Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn – Details, episodes & analysis

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This conversation empowers women to understand their physiology, challenge outdated narratives, and take an active role in their health across puberty, fertility, perimenopause, and beyond.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

Where to find Dr. Taz Bhatia:

Website: holplus.co
Social: @DrTazMD

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

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

Where to find Dr. Pete Sulack:

Instagram: @drpetesulack
Website: https://drpetesulack.com/

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

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

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

Have you recently been diagnosed with breast cancer? Not sure where to start on your treatment journey? If so, then this episode is for you! It comes from the Beyond the Cancer Conference and we have Dr. Samm Pryce who talks about the best ways to create a personalized breast cancer treatment plan and why it’s so important for best outcomes. 

You will also hear:

• How genetics play a role in cancer and treatments, but maybe not in the way we are programed to think about
• Different types of tests that can be used to create the personalized plan
• The pyramid starts with the roots of the issues and works its way up

1. Base level: - sleep, diet, mental health, and hydration
2. Next level: Massage therapy, chiropractic medicine, etc.
3. Next level: Supplements
4. Next level: Prescription drugs
5. Highest level - surgery

• And more!

More about Dr. Samm
As a world class expert in natural medicine, Dr. Samm Pryce is a licensed Naturopathic Physician, 2x best selling author, event producer of Vital:The Experience, a thought leader, and influencer. She is often sought after for her mastery of Blood Type Diet, epigenetics, and nutrigenomics. Through Dr. Samm’s concierge private medical practice, #1 best selling books, and international retreats, she helps to bridge conventional and alternative medicine to transform illness into wellness. As the Chief Medical Officer for Balanced Integration, PLLC, She listens, cares, and then guides patients to better health using Naturopathic Medicine.
 
Connect with Dr. Samm:
Dr. Samm’s Website: https://www.drsammnd.com/
Dr. Samm’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsammnd/

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

Are breast implants safe to use after having breast cancer? In this episode, Dr. Rob Whitfield, a plastic surgeon specializing in breast implant removal surgery or explant joins me to discuss just this! He shares his initial interaction with a patient wanting to remove her implants and how he found an underlying infection without any real signs or symptoms, and where that led him. We talk a lot about the difference between a reconstructive implant and cosmetic implant, and how you can make informed decisions about if you should get implants after having breast cancer!

You will hear:

• The link between infection and fatigue
• How many breast implants Dr. Rob sees with bacterial growth (and what that means!)
• Why we are seeing an increase in breast implant illness
• The importance of preparing the body through diet, environment, etc. before undergoing a breast explant or fat transfer procedure
• Chronic inflammation and its effect on breast cancer and breast cancer illness
• And more!

More about Dr. Rob:
Dr. Robert Whitfield has been a plastic surgeon for 26 years and board-certified for over 16 years. He specializes in breast implant removal surgery and advanced cosmetic procedures such as his “No-Cut” Facelift. Born and bred in Las Vegas, Dr. Rob received his medical degree from the University of Las Vegas School of Medicine. This was followed by six years of surgical training, as well as his plastic surgery residency at Indiana University Medical Center.

He returned to Nevada for a one-year microsurgery fellowship before settling down to practice and teach at the Medical College of Wisconsin for seven years. In 2012, Dr. Rob relocated to Austin, Texas, where he has become renowned for his cosmetic expertise. He is committed to staying at the forefront of his field and regularly attends conferences and courses to keep up to date on the latest techniques and technologies in plastic surgery and his hospital privileges. In addition to his exceptional work as a surgeon, Dr. Rob is a sought-after provider for his Holistic Accelerated Recovery Program (HARP). The protocols of HARP help to reduce systemic inflammation and assist patients who are both preparing or recovering from surgical procedures.

Connect with Dr. Rob:
Dr. Rob’s Website: https://www.drrobertwhitfield.com
Dr. Rob’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breastimplantillnessexpert/
Dr. Rob’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@breastimplantillnessexpert

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

People have been asking to hear survivor stories, and boy do I have one today! We are going to discuss the controversial topic of DCIS with Donna Pinto, her journey, and the inspirational work that she does. Though she was pretty healthy, she received the shocking news that she had ductal carcinoma in situ, which was explained to her to be “pre-cancer,” but something that they treat exactly like breast cancer and her options for treatment weren’t great. When this precancer was first studied, doctors learned that it was a 50/50 chance that a patient would go on to have breast cancer, so the decision was made to treat all cases as if they were cancer to have a higher chance of saving that 50% of people who could get the full disease. And today, Donna shares her story and what you need to know about DCIS!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Fear and its role in conventional medicine
• How Donna became a detective and advocate for her own health and treatment
• The risks involved with imaging versus the rewards
• The emotional toll this diagnosis takes on women
• And more!

More about Donna:
Donna Pinto is originally from New Jersey and moved to Los Angeles at age 12. After graduating from San Diego State University with a BA in Journalism, she had a short-stint in magazine advertising sales before landing her "dream job" with Club Med. For two years Donna worked at resorts in Mexico, The Bahamas, The Dominican Republic, and Colorado. She met her husband Glenn in Ixtapa, Mexico and they embarked on a two year honeymoon around the world. This was also a research project for a book they wrote called When The Travel Bug Bites: Creative Ways to Earn, Save and Stay Abroad. Donna is also the author of a quote book for new graduates -- Cheatnotes on Life: Lessons From The Classroom of Life. In 1997, she settled in San Diego and was blessed to work part-time from home for non-profit organizations while raising her two boys. In 2010, a DCIS diagnosis changed her life. DCIS 411 is the culmination of her on-going journey and discoveries.

