Explore every episode of the podcast Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn
Dive into the complete episode list for Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Hormones, Menopause, and the Cost of Saying No
11 Oct 2026
01:13:33
Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Louise Newson, a hormone-focused physician and menopause educator, for a wide-ranging conversation about the difference between bioidentical and synthetic hormones, why hormone fear persists in medicine, and how that fear affects women’s long-term health. They also dig into breast cancer, BRCA mutations, perimenopause, testosterone, compounding, and why shared decision-making matters more than blanket rules.
Key topics
Dr. Louise Newson shares how her medical path moved from internal medicine and pathology into general practice, medical writing, and ultimately menopause and hormone care.
She explains why the Women’s Health Initiative and other early studies created lasting confusion by mixing synthetic hormones with bioidentical hormones.
Dr. Newson breaks down the biological difference between endogenous hormones and synthetic compounds, using receptor biology and chemical structure to show why they are not interchangeable.
The conversation examines why many clinicians still fear hormone therapy, including outdated warnings, guideline dependence, pharma influence, and professional ego.
Dr. Newson argues that menopause is not just a “natural transition” but a hormone deficiency with real biological consequences, especially for bone, cardiovascular, brain, and metabolic health.
They discuss the misconception that hormones should only be used briefly, and why some women benefit from continuing treatment based on symptoms, quality of life, and future risk reduction.
The episode covers testosterone in women, including why it is underused, why it is often misunderstood as only a libido hormone, and how it can affect mood, energy, sleep, joints, and cognition.
They explore how perimenopause is best approached by assessing progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone separately rather than relying on one broad label.
Dr. Newson addresses compounding, explaining why individualized preparations can be useful and why “compounded” does not automatically mean unsafe.
The discussion moves into breast cancer and BRCA mutations, with a focus on why hormone decisions should be individualized rather than ruled out by category.
They emphasize that women need better information to make informed choices, and that refusing to offer hormone treatment can itself cause harm.
Timestamps
00:00 - Why Dr. Louise Newson is such a trusted voice on hormones
01:17 - Losing her father young and the path into medicine
03:39 - From prescribing HRT to becoming a medical writer
04:04 - The WHI study and why it changed everything
05:55 - Why antidepressants were replacing hormone care
07:32 - Synthetic hormones versus bioidentical hormones
09:33 - How receptor biology explains the difference
10:32 - Chemical examples that show how small changes matter
11:30 - Why WHO classified ethinyl estradiol as carcinogenic
13:34 - Why warnings and guidelines keep the fear alive
15:28 - The vacuum created when doctors stopped learning hormones
16:41 - Training more than 33,000 clinicians in menopause care
18:57 - Why gynecologists are not necessarily hormone experts
19:24 - Why endocrinology and psychiatry often miss the issue
20:49 - Is menopause a disease or a normal transition?
22:15 - Why early menopause raises the stakes
23:34 - Why hormone therapy should remain a choice
24:27 - What happens when the body adapts to low hormones
25:41 - Why supplements cannot replace estradiol, progesterone, or testosterone
28:55 - What older women discover when they finally try hormones
29:57 - The so-called window of opportunity after age 60
31:31 - Why hormones may still help women with heart disease
33:41 - Why there will never be a big randomized trial
35:07 - Why medicine accepts some evidence standards and ignores others
37:39 - The compounding controversy and why it makes no sense
39:36 - Why testosterone can be safer as a pump or customized preparation
40:03 - Why Dr. Newson dislikes the words menopause and perimenopause
40:59 - Treating progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone separately
42:38 - Why testosterone is so misunderstood in women
44:03 - The limits of libido-only thinking
45:28 - Testosterone data in men and why it gets ignored for women
46:11 - BRCA mutations, ovarian cancer, and hormone eligibility
48:56 - Why society guidelines are not the same as facts
49:54 - The hidden harm of withholding hormones
51:52 - The woman whose life changed after starting treatment
53:09 - Why not prescribing can create real long-term danger
54:11 - Women often know more than their providers now
55:38 - The breast cancer population and refusing tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors
56:46 - Estrogen receptor positive does not mean estrogen caused the cancer
60:06 - Risks of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors
61:33 - Testosterone use after breast cancer
63:05 - Why cancer and recurrence happen with or without hormones
65:26 - Who Dr. Newson would refuse to treat
66:55 - A breast cancer case where hormones supported mental health
68:09 - Why old breast cancer treatments included estrogen and progesterone
70:13 - Why hormone treatment is reversible
71:56 - The goal is helping women reach a better baseline
158 : IBS, finding and treating the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome
28 Sep 2026
01:03:41
Dr. Jenn Simmons speaks with pharmacist turned integrative health author Dr. Isabella Wentz about the hidden drivers of IBS, why so many people get mislabeled without answers, and how gut issues can connect to autoimmune disease, hormones, and chronic inflammation. Dr. Wentz shares her own path from conventional pharmacy into root-cause medicine, including how her personal experience with fatigue, IBS, and Hashimoto’s changed everything.We discuss the limits of standard IBS care, the most useful testing strategies, and the major causes she sees in practice, from SIBO and food sensitivities to protozoal infections and hormone disruption. This conversation is especially useful for anyone who has been told their digestive symptoms are “just IBS” and wants a more complete framework.
Key topics
Dr. Wentz shares how she entered pharmacy school wanting to invent drugs, not practice natural medicine, and how her own illness redirected her career.
Her first major gut issue began in pharmacy school with fatigue and severe IBS symptoms, which improved after removing certain soy-based meal replacements.
She explains IBS as a wastebasket diagnosis, not a true root-cause diagnosis, and says it often reflects a much bigger underlying problem.
She notes that IBS can precede autoimmune conditions by 5 to 10 years, which is why gut symptoms should be taken seriously.
She outlines red flags that should prompt further testing, including rectal bleeding, blood in stool, weight loss, fever, and new IBS symptoms after age 35 to 40.
She recommends functional testing such as SIBO breath testing and comprehensive stool analysis like GI Map or Gut Zoomer to look for dysbiosis, low enzymes, and infections.
She explains why SIBO often comes back if the true driver is not addressed, such as low thyroid function, low stomach acid, H. pylori, or protozoal infection.
She cautions against overly restrictive diets, saying many people end up with “gluten-free junk food” patterns or elimination diets so strict they create new problems.
She discusses food sensitivity testing, saying results vary widely by method, but she has seen strong practical value in IgG testing for symptom tracking.
She highlights the role of parasites and protozoa, especially microscopic organisms like Giardia and Blastocystis, and her preference for testing rather than guessing.
She and Dr. Simmons discuss hormone effects on digestion, including how progesterone decline and estrogen dominance may contribute to constipation and IBS symptoms.
Dr. Wentz emphasizes that healing should support real life, not perfection, so people can travel, eat normally sometimes, and still feel well.
Timestamps
00:00 - Why Dr. Wentz wrote her fifth book on IBS 03:29 - From pharmacy school to the first signs something was wrong 04:42 - Fatigue, IBS, and the soy lecithin discovery 06:57 - When Hashimoto’s changed the entire direction of her career 08:21 - Why root-cause medicine became impossible to ignore 10:51 - How she found answers before functional medicine was mainstream 13:54 - Why IBS is often the wrong label for the real problem 18:39 - Red flags that should never be written off as IBS 21:26 - The two tests she relies on most: SIBO and stool analysis 23:15 - Why SIBO keeps returning when the root cause remains 26:53 - Protozoa, infections, and why SIBO is often secondary 28:18 - Movement, walking, and improving gut motility 29:06 - What IBS still gets wrong today 30:17 - Why gluten and dairy are often the first foods to remove 31:33 - When elimination diets become too extreme 33:30 - Processed “healthy” foods, artificial sweeteners, and gut irritation 36:27 - Birth control, IBS risk, and hidden hormone effects 42:26 - Progesterone, estrogen dominance, and constipation cycles 45:04 - Gut connections to anxiety, TMJ, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue 47:50 - Parasites, protozoa, and how Dr. Wentz tests for them 52:28 - Full moon timing and why collection method matters 54:28 - Why food sensitivity testing depends on the test used 57:17 - Getting foods back after elimination 59:33 - Her own shift away from perfectionism 62:50 - What the IBS book covers and who should read it 65:10 - Where to find Dr. Wentz online
157 : Why Functional Medicine Went Mainstream After Being Dismissed for Years
12 Sep 2026
01:19:23
Dr. Jenn Simmons talks with Dr. Robin Berzin about her path from an unexpected pre-med background to conventional medical training, then into functional medicine and entrepreneurship. The conversation covers the roots of Robin's interest in prevention, her early exposure to health and nutrition, and how she built Parsley Health into a national, insurance-covered practice.In this episode, they discuss why functional medicine can work alongside conventional care, how to think about root causes instead of symptom suppression alone, and what it takes to scale a health care company without losing clinical rigor. Robin also shares the realities of fundraising, leadership, and protecting her own health while building a company and raising three kids.
Key topics
Dr. Robin Berzin's origin story, from international relations and economics to medicine
How a college thesis on hormone-treated beef helped shape her interest in public health, nutrition, and cancer risk
Why she did not initially see herself as a science person, and how she later reframed medicine as pattern recognition and synthesis
The role of her father's internal medicine background, and why she still did not assume medicine was her path
How yoga, meditation, organic food, and personal health experiences deepened her interest in prevention and whole-person care
What functional medicine means in practice: using the same medical tools, but focusing on root causes, personalization, and prevention
Why Robin saw a need to standardize and scale functional medicine through Parsley Health
The tension between conventional medicine and alternative medicine, and why she rejects all-or-nothing thinking
Examples of root-cause thinking, including recurrent UTIs, migraines, autoimmune disease, infertility, and chronic fatigue
The challenge of building trust with insurers through outcomes data, cost savings, and reduced utilization
What it took to raise capital as a female founder with no MBA and no prior business background
How leadership changed as Parsley grew from a small team to a 120-person company
The importance of listening to patients, not just investors or skeptics, when making company decisions
How Robin maintains her own health with sleep, supplements, meditation, food choices, exercise, and self-monitoring
Her hope that evidence-based functional medicine becomes part of standard primary care
Timestamps
00:00 - Why Dr. Robin Berzin stands out in functional medicine 01:22 - The unexpected path from undergrad to medicine 02:26 - A thesis on hormone-treated beef and public health 04:35 - Early exposure to cancer prevention and health research 06:12 - Having a doctor father, but not seeing medicine as an obvious path 07:01 - Why medicine is more about synthesis than equations 09:22 - Strengths that matter in clinical practice 10:56 - From conventional med school to a functional medicine career 12:40 - What functional medicine actually means 14:14 - Yoga, food, and becoming more aware of health 16:18 - Research, ADHD trials, and early clues about her own ADHD 18:12 - Early exposure to Mark Hyman and Dr. Oz 20:31 - Why Parsley Health was built to fix access and consistency problems 21:24 - Real outcomes from functional medicine care 22:33 - Why medicine should use both conventional and functional tools 23:47 - Root-cause care for UTIs and migraines 25:09 - Functional medicine versus paint-by-numbers primary care 26:04 - Making functional medicine accessible through a national platform 27:24 - The courage required to build a company while practicing medicine 28:29 - Trial, error, and the first steps as a founder 31:20 - Bootstrapping the first version of Parsley 33:28 - Building a patient base and hiring the first team 34:32 - Raising a first round as a female founder 36:11 - The fear and pressure of taking investor money 37:30 - Learning fundraising with help from other women in venture 38:26 - Why fundraising never really ends 39:23 - How investor relationships changed as Parsley grew 41:28 - Why medicine did not prepare her for executive leadership 42:16 - The hardest lessons in hiring and management 44:15 - When investor priorities pushed the company off course 46:17 - Choosing company survival while staying true to the mission 47:45 - Parsley's broader mission and why health care costs are unsustainable 49:34 - Why functional medicine should become standard primary care 50:01 - Using outcomes data to win over insurers 52:25 - Why people assumed Parsley was only for the “worried well” 53:29 - How the medical community has responded over time 54:20 - The rise of longevity medicine and ongoing skepticism 56:52 - Dark nights of the soul during fundraising and board conflict 59:51 - How Robin protects her own mental and physical health 62:52 - Sleep, data, and the reality of life as a busy founder 64:03 - Travel routines, intermittent fasting, and skincare 65:53 - What she hopes medicine will look like when her career is done 68:17 - Why impact is fastest when you stay in your lane 70:18 - Food dyes, public health priorities, and respecting different missions 73:16 - Curiosity, skepticism, and keeping the lamps lit 74:24 - What Parsley Health offers now and how to work with the team
156 : The Truth About Hormones, Progestins, and the Breast Cancer Myth
04 Sep 2026
01:02:41
Dr. Jenn Simmons and Dr. Erica Schwartz on hormones, individualized care, and questioning mainstream medicineDr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Erica Schwartz for a candid conversation about women’s health, hormone replacement, and the importance of individualized care. They discuss why hormone therapy is gaining renewed attention, why many providers are not adequately trained to prescribe it, and how patients can make more informed decisions about their health.
They also explore breast screening, overdiagnosis, metabolic health, medical fear, and the value of having a trusted provider who looks at the whole person. Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Schwartz challenge one-size-fits-all medicine and make the case for thoughtful, relationship-based care.
What You'll Learn:
Why hormone therapy requires better provider education, not just wider access
How outdated medical training continues to affect women’s health
Why individualized care is often more important than rigid protocols
The difference between breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, and overdiagnosis
Why metabolic health is central to breast health and long-term wellness
How watchful waiting can sometimes be safer than immediate testing or biopsy
Why progesterone and synthetic progestins should not be treated as the same thing
What women should consider before using supplements, peptides, or extreme diets
Why having a trusted healthcare provider can prevent conflicting and unnecessary treatments
How patients can question medical assumptions while taking greater responsibility for their health
Timestamps
00:00 - Why hormone conversations are surging and why training matters
02:10 - Dr. Schwartz’s path from conventional medicine to individualized care
04:00 - Medical paternalism, discrimination, and resistance to change
15:46 - Why mammography is diagnosis, not prevention
17:32 - Hormone replacement, oral estrogen, and breast cancer concerns
24:07 - Perimenopause labels, social media, and inadequate training
30:30 - Why relationships matter more than protocols and lab results
43:13 - Watchful waiting, breast biopsies, and the value of doing less
45:55 - Metabolic health as a foundation for breast cancer prevention
56:34 - Questioning mammography and taking responsibility for your care
60:08 - Why modern medicine needs more time for patient relationships
155 : Autoimmune Disease, Root Causes, and Why the Conventional Model Misses So Much
28 Aug 2026
01:14:39
Dr. Jenn Simmons and Dr. Bradley Campbell unpack why autoimmune disease is rising, why so many patients are dismissed for years, and why symptom suppression alone often makes things worse. This conversation focuses on root causes, especially gut dysfunction, stress, and immune triggers, and explains why individualized care matters more than one-size-fits-all treatment.Dr. Campbell shares how his work evolved from injury care into complex autoimmune cases, while Dr. Simmons brings the perspective of conventional medicine, cancer care, and the limits of training that does not teach health optimization.
