Realfoodology Podcast: Breast Cancer Prevention Without Radiation or Mammograms | Dr. Jenn Simmons

Release Date: April 8, 2025

Hosts:

• Courtney Swan – Host of Realfoodology
• Dr. Jennifer Simmons – Breast Cancer Surgeon, Functional Medicine Expert, Founder of Real Health MD and Perfection Imaging

1. Introduction to Dr. Jennifer Simmons

Courtney Swan welcomes Dr. Jennifer Simmons, sharing her personal positive experience with Dr. Simmons’ imaging center in Philadelphia. Dr. Simmons discusses her transition from a traditional breast cancer surgeon to a functional medicine practitioner, highlighting her dedication to addressing the root causes of breast cancer beyond conventional treatments.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "I was put on this earth to change the conversation around breast cancer. And that's what I'm doing."

Timestamp: 03:26

2. Dr. Simmons’ Journey from Surgery to Functional Medicine

Dr. Simmons delves into her personal history, explaining how family experiences with breast cancer motivated her to pursue medicine. After two decades as a successful breast cancer surgeon, her own diagnosis with breast cancer led her to question traditional treatments. Despite knowing the gold standard protocols, she felt an inner call to explore alternative healing methods.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "I couldn’t silence this voice telling me, there's something more. Go find it."

Timestamp: 05:45

3. Critique of Conventional Breast Cancer Screening (Mammograms)

Dr. Simmons challenges the efficacy of mammograms, arguing that they do not save lives and may contribute to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. She explains that mammograms rely on outdated assumptions about breast cancer growth and fail to account for its unpredictable nature.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "It's immoral, it's unethical to use a test that causes cancer to screen for cancer. It's painful, it's uncomfortable, and it's wrong."

Timestamp: 00:03

4. Alternative Screening Methods Proposed by Dr. Simmons

Dr. Simmons introduces several alternative breast cancer screening methods:

• Self-Breast Examinations: Emphasizing the importance of women knowing their own bodies.

• ARIA Test: A non-invasive, at-home test that detects early breast cancer markers through tear analysis, boasting a 93% sensitivity rate.

• QT Scanning (Perfection Imaging): Utilizes sound waves and warm water baths to create 3D reconstructions of the breast, offering a 100% safe and painless alternative to mammograms.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "QT detects masses and can determine if those masses are cystic or solid without radiation or pain."

Timestamp: 73:00

5. Functional Medicine Approaches to Breast Health

Dr. Simmons discusses her functional medicine approach, focusing on identifying and addressing underlying causes of breast cancer such as chronic inflammation, hormonal imbalances, and environmental toxins. She emphasizes personalized care, thorough patient education, and lifestyle interventions to promote overall health and prevent cancer.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "Breast healthy is health. The same things that make your breast healthy make your heart, brain, gut, skin, bones, and joints healthy."

Timestamp: 34:23

6. Hormones and Fertility Treatments in Cancer Risk

The conversation shifts to the impact of synthetic hormones found in birth control and fertility treatments on breast cancer risk. Dr. Simmons differentiates between synthetic and bioidentical hormones, advocating for the latter due to their compatibility with the body’s natural systems.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "Bioidentical hormones are chemical substances our body is accustomed to seeing, unlike synthetic hormones which are not."

Timestamp: 32:33

7. Metabolic Health as a Predictor of Breast Cancer

Dr. Simmons highlights the crucial role of metabolic health in predicting breast cancer risk. She advocates for widespread screening of metabolic markers such as fasting glucose, insulin levels, blood pressure, waist circumference, and lipid profiles to identify and mitigate cancer risk factors early.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "Metabolic health is the number one predictor of who’s going to get breast cancer and who isn’t."

Timestamp: 58:59

8. Fasting Mimicking Diet and Chemotherapy

Dr. Simmons introduces the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) as a complementary approach during chemotherapy. Developed by Dr. Valter Longo, FMD involves a 72-hour low-calorie, plant-based diet that induces a state of autophagy, enhancing chemotherapy effectiveness while reducing side effects such as nausea and fatigue.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "Fasting mimicking diet makes chemotherapy more effective and significantly reduces side effects."

Timestamp: 53:57

9. Challenges in the Medical System and Changing Paradigms

Both Courtney Swan and Dr. Simmons articulate the systemic barriers to adopting functional medicine approaches, including financial incentives that favor conventional treatments and the reluctance of medical institutions to embrace new screening technologies. Dr. Simmons recounts her efforts to reform hospital practices and her experiences facing resistance from traditional medical professionals.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "The system is very broken, but we don’t have to participate in it."

Timestamp: 67:32

10. Conclusion and Dr. Simmons’ Resources

Dr. Simmons concludes by reiterating the need for ethical, effective, and patient-centered breast cancer screening and treatment methods. She promotes her practice, Real Health MD, her book The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, and her upcoming podcast, Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn. Additionally, she endorses the ARIA test and QT Scanning as revolutionary tools for breast health.

Notable Quote:
Dr. Simmons: "It's time to change the way we screen for breast cancer. It’s time for safe, painless, and effective methods."

Timestamp: 78:19

Key Takeaways:

• Reevaluation of Mammograms: Mammograms may not be as effective as once thought and could contribute to harmful overdiagnosis.

• Alternative Screening Methods: Emphasizing self-exams, ARIA tear tests, and QT Scanning as safer, non-invasive alternatives.

• Functional Medicine Focus: Addressing root causes such as hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and metabolic health to prevent and treat breast cancer.

• Impact of Hormones: Distinguishing between bioidentical and synthetic hormones in relation to cancer risk.

• Dietary Interventions: Implementing fasting mimicking diets to enhance chemotherapy outcomes and reduce side effects.

• Systemic Challenges: Overcoming resistance from traditional medical systems and financial structures that impede the adoption of functional approaches.

Resources:

• Dr. Jennifer Simmons’ Practice: Real Health MD
• Book: The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer by Dr. Jenn Simmons (Available on Amazon)
• ARIAD Test: Use code Doctorjenn20 for 20% off (ARIA Care)
• Perfection Imaging: Perfection Imaging
• Dr. Simmons’ Podcast: Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jen (Available on major podcast platforms)

Disclaimer: The information provided in this summary is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare provider for medical decisions.