Not Today Cancer

Cortisol after cancer is the conversation nobody on my care team had with me. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 — invasive ductal carcinoma, stage one, grade two. I went through lumpectomy, radiation, ovarian suppression, and two years on an aromatase inhibitor before I had to come off because my bones were already in osteoporosis. Throughout all of it, my nervous system was screaming. My cortisol was running hot all day long, confirmed by a Dutch test. And not one doctor told me what stress was doing to my body or how to mitigate it. In this solo episode of Not Today Cancer, I'm walking you through the seven activities that lowered my cortisol...broken into the things that don't cost a dime (meditation, breathwork, walking outside, unplugging) and the things that do (acupuncture, energy healing, therapy). I'm also sharing the actual research behind each one, so you know this isn't woo...it's documented science.  What you'll learn: • Why cortisol is wrecked after a cancer diagnosis (and why mine was high long before) • The symptoms of high cortisol most breast cancer survivors miss • How mindfulness meditation protected the cortisol rhythm of breast cancer survivors in a randomized controlled trial • Why a single session of slow breathing drops cortisol immediately • The "nature pill" research showing 20–30 minutes outside lowers cortisol 21% per hour • Why the NCCN officially recommends acupuncture for cancer survivors If you're a breast cancer survivor, caregiver, or anyone whose body has been running on fumes...this episode is for you. We don't get the option of not mitigating stress. Pick one thing on this list and start tomorrow. Disclaimer: This episode reflects my personal experience and a summary of public research. It is not medical advice. Always consult your care team. 📋 RESOURCES + LINKS 📿 Free 10-minute meditation for survivors: CALM 💚 Free Facebook community: JOIN HERE 🌟 Paid Community ($19.99/mo): INFO HERE 📖 Nontoxic Home Guide: SWAPS 💪 DNA Test: INFO HERE 🎙️ Not Today Cancer Podcast — new episodes every Tuesday + Friday 🌐 Website: jendelvaux.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux/ If this episode helped you, please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Reviews are how more women in this situation find the show...and they take less than 60 seconds. Subscribe so you don't miss Tuesday and Friday episodes. 📋 RESEARCH CITATIONS MEDITATION + CORTISOL: • Carlson et al. — Mindfulness-based stress reduction maintains healthy diurnal cortisol rhythm in distressed breast cancer survivors. Published in PMC. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5430085/ • MBSR reduces salivary cortisol immediately following class — PMC BREATHWORK + CORTISOL: • "The Effect of Breathing Exercise on Stress Hormones" — Cyprus Journal of Medical Sciences • Slow breathing at ~6 bpm boosts heart rate variability up to 40% — International Journal of Psychophysiology WALKING + NATURE: • Olafsdottir et al. — Walking in nature vs treadmill: cortisol comparison. Sage Publications • Hunter et al. — "Nature pill" research: 20-30 minutes outdoors drops salivary cortisol 21% per hour. Frontiers in Psychology • Repeated forest walking reduces hair cortisol (chronic stress marker) — Scientific Reports, 2025 ACUPUNCTURE: • NCCN (National Comprehensive Cancer Network) guidelines recommend acupuncture for cancer survivors • Acupuncture modulates HPA axis, serotonin, GABA, melatonin — Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022 • Bayesian network meta-analysis — Frontiers in Oncology, 2023  

Melissa Mariano is a 43-year-old Canadian flight attendant living in Dubai who was diagnosed with triple positive (ER+, PR+, HER2+) breast cancer after a routine mammogram...zero symptoms, zero lumps. She almost skipped her follow-up appointment. In this episode, she shares how she went from stage 0 DCIS to navigating Herceptin without chemo, low-dose "Baby Tam," the Dutch test, and a radical people-pleasing wake-up call that changed everything. In this episode we cover: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> How calcifications on a mammogram went from "nothing to worry about" to a biopsy — and why she delayed 4 months p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> The vacuum-assisted biopsy that may have removed her invasive cancer entirely before surgery even happened p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Why her final pathology came back DCIS only, stage 0 — and what triple positive actually means p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 18 rounds of Herceptin (anti-HER2) with NO chemo — and the NCCN guideline that made that possible p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> The Italian Clancy study on "Baby Tam" (5mg Tamoxifen) and why she's tapering down from 20mg p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Dutch test results: high estrogen, good methylation — what it means and what she's doing about it p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Supplements she's using: L-theanine, Relora, liposomal glutathione, DIM (cycled), NAC p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Sauna 2x/week, red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, yin yoga, sound healing, Reiki, breathwork — her full protocol p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Egg freezing for fertility preservation before starting Tamoxifen p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> The people-pleasing pattern she believes contributed to her diagnosis — and the shift that changed everything p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Why she says: "I'm no longer a phony — but I am my priority" Links & Resources: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Clancy Study on Low-Dose Tamoxifen (Baby Tam / 5mg): READ HERE p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer: READ HERE p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Connect with Melissa Mariano: https://www.instagram.com/melidubai/ p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (weekly live calls, community support): [INFO HERE] p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> BrocElite: 20% off here Chapter Markers (estimated) p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 00:00 — Intro: Meet Melissa — Dubai life, flight attendant, Italian roots p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 04:00 — The mammogram that almost didn't happen: calcifications and a delayed follow-up p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 08:30 — Biopsy results: triple positive, Grade 2 IDC + high-grade DCIS p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 13:00 — MRI showed no mass enhancement — the biopsy may have removed the cancer p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 19:00 — Surgery, clear margins, final pathology: stage 0 DCIS p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 22:00 — 20 rounds radiation — spinning and yoga the whole way through p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 25:00 — Herceptin without chemo: the NCCN guideline that changed everything p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 28:00 — Tamoxifen side effects, Baby Tam, and the Italian Clancy study p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 34:00 — Dutch test results, functional gynecologist Dr. Maria, supplement protocol p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 38:00 — Sauna, red light, hyperbaric oxygen, yin yoga, sound healing p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 44:00 — "I'm no longer a phony — but I am my priority": the people-pleasing shift p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 50:00 — What cancer gave her: resilience, perspective, advocacy p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0"> 54:00 — Closing: the "Nope. Not Today." shirt moment + not today cancer Medical disclaimer: This episode is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your own oncologist, physician, or qualified healthcare provider before making any decisions about your diagnosis, treatment, or supplement protocol.