Key topics
In this episode, Dr. Simmons opens with a blunt critique of how poorly autoimmune disease is understood in conventional medicine, especially when labs are “normal” but patients are clearly unwell.
Dr. Campbell explains how autoimmune cases found him through patients with chronic, rare, and complex conditions that mainstream care could not resolve.
We discuss the gap between medical training and real-world health care, including the difference between knowing how to prescribe and knowing how to create health.
Dr. Simmons and Dr. Campbell agree that the system rewards sickness management, not healing, and that insurance incentives often push short visits, prescriptions, and procedures over root-cause work.
In this episode: low iron is treated as a major red flag for digestive dysfunction, malabsorption, celiac disease, low enzymes, or bile flow problems, not just a number to supplement away.
We discuss why proton pump inhibitors can create long-term digestive problems by reducing stomach acid, impairing digestion, and contributing to dysbiosis and infection risk.
Dr. Campbell outlines his autoimmune screening approach, including ANA, ENA panels, thyroid antibodies, hormone testing, food sensitivity workups, and broader root-cause diagnostics.
The autoimmune triad comes up in detail: genetics, gut dysfunction, and a trigger such as physical trauma, infection, medication, food reaction, or emotional stress.
We discuss parasites as a controversial but real variable in some autoimmune cases, especially in the context of protozoa, gut imbalance, and chronic thyroid issues.
Dr. Simmons and Dr. Campbell both push back on rigid diets and medical absolutism, arguing for individualized decisions around grains, dairy, nightshades, and autoimmune protocols.
The conversation closes with a strong emphasis on stress, nervous system overload, childhood trauma, and the need for quiet, reflection, and community without constant screen input.
Timestamps
00:00 - Why autoimmune disease is exploding and often missed for years 03:15 - How Dr. Campbell’s path shifted from music and injuries to autoimmune care 06:23 - Why medical training is a foundation, not a complete education in health 08:49 - Doctors as well-intentioned players inside a broken system 11:10 - Why screening versus symptom-based testing must be treated differently 13:20 - Autoimmune disease is highly individualized, even when diagnoses look similar 14:23 - Why celiac disease is often found only after a breast cancer diagnosis 16:36 - Why 30 patients a day leaves no room for root-cause medicine 19:34 - Insurance incentives reward sickness instead of health 23:55 - Years of delayed diagnosis and the cost of being told labs are “normal” 26:52 - Low iron as a clue to digestion, not just iron deficiency 28:19 - Why stomach acid matters for digestion, immune protection, and bile signaling 31:03 - How Heidelberg testing evaluates stomach acidity in real time 33:39 - What Dr. Campbell looks for that many providers miss in autoimmune cases 36:09 - The autoimmune triad: genetics, gut dysfunction, and a trigger 37:34 - Structural, biochemical, and emotional triggers that can set off autoimmunity 40:28 - Parasites, terrain, and why over-treatment is not always the answer 43:44 - Vaccine-era inflammation, informed consent, and autoimmune flare concerns 48:59 - A better model for autoimmune disease: the immune system is trying to do something 51:02 - The autoimmune protocol diet and when a less restrictive approach is better 53:31 - Nightshades, liver function, and why food rules should not be universal 56:13 - Why grains and dairy are not automatically bad for everyone, but can be poor fits in active disease 61:34 - Blood sugar, energy, mood, and why kids often need more real food 63:41 - Why processed protein bars and powders are often worse than whole foods 65:49 - Food transitions at home: why change is hard even when the benefits are obvious 67:46 - Root-cause thinking applies to MS, breast cancer, dementia, osteoporosis, and diabetes 70:03 - Dr. Campbell’s membership community, weekly teaching, and lab support 71:30 - GLP-1 drugs: useful tools for some, but not a shortcut for lifestyle change 74:42 - Stress, trauma, quiet time, and why emotional load drives chronic disease 76:55 - Why unresolved trauma and a lack of safety can affect healing for years
154 : Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Vaccine Facts, Medical Freedom, and Trust in Medicine
21 Aug 2026
01:21:33
Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Vaccine Facts, Medical Freedom, and Trust in Medicine
Dr. Jenn Simmons speaks with pediatrician and integrative medicine practitioner Dr. Joel Warsh, known online as Dr. Gator, about vaccines, informed consent, and why trust in medicine has broken down. The conversation focuses on what parents are actually being told, what the research does and does not show, and how medical decisions get shaped by mandates, industry incentives, and fear.We discuss vaccine schedules, the difference between evidence and dogma, how chronic disease trends relate to broader lifestyle and systems issues, and why Dr. Warsh believes parents need more transparency and more room to choose.
Key topics
Dr. Warsh explains how he moved from conventional pediatrics into integrative medicine after seeing the value of sleep, diet, exercise, and root-cause thinking in primary care.
He describes why vaccines became a major focus in his practice: parents kept asking questions, and he realized medical training had not prepared him to answer them deeply.
The hosts discuss how COVID-era mandates intensified distrust, especially in states like California, where school and work requirements effectively removed choice for many families.
Dr. Warsh argues that medicine has become too force-driven and too dogmatic, and that doctors should educate rather than pressure patients.
The conversation turns to the idea that modern medicine is heavily shaped by pharma funding, which affects training, journals, media, and what gets studied or published.
They compare longevity to healthspan, with both speakers noting that people may be living longer but not necessarily healthier, especially in the last 10 to 15 years of life.
Chronic disease in children is a major theme, with discussion of rising rates of diabetes, obesity, autoimmune conditions, neurodevelopmental concerns, and autism.
Dr. Warsh says the most surprising part of his research for Between a Shot and a Hard Place was realizing how little true vaccinated versus unvaccinated data has been published.
He explains the vaccine schedule has expanded over time and discusses why he thinks the lack of manufacturer accountability reduces incentives to improve safety.
The episode also covers newer vaccine platforms, including mRNA, and why Dr. Warsh is especially cautious about their use in children.
Hepatitis B for newborns comes up as a particularly important example of a vaccine whose timing and risk-benefit calculus he thinks should be revisited.
The discussion ends with a broader call for medical freedom, informed consent, and the ability for parents to make decisions without being forced.
Timestamps
00:00 - Why vaccine conversations are impossible to avoid
02:10 - How integrative pediatrics changed Dr. Warsh's practice
03:31 - Why parents' vaccine questions became unavoidable
05:13 - Writing Between a Shot and a Hard Place
06:50 - Why COVID deepened mistrust in medicine
09:36 - Why school requirements don't feel like a real choice
13:22 - Medicine should educate, not coerce
17:06 - How pharma shapes training and medical thinking
20:34 - Why accountability matters for vaccine safety
23:28 - The rise of chronic disease in children
30:22 - Big Food, convenience, and multi-generational health impact
36:15 - The Henry Ford vaccinated vs. unvaccinated controversy
40:48 - Why “the science is settled” is the wrong phrase
43:43 - How the vaccine schedule expanded after 1986
48:26 - Rethinking timing, prioritization, and cumulative risk
54:14 - RFK, reform, and transparency
55:14 - What surprised Dr. Warsh most in the research
62:03 - Reassessing newborn and early childhood vaccine timing
67:30 - Why Hep B for newborns is controversial
69:58 - Traditional vaccines vs. mRNA
73:17 - Why Dr. Warsh is cautious about mRNA for kids
75:28 - Why pulled vaccines used to be removed faster
77:41 - The accountability gap
79:39 - Why medical freedom matters for the future
153: Hormone Therapy, Safety, and the Future of Women’s Health with Dr. Daved Rosensweet
14 Aug 2026
00:57:42
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Daved Rosensweet for a wide-ranging, deeply informed conversation about menopause, hormone replacement therapy, breast cancer risk, and why so many women have been left without clear, trustworthy options.Dr. Rosensweet shares how the Women’s Health Initiative created lasting fear around hormones, why that fear was built on misreported data, and how the conversation around estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone has slowly begun to change.
Together, they make the case that hormones are not the enemy of women’s health and in many cases, they are central to preserving it. The conversation also turns to safety, testing, individualized dosing, and the role of breast imaging. Dr. Jenn explains why QT imaging is changing the way she thinks about screening, and Dr. Rosensweet reflects on why he has long required imaging before prescribing hormones. The result is an unusually honest, technically rich, and hopeful conversation about how to care for women better at every stage of life.
What You’ll Learn
Why the Women’s Health Initiative misled both the public and providers
What the data actually showed about estrogen and breast cancer risk
Why many women were taken off hormones unnecessarily for decades
How Dr. Rosensweet thinks about the safety of hormone replacement after breast cancer
Why estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all matter for women’s health
How hormone loss contributes to sleep problems, brain fog, libido loss, bone loss, and muscle loss
Why the timing of hormone therapy matters, but it may not be “too late”
How Dr. Rosensweet approaches individual dosing and hormone testing
Why topical delivery matters when it comes to clotting risk and liver metabolism
How QT imaging fits into a safer, more modern breast-screening strategy
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and episode overview
09:50 Hormone therapy after breast cancer: what the science says
12:31 The role of estrogen and breast cancer risk
14:23 Hormones and breast cancer risk: what the latest studies show
16:22 The lag in medical progress and the 30-year delay in hormone research
17:44 Why the narrative that estrogen causes cancer persists
20:02 Recent advances and the future of hormone therapy
22:51 The importance of provider education and safe hormone protocols
25:49 Signs you should consider hormone therapy
30:44 What women can do if they missed their window for hormone therapy
33:49 Is it ever too late for hormone therapy?
36:02 Determining the right hormone levels and testing methods
37:24 How Dr. Rosensweet ensures safe hormone replacement practices
44:33 Understanding breast cancer cells and hormone receptor sites
46:03 Hormones as protectors, not causes, of breast cancer
47:08 The impact of environmental toxins on health
48:17 The need for testosterone in women and men
52:02 Addressing the lack of provider training on hormones
54:27 Empowering women to have informed conversations about hormones
152: Part 2 | The Mammogram Is Off the Table, Here Is What a Former Breast Surgeon Recommends Instead with Ivy Harris
20 Jul 2026
00:47:58
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons returns for part two of her conversation with Ivy Harris, the homeschool mom and researcher behind Done with Diligence, to answer the question Part 1 left open: if not a mammogram, then what? Dr. Jenn makes her most direct case yet that screening healthy, asymptomatic women with mammography is unethical and unsupported by science, and she lays out the alternative she built her practice around. This is the episode where she stops critiquing the old model and hands women a new one.
Ivy asks the question every listener is thinking after Part 1: is there ever a situation where Dr. Jenn recommends a mammogram? Her answer draws the one line that matters most in this whole conversation, the line between screening a woman who feels fine and diagnosing a woman who has a symptom. One of those saves lives. The other, she argues, has been quietly manufacturing cancer for sixty years. This is the episode you'll want to send to every woman who's ever been told she has no choice but to start at 40 and repeat every year.
What You'll Learn
Why Dr. Jenn recommends no screening mammogram for any asymptomatic woman.
What the difference between FDA cleared and FDA approved really means, and why mammography would never pass the FDA today
How QT compares to mammography and why it was built for dense breasts and implants first
Why screening a 30 year old with a mammogram isn't avoided because it can't be done, but because it would reliably cause cancer
Why the WISDOM trial showed more screening produces more biopsies and more diagnoses without saving a single additional life
What women should actually screen for instead, the metabolic dysfunction and inflammatory markers that point to prevention
The daily, no-cost practices Dr. Jenn says do more for breast health than any scan, from fasting to bone-loading movement to detoxification
Why a biopsy does not spread cancer, and why stage one breast cancer is 99% survivable
Why the difference between surviving breast cancer and thriving after it usually comes down to who gets a health plan, not just a treatment plan
Episode Timeline: 01:29 Do mammograms save lives or save breasts 01:50 Why finding cancer early doesn't change the outcome 02:20 How QT imaging and doubling time work 05:01 The difference between screening and diagnosis 07:14 Thermography, ultrasound, and the tears test 12:32 FDA cleared versus FDA approved, explained 18:06 QT versus mammogram sensitivity, 91% versus 71% 20:47 QT for dense breasts and implants 23:51 QT insurance coverage, cost, and access 26:11 What age to start screening, and why not mammograms 28:20 Responding to Peter Attia and the WISDOM trial 34:21 Diet, fasting, movement, and prevention basics 38:53 What to do after a breast cancer diagnosis 39:44 Whether biopsies spread cancer, and the estrogen myth 43:30 Dr. Jenn's credentials and qualifications
Guest: Ivy Harris Where to find her: donewithdiligence.com & @donewithdiligence
151: Part 1 | Early Detection Was the Promise, but Overdiagnosis and Harmful Radiation is the Reality with Ivy Harris
10 Jul 2026
01:05:01
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Ivy Harris, a homeschool mom of four, researcher, and soon-to-be certified homeopath behind the blog Done with Diligence, for part one of a two-part conversation on the hidden risks of mammograms and breast cancer screening. Ivy is not a doctor. She's a mom who decided she wasn't going to walk into her first mammogram without doing her own homework first, and what she found is the reason this episode exists.
It started with one post, Ivy broke down what she'd learned about mammograms into five parts, shared it, and watched it split her audience in half, with some women thanking her and others telling her she was going to get people killed. Dr. Jenn picks up exactly where Ivy left off and does the math no one does at check-in: 40 million screening mammograms a year, and by the numbers in the study Ivy found, the radiation alone works out to tens of thousands of cancers and over a thousand deaths a year.
