   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Why do we keep holding on to things that don't serve us, relationships, habits, or clutter that drains our energy? In this episode, Laura Lummer explores how the brain's desire for safety keeps us clinging to what's familiar, even when it hurts us. You'll hear about two fascinating studies on the psychology of familiarity and habit formation, and learn how awareness, curiosity, and small acts of release can help you create space for what's truly meant for you. 💬 "Comfort feels safe, even when it's not healthy. But awareness is what frees you." Join Laura inside the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Membership to keep doing the deep work of alignment and healing.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Becoming You 2.0 Program: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/you   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

When you've lived through breast cancer, life often feels like a mix of opposites, gratitude and fear, healing and side effects, joy and grief. In this episode, Laura shares what it means to hold space for both the good and the hard, and how allowing energy to flow supports both emotional and physical healing. She explores the science of psycho-neuro-immunology, the lymphatic system, and fascia, and connects it to traditional healing wisdom about flow and stagnation. Learn how to create physiological safety, release stored emotions, and find balance in the space between the light and the dark.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

When we try to protect others from our pain, we often end up isolating ourselves. In this episode, Laura Lummer, The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach, shares her concept of the protective barrier, the invisible wall that forms when we hold our emotions in and pretend everything is "normal." Through the lens of radical transparency and supported by research on emotional expression, Laura explains how honest communication reduces stress, strengthens immunity, and builds trust with our champions, the people who love and support us through it all. Listen and learn how vulnerability can be one of the most healing tools in your recovery.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

Back from Metabolic Health Day, I'm joined by client and Terrain Advocate-in-training, Katie Resor, to share the most use-today insights: energy and fatigue through a metabolic lens, nature and circadian rhythm, simple detox wins, EMF practices that fit real life, and the vendors/tests we loved. You'll also hear reflections on community, hope, and why health is a terrain we tend, not a finish line. Show links include the conference recordings and resources we mention.   Explore more support: Grab your copy of the Metabolic Health Day conference recordings here: https://mtih.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/mtih/product.jsp?product=1&https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/metabolic-health-coaching-m Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

Being cancer-free doesn't always mean we've healed. After 14 years of managing cancer, I've learned that healing is about more than scans and lab results, it's about reclaiming joy, peace, and meaning in the present moment. In this episode, I share stories of women who stopped waiting for permission to live and how research shows that hope, gratitude, and laughter can support real healing, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

October is a complicated month for so many of us touched by breast cancer. Pink ribbons are everywhere, sometimes they feel celebratory, other times they stir up fear, grief, or difficult memories. Both experiences are real, and both deserve to be honored. In this episode, I invite you to see October through a different lens. Instead of focusing only on awareness, what if we made it about aliveness? I talk about how prevention deserves as much energy as detection, why metastatic breast cancer looks very different today than it did 10–15 years ago, and how daily acts of self-love,  like steadying blood sugar, protecting sleep, or moving your body, can transform both health and quality of life. This conversation is about shifting from fear to empowerment, from bracing for bad news to showing up fully for the life that's happening right now. Think of it like a rhinestone ribbon, multi-faceted, sparkly, unapologetically alive. 🎧 Listen in and let this October remind you: you don't have to wait for the other shoe to drop. You can choose yourself, today.   Explore more support: Metabolic Health Day: https://metabolichealthday.life/ Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Healing doesn't begin with shame, it begins with honesty. In this episode, I share why telling yourself the truth is the most powerful first step in creating health and joy after breast cancer. You'll hear: Why judgment keeps us stuck in old patterns How curiosity creates opportunities for growth A simple framework to reflect on your strengths and challenges My personal story of facing the truth and finding healing When you pair honesty with compassion, you'll see just how much power you have to create a body you love and a life you trust.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Biological dentistry goes far beyond cavities and cleanings—it's about understanding how your mouth connects to your entire body. In this episode, Dr. Toni Engram explains how the oral microbiome impacts inflammation, hormones, digestion, and even healing from chronic illness. We cover: Why dental materials (like mercury fillings and fluoride) matter for long-term health. How to safely approach dental care during cancer treatment. Everyday practices—like nutrient-dense food, flossing, and tongue scraping—that protect oral and systemic health. Listen now and discover how supporting your oral health can support your healing.   Learn More About Dr. Toni Engram: Website: https://www.flourish.dental/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtoniengram   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Why does it feel so hard to hear yourself when life gets busy—especially during breast cancer recovery? In this episode: The science of stress, sleep, and comfort eating Why white space is not a luxury but a recovery tool Four research-backed ways to restore energy and balance Practical if-then scripts to protect your health this season   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching   Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