Jen sits down with her husband Darren for a real, unscripted life update..no highlight reel, no polished answers. Between Darren's grade 2 astrocytoma in 2009, his recurrence as grade 4 in 2019, and Jen's own breast cancer diagnosis in between, this couple has lived through more than most. And yet...here they are. Talking about upcoming scans, their daughter's wedding, what fear actually feels like years in, and what "thriving" means when you've stared down the worst. This is the conversation that happens after the treatment ends. The one nobody makes a podcast episode about. Until now. In this episode: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Darren opens up about how his relationship with scans and scanxiety has changed over the years...and what it feels like going into an MRI now vs. in the beginning p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> What it means to hit a milestone like your daughter's wedding when your first goal was just to see the kids graduate p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Whether the fear ever actually goes away — and what they both do when those thoughts creep back in p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Darren's honest take on all the lifestyle changes Jen has made since her diagnosis — did he ever think she was going too far? p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> The 3 biggest changes Jen made that she believes had the most impact on their family's health and quality of life p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> What to do when you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start....a simple, grounded answer for anyone in the thick of it p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> The exhaustion of "doing all the things"...and how to stay motivated when you're running on empty p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> What thriving looks like now vs. before — answered together, and it's powerful p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> What they're each most grateful for today This episode is for you if: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> You're walking through a diagnosis right now and wondering if life ever feels normal again p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> You're the partner or caregiver who is holding it all together and feeling invisible p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> You're on the other side of treatment and trying to figure out who you are now p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> You just need proof that hope is real and people do get to the other side Links & Resources: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Not Today Cancer Inner Circle (Thursday calls) — JOIN HERE p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Non-Toxic Guide — Download Here There was a time when the goal was just to get through the day. Just to get to the next appointment. Just to hear good news. And now they're talking about weddings and what it means to actually live again. Not perfectly. Not without fear. But with a completely different perspective. Not today, cancer. Medical Disclaimer: Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding your personal treatment plan.

If you finished cancer treatment and then felt completely abandoned when it came to what happened to your body next...this episode is for you. Jen sits down with Dani Binnington, founder of the global non-profit Menopause and Cancer, host of the Menopause and Cancer podcast (212+ episodes), and author of Navigating Menopause After Cancer. Dani was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer at 33...a young mom to three children under five — and later pushed into sudden surgical menopause after her oophorectomy as a BRCA1 carrier. No one counseled her. No one warned her. So she built the resource she wished had existed. This conversation covers everything nobody tells you...and everything you deserve to know. In this episode: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Dani's diagnosis at 33 with triple negative breast cancer, her BRCA1 mutation, and the decision to have a double mastectomy and oophorectomy p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> What makes cancer-induced menopause fundamentally different from natural menopause...and why it's a harder experience p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> The difference between chemotherapy-induced, surgical, and medically-induced menopause...and what each means for your body p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Why 50% of women on endocrine therapy don't complete their full 5–10 year course because of menopausal side effects...and what to do if that's you p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> The truth about vaginal estrogen for breast cancer survivors — why over 88% struggle with genitourinary symptoms and why this treatment is safer than most oncologists let on p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Jen's own story: years of fear around vaginal estrogen, the nearly-didn't-make-it-to-the-bathroom moment that finally changed her mind p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> HRT after cancer — what the guidelines actually say, and how to have an informed conversation with your doctor p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> The "beautiful platter" framework: Dani's approach to menopause management that includes lifestyle, medical options, complementary therapies, and everything in between p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Phytoestrogens, Mediterranean diet, exercise, acupuncture, SSRIs for hot flashes....the full evidence-based toolkit p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Simple tweaks that can make a huge difference if you're struggling on hormone-blocking medication right now p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> How Menopause and Cancer started as a Facebook group and grew into a global community with 212 podcast episodes, in-person events, and an international book written with 20 doctors p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Why the burden of figuring all this out should NOT fall on patients alone...and what Dani is doing to change that Links & Resources Mentioned: p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Navigating Menopause After Cancer by Dani Binnington — https://a.co/d/0dxiGTR5 p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Menopause and Cancer podcast — Listen HERE p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Dani Binnington on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/menopause_and_cancer/ p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> Not Today Cancer Inner Circle — INFO HERE p]:pt-0 [&>p]:mb-2 [&>p]:my-0" style= "box-sizing: border-box; scrollbar-width: initial; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: #3b82f680; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; padding-inline-start: 0.375em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; font-family: var(--pplx-serif), ui-serif, Georgia, Cambria, var(--pplx-cjk-serif), serif; border: 0px solid var(--border-medium);"> BrocElite - 20% off LINK You are not stuck. Your symptoms will fluctuate. And you have more options than anyone has probably told you. Not today, cancer. Medical Disclaimer: Nothing shared in this episode constitutes medical advice. Always consult your oncologist or healthcare provider before making any changes to your treatment plan.