This is the episode you'll want to send to every woman who's ever been told a mammogram is simply safe, simply necessary, and not worth questioning.
What You'll Learn
The naming decision behind "mammogram" that Dr. Jenn says was never an accident
Ionizing radiation is a classified carcinogen, and why radiologists won't apply that logic to their own test
The cross-country flight radiation comparison doctors use to reassure you, and why it doesn't hold up
How breast density and size can mean 10x more radiation for one woman than another in the same mammogram
Why younger breast tissue takes more damage from radiation as screening age keeps getting pushed lower
Overdiagnosis: the NIH's own number is as high as 1 in 2 women screened
Why DCIS, diagnosed in 90,000 women a year, has no physical route to become life-threatening breast cancer
How standard DCIS treatment can raise heart failure and fracture risk higher than the diagnosis itself
False positives and the 80% benign biopsy rate hiding behind every mammogram callback
What a 2026 American College of Physicians paper found on mammograms and breast cancer mortality, at every age
Why decades of mammography have increased mastectomies by 20%, the opposite of what screening promised
Lead time bias: how a screening test can look life-saving on paper without changing when anyone actually dies
The UK surgeon forced to resign for telling women the truth about mammogram screening
Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introducing Ivy Harris and Done with Diligence 02:27 Why Ivy researched mammogram safety before her first screening 03:00 Going past the rumors to the actual breast cancer research 04:13 Her viral mammogram post and the backlash that followed 05:32 Standing firm on breast cancer screening controversy 07:39 Radiation risks: why a mammogram is a breast x-ray 09:12 The studies linking mammogram radiation to breast cancer 11:14 How radiation damages younger breast tissue 13:36 The math: 40 million mammograms and radiation-induced cancer deaths 17:59 Overdiagnosis and unnecessary breast cancer treatment 26:14 The train analogy for mammogram overdiagnosis 28:12 How breast cancer actually progresses versus the screening myth 32:29 The real harm of overdiagnosis and overtreatment 34:54 Why mammograms don't reduce all-cause breast cancer mortality 50:15 Lead time bias and misleading screening survival statistics 52:04 Michael Baum, saving breasts, and a Part 2 preview
Resources Mentioned: American College of Physicians, Annals of Internal Medicine, April 2026: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M22-3424
150: The Trauma You Carried for Decades Could Be the Root of Your Disease with Dr. Aimie Apigian
27 Jun 2026
00:58:36
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Aimie Apigian, a physician with a master's in biochemistry who left surgical training to study the biology of trauma after her own health collapsed. Together they make the case that unresolved trauma, including the kind you'd never check a box for, is not a side note to breast cancer but part of the terrain it grows in. This is the conversation conventional oncology skips entirely.
Dr. Aimie didn't recognize her own trauma until it nearly destroyed her health. Raised to be her adopted father's emotional stability, she carried a burden she never named as trauma, until a failed adoption after six years left her with chronic fatigue she couldn't get out of bed from one month later. She knew the research linking adversity to disease. She still didn't see it in herself. If you've ever told yourself your childhood "wasn't that bad," this episode will give language to what your body already knows.
What You'll Learn
Why the women most likely to carry hidden trauma are the ones who'd swear they had a happy childhood
What the famous ACE study found when it looked at wealthy women, and why it shocked the medical world
Why trauma isn't a feeling you can think your way out of, but a physical loop your body keeps running
What a review revealed about childhood adversity and breast cancer risk
Why the state you were in before your diagnosis matters more than the diagnosis itself
How to tell if your body is still holding trauma, without digging into your past
Why feeling safe feels terrifying to a nervous system that survived on control
How healing can start with just two seconds at a time
Why no retreat or single psychedelic trip will do what small daily habits can
Why most people start their trauma work in the wrong place, and pay for it
149: Peter Attia Got Breast Cancer Screening Wrong, and Here's the Evidence
19 Jun 2026
00:43:26
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons responds to Peter Attia's breast cancer screening episode (#396). Attia asks the right question: why are 42,000 women still dying of breast cancer every year? But his answer, more mammograms and MRI on top, is exactly wrong. Dr. Jenn breaks down, study by study, why that 40-year approach has never moved the death toll.
Forty-two thousand women a year. That number has not moved since mammography went mainstream in the 1980s. Detection rates are up, diagnoses are up, and the death toll has not changed. We have been finding more cancer, calling more women patients, and watching the same number of them die. If you have ever scheduled your annual mammogram believing it was the most protective thing you could do, this episode will reframe everything you thought you knew.
What You'll Learn
Why the breast cancer death toll has not moved in 40 years, and why more screening is the reason
Why DCIS is not cancer, why mammography invented it, and what happens to a woman the moment it gets labeled "stage zero"
Why an aggressive tumor is aggressive from the day it forms, and why finding it earlier on a mammogram does not change what it does next
Why mammography catches the cancers least likely to kill you, and routinely misses the ones that will
What happened when researchers followed 89,835 women for 25 years and compared annual mammography to doing nothing, and why you have never heard about it
What the Cochrane review found after analyzing every randomized mammography trial ever run, and why Peter Attia addressed it in one sentence
Why the WISDOM trial, the most significant recent evidence in this space and the one study Attia never mentions, is an indictment of everything he argued
Why there is no standard radiation dose for a mammogram, and why the woman next to you in the waiting room may have received ten times less than you did
What the FDA has formally documented about gadolinium staying in the brain and bones for years, and why the women being told to get it every six months are the last women who should
Why insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and toxic burden are among the most powerful drivers of breast cancer risk, and why Attia's episode contained zero mention of any of them
Resources Mentioned
Peter Attia, Episode 396 on breast cancer screening: peterattiamd.com/breastcancerscreening
Dr. Robin Berzin, founder of Parsley Health
Miller AB, et al. Twenty five year follow-up of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study. BMJ. 2014;348:g366.
Gøtzsche PC, Jørgensen KJ. Screening for breast cancer with mammography. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(6):CD001877.
Zahl PH, et al. Results of the Two-County trial are not compatible with official Swedish breast cancer statistics. Danish Medical Bulletin. 2006;53(4):438–440.
Nyström L, et al. Long-term effects of mammography screening: updated overview of the Swedish randomised trials. Lancet. 2002;359:909–19.
Esserman LJ, et al. Risk-Based vs Annual Breast Cancer Screening: The WISDOM Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2026;335(9):763–774.
FDA gadolinium-based contrast agent safety communications (2015, 2017, 2018), summarized in Fotenos A, FDA Pediatric Advisory Committee, Sept 2018.
Kanda T, et al. High signal intensity in the dentate nucleus and globus pallidus and cumulative gadolinium dose. Radiology. 2014;270(3):834–841.
Veenhuizen SGA, et al. Supplemental breast MRI for women with extremely dense breasts: DENSE trial. Radiology. 2021;299(2):278–286.
Tabar L, et al. Reduction in mortality from breast cancer after mass screening with mammography. Lancet. 1985;325:829–32.
148: Overcoming Fear and Reclaiming the Life You Keep Putting Off with Erika Rothenberger
13 Jun 2026
01:09:03
In this episode of Keeping Abreast Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with keynote speaker, author, and 2025 Dynamic Woman of the Year Erika Rothenberger for a conversation about what happens when life forces you to stop playing small. Erika had a day in 2022 that changed everything. What she did on the other side of it is what this conversation is about. Dr. Jenn and Erika get into the trauma we avoid, the life we keep deferring, and why the hardest moments tend to be the most clarifying ones.
If you have ever survived something hard and wondered what you are supposed to do with it, this episode will give you your answer.
In this episode, you'll learn:
What Erika survived in 2022 and why she considers it the greatest turning point of her life
Why playing it safe is the most dangerous thing a woman can do
Why Dr. Jenn believes a breast cancer diagnosis can be an opportunity and what that actually looks like in practice
The real reason most women never go after the life they want and why it has nothing to do with time, money, or circumstances
Why the trauma you have been avoiding is not behind you. It is driving you.
A simple daily method that takes 36 minutes and rebuilds your entire mindset from the ground up
The science behind why the people you surround yourself with are either quietly lifting you or quietly costing you
The gap in Pennsylvania law that leaves women unprotected and the legislation Erika is fighting to change
Why the most powerful thing a woman can do for her health right now has nothing to do with her body
Episode Timeline 01:07 Introducing Erika Rothenberger 03:09 Energy, seasons, and the permission to give 60% 06:56 Erika's story and the morning that changed everything 12:41 Playing small vs. playing large 16:36 Fear, inertia, and the life you keep putting off 19:45 Writing the book and going public with her story 27:32 Why healing is a choice you make every day 32:27 How to protect your time and fuel yourself first 35:35 Why no is a complete sentence 38:01 Finding the good in every setback 40:02 Why a breast cancer diagnosis can be its own kind of punch 43:00 Why your circle determines your ceiling 45:22 What Erika took away from watching Mel Robbins 50:57 The Audacious Summit, October 2025 52:45 Money, legacy, and what you are building 59:22 Finding your thing and going after it 1:05:44 Where to find Erika and closing thoughts
147: The Hidden Drivers of Alzheimer's Your Doctor Has Never Tested For with James Maskell
06 Jun 2026
00:59:56
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with James Maskell, health economist, founder of the Evolution of Medicine, and the architect of a movement to reverse cognitive decline, to make the case that Alzheimer's is not a death sentence. It is a solvable problem that medicine has been approaching the wrong way for 40 years.
James flew to South Africa when his father collapsed and was expected to die. Every doctor in the room was preparing the family for the end. James walked into his father's house and saw black mold on the wall. Days after moving his father out of that environment, he was opening his eyes. Two weeks later, the doctor declared he had no terminal illness at all.
This is the episode to send to anyone who's been told a declining mind is the only end of the story.
In This Episode, You'll Learn
Why there is no effective drug for Alzheimer's and why 40 years of pharmaceutical research has been chasing the wrong target
What the 6 root cause categories driving cognitive decline actually are and why they are the same ones driving breast cancer
What the first randomized controlled trial on reversing Alzheimer's showed and why 91% of participants got better without a drug
Why catching even a single point drop on a cognitive test can prevent full decline if you act on it immediately
How biotoxins like mold can trigger what looks exactly like end stage Alzheimer's and how removing the cause reverses it
Why loneliness and loss of purpose are not soft factors but measurable root causes of cognitive decline and breast cancer
What the Blue Zones actually have in common and why it has nothing to do with supplements or technology
Why community is one of the most powerful clinical interventions we have and how to start building it today
Episode Timeline 00:00 Why Community Is the Most Powerful Clinical Intervention We Have 07:15 40 Years of Alzheimer's Drugs and Nothing to Show for It 12:57 Why Neurologists Are the Last Doctors to Accept This Science 18:23 The Myth That You Were Healthy Right Up Until Your Diagnosis 26:03 Catching Cognitive Decline Before It Becomes Alzheimer's 30:41 The 6 Root Cause Categories Driving Cognitive Decline and Breast Cancer 33:21 The Science Behind Why Your Social Circle Shapes Your Health Outcomes 37:41 How Retirement, Isolation, and Lost Purpose Are Fueling Chronic Disease 41:20 Trying to Change the System Is the Wrong Goal 45:51 Why the Chronic Disease Crisis Will Force the System to Collapse 53:10 How Real Health Change Starts at the Grassroots Level 59:08 Final Thoughts on Taking Your Health Back
146: Women Don't Get What They Deserve, They Get What They Ask For with Renee Marino
28 May 2026
01:16:32
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Broadway star, bestselling author, and master communicator Renee Marino to make the case that self-advocacy is not a career skill, it is a health act. Renee went from five Broadway shows and a Clint Eastwood film to co-hosting Tony Robbins's global summits, and every door she walked through opened because she asked.
She was the only actress in the entire Jersey Boys Broadway cast not called in to audition for the film because a middleman dropped the ball, and if she had not looked the casting director in the eye and asked for the role she was already playing eight shows a week, she would have watched herself be replaced on screen while Clint Eastwood waited for her to walk through a door she never knew was open.
This is the episode for any woman who has ever left an interaction in work, the doctors office, or in their personal life feeling dismissed and said nothing.
In This Episode, You'll Learn
Why losing your voice shifts your body chemistry toward defeat and stress, and why Dr. Jenn calls speaking up a health tool, not just a mindset
Why no agent, manager, or doctor will ever advocate for you as powerfully as you can advocate for yourself in the room
What keyboard confidence is costing women in their health relationships and why a text is almost always the wrong tool for an important conversation
The two questions to ask before hitting send on any message, post, or reply that actually changes how you communicate
What breast cancer screening looks like when the technology is built to actually show you what is there, not flatten and irradiate you
Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to Renee Marino 04:10 The power of asking for what you want 06:50 Navigating Rejection 09:53 The Importance of Hard Work and Integrity 12:41 The Role of Communication in Success 15:15 The Journey to Becoming Mary Delgado 18:14 The Impact of Speaking Up 25:47 Speaking up as self-advocacy 31:39 Lessons from the kitchen table 37:37 Why she wrote Becoming a Master Communicator 40:05 The three communication homes 44:44 Balancing technology with real connection 47:47 Women, voice, and the difficult label 1:06:35 Experiencing breast screening that treats you like a person 1:12:08 Glam and Grit: an event built for real connection 1:14:45 Final thoughts and takeaways
145: The Gut-Hormone Connection Every Woman Needs to Understand with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf
22 May 2026
00:58:20
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first board-certified female urogynecologist in the world, to dismantle the lie that estrogen causes breast cancer, expose the hormone training gap hiding inside every OB/GYN office in the country, and explain why the online HRT explosion isn't liberation; it's the setup for the next Women's Health Initiative.
At 41, Dr. Greenleaf was surgically menopausal, prescribed antidepressants for symptoms her doctors blamed on hormones, and living with a lupus diagnosis she'd carried since age 18. When she stopped treating the symptoms and started treating her gut microbiome, the mood swings resolved, the immune dysfunction cleared, and the lupus markers that had defined her health for decades simply disappeared. The conventional medical system had no framework for what happened to her so she went looking for one.
