In this episode of Keeping Your Breast, Dr. Jenn Simmons talks with Loren Lockman, a longtime health coach and water-only fasting expert who has supervised fasts since 1996. Loren shares how fasting helped him recover from years of chronic illness and explains what the body is doing during a properly supported water fast - especially autophagy, fasting ketosis, and deep cellular repair.

They also dig into why Loren believes most people are chronically dehydrated, why he does not recommend juicing (even at home), how fasting can support healing across many conditions (including breast cancer support), and why the real key is not doing more - it is getting out of the body’s way with rest, simplicity, and a structured refeed.

What You’ll Learn

• What water-only fasting is, how it works, and why proper supervision matters
• How fasting activates autophagy and supports deep cellular cleanup
• The difference between fasting ketosis and the ketogenic diet
• How detoxification and immune function are connected to chronic disease
• The influence of the pharmaceutical industry on modern nutrition and health narratives
• Natural diet and lifestyle strategies that support longevity
• Plant-based nutrition, protein myths, and whole-food sourcing
• Why hydration, electrolyte balance, and water intake are critical during fasting
• Who should not fast (and who typically can)

Episode Timeline:

01:03 Meet Loren Lockman: 38-Year Vegan & Water-Only Fasting Expert
03:13 From Chronic Illness to Radical Healing
09:22 Why Conventional Medicine Failed Him
16:00 Healing Is a Biological Process (Not a Prescription)
21:30 What Happens in the Body During a Water Fast
26:30 Fasting & Cancer: Autophagy, Immunity, and Detox
31:00 Processed Foods, Pharma Influence & Modern Disease
33:45 Protein Myths, Juicing, and Nutritional Controversy
46:45 The Science of Autophagy & Fasting Ketosis
55:45 Chronic Dehydration, Intestinal Health & Aging
58:45 Can Everyone Fast? Who Should (and Shouldn’t)
01:04:30 Supplements: Helpful or Harmful?
01:08:00 Real Client Transformations (Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Cancer)
01:11:00 What It’s Like to Work with Loren (Structure, Data, Refeeding)
01:14:30 Why Rest Is Essential During Fasting
01:23:30 Final Takeaways: Doing Less to Heal More

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Vassily Eliopoulous, MD a former ER physician turned regenerative and longevity medicine expert for a bold conversation about what is broken in modern healthcare and what is quietly replacing it.

After years inside emergency medicine, Dr. Vass hit a moment that forced him to confront a hard truth: the system is built to manage crises, not create health. From hospital incentive structures to medical education shaped by patentable therapies, they expose why prevention, metabolic health, peptides, stem cells, and bioidentical hormones remain on the margins.

This episode dives into regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy, GLP-1s beyond weight loss, immune resilience, the energetic drivers of disease, and why AI may amplify the need for true human connection in medicine.

If you have ever felt like “standard of care” is missing something, this conversation explains why and what comes next.

What You’ll Learn:

• The ER moment that made Dr. Vass walk away from conventional medicine
• Why hospitals are financially rewarded for procedures, not prevention
• The hidden reason non-patentable therapies rarely get taught
• What peptides (BPC-157, thymosin, GHK-Cu) actually do in the body
• How stem cells heal tissue and whether they increase cancer risk
• Why metabolic dysfunction drives cancer and chronic disease
• The overlooked role of stress and immune suppression in illness

Episode Timeline:

01:00 Meet Dr. Vass: From ER Physician to Regenerative Medicine Pioneer
02:00 Risk, flow state, and longevity
07:30 The dark truth about ER medicine
10:26 Dr. Jenn’s “this system is broken” moment
14:07 Dr. Vass’ breaking point (and why he left)
20:21 Why doctors are not trained in prevention
23:13 Patentable medicine and the education pipeline
42:15 Patients are forcing the shift
47:56 AI, the future of doctors, and the art of medicine
57:40 Stress, immunity, and the energetic side of disease
01:00:36 Peptides, explained simply
01:17:38 Stem cells: what they do and what the data suggests
01:29:04 Where to find Dr. Vass + closing

Where to find Dr. Vassily Eliopoulous, MD:

• Website: longevityhealth.clinic/
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr.vassily/

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Reed Davis, founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN), for a no-comfort conversation about why so many women are told they’re “fine” while they feel anything but.

Together, they unpack the lie hiding inside “normal labs,” why diagnosis-chasing keeps you stuck in symptom management, and what Reed calls metabolic chaos - the slow breakdown that happens when chronic stress, inflammation, hormone disruption, digestion issues, and toxic burden stack up for years… until the body finally crashes. They also break down epigenetics (and why family history is not a life sentence), plus what it really means to “change the environment your breasts are living in.”