If you've ever thought, "I just can't stop eating sugar," this episode is for you. I'll share what I discovered while reviewing 20 nutrition genomic reports from breast cancer survivors—and the surprising genetic commonalities that explain both difficulties with blood sugar regulation and stronger tendencies toward impulsive cravings. You'll also learn how cancer cells use insulin receptors to fuel their growth, why sugar is about more than just sweets, and how your brain and body work together in the cycle of cravings. Plus, I'll walk you through The 5 S's framework—a simple set of tools to calm cravings and create a terrain that supports healing. Listen now and discover how to nourish yourself with more confidence and trust.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching   Take the free Sugar Challenge here: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/sugar   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Food isn't just calories—it's connection. It's energy from the sun and the soil transformed into nourishment for your body. Yet in our modern world, food often feels like discipline, restriction, or just another task. In this episode, I talk about how to shift your perspective so food once again becomes love—for your body, for your healing, and for your life after breast cancer.   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching    Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp    Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Stress isn't just "in your head"—it changes your biology. It depletes nutrients like magnesium, vitamin C, B vitamins, and zinc, and keeps your body in survival mode. Supplements can help, but they won't heal you if the root cause—stress—remains. In this episode, I talk about why stress management is as critical as nutrition, how CBT and EMDR support your healing, and why lab testing matters before wasting money on supplements.   References from this episode: Juster R-P, McEwen BS, Lupien SJ. (2020). Allostatic load and allostatic overload: Clinical implications. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00046  Singewald N, et al. (2004). Magnesium-deficient diet alters anxiety-related behavior in mice. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2004.10719406  Harrison FE, May JM. (2009). Vitamin C function in the brain: New evidence links ascorbate to neurotransmitter function. Brain Research Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.05.018  de Oliveira IJL, et al. (2015). Effects of oral vitamin C supplementation on anxiety in students. Nutrition Journal. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-14-36  Stough C, et al. (2011). The effects of 90-day administration of a high-dose B-complex vitamin on work stress. Human Psychopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1002/hup.1190  Singh A, et al. (1991). Effect of acute stress on plasma zinc. Biological Trace Element Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02990385  Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. (2018). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00117  Shaw RJ, et al. (2019). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and CBT for HPA axis habituation. Psychoneuroendocrinology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104420  Chen Y-R, Hung K-W, Tsai J-C, et al. (2014). Efficacy of EMDR for PTSD: A meta-analysis. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0103676   Explore more support: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching  Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp    Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

Have you ever felt almost afraid to set a boundary—especially with someone you love? You're not alone. In this episode, I share the story of a client who jokingly called it "boundary phobia" and how that phrase perfectly captures the fear and discomfort so many of us feel when we try to protect our time, energy, or emotional well-being. We'll talk about: The fears that keep us saying "yes" when we want to say "no" The myths we've been taught about boundaries and relationships Why boundaries are about action as much as they are about words How to set healthy boundaries with yourself first—and why that's the key to holding them with others A short guided reflection to help you identify one internal boundary you can start practicing today If you've been feeling drained, resentful, or guilty about saying no, this episode will help you shift the way you think about boundaries so they feel less like walls and more like doors you control.   References from this episode: Parents Magazine study on accepting unwanted invitations: https://www.parents.com/why-saying-no-is-good-for-your-mental-health-8415963 Stanford Student Affairs research on boundaries strengthening relationships: https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/how-life-treeting-you-importance-of-boundaries 2020 study on relational boundaries and enforcement: https://self-compassion.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Luchner-and-Snyder-2020-The-Importance-of-Flexible-Relational-Boundaries-.pdf Mental Health Center on boundaries and burnout: https://www.mentalhealthctr.com/boundaries-and-mental-health Dr. Kristin Neff's self-compassion research: https://self-compassion.org/the-three-elements-of-self-compassion-2   Resources Mentioned: Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching Creating a Life You Love in 168 Hours a Week: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/168-hours-sp   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