If you've ever been handed a hormone prescription with no questions asked, or been told your labs look "normal" while you feel anything but, this episode will give language to what you've already suspected.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why your gynecologist, urologist, and endocrinologist almost certainly received zero formal training in sex hormones
Why only 23% of residents finishing training today feel prepared to treat midlife women
How chronic stress hijacks your sex hormones and converts them straight to cortisol
Why when tens of millions of women stopped HRT after the Women's Health Initiative, breast cancer rates went up, not down
Why estrogen is not cancerous and why progestins are a different story entirely
How 90% of your serotonin and 80% of your immune system live in your gut
Why putting a 20-something on testosterone is masking the real problem
The five lactobacillus strains that actually rebalance the vaginal microbiome and why most probiotics don't contain them
Why no probiotic will work until the tissue itself is healthy and the full menu of options that can fix it
How the brain-gut-vagina connection drives libido, and why testosterone is rarely the answer for low sex drive
Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction to Urogynecology and Dr. Betsy Greenleaf 03:48 Awakening to Functional Medicine 06:34 The Importance of Gut Health 08:14 Training Gaps in Hormonal Health 11:09 The Dangers of Hormone Mismanagement 14:00 Stress and Hormonal Balance 16:46 The Role of Lifestyle in Hormonal Health 19:21 The Fear of Hormones and Cancer 21:55 Understanding Estrogen and Cancer Risks 24:01 The Holistic Approach to Health 28:38 Integrative Medicine and Continuous Learning 31:30 The Role of Tools in Health Management 34:19 The Shift from Conventional to Holistic Medicine 37:15 Understanding Microbiomes: Gut and Vaginal Health 40:05 The Interconnection of Health Systems 43:58 Intimacy and Libido: The Psychological and Physical Connection 50:38 Navigating Midlife Symptoms and Hormonal Health 53:33 Innovations in Health Tracking and Patient Empowerment
144: The Overdiagnosis Epidemic Hiding Inside Every Annual Mammogram
15 May 2026
01:07:33
In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons takes on one of the most accepted messages in women's health and dismantles it with decades of evidence. Routine yearly mammography screening does not hold up when you actually read the trials. Dr. Jenn walks through the WISDOM trial, the Cochrane Review, the Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study, and the brand new 2026 American College of Physicians guidelines to make the case that one-size-fits-all screening is not just outdated, it is causing real harm.
She also takes on the estrogen myth that has left millions of women suffering through hot flashes, bone loss, brain fog, and lost quality of life for decades. A 1.8 million woman study and the Women's Health Initiative say estrogen is not the villain. The real culprit may be something millions of women are still being prescribed today.
If you have ever been told to just get your mammogram every year without a single conversation about the risks or what the data actually shows, this is the episode you have been waiting for.
What You'll Learn
What the 2026 American College of Physicians guidelines say about annual mammography and why radiology groups do not want you to hear it
What the WISDOM trial found when women received fewer mammograms and why the results challenge everything we have been told
What the Cochrane Review and Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study concluded after studying hundreds of thousands of women over decades
Why up to 50 percent of screen-detected cancers may have never grown, spread, or threatened a woman's life and what that means for how we treat them
Why estrogen alone has never been shown to cause breast cancer and what the data actually implicates instead
The difference between synthetic progestins and bioidentical progesterone and why that distinction could change every conversation about hormones and breast cancer
What BRCA mutation carriers need to know about hormone replacement therapy after risk-reducing surgery
What smarter, safer, individualized breast cancer screening actually looks like
Episode Timeline
00:00 Introduction 01:08 This Is an Informed Consent Episode 04:00 The WISDOM Trial and the End of One-Size-Fits-All Screening 08:30 Fewer Mammograms, No More Advanced Cancers 11:41 Why Adding MRI Led to More Biopsies and Zero Benefit 15:00 The Only Endpoint That Actually Matters 17:30 What the Cochrane Review Actually Found 19:30 The Number Every Woman Deserves to Hear 23:00 The Canadian Breast Cancer Screening Study 27:00 What Overdiagnosis Really Means 31:00 The 2026 American College of Physicians Guidelines 36:03 The Estrogen Myth 41:00 The Women's Health Initiative Unpacked 49:00 Birth Control, Progestins, and Breast Cancer Risk 53:00 Progestins Are Not Progesterone 57:00 BRCA Mutation Carriers and HRT: What the 2026 JAMA Data Shows 01:03:00 The Future of Breast Cancer Screening
143: The 5 Thyroid Tests That Change Everything and Why Your Doctor Only Runs One with Dr. Amie Hornaman
07 May 2026
01:16:31
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with thyroid and hormone specialist Dr. Amie Hornaman to dismantle the standard of care that is leaving millions of women dismissed, misdiagnosed, and under treated. They cover what the full thyroid panel actually looks like, why T4-only therapy fails the vast majority of patients, and how the thyroid is connected to every other hormone system in a woman's body.
What happens when a competitive athlete starts gaining weight, losing hair, and can't get a single doctor to take her seriously? Dr. Amie found out in her 20s with 40 pounds of unexplained weight gain, six doctors, six dismissals, and one mentor who finally ran the right tests and changed the course of her life and career.
If you've ever been told your thyroid is fine while your body is telling you otherwise, this is the episode you've been waiting for.
What You'll Learn
Why testing TSH alone is not a thyroid workup and what the five markers are that actually tell the full story
What free T3, free T4, and reverse T3 mean and why reverse T3 is the most dismissed marker in the panel
What thyroid antibodies TPO and TGA reveal about Hashimoto's and why your doctor's normal range is meaningless
Why 95% of hypothyroid cases are Hashimoto's and why your antibodies may already be elevated even if your doctor says they are not
Why your GLP-1 will stop working if your thyroid is not optimized first
How estrogen dominance low progesterone high cortisol insulin resistance and low ferritin all interfere with thyroid function
Why your insurance-based doctor cannot give you proper thyroid care even if they want to
What the FDA's move against natural desiccated thyroid is really about and who benefits
Why testosterone is protective against breast cancer and why women are being denied access to it
What it actually feels like when your thyroid is optimized and how Dr. Amie gets patients there
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Show Intro 01:08 How Dr. Amie Became Dr. Jenn's North Star 05:02 Pain to Purpose: 40 Pounds and Six Dismissals 08:37 Where Conventional Medicine Gets It Wrong 16:58 Why Thyroid Disease Is at Epidemic Levels 19:14 The Full Thyroid Panel You Actually Need 36:43 Why T4-Only Therapy Fails Almost Everyone 40:27 The Hormonal Web Nobody Is Addressing 45:32 What Thyroid Optimization Actually Looks Like 52:22 The FDA Threat to Natural Desiccated Thyroid 59:42 Dr. Jenn's Testosterone Gatekeeping Story 01:05:22 The Importance of Prevention in Healthcare
142: Mammograms Don't Save Lives And the Data Has Known It for Decades
30 Apr 2026
01:17:56
In this solo episode, Dr. Jenn Simmons delivers a five-alarm wake-up call on breast cancer screening. The American College of Physicians just dropped new guidelines and the radiology world is furious, not because the science is wrong, but because it isn't on their side. Dr. Jenn breaks down what the data actually shows, why mammography's survival benefit has been a statistical illusion for decades, and what real preventive screening looks like.
She also takes on DCIS, collagen fears, and the question every woman with a breast cancer history is afraid to ask about hormones.
Every woman deserves this information before she makes a decision, not after.
What You'll Learn
Why DCIS is not breast cancer and what the data says about over treating it
What the new ACP mammography screening guidelines say and why the radiology world responded with opinion instead of evidence
How lead time bias and over diagnosis have made mammography look like a lifesaver when it isn't
What the Wisdom Trial revealed about personalized breast cancer screening and why the results make annual mammogram guidelines indefensible
What preventive breast cancer screening actually looks like without radiation, compression, or harm
Why collagen supplementation has no association with breast cancer risk or recurrence
Why bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is not off the table after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Why you need to tread the root cause and treat the tumor
141: The Hormone They Told You to Fear Is the One That Could Change Your Life with Karen Martel
24 Apr 2026
01:17:03
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with hormone specialist Karen Martel to talk about what's really driving the metabolic chaos of perimenopause and menopause and why the solution most women need is the one they've been told to fear. They also tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in women's health: the relationship between estrogen, metabolic health, and breast cancer.
What happens when a nutrition expert who helps women lose weight suddenly can't lose weight herself? Karen found out the hard way at 42, gaining 15 pounds in six months, losing her period, battling depression, and watching her skin age before her eyes. Despite eating clean, exercising, and doing everything "right," her body had other plans.
This is the episode you'll want to send to every woman in your life who's been told her labs look "fine."
What You'll Learn
Why you can gain weight in perimenopause without changing your diet or exercise routine
The biological aging study that found perimenopausal women are aging faster on the inside and what stops it
Why estrogen is the metabolic master hormone and what happens to your hunger signals, blood sugar, cholesterol, and muscle when it drops
Why being asymptomatic in perimenopause does not mean nothing is happening to your heart, brain, and bones
Why it is never too late to start hormone replacement therapy
Why insulin and insulin-like growth factor may be driving estrogen receptor positive breast cancer more than anyone is talking about
Why women with a history of breast cancer are not automatically disqualified from hormone replacement therapy and why most doctors have it wrong
How GLP-1s are changing the game for menopausal women
The truth about breast cancer, estrogen receptors, and why insulin may be a bigger driver than anyone is talking about
Episode Timeline: 01:07 Meet Karen Martel 04:10 Karen's Personal Perimenopause Wake-Up Call 09:09 Why You Cannot Out-Diet or Out-Exercise Hormone Loss 17:21 What Estrogen Actually Does in the Body 25:12 HRT Delivery Methods and Why Form Matters 26:28 Breast Cancer, Estrogen Receptors, and the Insulin Connection 33:48 The Vaginal Estrogen Contradiction 37:08 Estrogen as the Most Powerful Anti-Aging Tool 38:56 The Pharmaceutical Incentive Behind the Anti-Hormone Narrative 44:35 Menopausal Weight Gain and Where GLP-1s Fit In 53:13 Is It Ever Too Late to Start Hormone Replacement 59:39 Women Deserve Better Standards of Care 1:02:06 The Statistics That Should End the Debate 1:05:38 Topical Estrogen and Why Ingredients Matter
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn takes on one of the biggest questions in breast health: why are more women being diagnosed with breast cancer? In this solo episode, she challenges the long-standing belief that estrogen is the main driver and argues instead that metabolic dysfunction, not estrogen itself, is the deeper issue we should be paying attention to.
Dr. Jenn explores how insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, obesity, and hormone depletion may shape breast cancer risk, progression, and recurrence. She also explains why she believes conventional screening is too focused on finding disease after it has developed, and why women need a more proactive approach that looks at metabolic health, prevention, and long-term support after menopause and breast cancer treatment.
What you will learn
Why Dr. Jenn believes the “estrogen causes breast cancer” narrative is incomplete
How metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and inflammation may shape breast cancer risk and outcomes
What metabolic syndrome is and which markers she believes women should be tracking
Why she argues conventional screening often misses the bigger picture
How she thinks about hormone replacement in menopause, including for some high-risk women and survivors
Why foundational health habits are presented as the basis for prevention and recovery
Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to Breast Cancer Concerns 03:27 Dispelling the Estrogen Myth 06:34 Understanding Hormone Deficiency and Breast Cancer 09:13 The Role of Metabolic Health 12:02 High-Risk Populations and Hormone Replacement 14:49 Foundational Health for Breast Cancer Survivors 17:55 The Metabolic Crisis and Breast Cancer 20:14 Screening for Metabolic Dysfunction 25:08 The Flaws of Mammography 27:48 Innovative Screening Approaches 30:35 Conclusion and Call to Action 52:51 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness
139: Vaccines, Chronic Disease & the Data No One Wants us to See with Del Bigtree
03 Apr 2026
01:30:33
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Del Bigtree for a conversation that pushes straight into one of the most uncomfortable questions in modern medicine: what if some of the things we have been taught to never question were never fully questioned to begin with?
Together, they explore vaccines, informed consent, chronic disease, media influence, hospital incentives, and why so many people are starting to feel like the system was built to protect itself, not patients. This is not a light conversation, but it is a gripping one. If you have ever felt like the story you were given about health was incomplete, this episode will give language to that feeling and challenge you to think far more deeply about who decides what counts as truth.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why so many people are losing trust in the medical system
What informed consent should look like and why it matters
How certain ideas in medicine become protected from scrutiny
Why chronic disease is forcing bigger questions about what is making us sick
How money, power, and institutional pressure shape medical decision making
Why questioning the standard of care can come at a cost
What is really at stake when patients are discouraged from asking questions
Why this conversation matters even if you have never questioned the system before
Episode Timeline: 01:04 Dr. Jenn introduces Del Bigtree 05:39 The Journey of a Contrarian: Del Bigtree's Background 08:49 Challenging the Vaccine Narrative 11:40 The Science Behind Vaccines: What We Know 14:44 The Impact of Vaccines on Health 17:37 The Role of the Pharmaceutical Industry 20:26 The Decline of Children's Health 23:41 The Debate on Vaccines and Natural Immunity 26:27 The Influence of Media and Funding 29:43 The Shift from Conventional Medicine 32:29 The Inconvenient Truth About Vaccines 35:40 The Future of Health and Safety Regulations 48:33 Dinner with Dr. Zervos: A Turning Point 57:14 The Shocking Study: Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated 01:05:59 The Medical System: A Crisis of Trust 01:15:36 Informed Consent: The Right to Choose 01:23:24 The Risks of Vaccination: A Parent's Dilemma 01:29:45 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness
138: The Cancer Theory That Challenges How We Think About Cancer with Mark Lintern
27 Mar 2026
01:02:26
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with cancer researcher and author Mark Lintern for a provocative conversation that challenges one of the most deeply rooted assumptions in modern oncology: that cancer is primarily a genetic disease.
Drawing from his book The Cancer Resolution?, Mark introduces his Cell Suppression Theory, a framework that argues cancer may be driven less by random mutation and more by chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, immune suppression, and a possible infectious component involving fungal pathogens.
Together, Dr. Jenn and Mark explore why the current model of cancer leaves so many unanswered questions, how the metabolic theory shifted the conversation, and why terrain, mitochondria, immune health, toxins, stress, and chronic inflammation may all matter more than most patients have been told.
