Key takeaways
- The trauma of a cancer diagnosis and treatment is often experienced after treatment ends
- Nutrition plays a really important role in the recovery process, helping to give you the energy you need to get active and heal physically
- It’s common for changes to your appearance as a result of cancer treatment to impact your confidence, but some simple strategies may help
The period after cancer treatment can be challenging physically, psychologically and practically. If you have found that this is when the trauma of your diagnosis and treatment actually hit you, you’re not alone. You’ll be recovering physically, perhaps from surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, while dealing with the side-effects of these treatments and the emotional impact of your diagnosis. This can leave you experiencing a loss of confidence in your body and appearance. While there isn’t a way to speed up the healing process, there are several things that may help support you. In this article, two Perci Professionals – Consultant dietitian Nichola Williams and Image consultant Nevo Burrell – share how they support Perci members during this time.
After cancer surgery, my overall energy bank was a lot less than it had ever been before. I was exhausted and needed a lot of sleep. Part of that was about the physical healing, but it was also about coming to terms with the enormity of what I’d been through. I’d assumed that two months after surgery I’d go back to work and my entire life would be the same as before. Within a month it was very clear that wasn’t going to be possible, but the pressure I’d put on myself caused me to feel like everything was crashing down around me.
My identity as a fit, strong, sexy woman was something I had to readjust. I didn’t feel sexy and I was worried about how my body would be received by someone else. Initially there was a deep grieving, then an acceptance for my new body, which eventually moved into compassion and then love. I’d done a lot of work in the years before my diagnosis around accepting my body, and on diet and fitness, so I was already doing the right things, but I prioritised rest and stress management like I’d never had to before.
It took me about nine months after surgery to have full confidence in my body again. In fact, it was when I stood on top of a mountain with my son, having climbed 200m up a sheer rock face with all the gear, that I finally stopped saying, ‘I’m recovering from major surgery’ and decided I was recovered. That same day I had a call from a tattoo artist I was due to visit in Chicago, to say he was going to be in London the following week. I ended up having my reconstruction beautifully tattooed live on national television! It was a real reclamation of my body.
Harriet, Perci member
The importance of diet in recovery
Nichola Williams, Consultant dietitian
Nutrition plays a really important role in the recovery process after cancer treatment. When you eat well, you’ll have the energy you need to start moving a bit more, to work with a physiotherapist or clinical exercise specialist to build muscle mass again if you’ve lost weight. What you eat can also help with wound healing after surgery or radiotherapy treatment.
Why is working with a dietitian helpful after cancer treatment?
What you eat and the way you eat after cancer treatment is really dependent on the treatment you’ve had, how you’ve responded to it and where you are in your recovery. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. That’s why it’s a good idea to work with a dietitian. Our role is to tailor a way of eating that works for you. For example, you might have experienced significant weight loss. As your dietitian, I would make sure you’re getting enough protein and calories, introduce healthy fats like avocados, nuts and seeds, and help wean you off any nutritional supplements you might have been using during treatment. If your cancer was in the head or neck, you might be regaining your ability to build up towards a normal diet and chew again. We can work with a speech and language therapist as the textures you’re able to eat change, and make sure your diet is nutritionally complete.
A dietitian can also give you more confidence around food. Sometimes people need reassurance that what they’re doing is the right thing. There’s so much weird and wonderful advice on the internet. I love to answer questions and concerns, and offer evidence about what works, so people can make an informed choice about what to eat.
There’s so much weird and wonderful advice on the internet. I love to answer questions and concerns, and offer evidence about what works, so people can make an informed choice about what to eat.
Nichola Williams, Consultant dietitian
How can you maximise your energy during recovery?
Eating for energy is as much about how you eat as what you eat. If, for instance, you’re experiencing nausea or taste changes, and aren’t managing to eat your full nutritional requirement, our work might focus on eating little and often. If your weight is stable, we’d introduce some good carbohydrates, like wholegrain cereals, porridge oats, rice etc. Fluid is also really important. Throughout this recovery phase, and especially for energy, staying hydrated with non-caffeinated drinks is a must.
How is food linked to confidence?
We can think of confidence in different ways; one of these is around having trust in your body, which can be affected during cancer treatment. Our bodies are amazing at healing and I would encourage you to trust that process. Listen to your intuition and your body’s cues, and eat when you feel hungry. If you enjoyed cooking and eating with family and friends, taking steps towards starting this again might also help with confidence.
Seeing yourself in a new light
Nevo Burrell, Image consultant
Coping with the aftermath of a cancer diagnosis can be really challenging. The way that your body looks and feels might be different. You may have scars from surgery or you might have experienced weight gain or loss because of chemotherapy or other treatment drugs. Treatment side-effects might include hair loss, nail changes or dry skin and many other effects that can make clothes and footwear feel uncomfortable. It’s common to experience a loss in confidence with what to wear and to find that your usual skin and hair products don’t work anymore. Mobility challenges might mean that buttons or clasps are difficult to fasten or certain clothes are difficult to put on. Changes to a person’s body and appearance can erode confidence, which can lead to a feeling of disconnection. As an image consultant I often hear people say they look in the mirror and think, ‘Who is that person?’ They don’t recognise themselves.
How can an image consultant help?
My job is to support people to reclaim their bodies, find their style and build confidence in their appearance. I assess a person’s body type, colouring and bone structure so they know what flatters them, but the bulk of the work is about mindset. I always emphasise that nothing is wrong. There is nothing to fix. After cancer treatment, things are different but it’s time to find new and exciting ways to live life.
Nothing is wrong. There is nothing to fix. After cancer treatment, things are different but it’s time to find new and exciting ways to live life.
Nevo Burrell, image consultant
People will often come in feeling dejected and just grateful to be alive. They’ll tell me that their wardrobe feels depressing and is full of black. When we find something well fitting that truly flatters them, they suddenly see themselves in a new light. Their posture changes. They feel attractive. There are often tears of joy and we both feel incredibly uplifted. It’s mind-blowing to see.
I really believe in post-traumatic growth. After undergoing breast cancer myself, my life has changed for the better. I’m grateful for the way things have turned out. I help get people to the same place. Accept, reclaim, reframe – that’s my mantra.
Recovering from cancer treatment, whether physically or psychologically, will undoubtedly take time. Eating well and refreshing your personal style are just two ways to start feeling better, and many people find that getting support from an expert is helpful. Find out more about Image consultant Nevo Burrell and Consultant dietitian Nichola Williams, including their availability.
While we have ensured that every article is medically reviewed and approved, information presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to one of our healthcare professionals or your primary healthcare team.