In this heartfelt episode, I share a story of one of my clients who chose to live as if she was cured—even while waiting for a PET scan. Her courage and clarity inspired this conversation about mindset, belief, and the science behind choosing peace in uncertain moments.   We'll explore: The difference between what's true and what fear tells us The emotional and biological cost of staying in survival mode Studies that show how belief and agency improve healing outcomes How to anchor into peace with simple daily practices Why the story you tell yourself is powerful medicine Plus, I'll leave you with a reflective journal prompt to help you shift your mindset the next time fear creeps in. This is a must-listen for breast cancer survivors and anyone learning to live in the space between healing and uncertainty.   Mentioned Studies: Leedham et al., 1995 – Health Psychology Taylor & Armor, 1996 – Journal of Personality Hack et al., 2005 – Patient Education and Counseling   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Can you keep eating dairy or sourdough bread during breast cancer recovery—or do they need to go? In this episode, I walk you through the confusing world of food myths and metabolic health, exploring: The difference between A1 and A2 dairy What the research says about dairy and cancer risk Whether sourdough bread is truly blood sugar–friendly How gluten impacts gut health (and what zonulin has to do with it) And the truth behind the "toast your bread to reduce carbs" trend   Whether you love yogurt or can't part with crusty sourdough, you'll leave this episode with clarity—not guilt. 🧪 Featured Studies: Loma Linda Dairy & Breast Cancer Study (2020): https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa007 Meta-analysis on Dairy and Cancer Risk (2021): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8520314/ WCRF Cancer Prevention and Dairy Review (Non-Industry Funded): https://www.wcrf.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Meat-fish-and-dairy-products.pdf Toasting & Glycemic Response Study (Oxford Brookes, 2008): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17426743/ 🎧 Listen now and learn how to make nourishing food choices based on your body, not food labels or fear.   Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer

Can your thoughts really change your health? In this episode, we explore how belief—both positive and negative—impacts the healing process after breast cancer. Learn what neuroscience, psychology, and real-life coaching reveal about the nocebo effect, the power of belief, and how to gently shift your thinking to support long-term wellness.   💡 In this episode: 🌱 Join The Better Than Before Breast Cancer Membership: https://thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/lifecoaching A 2007 study published in Science Used harmless cream + expectation to trigger real pain—with brain scans showing activation in pain perception areas. 🔗 https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aan1221 American Federation of Teachers+15Science+15Science in School+15 A 2011 study published in The Journal of Neuroscience Found that people warned of negative side effects—even from a sugar pill—experienced those effects, with measurable physiological changes. 🔗 https://www.jneurosci.org/content/33/34/13784 WIREDresearchworks.creighton.edu+15The Journal of Neuroscience+15Nature+15   A 2001 study published in The Lancet Showed patients who believed pain medication would help—even when it was a placebo—experienced real pain relief via endorphin release. 🔗 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/80579/ SAGE Journals+6PMC+6Science in School+6   A 2023 study in Frontiers in Psychology Discussed cognitive inertia, explaining why our brains often stick with old thought patterns—even when we try to change. 🔗 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243711/full Verywell Mind+5ResearchGate+5WIRED+5Frontiers+2Frontiers+2Frontiers+2   A 1994 study in Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition Covered belief perseverance, showing people stick with false beliefs even after receiving clear contradictory evidence. 🔗 https://www.overcominghateportal.org/belief-perseverance.html Frontiers+15overcominghateportal.org+15ResearchGate+15   A 2019 review in Nature Reviews Neuroscience Explored neuroplasticity and how repeating new beliefs and thoughts reshapes brain wiring. 🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01514-1 (for related imaging insights) 🔗 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7047599/ (neuroplasticity review)    Carol Dweck's 2007 Child Development study Found that those with a growth mindset (believing they could improve) showed greater learning, resilience, and brain adaptability. 🔗 https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2007.00995.x WIRED+1Verywell Mind+1srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com   A 2025 imaging-based study summarized in The Guardian Revealed that optimists share similar brain activation patterns in the medial prefrontal cortex when thinking about the future—supporting motivation and planning. 🔗 Article summary: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/21/optimists-share-similar-brain-patterns-when-thinking-about-the-future-scans-show     Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer  

In this episode, I'm joined by two extraordinary women: Cheri Henderson, a two-time breast cancer thriver, and Monica Kasari-Desulme, a physical therapist who specializes in cancer rehabilitation and lymphatic drainage. You'll hear how physical therapy helped Cheri recover from life-limiting pain, chemo brain, lymphedema, and post-surgical complications—and how it gave her the strength to return to the outdoors and active life she loves.   🎧 We dive into: Why physical therapy should be part of your care plan The role of adhesions and scar tissue in post-treatment symptoms What the glymphatic system has to do with chemo brain Compression tips for exercise, flying, and hot weather How to advocate for physical therapy referrals during treatment   🔗 Want more support? Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer™ Metabolic Health and Mindset Membership or my email list at TheBreastCancerRecoveryCoach.com Follow Cheri on Instagram Follow Monica on Instagram   💌 Want weekly support, new episodes, and wellness tips in your inbox? Join my email list and get resources for healing, hope, and living with intention after breast cancer. 👩‍💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration. 👩‍💻 Follow me on Facebook 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts.