In this episode, we’re talking frankly about the growing number of younger women (<50 years old) being diagnosed with breast cancer. According to new estimates released Thursday by the American Cancer Society, between 2012 and 2021,  breast cancer has been rising faster (1.4% per year) among “younger” women under age 50, than overall rates (1%  a year). Add to that younger women tend to have more aggressive forms of this disease.   WTF?!   

To shed more light on why and what we can do to protect ourselves, we turn to naturopathic physician, Alison McAllister, on all thing’s womanhood and protecting ourselves against breast cancer. Dr. Alison has been a clinical consultant at ZRT Laboratory for over 20 years and has taught thousands of doctors how to use bioidentical hormone therapy. She completed her medical doctorate in 1999 at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and her residency at Cancer Treatment Centers and Southwestern Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she became interested in hormones in helping survivors of cancer.    

Here’s a sampling of what we cover in this eyepopping conversation:  

• Historically younger women who got breast cancer had family history, but that’s no longer true, why is this? 

• A lot more insulin resistance - today’s children  are way heavier than they should be, with more belly fat, less muscle, periods starting younger, and estrogens higher.  

• Windows of vulnerability – exposure to toxins in utero, or when breasts are developing etc

• Microplastic exposure – in everything from Teflon to teabags; highly inflammatory, assist aggressive cancers; found in >60% of urine samples  

• Delayed Diagnosis due to medical bias that says symptoms in younger women do not = breast cancer; plus why you must insist on a mammogram or an MRI  

• Stress effects: environmental toxins, sleep deprivation, overexercise 

• Protecting Our Girls against early breast cancer: non-negotiables, eg. kids + vegetables 

 
Our favorite ways to reduce exposure:

Alison Favs:

Environmental Working Group - follow the science https://www.ewg.org/ 

Hydroflask - stainless steel water bottles https://www.hydroflask.com/ 

Planet Lunchbox - detox the lunchbox  https://www.planetbox.com/ 

Kyle Favs:

The GROVE Collaborative - plastic-free cleaning and household products

https://www.grove.co/ 

Candace Favs:

Thrive Market – Save on organic and non-GMO foods https://thrivemarket.com/  

Kitsch Rice - water shampoo and conditioner https://www.mykitsch.com/ 

Bonus read:

Alison RAVES about this book: Having Faith, An Ecologist's Journey to Motherhood 

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/287060/having-faith-by-sandra-steingraber/ 

CONNECT W/CANDACE + KYLE

Candace Burch:

YourHormoneBalance.com

Info@yourhormonebalance.com

Kyle McAvoy:

kylebmcavoy@gmail.com