Donna's websites:

DCIS 411: www.DCIS411.com

Give Wellness (nonprofit): www.GiveWellness.life

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

I am super excited to have with me today a guest who has an incredible story of transformation from the conventional medical world to where she is today. Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner and an accomplished author who has literally written the book on intermittent fasting, Intermittent Fasting Transformation: The 45 Day Program for Women to Lose Stubborn Weight, Improve Hormonal Health, and Slow Aging. Her expertise is very much something that my community would benefit from, since we know that breast cancer doesn’t exist in a silo, but is a metabolic disease. Today, you'll hear more about how intermittent fasting and insulin resistance can affect your breast cancer. 

You’ll hear about:

• Cynthia’s story of transformation – starting with her son’s life threatening food allergies, shifting her priorities to keep her child safe and learning everything she could about nutrition
• What intermittent fasting is and what it does for the body
• The effect glucose and insulin has on the body, especially for cancer patients
• Insulin Resistance - what it is, how it impacts so many people, and how to reverse it
• What Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are and how the can help you figure out what’s going on in your body
• And so much more!

More about Cynthia:
Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, intermittent fasting and nutrition expert, and a two-time TEDx speaker. She is passionate about helping women find wellness through the healing power of nutrition and fasting. Cynthia believes it is possible to feel better tomorrow than you do today and want to equip others to experience that freedom!

Connect with Cynthia:
Website: https://cynthiathurlow.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHTWellness/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthia_thurlow_/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cynthiathurlow
Podcast: https://cynthiathurlow.com/podcast/

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

A breast cancer diagnosis can be both scary and very overwhelming! In the process it can lead you to just going along with what you're told you SHOULD do. But it doesn't have to be that way. In this episode, I share the top 5 things you can do when you receive a breast cancer diagnosis!

You'll hear more about:

• My own journey with breast cancer 
• The power of nutrition in any diagnosis 
• Reframing your diagnosis from a punishment to an opportunity
• My top five things you can do when you receive your diagnosis 
• And more!

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

Are you struggling with anxiety or panic attacks? If so, then this episode is for you! Today,  my friend and colleague Dr. Traci Potterf, a functional health anxiety detective, joins me on the podcast to talk about linking your emotional health with the intelligence of nature and how you can start to reclaim your emotional health right now!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Dr. Traci’s own discoveries around how she dealt with mental health issues 
• The 2 ways your brain is telling your body something is wrong
• How generational trauma and genetics affect healing your body
• Why you need to get to the root of what’s causing your anxiety
• The 3 pillars of healing anxiety
• And so much more!

More about Dr. Traci:
Dr. Traci Potterf is a Functional Health anxiety detective who helps growth-minded professionals overwhelmed by anxiety to find and fix the hidden causes with natural solutions so they can live a limitless life at peace in their own skin. 

Anxiety is not “all in your head.” She noticed early on that when she helped people address the root causes of their chronic health issues, their anxiety resolved as well, even with family histories and traumatic pasts. (Hint: Mental health is physical!)

As a psychiatrist’s daughter, former medical anthropologist, and recovered severe anxiety sufferer, Dr. Traci has a unique perspective on the mental health epidemic and she is on a mission to share it with the world. 

Connect with Dr. Traci:
Dr. Traci’s Website: https://innergeniushealth.com/
Dr. Traci’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtracipotterfphd/
Dr. Traci’s Guided Meditation: https://innergeniushealth.com/link/

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

My guest today is such an inspiration in the world of health, healing, and personal development, it is hard to believe that he was almost dead at 18 years old. Nathan Crane is here to talk about what it was like being a teen struggling with addiction and homelessness and how he made a commitment to himself to turn it all around. Together, we will talk about how you can start to implement small changes in your life to make a big impact and live your best life, even with a breast cancer diagnosis!

You’ll hear:

• Nathan’s “ah-ha” moment that started his change
• Breaking habits by replacing them with healthier alternatives
• Resetting circadian rhythms and hormone production through simple (free) things 
• How the food industry - pharmaceutical industry cycle is continually keeping us sick
• The importance of starting slowly to replace the junk in our diets 
• Why you need to change your mindset around diseases like cancer (and how powerful it can be for you life!)
• And more!

More about Nathan:
Nathan Crane is an award-winning author, inspirational speaker, plant-based athlete, event producer, and 18x award-winning documentary filmmaker.

Nathan is the Founder of The Panacea Community, Creator of the Global Cancer Symposium, and Director and Producer of the documentary film, Cancer; The Integrative Perspective. He is also the Director of Strategic Relations at the Chi Center and is the Assistant Director of the PBS series "Ageless Living".

In 2005, at only 18 years old, Nathan began his health, healing, and spiritual journey, eventually overcoming a decade of brutal teenage addiction, house arrest, jail, and challenging times of homelessness to become an international author, filmmaker, and speaker dedicated to health, healing, and conscious awakening.


Connect with Nathan:
Nathan’s Website: https://nathancrane.com/
Healing Life Community: https://www.healinglife.net/

To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call

To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide

To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off.

Connect with Dr. Jenn:
Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons