136: Part 1 | Cancer Begins Before Anyone Finds It and Your Environment Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think with Dr. Nasha Winters

PART ONE - In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Nasha Winters, a renowned integrative oncology expert and metabolic health pioneer, for a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation about cancer, resilience, and why so many people are getting diagnosed younger than ever before. Dr. Nasha shares the story of her own terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis at age 19 and how being forced outside the conventional system led her to ask a different question, not just how to treat cancer, but why the body became vulnerable to it in the first place. What followed became the foundation of her life’s work. Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Nasha explore the root causes driving modern cancer risk, from mitochondrial dysfunction and immune suppression to environmental toxins, vitamin D deficiency, chronic stress, trauma, and the cumulative burden of modern life. This is part-one of a two-part conversation. If you have ever wondered why cancer is rising, why it is showing up earlier, or why true healing has to go beyond standard treatment, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn: Why cancer is becoming more common in younger people The difference between chronological age and biological age How mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cancer and accelerated aging Why immune suppression and vitamin D deficiency matter more than most people realize The role of environmental exposures, plastics, hormones, and EMFs in modern disease How trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation affect healing Why looking inward may be one of the most important steps after a diagnosis What it means when someone says, “I did everything right and still got cancer” Why prevention has to start long before disease appears Episode Timeline: 01:04 Meet Dr. Nasha Winters 05:15 Dr. Nasha’s cancer diagnosis at 19 and how it changed everything 11:22 Cancer, aging, and the mitochondria connection 18:22 Environmental overload and the rise of early-onset disease 23:28 Immune suppression, vitamin D, and cancer risk 26:03 The growing cancer burden and why prevention matters 30:49 Trauma, stress, and the psychoneuroimmunology of healing 34:40 Can someone heal if they are not ready to look inward? 38:26 Readiness, resistance, and the patient’s role in healing 40:36 Alcohol, lifestyle patterns, and difficult truths in cancer care 45:40 “I did everything right” — what that really means 48:47 Toxic exposures, hidden patterns, and what we normalize 49:25 Stress, uncertainty, and building the tools to adapt 51:21 Pets, pesticides, and what our environment is telling us 52:35 Why you won’t want to miss Part Two Guest: Nasha Winters https://drnasha.com/ To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working 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 Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.perfeqtionimaging.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons