Episodi

  • Hormones, Menopause, and the Cost of Saying No

    Hormones, Menopause, and the Cost of Saying No
    Oct 11 2026
    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 topicsDr. 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why they are not interchangeable.The conversation examines why many clinicians still fear hormone therapy, including outdated warnings, guideline dependence, pharma influence, and professional ego.Dr.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.Timestamps00:00 - Why Dr. Louise Newson is such a trusted voice on hormones01:17 - Losing her father young and the path into medicine03:39 - From prescribing HRT to becoming a medical writer04:04 - The WHI study and why it changed everything05:55 - Why antidepressants were replacing hormone care07:32 - Synthetic hormones versus bioidentical hormones09:33 - How receptor biology explains the difference10:32 - Chemical examples that show how small changes matter11:30 - Why WHO classified ethinyl estradiol as carcinogenic13:34 - Why warnings and guidelines keep the fear alive15:28 - The vacuum created when doctors stopped learning hormones16:41 - Training more than 33,000 clinicians in menopause care18:57 - Why gynecologists are not necessarily hormone experts19:24 - Why endocrinology and psychiatry often miss the issue20:49 - Is menopause a disease or a normal transition?22:15 - Why early menopause raises the stakes23:34 - Why hormone therapy should remain a choice24:27 - What happens when the body adapts to low hormones25:41 - Why supplements cannot replace estradiol, progesterone, or testosterone28:55 - What older women discover when they finally try hormones29:57 - The so-called window of opportunity after age 6031:31 - Why hormones may still help women with heart disease33:41 - Why there will never be a big randomized trial35:07 - Why medicine accepts some evidence standards and ignores others37:39 - The compounding controversy and why it makes no sense39:36 - Why testosterone can be safer as a pump or customized preparation40:03 - Why Dr. Newson dislikes the words menopause and perimenopause40:59 - Treating progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone separately42:38 - Why testosterone is so misunderstood in women44:03 - The limits of libido-only thinking45:28 - Testosterone data in men and why it gets ignored for women46:11 - BRCA mutations, ovarian cancer, and hormone eligibility48:56 - Why society guidelines are not the same as facts49:54 - The hidden harm of withholding hormones51:52 - The woman whose life changed after starting treatment53:09 - Why not prescribing can create real long-term danger54:11 - Women often know more than their providers now55:38 - The breast cancer population and refusing tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors56:46 - Estrogen receptor positive does not mean estrogen caused the cancer60:06 - Risks of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors61:33 - Testosterone use after breast cancer63:05 - Why cancer and recurrence happen with or without hormones65:26 - Who Dr. Newson would refuse to treat66:55 - A breast cancer case where hormones supported mental health68:09 - Why old breast cancer treatments included ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 14 min
  • 158 : IBS, finding and treating the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome

    158 : IBS, finding and treating the root cause of irritable bowel syndrome
    Sep 28 2026
    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 topicsDr. 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.Timestamps00:00 - 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 onlineTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-callTo get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuideConnect with Dr. Jenn:Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmonsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 4 min
  • 157 : Why Functional Medicine Went Mainstream After Being Dismissed for Years

    157 : Why Functional Medicine Went Mainstream After Being Dismissed for Years
    Sep 12 2026
    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 topicsDr. Robin Berzin's origin story, from international relations and economics to medicineHow a college thesis on hormone-treated beef helped shape her interest in public health, nutrition, and cancer riskWhy she did not initially see herself as a science person, and how she later reframed medicine as pattern recognition and synthesisThe role of her father's internal medicine background, and why she still did not assume medicine was her pathHow yoga, meditation, organic food, and personal health experiences deepened her interest in prevention and whole-person careWhat functional medicine means in practice: using the same medical tools, but focusing on root causes, personalization, and preventionWhy Robin saw a need to standardize and scale functional medicine through Parsley HealthThe tension between conventional medicine and alternative medicine, and why she rejects all-or-nothing thinkingExamples of root-cause thinking, including recurrent UTIs, migraines, autoimmune disease, infertility, and chronic fatigueThe challenge of building trust with insurers through outcomes data, cost savings, and reduced utilizationWhat it took to raise capital as a female founder with no MBA and no prior business backgroundHow leadership changed as Parsley grew from a small team to a 120-person companyThe importance of listening to patients, not just investors or skeptics, when making company decisionsHow Robin maintains her own health with sleep, supplements, meditation, food choices, exercise, and self-monitoringHer hope that evidence-based functional medicine becomes part of standard primary careTimestamps00:00 - 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...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 19 min
  • 156 : The Truth About Hormones, Progestins, and the Breast Cancer Myth

    156 : The Truth About Hormones, Progestins, and the Breast Cancer Myth
    Sep 4 2026

    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

    To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working 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

    Connect with Dr. Jenn:
    Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 3 min
  • 155 : Autoimmune Disease, Root Causes, and Why the Conventional Model Misses So Much

    155 : Autoimmune Disease, Root Causes, and Why the Conventional Model Misses So Much
    Aug 28 2026
    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 topicsIn 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.Timestamps00:00 - 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 ...
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 15 min
  • 154 : Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Vaccine Facts, Medical Freedom, and Trust in Medicine

    154 : Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Vaccine Facts, Medical Freedom, and Trust in Medicine
    Aug 21 2026
    Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Vaccine Facts, Medical Freedom, and Trust in MedicineDr. 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 topicsDr. 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.Timestamps00:00 - Why vaccine conversations are impossible to avoid02:10 - How integrative pediatrics changed Dr. Warsh's practice03:31 - Why parents' vaccine questions became unavoidable05:13 - Writing Between a Shot and a Hard Place06:50 - Why COVID deepened mistrust in medicine09:36 - Why school requirements don't feel like a real choice13:22 - Medicine should educate, not coerce17:06 - How pharma shapes training and medical thinking20:34 - Why accountability matters for vaccine safety23:28 - The rise of chronic disease in children30:22 - Big Food, convenience, and multi-generational health impact36:15 - The Henry Ford vaccinated vs. unvaccinated controversy40:48 - Why “the science is settled” is the wrong phrase43:43 - How the vaccine schedule expanded after 198648:26 - Rethinking timing, prioritization, and cumulative risk54:14 - RFK, reform, and transparency55:14 - What surprised Dr. Warsh most in the research62:03 - Reassessing newborn and early childhood vaccine timing67:30 - Why Hep B for newborns is controversial69:58 - Traditional vaccines vs. mRNA73:17 - Why Dr. Warsh is cautious about mRNA for kids75:28 - Why pulled vaccines used to be removed faster77:41 - The accountability gap79:39 - Why medical freedom matters for the futureTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-callTo get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuideConnect with Dr. Jenn:Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmonsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    1 ora e 22 min
  • 153: Hormone Therapy, Safety, and the Future of Women’s Health with Dr. Daved Rosensweet

    153: Hormone Therapy, Safety, and the Future of Women’s Health with Dr. Daved Rosensweet
    Aug 14 2026

    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

    55:46
    Closing remarks and call to action

    To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working 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

    Connect with Dr. Jenn:
    Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    58 min
  • 152: Part 2 | The Mammogram Is Off the Table, Here Is What a Former Breast Surgeon Recommends Instead with Ivy Harris

    152: Part 2 | The Mammogram Is Off the Table, Here Is What a Former Breast Surgeon Recommends Instead with Ivy Harris
    Jul 20 2026

    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

    To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working 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

    Connect with Dr. Jenn:
    Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    48 min