What I Wish I Knew: A Cancer Podcast

The Truth About Cancer Diets, Cannabis & Stress | Dr. Donald Abrams | Integrative Oncology Expert

What should you eat after a cancer diagnosis? Should you try the keto diet? Does cannabis change cancer? Can stress make cancer worse? 🎧 ABOUT Dr. Donald Abrams In this episode of What I Wish I Knew, we sit down with one of the country's leading integrative oncology experts, Dr. Donald Abrams, integrative oncologist at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and Professor Emeritus of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. He was the Chief of Hematology-Oncology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Professor of Medicine at UCSF, former President of the Society for Integrative Oncology, and Executive Director of the Weil Foundation. He co-authored the textbook Integrative Oncology with Dr. Andrew Weil and has spent 40+ years treating patients living with cancer. Dr. Abrams breaks down everything newly diagnosed patients wish they had asked their oncologist, from the best anti-cancer foods to why organic produce is more potent than you think, the truth about the ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, fruit juice, sugar and insulin, cannabis for symptom management, acupuncture, stress, physical activity, and how to take back control of your healing. 🌿 IN THIS EPISODE: - The 5 questions every newly diagnosed patient should ask their oncologist - Anti-cancer foods: cruciferous vegetables, sulforaphane, DIM & why organic matters - Why sugar, fruit juice & the keto diet are not what you think - Dr. Abrams' actual daily meal plan - What cannabis really does (and doesn't) do for cancer - The "woo" practices with real data: acupuncture, yoga, massage & meditation - What most people get wrong in the first 30 days and how to take back control 🎥 WATCH DR. ABRAMS' FREE 4-PART VIDEO SERIES ON INTEGRATIVE CANCER CARE: https://osher.ucsf.edu/resources/dr-donald-abrams-four-part-video-series-integrative-cancer-care 📖 Book mentioned: Integrative Oncology by Dr. Donald Abrams & Dr. Andrew Weil 🍽️ Book mentioned: The Cancer Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz 📗 Book mentioned: The First Cell by Dr. Azra Raza ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 🌐 FIND US AT: https://www.whatiwishiknew.org 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wiwikpod 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatiwishiknewcancer 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wiwikpodcast 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-i-wish-i-knew-podcast 📌 Chapter Overviews Chapter 1: Why He Chose Oncology (0:00–2:42) Chapter 2: How AIDS Led Him to Integrative Medicine (2:42–4:19) Chapter 3: Alternative vs. Complementary vs. Integrative — Explained (4:19–13:29) Chapter 4: Questions Every Cancer Patient Should Ask (13:29–18:27) Chapter 5: Making Your Body Inhospitable to Cancer (18:27–22:07) Chapter 6: Fad Diets to Avoid After Diagnosis (22:07–26:40) Chapter 7: His Exact Daily Meal Plan for Fighting Cancer (26:40–31:01) Chapter 8: Why Organic Food Is More Potent Medicine (31:01–32:56) Chapter 9: Sugar and Ultra-Processed Foods Fuel Cancer (32:56–35:05) Chapter 10: Supplements vs. Whole Foods, What Actually Works (35:05–38:01) Chapter 11: How Exercise Fights Fatigue and Improves Outcomes (38:01–44:04) Chapter 12: The Biochemical Link Between Stress and Cancer (44:04–49:29) Chapter 13: The Truth About Medical Cannabis for Cancer (49:29–59:49) Chapter 14: The "Woo" Therapies Backed by Real Data (59:49–1:03:05) Chapter 15: How to Advocate for Yourself With Your Doctor (1:03:05–1:09:54) This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. Always consult your medical team before making any changes to your treatment, diet, or supplement routine.