This is a conversation about root cause, medical sovereignty, and the hard truth that health doesn’t happen in a doctor’s office, it happens at home.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why “normal labs” can still mean deep dysfunction
• The difference between treating a diagnosis and treating the person
• What “metabolic chaos” is and how it shows up as totally different symptoms in different people
• How epigenetics works (and how to use it to break family patterns)
• The FDN framework: HIDDEN stressors + DRESS (Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress reduction, Supplementation)
• Why exercise and nutrition have to be individualized (and how the wrong plan backfires)
• Dr. Jenn’s perspective on prophylactic mastectomy and the underestimated cost of breast removal trauma

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Why “Normal Lab Results” Don’t Mean You’re Healthy
02:24 Reed Davis’ Journey Into Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN)
10:12 Root Cause Healing vs Diagnosis-Based Medicine
15:39 Why Conventional Medicine Stops at Symptom Management
19:06 Metabolic Chaos: How Chronic Stress Disrupts Hormones and Health
20:58 Epigenetics Explained: How Environment Overrides Genetics
28:01 Prophylactic Mastectomy, Breast Health, and Medical Trauma
32:48 The DRESS Protocol: Diet, Stress, and Lifestyle-Based Healing
45:48 Medical Freedom, Screening Pressure, and Patient Autonomy
54:13 The Future of Healthcare: Prevention, Wellness, and Self-Responsibility
1:01:04 What Is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN)?

Learn more about Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN): www.functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com

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

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

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

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

In this solo episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons answers the exact questions women ask her every day about breast cancer risk, hormone therapy, aromatase inhibitors, and screening. She breaks down the difference between bioidentical and non-bioidentical hormones, what “high risk” actually means, why fear-based medicine keeps women stuck, and how to build a screening and prevention plan you understand and trust. If you’ve felt dismissed, confused, or pressured into one-size-fits-all choices, this episode gives you language, clarity, and next steps to advocate for your body.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Bioidentical vs non-bioidentical hormones, and what matters after breast cancer
• The truth about estrogen, recurrence risk, and the “have vs had breast cancer” distinction
• Why aromatase inhibitors feel brutal, what they’re doing, and how to support your body on them
• What “high risk” really means, plus how breast density actually fits into risk
• Safer screening options like QT and ultrasound, and what to do when QT isn’t available
• How the ARIA tear test works, what a positive result means, and your next steps
• What calcifications can signal and how to think about DCIS without panic
• How to combine integrative care with conventional oncology without losing support
• Why breast cancer is tied to inflammation and metabolic health, and what to track

Episode Timeline:
00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Episode
03:05 Why Women Aren’t Getting Clear Answers About Breast Health
06:00 Bioidentical vs Non-Bioidentical Hormones
13:30 Estrogen, Hormone Therapy, and Breast Cancer Risk
20:10 Aromatase Inhibitors Explained
27:45 Supporting Quality of Life While on Aromatase Inhibitors
34:30 Understanding What “High Risk” Really Means
39:40 Breast Density Explained
45:30 Limitations of Mammograms and MRI
50:40 The ARIA Tear Test and Prevention-Based Screening
56:30 QT Scan, Ultrasound, and Safer Imaging Options
1:02:40 Screening After Breast Cancer Treatment
1:07:50 Breast Calcifications and DCIS
1:11:00 Integrative Care and Root Cause Healing
1:13:00 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Support

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Erica Schwartz, a pioneer in hormone and integrative medicine, for a blunt conversation about menopause, hormone replacement therapy, and why women are still being denied care that protects their long-term health.

Together, they get real about why modern medicine still runs on a “wait until you’re sick” model, why hospitals can be the most dangerous place to heal, and how the system trains both doctors and patients to outsource responsibility. They break down the lasting damage of the Women’s Health Initiative, the fear-based messaging around estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and the real-world consequences of medical gatekeeping from pharmacies to hospitals.

This is a conversation about truth, autonomy, and what it actually looks like to practice medicine from the whole-body, whole-life perspective.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why conventional medicine is built for acute care, not long-term health
• How the Women’s Health Initiative changed hormone care for generations of women
• Why “just deal with it” menopause advice is harmful (and wildly outdated)
• What estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone actually do in the female body
• Why testosterone for women is still restricted and why that matters
• How medical errors and hospital systems put patients at risk
• Why taking responsibility for your health isn’t optional anymore

Episode Timeline:

00:00 The Crisis in Conventional Medicine

03:54 Dr. Schwartz's Journey to Holistic Health

09:59 The Shift from Acute Care to Preventative Health

17:47 The Importance of Hormonal Health

25:29 The Impact of Alcohol on Health

28:10 Nutrition and Cancer: A Misunderstood Connection

30:55 The Role of Hormones in Health

36:06 Understanding the Importance of Hormones

40:24 The Truth About Cancer and Hormones

44:38 Empowering Patients in Their Health Journey

47:45 The Need for Compassionate Care in Medicine

51:03 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness

Dr. Erica Schwartz

Visit her Website: www.eshealth.com/

Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/eshealth/

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Eugene Shippen, hormone specialist best known for his early work in bioidentical hormone therapy and for authoring The Testosterone Syndrome. Together, they explore the overlooked biology behind endometriosis, breast cancer, and persistent hormonal imbalance, focusing on how aromatase-driven inflammation links these conditions and why standard treatments often miss the root cause.

