In The Pink: A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Guide to a Healthier Life

by Laurie M. Hatch RD

Genres: Health

264 pages, Paperback

Published November 17, 2024

Reviews

[Debbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
This is a primer for exploring self care after being diagnosed with breast cancer. The focus is on a healthy lifestyle, primarily diet and exercise, but there is a lot of encouragement woven into every chapter. There are not as many specifics as I would have liked, but I do think this is a valuable book for keeping on track during recovery.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy

[Marily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free digital ARC! I am not a breast cancer survivor, but I have a very high chance of getting it. I've read quite a bit about breast cancer and the lifestyle changes that can be done to prevent it or that could give me a better chance of beating it. A lot of the information included in the book were things I'd already learned from previously reading on the subject. That being said, I think it would be perfect for someone who is just now entering into this phase and learning all about it. There are so many myths or false information about cancer, what can contribute to it, and what can help prevent it (to an extent). This book does a great job of explaining these myths and clarifying things so all the information doesn't feel quite as overwhelming. I would highly recommend this book to anyone just beating breast cancer, in the midst of it, or BRCA patients.

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This book was fine, but it didn’t blow me away.

Let me start by saying that I think the author genuinely had the best intentions here. You can tell they care deeply about the topic, and that they want to provide support and guidance for people navigating an incredibly tough situation.

It’s been a couple of days since I finished this, and I’ve been trying to figure out exactly why I didn’t connect with it as much as I hoped. I think the biggest issue for me is that it felt so preachy at times. Thb, it often felt like I was being lectured. And let me tell you, nothing takes me out of a book faster than that "listen to me, I know best" tone. I should've known better before picking it up! But oh. well...

Another thing that bothered me was how not-inclusive it felt. I don't know how else to explain this feeling, so bear with me here. This is such a personal and diverse topic, but the book tried to reflect that, but I'm not sure it managed. It was very focused on one perspective, and if your experience doesn’t fit into that box, it’s easy to feel left out. I liked that it the author took time to explain certain things, that they made sure to say that there's no one answer, or a one way to do recovery, to do life after cancer.

I didn't love it but, it’s not at all a bad time! I just didn't find it groundbreaking or as universally relatable as it could be. I read this as a family-member of someone who has experienced this, and I was interested in knowing if there was something I could learn or see in these pages that could help me be better/more there for them.

If you’re looking for a resource on breast cancer that’s straightforward and a bit on the nose about how to take care of yourself and move forward, this might work for you. It's an empathetic read, even with all the “do it my way” stuff! That said, if you’re a breast cancer survivor looking for a gentle nudge toward better habits, this could be a solid starting point. Just go in knowing that it’s more surface-level motivation than deep, inclusive guidance. It’s not bad, but I think it could’ve been so much more.

[charmette.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a breast cancer survivor, I found a lot of helpful information in this book, In the Pink, A Breast Cancer Survivor's Guide to a Healthier Life. I finished treatment several years ago, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a priority for me. This book offered practical tips on changing habits and mindset, the importance of a healthy lifestyle for lifelong health, and suggested some ways of eating that can lead to weight loss. I liked learning more about how to change habits (especially how long it takes to establish a new habit), and the challenges of the mental blocks we can face when making these changes. The author, a registered dietician and breast cancer survivor, addressed the real fear that cancer survivors face about cancer recurrence and death. She offered the approach of comparing an unhealthy lifestyle with a healthy lifestyle, and what future each would entail.

The most helpful part of this book was her specific recommendations for changing eating habits to transform food/diet into medicine for our bodies. She advocated several anti-inflammatory ways of eating, such as the Mediterranean diet, and offered specific principles that can lead to healthy living, and hopefully cancer prevention.

This guide could be helpful for any cancer survivor who wants to make healthy lifestyle changes. I'm grateful to have gotten this ARC for free from Food is Medicine RD LLC through NetGalley which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

[Laura Black Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent! Author Laurie Hatch has succeeded in demystifying some of the complexities of what to eat during and after breast cancer treatment. She emphasises that we are responsible for our own health and health outcomes. Some of it is tough love, but she also gives us the tools to use when we navigate changes in our diets and habits following a cancer diagnosis. Simple things, like understanding the difference between nutrient-dense and energy-dense foods, can make a huge difference to our food choices. I'll be referring to this book again and again as my treatment for breast cancer continues.

This book is refreshing, accessible, sensible and necessary. Thoroughly recommended!

Thank you Laurie Hatch and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.