From Tumor the Size of a Potato to Practicing Medicine. Dr. Maggie's Full Story

What I Wish I Knew: Get a second opinion after a cancer diagnosis and it can save your life. She was healthy. She was an athlete. She was in her 20s planning a wedding and starting medical school. And she had a tumor the size of a potato in her chest. In this episode, What she shares in this conversation is the kind of stuff that only comes from actually going through it. Not reading about it. Not treating it. Living it. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Dr. Maggie Boomgaarden earned her BS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from Bastyr University. She completed her residency at UC Irvine, the only naturopathic medicine residency inside a conventional medicine setting in the country. Her clinical focus includes hormone health, metabolic function, GI health, and longevity. She and her husband Travis recently launched their own private practice. And she did all of that after surviving stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma. 📩 Reach Dr. Maggie: @drmaggieboomgaarden on Instagram In this episode you'll learn: Why her symptoms were dismissed for over a year before anyone ordered imaging What finally led to the chest X-ray that changed everything Why getting a second opinion literally changed her treatment plan and possibly her life What she did naturally alongside chemotherapy that shocked her oncologist The fertility preservation process nobody warns young cancer patients about How chemo brain, menopause symptoms, and isolation nearly broke her What the cancer taught her that no textbook ever could Why "sugar feeds cancer" is more complicated than the internet makes it sound The role of pesticides, sleep, stress, and trauma in cancer risk How she defines healing now vs. before her diagnosis 📌 Chapter Overviews Chapter 1: Life Before Diagnosis (4:20–8:00) Chapter 2: First Symptoms and Being Dismissed (8:00–14:00) Chapter 3: Starting Medical School Sick (14:00–18:00) Chapter 4: The Chest X-Ray That Found the Tumor (18:00–22:00) Chapter 5: Getting the Diagnosis in the Hospital (22:00–28:00) Chapter 6: The Case for Second Opinions (28:00–36:00) Chapter 7: Fertility Preservation and the Hidden Costs (36:00–44:00) Chapter 8: Going Through Chemo (44:00–56:00) Chapter 9: What She Did Naturally Alongside Treatment (56:00–1:02:00) Chapter 10: Isolation, Identity, and Mental Health (1:02:00–1:14:00) Chapter 11: What Not to Say to Someone With Cancer (1:14:00–1:22:00) Chapter 12: Cancer Prevention. What We Can Actually Control (1:22:00–1:36:00) Chapter 13: Diet, Fasting, and Ketogenic Diets in Cancer (1:36:00–1:50:00) Chapter 14: Integrative Therapies. Vitamin C, Mushrooms, Mistletoe (1:50:00–2:02:00) Chapter 15: Genetics vs. Epigenetics. Are Our Genes Our Destiny? (2:02:00–2:14:00) Chapter 16: What Cancer Taught Her That Textbooks Never Could (2:14:00–2:28:00) Chapter 17: How She Defines Healing Now (2:28:00–2:45:00) If you know someone going through cancer or supporting someone who is, this is the episode to send them. Visit us at https://www.whatiwishiknew.org If this episode helped you, please like, comment, hit subscribe, and turn on notifications. The next conversation might be the one that changes how you see your diagnosis, your body, and your healing. Follow us on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wiwikpod/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatiwishiknewcancer/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wiwikpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-i-wish-i-knew-podcast/ Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider before making any treatment decisions.

"I Had Cervical Cancer at 30 - Here's What No One Told Me About Freezing My Eggs" | Tracy & Chick Mission

What if a cancer diagnosis didn't have to take your future family away from you? In this episode of What I Wish I Knew, we have a deep conversation with Tracy, a cervical cancer survivor and founding board member of The Chick Mission. She now serves as Chief Communications Officer and shares her experience with fertility preservation, patient advocacy, and what it really means to keep your options open when everything feels out of your control. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Tracy was 30, newly married, and working in entertainment when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer after months of being dismissed by doctors. What followed was a crash course in egg freezing, a $17,000 bill her insurance called "elective," and a journey that would eventually lead her to help build one of the most impactful oncofertility nonprofits in the country. In this conversation, we learn → Tracy's diagnosis story - the symptoms doctors ignored, the bathroom breakdown, and what finally got her answers → Why fertility preservation wasn't even the standard of care when she was diagnosed in 2010 → How The Chick Mission provides need-based Hope Grants for egg and embryo freezing to newly diagnosed cancer patients (ages 18+) → The real cost of oncofertility - and how Chick Mission has delivered nearly $5M in support to ~800 women → Legislative wins in Texas, New York, California, New Jersey, Colorado & more - and what's next for Arizona & Pennsylvania → The emotional weight of grieving the family you imagined - and finding peace in choice → What to say (and not say) to a friend going through cancer → How to advocate for yourself in medical appointments - and why it matters 🔗 Learn more & apply for a Hope Grant: Chick Mission 📩 Contact Chick Mission: hope@thechickmission.org 📸 Follow Chick Mission: https://www.instagram.com/chickmission/ Subscribe - because someone out there is googling "cancer and fertility" at 2am and needs to find this. Be part of the reason they do. Visit us at https://www.whatiwishiknew.org Follow us on Social Media to stay updated: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatiwishiknewcancer/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wiwikpod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wiwikpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-i-wish-i-knew-podcast/ 📌 Chapter Overviews Chapter 1: When Your Body Signals Something Is Wrong (0:00–0:16) Chapter 2: Cancer Diagnosis at 30 and Life Turning Point (0:16–1:12) Chapter 3: Ignored Symptoms and Delayed Diagnosis Reality (1:12–2:10) Chapter 4: The Moment Everything Became Urgent (2:10–3:04) Chapter 5: Facing Cancer While Navigating Fear and Uncertainty (3:04–4:05) Chapter 6: Fertility Decisions Under Time Pressure (4:05–5:00) Chapter 7: The Financial Shock of Egg Freezing (5:00–6:01) Chapter 8: Why Fertility Access Should Not Be Optional (6:01–7:01) Chapter 9: Turning Pain into Purpose Through Advocacy (7:01–8:49) Chapter 10: Supporting Women Through Fertility and Cancer (8:49–10:30) Chapter 11: Changing Laws to Protect Future Choices (10:30–11:55) Chapter 12: The Emotional Weight of Fertility Expectations (11:55–13:37) Chapter 13: Losing Control and Reclaiming Choice (13:37–15:16) Chapter 14: Why Having Options Matters More Than Outcomes (15:16–16:04) Chapter 15: Life After Cancer and Redefining Identity (16:04–18:03) Chapter 16: Finding Purpose After Survival (18:03–20:20) Chapter 17: Navigating Relationships and Tough Conversations (20:20–23:09) Chapter 18: Real Stories of Hope, Loss, and Resilience (23:09–26:07) Chapter 19: The Power of Support Systems and Asking for Help (26:07–41:05) Chapter 20: Advocacy, Voice, and Living Beyond Cancer (41:05–53:06) Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