If you are looking for a conversation that challenges conventional thinking and opens the door to a broader view of breast cancer and whole-body health, this episode is a must-listen.
What You’ll Learn:
Why the dominant genetic model of cancer does not fully explain the disease
What the Warburg effect is and why it matters in cancer research
How the metabolic theory of cancer changed the conversation around treatment
How chronic inflammation, toxins, immune dysfunction, and tissue damage may create the conditions for cancer
Why mitochondria play a much bigger role in cancer than most people realize
How fungal pathogens fit into cancer development
Why microbiome health, detoxification, and stress regulation matter in prevention and healing
What makes breast tissue uniquely vulnerable in this conversation around estrogen, immunity, and inflammation
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Introduction to a Different Conversation About Cancer 04:45 Mark Lintern’s Journey Into Cancer Research 07:34 Why the Somatic Mutation Theory Falls Short 10:41 The Metabolic Theory and the Warburg Effect 13:40 The Possible Role of Pathogens in Cancer 16:32 The Hallmarks That Define Cancer 19:19 Cancer Diagnosis Versus Active Disease 22:08 The Cell Suppression Theory Explained 27:06 Practical Solutions for Prevention and Healing 30:02 Foundations of a More Holistic Cancer Approach 33:49 Cortisol, Stress, and the Healing Environment 41:49 Why Antifungal Treatments Are So Challenging 43:45 Can We Identify the Pathogens Inside Tumors? 46:30 Why the System Resists New Cancer Models 51:04 Breast Cancer, Estrogen, and Tissue Vulnerability 55:21 Estrogen, Inflammation, and Fungal Overgrowth 58:55 Final Thoughts on Prevention and Whole-Body Health
137: Part 2 | Cancer Begins Before Anyone Finds It and Your Environment Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think with Dr. Nasha Winters
19 Mar 2026
00:54:46
PART TWO - In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons continues her conversation with Dr. Nasha Winters, a renowned integrative oncology expert and metabolic health pioneer, for a deeper look at what cancer care is missing and what true individualized healing actually requires.
Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Nasha challenge the protocol-driven mindset that dominates both conventional and alternative medicine, making the case that cancer treatment must begin with the foundations: metabolic health, nervous system regulation, immune resilience, and an honest understanding of why a particular body became vulnerable in the first place.
They explore why so many practitioners feel unequipped to care for cancer patients, how fear and institutional limitations keep better tools out of reach, and why therapies like mistletoe continue to be dismissed in the United States despite decades of research and widespread use around the world.
If you want an empowering perspective on integrative cancer care, this episode is a must-listen.
What You’ll Learn:
Why foundations matter more than any single “magic bullet” therapy
How Dr. Nasha thinks about mistletoe as terrain support, not a standalone cure
Why mistletoe is so widely used in Europe and still resisted in the United States
How integrative therapies can work with conventional cancer treatment, not against it
Why individual biochemistry matters when deciding whether a treatment will actually work
How fear, burnout, and cognitive dissonance affect doctors as much as patients
What it looks like to build a true “board of directors” for healing
Why safer, more thoughtful screening and treatment options are urgently needed
Episode Timeline:
02:02 What pets can teach us about healing and foundational health 05:57 Dr. Nasha on being dismissed by conventional medicine 12:01 Why doctors stay stuck in broken systems of care 16:01 How The Metabolic Approach to Cancer became a roadmap for healing 20:13 Why foundations matter more than any magic bullet 25:32 The problem with protocol culture in cancer care 27:29 Mistletoe, terrain, and the future of integrative oncology 35:54 Why effective therapies are still dismissed in mainstream medicine 40:09 Why patients need a collaborative team approach 43:56 Safer screening, better tools, and moving beyond outdated technology 48:27 Why we need to treat the person, not just the diagnosis 51:34 Where to find Dr. Nasha and what’s next
136: Part 1 | Cancer Begins Before Anyone Finds It and Your Environment Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think with Dr. Nasha Winters
12 Mar 2026
00:53:58
PART ONE - In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Nasha Winters, a renowned integrative oncology expert and metabolic health pioneer, for a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation about cancer, resilience, and why so many people are getting diagnosed younger than ever before.
Dr. Nasha shares the story of her own terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis at age 19 and how being forced outside the conventional system led her to ask a different question, not just how to treat cancer, but why the body became vulnerable to it in the first place. What followed became the foundation of her life’s work.
Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Nasha explore the root causes driving modern cancer risk, from mitochondrial dysfunction and immune suppression to environmental toxins, vitamin D deficiency, chronic stress, trauma, and the cumulative burden of modern life.
This is part-one of a two-part conversation. If you have ever wondered why cancer is rising, why it is showing up earlier, or why true healing has to go beyond standard treatment, this episode is a must-listen.
What You’ll Learn:
Why cancer is becoming more common in younger people
The difference between chronological age and biological age
How mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cancer and accelerated aging
Why immune suppression and vitamin D deficiency matter more than most people realize
The role of environmental exposures, plastics, hormones, and EMFs in modern disease
How trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation affect healing
Why looking inward may be one of the most important steps after a diagnosis
What it means when someone says, “I did everything right and still got cancer”
Why prevention has to start long before disease appears
Episode Timeline:
01:04 Meet Dr. Nasha Winters 05:15 Dr. Nasha’s cancer diagnosis at 19 and how it changed everything 11:22 Cancer, aging, and the mitochondria connection 18:22 Environmental overload and the rise of early-onset disease 23:28 Immune suppression, vitamin D, and cancer risk 26:03 The growing cancer burden and why prevention matters 30:49 Trauma, stress, and the psychoneuroimmunology of healing 34:40 Can someone heal if they are not ready to look inward? 38:26 Readiness, resistance, and the patient’s role in healing 40:36 Alcohol, lifestyle patterns, and difficult truths in cancer care 45:40 “I did everything right” — what that really means 48:47 Toxic exposures, hidden patterns, and what we normalize 49:25 Stress, uncertainty, and building the tools to adapt 51:21 Pets, pesticides, and what our environment is telling us 52:35 Why you won’t want to miss Part Two
135: Your Genes Aren’t Your Destiny: Personalizing Breast Cancer Prevention & Healing
03 Mar 2026
01:04:21
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Jen Nolan and Sara Stratton of Remission Nutrition for a conversation that cuts through the noise around “healthy living” after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Jen explains how nutrigenomics (genetic-based nutrition + lifestyle guidance) helps women understand what their body actually needs, from detox capacity to fat metabolism to exercise tolerance. Dr. Jenn shares her own example: years of high-intensity endurance workouts that she thought were helping until genetic testing revealed they were doing real harm.
Sara shares her story of being diagnosed with stage 3C triple positive breast cancer at 37, and how she supported her body through chemotherapy and recovery using a metabolic approach, including fasting around treatment, strength training, mindfulness, and carefully chosen supplements. Together, they talk about how to make changes without overwhelm, avoid fear-based restriction and orthorexia, navigate resistance from conventional providers, and build a lifestyle that’s sustainable long-term - with joy included.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
What nutrigenomics can tell you about food, detox, sleep, stress, and exercise
Sara’s approach to supporting her body during chemo: fasting, movement, mindfulness, and recovery
What to know about supplements during chemotherapy including why antioxidants can be tricky
Why people get overwhelmed after diagnosis, and how to start with small, realistic steps
The “crowding out” method: what to add first so healthy habits stick
Common non-negotiables that move the needle fast (Diet soda + processed snack foods)
How to avoid orthorexia and stop turning food into fear
How to advocate for yourself when your oncologist dismisses integrative tools
Episode Timeline:
01:06 Introducing Jen Nolan + Sara Stratton 04:10 Nutrigenomics and personalized healing 10:56 Sara’s diagnosis at 37 + what life looked like before 13:55 Metabolic approach during treatment (fasting, keto, movement) 24:14 Fasting around chemo + how she trained through treatment 28:47 Supplements + what to avoid during chemotherapy 32:11 Fat metabolism genes + why keto doesn’t work the same for everyone 35:59 How to start without overwhelm (3 changes at a time) 44:44 Treatment phase vs. long-term lifestyle (graduating from strictness) 49:55 Why conventional providers resist integrative support 51:43 What to do when your oncologist dismisses fasting/nutrition 54:34 Why breast cancer is usually not an emergency (and time matters) 58:48 Joy, purpose, and living while healing
134: How to Unlock Your Body’s Built-In Repair System with Loren Lockman
24 Feb 2026
01:24:28
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons talks with Loren Lockman, a longtime health coach and water-only fasting expert who has supervised fasts since 1996. Loren shares how fasting helped him recover from years of chronic illness and explains what the body is doing during a properly supported water fast - especially autophagy, fasting ketosis, and deep cellular repair.
They also dig into why Loren believes most people are chronically dehydrated, why he does not recommend juicing (even at home), how fasting can support healing across many conditions (including breast cancer support), and why the real key is not doing more - it is getting out of the body’s way with rest, simplicity, and a structured refeed.
What You’ll Learn
What water-only fasting is, how it works, and why proper supervision matters
How fasting activates autophagy and supports deep cellular cleanup
The difference between fasting ketosis and the ketogenic diet
How detoxification and immune function are connected to chronic disease
The influence of the pharmaceutical industry on modern nutrition and health narratives
Natural diet and lifestyle strategies that support longevity
Plant-based nutrition, protein myths, and whole-food sourcing
Why hydration, electrolyte balance, and water intake are critical during fasting
Who should not fast (and who typically can)
Episode Timeline:
01:03 Meet Loren Lockman: 38-Year Vegan & Water-Only Fasting Expert 03:13 From Chronic Illness to Radical Healing 09:22 Why Conventional Medicine Failed Him 16:00 Healing Is a Biological Process (Not a Prescription) 21:30 What Happens in the Body During a Water Fast 26:30 Fasting & Cancer: Autophagy, Immunity, and Detox 31:00 Processed Foods, Pharma Influence & Modern Disease 33:45 Protein Myths, Juicing, and Nutritional Controversy 46:45 The Science of Autophagy & Fasting Ketosis 55:45 Chronic Dehydration, Intestinal Health & Aging 58:45 Can Everyone Fast? Who Should (and Shouldn’t) 01:04:30 Supplements: Helpful or Harmful? 01:08:00 Real Client Transformations (Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cancer) 01:11:00 What It’s Like to Work with Loren (Structure, Data, Refeeding) 01:14:30 Why Rest Is Essential During Fasting 01:23:30 Final Takeaways: Doing Less to Heal More
133: Stem Cells, Peptides, GLP1s and the New Blueprint for Preventative Medicine with Dr. Vass
18 Feb 2026
01:30:43
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Vassily Eliopoulous, MD a former ER physician turned regenerative and longevity medicine expert for a bold conversation about what is broken in modern healthcare and what is quietly replacing it.
After years inside emergency medicine, Dr. Vass hit a moment that forced him to confront a hard truth: the system is built to manage crises, not create health. From hospital incentive structures to medical education shaped by patentable therapies, they expose why prevention, metabolic health, peptides, stem cells, and bioidentical hormones remain on the margins.
This episode dives into regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy, GLP-1s beyond weight loss, immune resilience, the energetic drivers of disease, and why AI may amplify the need for true human connection in medicine.
If you have ever felt like “standard of care” is missing something, this conversation explains why and what comes next.
What You’ll Learn:
The ER moment that made Dr. Vass walk away from conventional medicine
Why hospitals are financially rewarded for procedures, not prevention
The hidden reason non-patentable therapies rarely get taught
What peptides (BPC-157, thymosin, GHK-Cu) actually do in the body
How stem cells heal tissue and whether they increase cancer risk
Why metabolic dysfunction drives cancer and chronic disease
The overlooked role of stress and immune suppression in illness
Episode Timeline:
01:00 Meet Dr. Vass: From ER Physician to Regenerative Medicine Pioneer 02:00 Risk, flow state, and longevity 07:30 The dark truth about ER medicine 10:26 Dr. Jenn’s “this system is broken” moment 14:07 Dr. Vass’ breaking point (and why he left) 20:21 Why doctors are not trained in prevention 23:13 Patentable medicine and the education pipeline 42:15 Patients are forcing the shift 47:56 AI, the future of doctors, and the art of medicine 57:40 Stress, immunity, and the energetic side of disease 01:00:36 Peptides, explained simply 01:17:38 Stem cells: what they do and what the data suggests 01:29:04 Where to find Dr. Vass + closing
132: Stop Chasing Diagnoses and Start Fixing the Root Cause with Reed Davis
10 Feb 2026
01:05:18
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Reed Davis, founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN), for a no-comfort conversation about why so many women are told they’re “fine” while they feel anything but.
Together, they unpack the lie hiding inside “normal labs,” why diagnosis-chasing keeps you stuck in symptom management, and what Reed calls metabolic chaos - the slow breakdown that happens when chronic stress, inflammation, hormone disruption, digestion issues, and toxic burden stack up for years… until the body finally crashes. They also break down epigenetics (and why family history is not a life sentence), plus what it really means to “change the environment your breasts are living in.”
This is a conversation about root cause, medical sovereignty, and the hard truth that health doesn’t happen in a doctor’s office, it happens at home.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why “normal labs” can still mean deep dysfunction
The difference between treating a diagnosis and treating the person
What “metabolic chaos” is and how it shows up as totally different symptoms in different people
How epigenetics works (and how to use it to break family patterns)
Why exercise and nutrition have to be individualized (and how the wrong plan backfires)
Dr. Jenn’s perspective on prophylactic mastectomy and the underestimated cost of breast removal trauma
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Why “Normal Lab Results” Don’t Mean You’re Healthy 02:24 Reed Davis’ Journey Into Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) 10:12 Root Cause Healing vs Diagnosis-Based Medicine 15:39 Why Conventional Medicine Stops at Symptom Management 19:06 Metabolic Chaos: How Chronic Stress Disrupts Hormones and Health 20:58 Epigenetics Explained: How Environment Overrides Genetics 28:01 Prophylactic Mastectomy, Breast Health, and Medical Trauma 32:48 The DRESS Protocol: Diet, Stress, and Lifestyle-Based Healing 45:48 Medical Freedom, Screening Pressure, and Patient Autonomy 54:13 The Future of Healthcare: Prevention, Wellness, and Self-Responsibility 1:01:04 What Is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN)?
