Podcast
Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach
Hosted by Laura Lummer · EN
Laura is a Certified Life, Health, Nutrition Coach, and Wellness professional.
She's a two-time breast cancer survivor living with metastatic disease.
Laura supports women in dropping their warrior shield after a diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer so they can release the pressure to go back to normal and create a life that's even better than before breast cancer.
These twice-weekly episodes give you tools you can apply to your life today, to support your body and your mind as you manage life after breast cancer.
30episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
#453 The Truth About Ketosis - Breast Cancer and Nutrition, Just the Facts
Mar 600:26:35Tap to summarizeIn this final episode of the Nutrition After Breast Cancer: Just the Facts series, we break down ketosis clearly and responsibly. Ketosis is not a cure for cancer. It is not a replacement for chemotherapy or radiation. But research, including the Keto-CARE trial at The Ohio State University and ongoing metabolic oncology work at Boston College, suggests that metabolic ketosis may influence insulin signaling, inflammation, and treatment response. This is a grounded, research-based conversation designed to help you understand your options without fear or hype. In this episode we cover: -What metabolic health really means -The Warburg Effect explained simply -Ketosis vs ketoacidosis -How ketones influence inflammation -How therapeutic ketosis is being studied -Genetic variants that may affect fat burning -When ketosis may help -When caution is needed Resources Mentioned: Work with Laura: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/health Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 💌 Join the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community → The Living Well After Breast Cancer Community 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#452 Fats And Breast Cancer - Breast Cancer and Nutrition, Just The Facts
Feb 2700:24:09Tap to summarizeIn this week's podcast episode in the Nutrition After Breast Cancer: Just the Facts series, I bring up the study that sparked that concern. I don't ignore things like this. I don't pretend they don't exist. If there's research being talked about, I want you to know about it. But here are the actual facts. The study was done in mice. The mice were made to consume about 40% of their diet in olive oil. And the rest of their diet was an obesogenic, high-carbohydrate diet designed to promote weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. That is not a Mediterranean diet. That is not olive oil drizzled over vegetables and salmon. That is not real life. It was a laboratory model designed to stress metabolism. Context matters. Deeply. Resources Mentioned: Guide to Essential Fatty Acids: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/oil Episode #326 Simplifying Seed Oils and Fatty Acids After Breast Cancer https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/326 Work with Laura: https://www.thebreastcancerrecoverycoach.com/health REFERENCES: Obesity and Low-Fat Diet History Trends in Obesity Among Adults in the United States, 2005 to 2014 (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/su6001a15.htm Documents obesity prevalence: 15.0% (1976-1980), 23.3% (1988-1994) Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps (CDC) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9611578/ 30.9% obesity prevalence (1999-2000) Adult Obesity Prevalence, 2021-2023 (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db508.htm Current obesity prevalence: 40.3% How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18296750/ Historical analysis of the low-fat movement Heart Disease Mortality Explaining the Decrease in U.S. Deaths from Coronary Disease, 1980–2000 (Ford et al., NEJM 2007) https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa053935 ~51% decline in men, ~49% decline in women 47% from medical treatments, 44% from risk factor changes Obesity and diabetes offset gains by 8% and 10% Heart Disease Mortality in the United States, 1970 to 2022 https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.038644 89% decrease in heart attack deaths 81% increase in heart failure and other heart disease deaths Omega-3s, Inflammation, and Cancer Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratios and Modern Diets Ancestral ratios: 1:1 to 4:1 Modern Western diet: 15:1 to 20:1 Impact on eicosanoid metabolism and cellular inflammation DHA and Triple Negative Breast Cancer (Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2019) DHA induced cell death in TNBC cells Mechanism: altered membrane composition, increased oxidative stress in cancer cells High-Fat Diets and TNBC Metastasis (Preclinical Studies) CD36-mediated fatty acid uptake in TNBC Oleic acid-rich diets promoting metastasis in mouse models Importance of tumor phenotype and metabolic flexibility Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 💌 Join the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community → The Living Well After Breast Cancer Community 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#451 The Truth About Dairy - Breast Cancer and Nutrition, Just the Facts
Feb 2000:55:55Tap to summarizeDairy is one of the most misunderstood foods in wellness. Is it inflammatory? Does it increase mucus? Does it raise IGF-1 and breast cancer risk? Or is that fear-based messaging? In Part 4 of the Nutrition Just the Facts series, Laura breaks down the science behind dairy and separates cultural belief from biological evidence. This episode covers: • Dairy and inflammatory biomarkers • The mucus myth • IGF-1 and growth signaling in breast cancer • Lactose intolerance versus milk allergy • A1 versus A2 milk • Grass-fed versus conventional dairy • The influence of marketing and dietary policy This is a calm, research-grounded conversation designed to help you make confident, personalized nutrition decisions. Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 💌 Join the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community → The Living Well After Breast Cancer Community 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#450 Plant Based Vs. Animal Based Eating - Breast Cancer Nutrition Just The Facts
Feb 1300:24:12Tap to summarizeWhy are so many women told to avoid animal foods after breast cancer? And what does the science behind that advice actually show? In this episode of Better Than Before Breast Cancer, Laura Lummer explores plant-based versus animal-based eating through a clear, grounded lens. She explains why large observational studies like the Nurses' Health Study became so influential, how The China Study was over-interpreted, and where correlation was treated as causation. This episode is not about choosing a diet. It is about understanding how nutrition messaging is formed, where its limitations lie, and how to apply science in a way that respects bioindividuality, metabolic health, digestion, and recovery after cancer. If you have ever felt confused, pressured, or fearful around food, this episode offers clarity without rules. Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 💌 Join the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community → The Living Well After Breast Cancer Community 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#449 Carbohydrates After Breast Cancer - Breast Cancer Nutrition Just The Facts