87,000 Chemicals in Your Home, What Cancer Patients NEED to Know About Detoxing | Sofia Ruan Gouchey

What I Wish I Knew: Detoxing Your Home During Cancer Treatment Your oncologist may never bring it up, but the chemicals in your home could be quietly working against your healing. This conversation breaks down how invisible exposures, from cleaning products and cookware to fabrics, EMFs, and receipts, can quietly add to your body's toxic load. About our guest: Sofia Ruan Gouchey is a leading toxic exposure expert recognized by the Well+Good Council as the Healthy Home Guru. She is the founder of Ruan Living and the author of A to Z of Detoxing , one of the most comprehensive, science-backed guides to reducing toxic exposure in everyday life. With nearly two decades of research and almost 600 scientific studies cited in her book, Sofia translates complex environmental health science into realistic, doable steps for real families. 📖 Learn more & explore Sofia's programs: https://www.ruanliving.com 📘 A to Z of Detoxing: available on her website 🏡 40-Day Home Detox Program: ruanliving.com In this episode, you'll learn: - Why indoor air is 2–5x more polluted than outdoor air — even in major cities - The "household repeat offenders" that silently increase your toxic burden - How endocrine-disrupting chemicals interfere with hormones, immunity & healing - Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) hiding in everyday products - Why 85% of diseases may be linked to non-genetic, environmental factors - EMFs, blood-brain barrier damage, and your bedroom setup - What a journalist's urine test revealed , before and after the 40-Day Home Detox - Affordable, FREE ways to start detoxing your home today - The LOLA POP Detox Method and how to make non-toxic living a lifestyle - Why the EU bans 1,100 chemicals in personal care vs. only ~11 in the US 📌 Chapter Overviews Chapter 1: Chemical Exposure Scale and Disease Link (1:00–3:55) Chapter 2: Immune Fragility and Toxic Awareness (3:55–6:50) Chapter 3: Indoor Air Pollution and Hidden Risks (6:50–9:45) Chapter 4: Sources of Household Chemical Exposure (9:45–12:40) Chapter 5: Detox Prioritization and Practical Approach (12:40–15:35) Chapter 6: Stress, Balance, and Mental Health Impact (15:35–18:30) Chapter 7: Hygiene Hypothesis and Immune Adaptation (18:30–21:25) Chapter 8: Heavy Metals and Neurotoxicity (21:25–24:20) Chapter 9: Chemical Regulation and Global Differences (24:20–27:15) Chapter 10: Consumer Choices and Exposure Reduction (27:15–30:10) Chapter 11: Toxic Cookware and Food Safety (30:10–33:05) Chapter 12: Simplifying Detox with Key Patterns (33:05–36:00) Chapter 13: Plastic Exposure in Daily Life (36:00–38:55) Chapter 14: Endocrine Disruptors and Hormones (38:55–41:50) Chapter 15: Genetics vs Environmental Triggers (41:50–44:45) Chapter 16: Cancer Support and Home Detox Basics (44:45–47:40) Chapter 17: Low-Cost Detox and Accessibility (47:40–50:35) Chapter 18: EMFs and Biological Effects (50:35–53:30) Chapter 19: Scientific Resistance and Public Perception (53:30–56:25) Chapter 20: Long-Term Health Impact and Detox Outcomes (56:25–1:00:03) If learning about the invisible toxins in your home made you think of someone navigating cancer, in treatment, or simply trying to create a healthier space to heal — share this episode with them. Visit us at https://www.whatiwishiknew.org If this episode helped you, please like, comment & hit subscribe and turn on notifications , because the next conversation might be the one that changes how you see your health, your home, and your healing. Follow us on social media to stay updated: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wiwikpod/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatiwishiknewcancer/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wiwikpodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/what-i-wish-i-knew-podcast/ Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified healthcare provider regarding any medical questions or treatment decisions.