The conversation covers individualized vitamin D dosing, iodine’s role in thyroid and breast health, testosterone in women, and a clear, evidence-based approach to hormone replacement therapy, who it’s right for, who should avoid it, and why many women are being denied care unnecessarily.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How estrogen and inflammation drive hormone-positive breast cancer
• Why breast tumors produce their own estrogen and what treatment often overlooks
• What endometriosis reveals about aromatase activity and breast cancer biology
• Why vitamin D functions as a hormone and how deficiency impacts breast cancer risk and outcomes
• The role of iodine in breast tissue, dense breasts, and fibrocystic disease
• When hormone replacement therapy may be appropriate after breast cancer and when it is not

Episode Timeline
00:00 Introduction to Hormonal Health
05:06 Understanding Endometriosis
12:28 Endometriosis and Breast Cancer Connections
17:33 The Coimbra Protocol and Vitamin D
22:15 Vitamin D's Role in Disease Prevention
27:55 Individualized Vitamin D Dosing
35:39 Monitoring Health Conditions
37:03 The Role of Testosterone in Women's Health
42:46 Understanding Iodine and Its Importance
50:50 Hormone Replacement Therapy: Current Perspectives
01:00:18 Breast Cancer and Hormone Replacement
01:03:39 Environmental Factors Influencing Breast Cancer Rates

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons is joined by Dr. Susan Brian, an Ivy League–trained endocrinologist, certified menopause specialist, and researcher, to discuss how GLP-1 medications are transforming the treatment of metabolic dysfunction.

They explore how therapies like semaglutide and tirzepatide work beyond weight loss, why metabolic disease often goes undiagnosed for years, and how GLP-1s impact diabetes, fatty liver disease, cardiovascular risk, and body composition. The conversation addresses appropriate versus inappropriate use, real risks versus media-driven fear, and why resistance training is essential to protect muscle during weight loss.

Dr. Brian also discusses emerging questions around GLP-1s in cancer outcomes and longevity, emphasizing the importance of individualized prescribing, proper screening, and patient education.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• Why GLP-1 medications have fundamentally changed metabolic medicine
• How GLP-1s compare to older treatments like metformin
• Who is an appropriate candidate for GLP-1 therapy
• How GLP-1–related weight loss may impact breast cancer
• Why early screening for metabolic dysfunction matters
• How to preserve muscle while losing weight
• When microdosing or maintenance dosing may make sense
• How to avoid common side effects linked to rapid weight loss
  
  

Episode Timeline:

00:00 Introduction to GLP-1 and Metabolic Health
06:32 Appropriate vs. Inappropriate Use of GLP-1
12:29 Understanding Metabolic Dysfunction
18:18 Menopause and Metabolic Health
31:42 Understanding Cardiovascular Protection and Hormonal Treatments
38:13 The Role of Newer Drugs in Weight Loss and Fatty Liver
48:50 The Importance of Appetite Regulation in Weight Management
53:26 Microdosing GLP-1s for Longevity: A New Frontier
01:00:19 Safe dosing, rate of weight loss, and best practices

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

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

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

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

In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Joseph Dituri, a biomedical engineer, hyperbaric medicine specialist, and former U.S. Navy saturation diver, to explore the science of healing, aging, and human resilience.

Drawing from his clinical work in hyperbaric medicine and his recovery from a traumatic brain injury, Dr. Dituri explains how oxygen, pressure, and controlled physiological stress affect inflammation, sleep quality, immune function, and cellular repair. Together, they examine the evidence behind biological versus chronological age, the role of muscle and bone health in longevity, and the evolving, evidence-informed use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in healing and cancer support.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• What happens to the human body when it lives under pressure for 100 days underwater
• How hyperbaric oxygen therapy impacts inflammation, immune function, sleep, and aging
• The difference between biological age vs. chronological age and why it matters.
• Why muscle and bone health are critical pillars of longevity
• How healthy stress can strengthen the brain, body, and immune system
• The science behind collagen synthesis, stem cells, and tissue repair
• What the research actually says about hyperbaric medicine and cancer
• How to identify qualified, safe hyperbaric centers and avoid poorly run facilities

Episode Timeline Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Joe Dituri and His Mission
03:08 What Hyperbaric Medicine Is and How It Works
05:54 Why He Chose to Live Underwater for 100 Days
08:54 Daily Life, Work, and Challenges Beneath the Ocean
11:53 Sleep, Brain Function, and Cognitive Changes Under Pressure
14:53 Inflammation, Telomeres, and Measuring Cellular Health
18:05 The Core Science Behind Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
28:50 Isolation, Connection, and Human Biology
33:49 Biological Age vs. Chronological Age
50:35 Hyperbaric Therapy for Health Optimization
53:17 Collagen, Tissue Healing, and Regeneration
56:07 Hyperbaric Medicine and Cancer Support
01:06:50 Treatment Frequency, Duration, and Expectations
01:12:03 How to Find Safe and Qualified Hyperbaric Centers
01:15:52 Longevity, Optimization, and What’s Next

Where to Find Dr. Joseph Dituri (Dr. DeepSea)

Website: https://drdeepsea.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/drdeepsea

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

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

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

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