Do you spring out of bed, ready to start your day, or hit snooze over and over again? That Morning Person is HuffPost’s attempt to make sense of mornings by peering into the routines of others.
Giuliana Rancic knows how frantic your mind can get when your health is in jeopardy.
After getting diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011, Rancic tried to get as informed as possible about the illness. She googled the effects. She read up on treatment plans. She looked into stories of others who were living with the condition. It was a way to find solace in her own life.
But she soon discovered that one person’s experience with breast cancer wouldn’t be similar to her own. Since the disease is so complicated, there are often different types and different approaches to tackling it. That’s why the “E! News” host is now sharing what she learned about the different types of breast cancer through Not One Type, a campaign focused on changing the perceptions around the illness and informing people about its complexities.
“Breast cancer is not just a one-size-fits-all disease. It’s very important for women to know that.”
- Giuliana Rancic
“Breast cancer is not just a one-size-fits-all disease. It’s very important for women to know that,” Rancic told HuffPost. “When you first get diagnosed, it’s very easy for women to just go online or ask friends who have been through breast cancer to get advice that suits you. But women are so different, and people who get diagnosed can have treatment plans that are very different from the next person.”
Now in remission, Rancic is hyperaware of how she takes care of herself. Below, Rancic discusses her health, her morning routine and how all of it plays a role in looking after her mind and body.
Are you a morning person or not really?
Yeah! I actually am a morning person. I used to be a night owl but now I love the mornings.
What time do you usually wake up?
Probably around 6:45. I have a little one who is 6, so we start our day pretty early in the Rancic household.
Snooze button: Hit it or quit it?
I don’t even use an alarm! I wake up naturally or my son is the alarm. He’s a good little alarm clock. If I’m traveling or doing something where I’m not with my husband and son, then I use the alarm, but I don’t snooze.
What’s your go-to breakfast?
I love bagels with cream cheese and jelly on it ― whipped cream cheese and blueberry jelly.
Do you prefer coffee or tea?
I have a latte with extra foam. Even though to some people that’s called a cappuccino and I totally know that. [Laughs]
Fill in the blank: My ideal morning consists of ___________.
My ideal morning consists of waking up and getting to spend a little time in bed with my husband and my son, where we’re just laughing, joking around and talking about the day. Those are my absolute favorite mornings and they always set the tone for the day.
What’s the one thing you do every morning that makes you feel healthy?
I used to work out a lot; I was a runner, but I stopped. I didn’t mean to, but when I had my [cancer] surgery around six years ago now, I was recovering and I kind of got off the running kick. So now I just take long walks. I try to walk for at least a half an hour. I love it; it clears my mind and makes me feel really good.
Doctors often warn against falling down the rabbit hole of the internet when it comes to health issues. Did you ever google your symptoms or anything after you got diagnosed with breast cancer?
When I was diagnosed, I was 36 years old. I had no family history, I was healthy and they couldn’t explain what caused it. So, of course I was online and trying to get answers. I was reading about other people’s experiences, and some of the information was helpful and some was not. But I think ultimately what helped was aligning myself with a great doctor, a great team and people in my life who could give me great advice.
What’s your advice for women who are tempted to do start searching their symptoms?
I think the internet is an incredible resource and there’s a lot of information out there. But I think, for something like breast cancer, it’s such an individual disease. Therefore you need a very individual treatment plan that’s right or specific for you. It’s very hard to go online and get the correct answers and the right information for you.
Finally, how did you take care of your mental health during your breast cancer treatment? Obviously cancer is so taxing on you physically, but what did you do to manage the anxiety?
I mean, it was tough. It was really tough to be able to have days where I could just relax and not be anxious and not worry about what was happening to me.
I think, honestly, it wasn’t so much that I was helping myself but really it was my husband who was an amazing source of strength and calm. He really made sure we’d go hiking, and take long walks and have fun dinners. He tried as much as possible to not necessarily take my mind off what was happening, but put me somewhere that wasn’t a medical setting. He’d take the conversation other places.
That was definitely helpful and something that I’ve told friends in the past. Otherwise, you’re just sitting on the sofa talking about it or in the doctor’s office talking about it.
Interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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