131: Get Real Answers About Breast Cancer: The Questions Women Ask Most with Dr. Jenn
03 Feb 2026
01:13:34
In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons answers the exact questions women ask her every day about breast cancer risk, hormone therapy, aromatase inhibitors, and screening. She breaks down the difference between bioidentical and non-bioidentical hormones, what “high risk” actually means, why fear-based medicine keeps women stuck, and how to build a screening and prevention plan you understand and trust. If you’ve felt dismissed, confused, or pressured into one-size-fits-all choices, this episode gives you language, clarity, and next steps to advocate for your body.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Bioidentical vs non-bioidentical hormones, and what matters after breast cancer
The truth about estrogen, recurrence risk, and the “have vs had breast cancer” distinction
Why aromatase inhibitors feel brutal, what they’re doing, and how to support your body on them
What “high risk” really means, plus how breast density actually fits into risk
Safer screening options like QT and ultrasound, and what to do when QT isn’t available
How the ARIA tear test works, what a positive result means, and your next steps
What calcifications can signal and how to think about DCIS without panic
How to combine integrative care with conventional oncology without losing support
Why breast cancer is tied to inflammation and metabolic health, and what to track
Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Episode 03:05 Why Women Aren’t Getting Clear Answers About Breast Health 06:00 Bioidentical vs Non-Bioidentical Hormones 13:30 Estrogen, Hormone Therapy, and Breast Cancer Risk 20:10 Aromatase Inhibitors Explained 27:45 Supporting Quality of Life While on Aromatase Inhibitors 34:30 Understanding What “High Risk” Really Means 39:40 Breast Density Explained 45:30 Limitations of Mammograms and MRI 50:40 The ARIA Tear Test and Prevention-Based Screening 56:30 QT Scan, Ultrasound, and Safer Imaging Options 1:02:40 Screening After Breast Cancer Treatment 1:07:50 Breast Calcifications and DCIS 1:11:00 Integrative Care and Root Cause Healing 1:13:00 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Support
130: Hospitals Don’t Heal You, Your Body Does with Dr. Erica Schwartz
27 Jan 2026
00:52:05
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Erica Schwartz, a pioneer in hormone and integrative medicine, for a blunt conversation about menopause, hormone replacement therapy, and why women are still being denied care that protects their long-term health.
Together, they get real about why modern medicine still runs on a “wait until you’re sick” model, why hospitals can be the most dangerous place to heal, and how the system trains both doctors and patients to outsource responsibility. They break down the lasting damage of the Women’s Health Initiative, the fear-based messaging around estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and the real-world consequences of medical gatekeeping from pharmacies to hospitals.
This is a conversation about truth, autonomy, and what it actually looks like to practice medicine from the whole-body, whole-life perspective.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why conventional medicine is built for acute care, not long-term health
How the Women’s Health Initiative changed hormone care for generations of women
Why “just deal with it” menopause advice is harmful (and wildly outdated)
What estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone actually do in the female body
Why testosterone for women is still restricted and why that matters
How medical errors and hospital systems put patients at risk
Why taking responsibility for your health isn’t optional anymore
Episode Timeline:
00:00 The Crisis in Conventional Medicine
03:54 Dr. Schwartz's Journey to Holistic Health
09:59 The Shift from Acute Care to Preventative Health
17:47 The Importance of Hormonal Health
25:29 The Impact of Alcohol on Health
28:10 Nutrition and Cancer: A Misunderstood Connection
129: Diagnosed but Still Not Better: What’s Being Missed in Women’s Hormone Care with Dr. Eugene Shippen
21 Jan 2026
01:12:32
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Eugene Shippen, hormone specialist best known for his early work in bioidentical hormone therapy and for authoring The Testosterone Syndrome. Together, they explore the overlooked biology behind endometriosis, breast cancer, and persistent hormonal imbalance, focusing on how aromatase-driven inflammation links these conditions and why standard treatments often miss the root cause.
The conversation covers individualized vitamin D dosing, iodine’s role in thyroid and breast health, testosterone in women, and a clear, evidence-based approach to hormone replacement therapy, who it’s right for, who should avoid it, and why many women are being denied care unnecessarily.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
How estrogen and inflammation drive hormone-positive breast cancer
Why breast tumors produce their own estrogen and what treatment often overlooks
What endometriosis reveals about aromatase activity and breast cancer biology
Why vitamin D functions as a hormone and how deficiency impacts breast cancer risk and outcomes
The role of iodine in breast tissue, dense breasts, and fibrocystic disease
When hormone replacement therapy may be appropriate after breast cancer and when it is not
Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction to Hormonal Health 05:06 Understanding Endometriosis 12:28 Endometriosis and Breast Cancer Connections 17:33 The Coimbra Protocol and Vitamin D 22:15 Vitamin D's Role in Disease Prevention 27:55 Individualized Vitamin D Dosing 35:39 Monitoring Health Conditions 37:03 The Role of Testosterone in Women's Health 42:46 Understanding Iodine and Its Importance 50:50 Hormone Replacement Therapy: Current Perspectives 01:00:18 Breast Cancer and Hormone Replacement 01:03:39 Environmental Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Rates
128: The Truth About GLP-1 Drugs and Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Take Them with Dr. Susan Brian
13 Jan 2026
01:05:21
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Susan Brian, an Ivy League–trained endocrinologist, certified menopause specialist, and researcher, to discuss how GLP-1 medications are transforming the treatment of metabolic dysfunction.
They explore how therapies like semaglutide and tirzepatide work beyond weight loss, why metabolic disease often goes undiagnosed for years, and how GLP-1s impact diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular risk, and body composition. The conversation addresses appropriate versus inappropriate use, real risks versus media-driven fear, and why resistance training is essential to protect muscle during weight loss.
Dr. Brian also discusses emerging questions around GLP-1s in cancer outcomes and longevity, emphasizing the importance of individualized prescribing, proper screening, and patient education.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn
Why GLP-1 medications have fundamentally changed metabolic medicine
How GLP-1s compare to older treatments like metformin
Who is an appropriate candidate for GLP-1 therapy
How GLP-1–related weight loss may impact breast cancer
Why early screening for metabolic dysfunction matters
How to preserve muscle while losing weight
When microdosing or maintenance dosing may make sense
How to avoid common side effects linked to rapid weight loss
Episode Timeline:
00:00 Introduction to GLP-1 and Metabolic Health 06:32 Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Use of GLP-1 12:29 Understanding Metabolic Dysfunction 18:18 Menopause and Metabolic Health 31:42 Understanding Cardiovascular Protection and Hormonal Treatments 38:13 The Role of Newer Drugs in Weight Loss and Fatty Liver 48:50 The Importance of Appetite Regulation in Weight Management 53:26 Microdosing GLP-1s for Longevity: A New Frontier 01:00:19 Safe dosing, rate of weight loss, and best practices
127: What 100 Days Underwater Revealed About Aging and Healing with Dr. Joseph Dituri
06 Jan 2026
01:28:11
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Joseph Dituri, a biomedical engineer, hyperbaric medicine specialist, and former U.S. Navy saturation diver, to explore the science of healing, aging, and human resilience.
Drawing from his clinical work in hyperbaric medicine and his recovery from a traumatic brain injury, Dr. Dituri explains how oxygen, pressure, and controlled physiological stress affect inflammation, sleep quality, immune function, and cellular repair. Together, they examine the evidence behind biological versus chronological age, the role of muscle and bone health in longevity, and the evolving, evidence-informed use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in healing and cancer support.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
What happens to the human body when it lives under pressure for 100 days underwater
How hyperbaric oxygen therapy impacts inflammation, immune function, sleep, and aging
The difference between biological age vs. chronological age and why it matters.
Why muscle and bone health are critical pillars of longevity
How healthy stress can strengthen the brain, body, and immune system
The science behind collagen synthesis, stem cells, and tissue repair
What the research actually says about hyperbaric medicine and cancer
How to identify qualified, safe hyperbaric centers and avoid poorly run facilities
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Joe Dituri and His Mission 03:08 What Hyperbaric Medicine Is and How It Works 05:54 Why He Chose to Live Underwater for 100 Days 08:54 Daily Life, Work, and Challenges Beneath the Ocean 11:53 Sleep, Brain Function, and Cognitive Changes Under Pressure 14:53 Inflammation, Telomeres, and Measuring Cellular Health 18:05 The Core Science Behind Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy 28:50 Isolation, Connection, and Human Biology 33:49 Biological Age vs. Chronological Age 50:35 Hyperbaric Therapy for Health Optimization 53:17 Collagen, Tissue Healing, and Regeneration 56:07 Hyperbaric Medicine and Cancer Support 01:06:50 Treatment Frequency, Duration, and Expectations 01:12:03 How to Find Safe and Qualified Hyperbaric Centers 01:15:52 Longevity, Optimization, and What’s Next
126: Out With the Old, In With the New: Rethinking Breast Cancer Screening
30 Dec 2025
00:35:19
In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons delivers a clear, evidence-based breakdown of modern breast cancer screening and prevention. She explains why so many women are confused about breast health and how outdated screening practices, lack of informed consent, and drive fear rather than clarity.
Dr. Jenn distinguishes between screening and diagnostic imaging, emphasizing that screening for healthy, asymptomatic women should be safe. She introduces innovative, non-radiation screening tools including the Auria Tears Test, which identifies inflammatory precursors to breast cancer, and the QT Scan, a pain-free, radiation-free 3D imaging technology.
The episode addresses common concerns around mammograms, biopsies, dense breasts, estrogen, and hormone replacement therapy.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
The difference between screening and diagnostic breast imaging
What mammograms do - and don’t - actually tell you
How inflammation shows up before breast cancer develops
How the Auria Tears Test identifies early inflammatory risk
How the QT scan can be used for screening
Whether biopsies can cause cancer to spread
How estrogen and hormone replacement fit into breast health
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness 01:57 Understanding Mammograms: Screening vs. Diagnostic 09:11 Innovative Screening Methods: QT and Auria Test 16:20 The Importance of Breast Cancer Awareness 17:55 The Future of Breast Cancer Screening 23:07 Biopsy Safety and Dense Breasts 28:13 Debunking Myths: Estrogen and Breast Cancer 32:01 Hormone Replacement Therapy: A Health Plan Perspective
To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with RHMD, visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/discovery-call
125: Rethinking Mammograms, Diet, and Prevention with Dr. Michael Greger
22 Dec 2025
00:37:17
In this compelling episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Michael Greger, physician, author of How Not to Die, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, for a focused conversation on breast cancer screening, prevention, and informed decision making.
Together, they challenge common assumptions about mammograms, unpacking what research shows about over diagnosis, false reassurance, and the lack of overall survival benefit. Dr. Greger explains why women and physicians often overestimate the life-saving power of mammography and why informed consent is missing from screening discussions.
Beyond screening, Dr. Greger explores how lifestyle shapes breast cancer risk, including plant-forward nutrition and the dangers of alcohol. Together, they emphasize empowering women with evidence-based information.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
• Why mammograms do not improve overall survival • What women are not told about overdiagnosis and false positives • Why informed consent is missing from breast cancer screening • How the Auria test detects inflammatory precursors before cancer develops • Why prevention matters more than early detection • How diet influences breast cancer risk and overall health • Why plant-forward eating supports metabolic and hormonal balance • Why alcohol significantly increases breast cancer risk even in small amounts • How medical training underemphasizes nutrition science • Why empowerment and education change health outcomes
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Why breast cancer prevention remains confusing 04:45 The problem with mammography and informed consent 08:34 Overdiagnosis, false reassurance, and hidden harms 12:17 Why survival benefits matter more than detection 14:44 Introducing the Auria at-home screening test 18:19 Medical dogma and resistance to change 20:46 Dr. Greger’s grandmother and the origin of his mission 24:13 Plant-based versus plant-exclusive eating 28:39 Alcohol as a major and overlooked breast cancer risk 32:51 Practical guidance for prevention and long-term health 33:56 Key takeaways on screening, diet, and empowerment
124: A Brain Tumor, Faith, and the Shift to Functional Healing with Taylor Dukes
15 Dec 2025
01:07:47
In this powerful episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Taylor Dukes, former ICU nurse, functional health advocate, and founder of Taylor Dukes Wellness, to explore what happens when conventional medicine stops asking deeper questions.
Taylor shares her journey from the ICU to facing her own brain tumor diagnosis, an experience that reshaped her understanding of health, healing, and the healthcare system. Together, she and Dr. Jenn discuss the emotional and spiritual toll carried by front line providers, the limitations of modern medical education, and why chronic and childhood illness have become increasingly normalized.
This conversation highlights the role of nutrition, detoxification, stress management, and faith in healing, while emphasizing personal responsibility and advocacy in a toxic world. Taylor also shares how her family became part of her mission, creating accessible wellness solutions rooted in foundational health.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why many providers leave conventional medicine seeking root cause answers
The emotional and spiritual impact of ICU nursing
How a brain tumor diagnosis changed Taylor’s approach to healing
Why functional medicine focuses on cause, not symptom management
How faith and mindfulness support recovery
Why childhood conditions like fatty liver disease are increasing
The foundational role of nutrition and detoxification
Why “normal” labs do not always mean optimal health
How to advocate for yourself within the healthcare system
Why healing can be accessible and practical
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 From conventional medicine to functional healing 03:12 Life inside the ICU 05:50 Personal health crisis and awakening 09:13 Discovering functional medicine 11:54 A brain tumor diagnosis 14:59 Integrative treatment decisions 18:01 Faith and mindfulness in healing 20:47 Life after surgery 23:59 From patient to provider 26:51 Education and prevention 37:06 Childhood health concerns 39:59 Nutrition and detoxification 44:33 Stress and healing 49:14 Building wellness products 56:05 Integrative medicine in practice
123: A Family’s Fight Through Childhood Cancer with Ryan Sternagel
08 Dec 2025
01:27:24
In this powerful episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Ryan Sternagel, founder of The Stern Method, to share the story that reshaped his life: his son’s cancer diagnosis and the desperate search for answers that followed. What began as a parent’s nightmare became a deep dive into integrative medicine, environmental toxicity, nutrition, and the healing power of community.