The Integrative Healing Journey: Breast Cancer Survivor Micaela Palacios on Surrender, Plant Medicine and Transformation

What I Wish I Knew: A Healing Cancer Podcast In this episode, we step into a deeply personal story of breast cancer, healing, and transformation. Dr. Dan Sullivan, a licensed naturopathic doctor, sits down with Micaela Palacios, a breast cancer survivor, transformational coach, and energy healer, as she opens up about being diagnosed during COVID-19. She shares how she navigated both conventional and alternative treatments, along with the emotional and spiritual shifts that reshaped her life. This conversation goes beyond the medical journey. It explores surrender, identity, resilience, and what it really means to rebuild your life from the inside out. This episode is for anyone interested in breast cancer recovery, holistic healing, and understanding the deeper emotional and physical layers of long term healing. To learn more about Micaela Palacios, visit the link below:  https://michaelapalacios.com In this episode you'll learn: - How chronic stress and emotional suppression may affect healing during cancer treatment.  - What tamoxifen is, why it is prescribed, and common side effects patients may not always be fully told about.  - How integrative approaches like Reiki and plant medicine are being explored alongside conventional cancer care.  - The link between the nervous system, stress, and how the body responds under long term pressure.  - How cancer can redefine strength, resilience, and recovery beyond medical treatment.  Chapter Overviews: Chapter 1: Breast Cancer Diagnosis During COVID-19 (1:58 to 2:24) Chapter 2: Emotional Response and Power of Surrender in Cancer Journey (2:24 to 3:02) Chapter 3: Mental Shift, Positivity, and Lifestyle Changes During Treatment (3:02 to 4:42) Chapter 4: Integrative Therapies Like Reiki During Chemotherapy (4:42 to 5:28) Chapter 5: Stress, Burnout, and Lifestyle Factors Before Cancer Diagnosis (5:53 to 6:33) Chapter 6: Post Treatment Lifestyle Transformation and Healing Approach (6:33 to 7:36) Chapter 7: Psychological Stress, Identity Pressure, and Health Impact (14:04 to 17:22) Chapter 8: Conventional Breast Cancer Treatment Plan Explained (19:01 to 21:31) Chapter 9: Side Effects of Chemotherapy and Hormone Therapy Tamoxifen (22:14 to 23:22) Chapter 10: Functional Medicine and Nutritional Deficiency Recovery (24:33 to 24:56) Chapter 11: Role of Alternative Healing Methods and Energy Work (26:13 to 27:06) Chapter 12: Plant Medicine and Emotional Trauma Release in Healing (27:06 to 28:01) Chapter 13: Post Cancer Recovery Challenges and Lack of Aftercare Support (22:14 to 22:44) Chapter 14: Importance of Patient Advocacy and Second Medical Opinions (45:13 to 46:06) Chapter 15: Emotional Healing, Trauma Processing, and Redefining Strength (48:10 to 50:10) If this conversation resonated with you, consider sharing it with someone who might find it meaningful. For more episodes, resources, and integrative cancer education, visit: https://www.whatiwishiknew.org                                                                                              Make sure to subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss upcoming episodes and important resources.  Follow us on social media to stay updated: Facebook: /wiwikpod Instagram: /whatiwishiknewcancer TikTok: /wiwikpodcast LinkedIn: /what-i-wish-i-knew-podcast Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Do not rely on it as a substitute for professional medical guidance. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for advice specific to your situation.