Feb 600:24:52Tap to summarizeCarbohydrates are often blamed, feared, or oversimplified, especially after breast cancer. In this episode, Laura continues her Nutrition Myths and Truths series with an evidence-based conversation about carbohydrates. This is not about food rules. It is about understanding how carbohydrates function in the body, how they interact with metabolism, inflammation, and genetics, and what lab markers can tell us about individual response. If you missed part one of this series on red meat and understanding scientific studies, that episode provides helpful context for today's discussion. Episode highlights: Carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, and legumes, not just bread and sugar Why blood sugar numbers alone do not reflect metabolic health How refined carbohydrates influence inflammation and gut health What research suggests about carbohydrates and cancer Why genetics and SNPs affect carbohydrate tolerance The role of insulin, triglycerides, and inflammation markers Whether grains are nutritionally essential Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 💌 Join the Living Well After Breast Cancer Community → The Living Well After Breast Cancer Community 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#448 Red Meat After Breast Cancer - Breast Cancer Nutrition, Just The Facts
Jan 3000:23:10Tap to summarizeWhat does the science actually say about red meat after breast cancer? In this episode, Laura Lummer begins a new series focused on separating nutrition myths from facts. The conversation was sparked by hearing a physician recommend a low-fat, high-fiber diet with no red meat to an entire room of cancer patients. Laura explains why that kind of advice ignores bio individuality and why nutrition science is far more nuanced than headlines suggest. This episode breaks down how observational studies work, what statistically significant means, and why one of the most cited red meat studies cannot be used to create universal food rules. Topics include: Observational studies vs randomized trials Self-reported diet recall and its limitations What statistically significant really means The Stanford SWAP-MEAT trial explained Why one diet does not fit everybody Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#447 When Support Starts to Feel Like Noise After Breast Cancer
Jan 2300:19:12Tap to summarizeDiet plans. Supplements. Protocols. Podcasts. Advice from well-meaning people. At some point, all of that support can stop feeling helpful and start feeling overwhelming. In this episode, Laura shares a real-life story that highlights how stress and unresolved trauma can impact metabolic health, even when diet and exercise look "right." She explains why consistency, tracking data, and self-honesty matter so much when making changes, and how constantly switching approaches can keep us stuck. This episode offers permission to slow down, turn down the noise, and focus on what truly supports healing after breast cancer. Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#446 Glimmers Before Affirmation - How to Choose Words Your Brain Can Trust
Jan 1600:18:05Tap to summarizeAt the beginning of the year, affirmations are everywhere. But if you have ever felt frustrated, tense, or discouraged while trying to use affirmations, this episode explains why. In Episode 446, Laura shares why affirmations that are not believable often create internal pushback, self-judgment, and cognitive dissonance, and why this is not a personal failure. You will learn how the brain responds to thoughts that feel untrue, how glimmers signal safety to the nervous system, and how to choose words that gently move you forward in healing, relationships, business, and lifestyle change. This episode offers a realistic and compassionate approach to mindset work that works with your brain instead of against it. Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
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#445 Evolutionary Mismatch - Why Winter Isn't the Time to Push Yourself
Jan 900:31:17Tap to summarizeHave you ever wondered why the new year brings so much pressure to move faster, even when your body feels tired and out of sync? In this episode, Laura shares a perspective that reframes fatigue, resistance, and the urge to slow down through the lens of evolutionary mismatch and seasonal rhythm. Rather than pushing harder, this conversation invites curiosity, compassion, and a deeper understanding of what your body may be asking for right now. This episode is especially supportive for women navigating life after breast cancer who want to build health and healing without forcing themselves into timelines that do not fit their biology. Resources: Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine https://amzn.to/499dt2p The Story of the Human Body: Evolution, Health, and Disease https://amzn.to/49aBrdJ Let's Connect! If this episode helped you breathe a little easier, please share it with a friend or leave a review. Every share helps spread this message of hope, healing, and whole-person wellness. 💌 Join my email list for weekly wellness tips & podcast updates → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 💌 Join the Better Than Before Breast Cancer Life Coaching Membership → Life Coaching 👩💻 Follow me on Instagram for daily inspiration → @thebreastcancerrecoverycoach 👩💻 Follow me on Facebook → The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎙 Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts → Better Than Before Breast Cancer with The Breast Cancer Recovery Coach 🎥 Watch on YouTube → @BetterThanBeforeBreastCancer
Transcribe →#45 Sensuality and Sex After Breast Cancer
Jun 22, 2019Tap to summarizeSexuality and intimacy are often the unspoken parts of breast cancer recovery—but they’re just as important as physical healing. In this episode of Better Than Before Breast Cancer, I’m joined by Dr. Angela Cooke-Jackson, a globally recognized expert in health communication, health behaviors, and human sexuality. Dr. Cooke-Jackson, an Associate Professor at California State University Los Angeles, has traveled the world studying sexual health literacy, cultural norms, and health disparities. Her insights, warmth, and no-nonsense approach provide a safe, affirming space to talk about the emotional and physical complexities of post-cancer intimacy. We dive into topics many survivors silently struggle with—body image, desire, confidence, and how to have those conversations with your partner. If you’ve felt alone in this part of your recovery, this episode will remind you that you’re not—and that support and solutions do exist. This episode is for you if: You’re navigating changes in your sexual self after breast cancer You’ve struggled to talk with your partner about intimacy, desire, or physical discomfort You want practical tools for rebuilding confidence in your body and relationships You’re ready to normalize conversations around sexual health and recovery Resources: Angela's Twitter account: @DrCookeJackson www.omgyes.com Book: Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy What Almost Dying Taught me About Living Follow me on Social Media: Facebook Instagram Pinterest YouTube
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