Ryan opens up about navigating a rigid medical system, facing pressure from institutions, and refusing to ignore his intuition. He and Dr. Jenn explore what happens when families question conventional recommendations, how holistic therapies can support traditional treatment, and why creating a healing environment is essential.
This is a conversation about resilience, advocacy, and the belief that healing requires more than protocols. It’s about parents becoming empowered, finding the right team, and discovering hope in the darkest moments.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How Ryan’s son’s diagnosis launched his mission in integrative health
The challenges families face when questioning conventional treatment
Why intuition and research matter in medical decision making
How nutrition and alternative therapies support cancer care
The emotional and practical realities of navigating the system
The importance of community, mindset, and family support
Why no single therapy is ever a silver bullet
How environment and lifestyle shape healing
The role of supplements within a comprehensive plan
What it means to build a truly healing home
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen. And share this story with someone who needs strength and hope.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
02:46 Awakening to holistic health 06:00 The diagnosis and early decisions 09:00 Navigating hospitals and seeking answers 15:01 Nutrition and alternative therapies 17:55 Challenges with the medical system 20:58 Finding integrative oncology support 24:09 A family’s commitment to healing 30:08 Intuition, research, and advocacy 33:08 Bridging conventional and holistic approaches 36:02 Resilience and transformation 41:04 Purpose through adversity 48:35 Integrative and conventional treatment insights 56:39 Ivermectin and alternative therapies 01:01:27 Mindset in the healing process 01:13:44 Key supplements and holistic practices
Where to Find Ryan Sternagel:
Social: @thesternmethod Website: ourhealthnaturally.com Member Community: goingintegrativeplus.com
122: Revolutionizing Women's Health with Dr. Austin Lake
01 Dec 2025
01:19:06
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Austin Lake. Together, they explore how chronic disease became normalized, why the Flexner Report reshaped modern medical training, and what it really takes to take ownership of your health in today’s world.
Dr. Lake shares why environmental toxins, stress, and lifestyle choices are driving so much illness, and how personal responsibility and community support can radically change health outcomes. He and Dr. Jenn break down the vaccine debate, the future of medical autonomy, and why true healing requires questioning long-held assumptions.
They also dive into the role of diet and detoxification, the nuances of hormone replacement therapy, why foundational lifestyle work must come before hormones, and how faith and spiritual grounding help guide healing. This conversation empowers listeners to understand their bodies, advocate for their choices, and take back control in a healthcare system that often overlooks the root cause of disease.
In This Episode, You Will Learn: • How the Flexner Report reshaped modern medicine • Why chronic disease is not inevitable • How environmental toxins and stress fuel illness • Why personal responsibility is essential for healing • How community support strengthens health outcomes • Why vaccines remain a complex and evolving conversation • How diet and detoxification support metabolic health • Why hormones cannot replace foundational lifestyle changes • How elimination diets uncover hidden sensitivities • Why stress is a major driver of metabolic dysfunction • How women experience and carry stress differently • Why faith and mindset support physical healing • Why understanding your own body leads to better care • Why healing requires education, empowerment, and curiosity
Episode Timeline Highlights: 03:01 The evolution of medical education and practice 06:09 The Flexner Report and its impact on medicine 08:59 Challenging conventional wisdom in healthcare 11:58 The role of environmental factors in health 15:00 The importance of personal responsibility in health 18:06 The future of healthcare and community support 20:49 The vaccine debate and public health 27:06 Innovative approaches to breast cancer screening 33:00 The importance of diet and detoxification 35:51 Hormones as a tool, not a solution 42:52 The nuances of hormone replacement therapy 49:42 The role of diet in hormonal health 55:24 The connection between stress and metabolic health 01:00:05 The role of faith in health and healing
121: Plant Based Simplicity and Building a Healthier Relationship With Food with Healthy Emmie
24 Nov 2025
01:07:44
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Emmie Keefe, also known as Healthy Emmie, a guiding voice in plant based nutrition. Together, they explore what it truly means to build a healthy relationship with food and why simplicity matters more than perfection.
Emmie shares her personal journey into plant focused eating, how it transformed the health of her entire family, and why food addiction is one of the biggest unspoken challenges many people face. Dr. Jenn and Emmie break down the fears, resistance, and emotional attachments that keep people stuck, and why three weeks can be enough to create real, sustainable change.
They also dive into intuitive eating, the pitfalls of calorie and macro counting, how to build a nourishing plate, and why weight training is essential for women at every age. This conversation empowers listeners to rethink their daily choices, understand the role of emotional and spiritual healing, and embrace the truth that health happens at home long before the doctor's office.
In This Episode, You Will Learn: • Why everyone benefits from eating more plants • How food addiction shows up and why it is so hard to break • Why the brain can adapt quickly to new eating habits • How simplicity supports long term health • Why half your plate should be vegetables • How fear of losing comfort blocks change • Why three weeks can reset habits • The difference between weight loss and real disease prevention • Why intuitive eating reduces stress • How to build a nourishing plate with balance • Why weight training is critical for women • Why age should never stop you from lifting weights • How to simplify meal prep when overwhelmed • Why fasting is not right for everyone • How eating order impacts blood sugar • Why knowledge is empowerment • Why health is built daily in your home
Episode Timeline Highlights: 00:00 Introduction to plant based nutrition and behavioral change 07:15 Emmie's journey into plant focused eating 17:06 Food addiction and convenience challenges 24:42 Resistance, comfort, and why change feels hard 32:30 Weight loss vs disease prevention 34:44 Intuitive eating vs counting macros 37:03 Building a simple, nourishing plate 40:12 The role of weight training for women 44:29 Knowledge, confidence, and empowerment 50:01 Simplifying healthy eating for real life 56:22 Fasting and metabolic considerations 01:02:55 Eating order and blood sugar control
120: Hormones, Holistic Health, and Women's Empowerment with Dr. Taz Bhatia
17 Nov 2025
01:06:27
In this illuminating episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Taz Bhatia, board-certified physician, integrative medicine pioneer, and champion for women’s health, to explore the intricate world of hormones through every season of a woman’s life.
Dr. Taz shares her personal hormonal journey, the gaps she witnessed in conventional medicine, and why personalized, root-cause driven care is essential. Together, she and Dr. Jenn break down how birth control, stress, gut health, and generational patterns shape hormonal balance. They also dive into innovative diagnostic approaches, including the auria test, and discuss why hormones are often misunderstood, and mismanaged, in modern medical systems.
This conversation empowers women to understand their physiology, challenge outdated narratives, and take an active role in their health across puberty, fertility, perimenopause, and beyond.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why hormonal changes form a lifelong continuum
How birth control can mask deeper imbalances
The role of gut health and liver detoxification in hormone balance
Why progesterone deficiency is so common today
How stress and cortisol impact young women’s hormones
The importance of personalized hormone therapy
Why patients must advocate for their own health
How hormonal patterns can be passed through generations
Why breast cancer is often linked to hormone deficiency, not excess
How innovative tools like the auria test may revolutionize screening
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Dr. Taz’s personal hormonal journey 02:45 Why traditional hormonal treatments fall short 06:02 How experience reshaped her integrative practice 09:06 Birth control concerns & long-term impacts 11:57 How hormonal suppression affects whole-body health 14:58 The value of holistic, root-cause approaches 17:53 Cultural resistance to new medical paradigms 20:57 Innovations in breast cancer screening (auria test) 23:50 Why change is so hard in established medicine 27:00 Understanding hormonal patterns & testing 29:51 The need for comprehensive hormone education 33:39 Hormonal shifts from puberty to menopause 43:53 Personalized hormone therapy done right 01:01:29 Gut health, the microbiome & hormonal balance 01:04:47 Empowering patients to own their health journey
119: Overcoming Terminal Cancer and Redefining Healing with Dr. Pete Sulack
10 Nov 2025
01:05:52
In this deeply inspiring episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Pete Sulack—chiropractor, functional medicine practitioner, and founder of Unhealthy Anonymous—for a powerful conversation about defying the odds after a terminal cancer diagnosis.
Dr. Sulack shares how he turned a death sentence into a journey of hope, healing, and renewal. Through faith, nutrition, and lifestyle transformation, he reclaimed his health and now guides others to do the same. Together, he and Dr. Jenn challenge conventional cancer paradigms, exploring how mindset, personalized nutrition, and spiritual alignment can unlock the body’s innate capacity to heal.
This episode invites listeners to rethink what’s possible in cancer recovery and beyond. It’s a story of courage, resilience, and faith in both science and spirit—reminding us that health is not something we outsource but something we build from within.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How Dr. Sulack overcame a terminal brain cancer diagnosis
Why functional medicine focuses on healing the whole person, not just treating disease
The crucial role of personalized nutrition in recovery
How food sensitivities and gut health shape overall wellness
Why conventional medicine often overlooks the importance of diet
The link between faith, mindset, and the body’s innate ability to heal
How to take proactive responsibility for your health
Why empowerment and education can change the cancer care paradigm
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Overcoming the Impossible: Dr. Pete Sulack’s Journey 03:11 The Diagnosis: A Life-Changing Event 05:58 Creating a New Path: Functional Medicine and Resilience 09:06 The Role of Diet in Cancer Treatment 12:05 Understanding Food Sensitivities and Gut Health 14:50 The Importance of Personalized Nutrition 18:05 Challenging Conventional Wisdom in Cancer Care 20:51 Proactive Health Management: A Call to Action 31:35 Rethinking Health Responsibility 34:19 Personalized Health Regimens 39:35 The Role of Faith in Healing 43:37 Hope and Healing Perspectives 48:07 Creating a Healing Environment 51:56 Empowering Cancer Care 54:41 Changing the Cancer Care Paradigm
118: The Mouth-Body Connection: Functional Dentistry with Dr. Staci Whitman
03 Nov 2025
01:30:21
In this enlightening episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Staci Whitman, founder of NoPo Kids Dentistry and a pioneer in functional and holistic oral health. Together they uncover how the mouth serves as the gateway to the body—and why what happens there reverberates through every system.
Dr. Whitman explains how chronic disease begins long before symptoms appear and how functional dentistry offers a path toward true prevention. From the oral microbiome and nutrition to mercury fillings, x-ray exposure, and the ongoing fluoride debate, she brings clarity and compassion to topics often overlooked in conventional care.
Listeners will gain an understanding of biocompatibility in dental materials, the emotional toll of traditional dentistry, and how early-life oral care can shape a lifetime of wellness. This is an empowering look at how modern medicine and dentistry can finally come together to support whole-body health.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why chronic disease often begins in the mouth
How root canals can influence systemic health
The principles of functional and holistic dentistry
How nutrition impacts teeth, gums, and the microbiome
What to know about x-rays, mercury fillings, and safe removal
Why biocompatibility testing for dental materials matters
The crucial role of saliva and the oral microbiome
The mental-health challenges many dentists face
How pediatric oral care shapes lifelong wellness
Why dentistry’s future depends on integration and education
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 The Epidemic of Chronic Disease 03:11 Holistic Dentistry: A New Approach 06:12 Root Canals and Systemic Health 08:50 The Shift to Functional Dentistry 12:03 The Role of Nutrition in Oral Health 15:07 Integrating Dentistry and Medicine 18:12 The Importance of Oral Microbiome 21:00 Testing and Monitoring Oral Health 23:59 X-Rays and Radiation Concerns 27:04 Mercury in Dentistry 30:07 Safe Removal of Mercury Fillings 42:16 Biocompatibility in Dentistry 45:07 Mental Health in Dentistry 49:03 The Importance of Pediatric Dentistry 51:05 The Evolution of Oral Health 57:55 The Fluoride Debate 01:10:55 Heroes in Functional Dentistry 01:13:56 Finding Biologic Dentists 01:18:59 The Future of Dental Education
Where to find Dr. Staci Whitman:
Website: https://doctorstaci.com Social Media: @doctor_staci
117: Root Causes, Hormonal Health & The Politics of Medicine with Dr. Will Cole
27 Oct 2025
01:39:27
In this empowering episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Will Cole, a leading functional medicine expert, to explore what it truly means to find the root causes of disease and take back ownership of your health.
Dr. Cole shares his path from conventional to functional medicine and how telehealth revolutionized his ability to connect with patients worldwide. Together, he and Dr. Jenn unpack the modern health landscape—from the rise of autoimmune conditions and hormonal imbalances to the challenges of medical politics and social media’s influence on health narratives.
The conversation highlights why empowerment, collaboration, and bioindividuality are the future of medicine—and how you can become an active participant in your own healing journey.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How Dr. Will Cole’s journey shaped his functional medicine philosophy
Why understanding root causes is the key to true healing
How telehealth changed the patient–practitioner relationship
The double-edged nature of social media in modern health discussions
Why autoimmune and hormonal disorders are rapidly increasing
How politics and profit can distort healthcare priorities
What bioindividuality means for your health choices
How collaboration across medical disciplines creates better outcomes
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Dr. Will Cole 05:30 The Power of Root-Cause Medicine 11:24 Telehealth & Patient Empowerment 17:04 Challenges in Mystery Illnesses 19:47 Social Media’s Impact on Health Messaging 29:33 Awakening to Health Awareness 34:38 Introducing AURIA: A New Screening Tool 36:53 Questioning the Medical Dogma 44:07 Autoimmunity & Modern Health Crises 52:01 Hormones and Metabolic Health 01:00:16 When Health Meets Politics 01:06:56 The Medical Industrial Complex 01:13:53 Finding Common Ground & Progress 01:17:45 Fasting and Metabolic Flexibility 01:22:34 Making Health Accessible for Everyone
116: Redefining Breast Cancer and Metabolic Health with Dr. Jenn Simmons
20 Oct 2025
01:13:03
In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons delivers an empowering and deeply personal message about what true health means—and why less than 10% of Americans are metabolically healthy.
Drawing from her recent community webinar, Dr. Jenn unpacks the real roots of breast cancer, the systemic failures of modern medicine, and how personalized health plans can transform outcomes. She explains why breast cancer is not a random event, but a metabolic and environmental response—and how women can reverse that pattern through awareness, testing, and intentional lifestyle change. This episode also introduces the AURIA test, a revolutionary tear-based screening tool for early breast cancer detection, and features heartfelt testimonials from women who have rebuilt their health through Dr. Jenn’s programs.
If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond diagnosis into true healing—or how to prevent breast cancer altogether—this conversation is your roadmap.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why less than 10% of Americans are metabolically healthy
The link between metabolic dysfunction and breast cancer
How modern medicine treats symptoms instead of root causes
Why diet and lifestyle are the true drivers of recovery
How alcohol, toxins, and environment shape disease risk
The importance of personalized health plans for healing
Why breast cancer is a normal response to an abnormal environment
How the AURIA test is transforming early detection
What nutrigenomic testing reveals about your unique needs
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
03:53 – Less than 10% of Americans are metabolically healthy 08:22 – Why insurance companies and healthcare don’t promote wellness 13:16 – “If we don’t change, how can we expect change?” 17:29 – A patient story: how daily wine shaped disease risk 22:10 – Taking ownership of your health and intuition 24:52 – Introducing AURIA: the tear-based breast screening test 31:07 – Why testing matters: nutrigenomics and personalization 35:57 – Everyone gets a treatment plan—but where’s the health plan? 40:30 – Patient testimonials and real transformation stories 47:07 – AURIA giveaway and how the test works 52:45 – How to build a health plan for every stage of diagnosis 57:24 – Why breast health equals whole-body health 01:04:07 – Nutrigenomic testing and actionable insights 01:09:20 – Hormones as the key to longevity and vitality 01:12:33 – Closing reflections and next steps
115: The Perimenopause Revolution with Dr. Mariza Snyder
13 Oct 2025
01:17:13
In this empowering episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes bestselling author and women’s-hormone expert Dr. Mariza Snyder for a candid conversation about perimenopause—the most misunderstood phase in women’s health.
Drawing on 17 years in practice and her own journey through postpartum, Hashimoto’s, and perimenopause, Dr. Snyder unpacks what really happens when estrogen and progesterone begin to decline—and why this “zone of opportunity” is every woman’s call to action.
Together, she and Dr. Jenn break down the cultural myths, medical gaslighting, and scientific blind spots that leave millions of women unheard. They discuss brain fog, mood shifts, metabolic changes, and why bioidentical hormone therapy—when properly prescribed—can protect the brain, heart, and bones. It’s an honest, hopeful roadmap for women to reclaim their vitality, advocate for better care, and navigate midlife with confidence and clarity.
✨ Don’t miss Dr. Mariza Snyder’s new book, The Perimenopause Revolution, available now for pre-order at drmariza.com/book and officially releasing October 21, 2025.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why perimenopause is the zone of opportunity—not the beginning of decline
How declining estrogen and progesterone affect the brain, metabolism, and mood
Why women often know more than their providers—and what to do about it
How to approach hormone therapy safely and individually
What lifestyle pillars best support women in midlife
Why medical training must change to include hormone education
The role of advocacy, community, and self-education in women’s health
Episode Timeline Highlights: 02:19 Why women were taught to “suffer in silence” 05:05 Her mother’s struggles and the moment that changed everything 08:58 Recognizing perimenopause symptoms and hormonal shifts 12:20 Estrogen as the brain’s CEO—how hormones drive every system 17:27 Silent shifts: heart, metabolism, and bone health in midlife 22:50 Virtual clinics, cookie-cutter care & the need for education 26:28 Why “cleanse your way out of it” messaging is harmful 31:39 Top doctors leading the charge on safe HRT 37:45 What women can do today to advocate for themselves 48:40 Pregnancy risk myths & bioidentical hormones 55:00 How to approach replacement therapy in real life 01:04:38 Dr. Jenn’s own menopause story & medical blind spots 01:09:18 Is it ever too late for HRT? Research says no
114: DCIS, Overdiagnosis, and Reclaiming Women’s Health with Donna Pinto
06 Oct 2025
01:32:12
In this powerful episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes advocate Donna Pinto to uncover the truth about DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), mammography, and the epidemic of overdiagnosis.
Donna shares her personal journey from shock diagnosis to advocacy, exposing how fear, language, and profit drive women into unnecessary treatments. Together, she and Dr. Jenn highlight the emotional toll of mislabeling DCIS as cancer, the shortcomings of mammograms, and the need for safer, smarter approaches.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why DCIS should not be automatically labeled as breast cancer
How 80% of DCIS cases never progress to invasive disease
The role of mammograms in overdiagnosis and overtreatment
The devastating emotional toll of a cancer label
Why women must be empowered with informed consent
Safer alternatives like ARIA and QT imaging
How financial incentives perpetuate outdated screening models
The urgent need for grassroots education and advocacy
Episode Timeline Highlights:
00:00 – Why DCIS is controversial & Donna Pinto’s mission 04:05 – The conveyor belt of treatment & mammograms as “religion” 07:43 – Marketing, fear, and the reality of overdiagnosis 12:56 – “Good doctors, bad training” & systemic blind spots 14:23 – Donna’s biopsies, surgeries & harmful messaging 19:21 – Autopsy studies and why mammograms don’t change survival 25:31 – Overdiagnosis by the numbers & financial drivers 27:46 – Break: ARIA tear-based screening 29:21 – Emotional toll of a cancer label 36:30 – The cult of mammograms & celebrity myths 38:40 – Why mammograms can cost lives 42:16 – Why “carcinoma” must go & biomarker testing challenges 47:11 – Experts pushing back & grassroots advocacy grows 50:27 – Industry incentives & the $13B mammogram machine 54:35 – Resistance to safer imaging & radiation myths 57:25 – Break: Dr. Jenn’s book plug 58:53 – Donna’s mission, Opting Out, and informed consent 01:10:35 – What if DCIS was renamed? Why mindset shift matters 01:14:55 – Lifestyle as prevention & root cause approaches 01:22:53 – Smash-a-Melon campaign & closing reflections
113: Personal Responsibility & New Paradigms in Healthcare with Dr. Pamela Popper
29 Sep 2025
01:25:47
Episode Description In this thought-provoking episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Pam Popper—author, educator, and tireless advocate for informed health. From her own personal health struggles to becoming a leading voice for medical reform, Dr. Popper shares why personal responsibility and lifestyle choices are at the heart of true wellness.
Together, they challenge conventional ideas about weight, health, and overdiagnosis, while exposing how insurance companies and profit motives distort patient care. Dr. Popper also explores innovative approaches to breast cancer screening and highlights powerful stories of radical remission that prove the body’s capacity to heal when supported.
This is an empowering conversation for anyone ready to question the system, reclaim their health, and take ownership of their future.
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why personal responsibility is the foundation of health
How the “fat and healthy” myth leads to poor outcomes
Why settling for mediocrity undermines wellness
The dangers of overdiagnosis and excessive screening
New and innovative approaches to breast cancer detection
How profit motives shape the medical system
The powerful influence of insurance companies on care
What informed health principles look like in practice
Why radical remission stories point to patient empowerment
How Dr. Popper’s “Owner’s Manual for Health” can guide change
Episode Timeline Highlights: 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Pam Popper 02:04 Dr. Popper’s Personal Health Journey 07:43 The Myth of Fat and Healthy 10:21 Expectations and Mediocrity in Health 15:14 The Broken Medical System 22:43 Overdiagnosis and Screening Issues 28:58 Innovative Breast Cancer Screening 32:03 The Business Side of Medicine 35:53 The Role of Insurance in Healthcare 40:36 The Need for Informed Health Principles 45:59 Radical Remission and Patient Empowerment 52:03 Creating a New Health Paradigm 56:09 Pam’s Owner’s Manual for Health 01:21:42 Conversations with Pam: The Book
Where to find Dr. Pamela Popper:
Book: Conversations with Pam: The Power of Informed Healthcare Website: https://wellnessforumhealth.com/ Email: pampopper@msn.com
112: Rethinking Cardiology—Nutrition, Stress & Toxins with Dr. Jack Wolfson
22 Sep 2025
01:40:33
In this powerful episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with cardiologist Dr. Jack Wolfson to challenge the conventional wisdom on heart health. Together, they unpack the failures of mainstream cardiology, the risks of statins, and why true healing comes from addressing root causes—not masking symptoms with pharmaceuticals.
From nutrition and stress management to environmental toxins and community support, Dr. Wolfson and Dr. Jenn explore the real drivers of cardiovascular health. They also discuss how COVID-19 reshaped the landscape of heart disease and why women face unique risks too often ignored in conventional medicine.
This conversation is essential listening for anyone questioning the pill-for-every-ill approach, seeking practical steps for prevention, or wanting to reclaim ownership of their heart health.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
Why cardiovascular disease remains the #1 killer worldwide
How pharmaceuticals often miss the root cause
The truth about statins and their limited benefits
The central role of nutrition in heart health
How stress and emotional health impact the heart
Why toxins in food, water, and air can drive disease
The dangers of rigid medical guidelines
The overlooked link between breast cancer and heart disease
Why community and relationships protect cardiovascular health
How women’s unique risks demand a new approach
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights
05:35 Pharmaceutical Failures & the Cascade Effect 10:53 The Statin Controversy 16:46 Stress & Cardiovascular Health 22:38 Breast Cancer & Heart Disease Connections 28:12 The Role of Toxins in Health 33:55 Community & Relationships for Heart Health 39:04 Beta Blockers & Women’s Risk 46:40 Why Stents Don’t Save Lives 53:10 Cancer, Symptoms vs. Systems 58:08 Hidden Toxins in Plastics & Clothing 01:04:58 Oral Health, Dentistry & Weston A. Price 01:11:25 Mold Testing & Immune Dysfunction 01:17:20 Nutrition, Lifestyle & Never Cheating 01:23:35 Walking the Talk in Health Leadership 01:29:11 COVID-19, Freedom & Bodily Autonomy 01:33:14 Ivermectin, Immunity & Root Causes 01:37:18 Natural Heart Doctor & Cardiology Coffee
111: The Truth About Weight Loss, Visceral Fat, and Metabolism with Dr. Ashley Lucas
15 Sep 2025
01:05:05
In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Ashley Lucas, a former professional ballerina turned PhD nutritionist and founder of PhD Weight Loss. Dr. Lucas shares her remarkable journey from struggling with under-eating and injury in the ballet world to helping over 11,000 people lose nearly 500,000 pounds by addressing the real root of weight issues: metabolic health.
Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Ashley expose the myths of “eat less, move more,” unpack the dangers of visceral fat, and explain why true, lasting weight loss is more about hormones and mindset than willpower. They also dive into hot topics like GLP-1 weight loss drugs, protein and macro balance, over-exercise, sleep, and the misunderstood role of fat in our diets.
Whether you’ve battled weight loss plateaus, wondered why BMI is misleading, or want to protect your long-term metabolic health, this conversation offers a science-backed roadmap for sustainable change.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How Dr. Ashley’s ballet career and health collapse led her to study metabolism
Why “eat less, move more” fails most people
The unique dangers of visceral (belly) fat and how it drives disease
Why GLP-1 drugs may create more problems than they solve
How protein, fat, and carb balance impacts weight loss and metabolic health
Why BMI is outdated—and better tools for measuring health
The role of sleep, stress, and mindset in weight management
Why over-exercising can sabotage fat loss
Practical steps to reset metabolism and protect muscle mass
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
01:20 Introducing Dr. Ashley Lucas—ballerina to nutritionist 06:04 Struggles with weight, metabolism, and thyroid crash 12:23 Returning to school—PhD, dietetics & flipping the script 17:26 GLP-1 drugs—myths, misuse & muscle loss 21:07 Body composition vs. BMI—why scale weight lies 24:53 Why visceral fat is like “a tumor” and how to collapse it 28:28 Why “I don’t eat much but can’t lose weight” is real 33:18 Preserving muscle mass during fat loss 35:18 Exercise: why brisk walking and lifting heavy beat chronic cardio 40:50 Sleep, stress, and hormones as weight loss saboteurs 45:42 The ADA, carb tolerance, and why diabetics need better advice 48:29 Building a metabolic-supportive plate—protein, fat & carbs 53:23 Supplements that matter: magnesium, vitamin D, creatine, cod liver oil 56:41 Hidden power of organ meats & ancestral nutrition 63:11 Closing reflections & where to find Dr. Ashley
110: Why Self-Health Is the New Healthcare with Dr. Fab Mancini
08 Sep 2025
01:31:03
In this inspiring episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons welcomes Dr. Fabrizio “Fab” Mancini—internationally recognized chiropractor, educator, speaker, and author of Self-Health.
Together, they unpack the failings of a profit-driven healthcare system and reveal how true healing begins with personal responsibility, lifestyle choices, and reconnecting to the body’s innate ability to heal.
From his transformative car accident in the 1980s to becoming the youngest university president in the U.S., Dr. Mancini shares why he chose chiropractic over surgery, how the medical establishment actively suppressed natural approaches, and why integrative medicine and biohacking are changing the conversation on chronic disease.
This episode is a wake-up call for anyone navigating chronic illness, questioning conventional care, or seeking the tools to live with vitality into their 90s and beyond.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How a devastating car accident led Dr. Mancini to chiropractic care
The truth about medical education vs. chiropractic education
Why pharmaceuticals fail in chronic disease—and what really works
The three chiropractic principles that shaped Dr. Mancini’s life
How government subsidies fuel chronic illness
Why childhood obesity and infertility are on the rise—and what parents can do
What “biohacking” really means and why it’s not just for the wealthy
How Self-Health empowers anyone to prevent and reverse disease
💬 If this episode resonates, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Episode Timeline Highlights:
01:50 Welcome & how Dr. Jenn and Dr. Fab connected 02:55 A car accident, chiropractic discovery & recovery 05:39 Medical vs chiropractic education 08:21 AMA suppression & court ruling 11:17 Dr. Jenn’s awakening after illness 13:10 Economics of medicine & chronic disease 17:54 Three principles of chiropractic practice 21:12 Pharma’s role in education & research 32:56 RFK Jr., food stamps & systemic reform 37:49 Childhood obesity & children’s health 43:41 Processed food, subsidies & grocery pitfalls 48:42 Why the system rewards sickness 52:38 Epigenetics & illness as a wake-up call 01:04:27 Lobbying, pharma power & U.S. healthcare rankings 01:05:26 Biohacking—accessible vs expensive 01:12:52 Is biohacking only for the wealthy? 01:16:29 Why Dr. Mancini wrote Self-Health 01:20:22 Daily choices: movement, food, stress & sleep 01:28:27 Make health your #1 priority