25 Feb From Cancer to Clean Living: How Food, Stress, Toxins, and GLP-1s Can Change Everything with Jen Delvaux
What do you do if you’ve been listening to the benefits of hormone replacement and increased protein – but – you’ve experienced a scary diagnosis? You see contradicting opinions and research about the topics and whether or not you should do it with your given circumstances. What do you do if you’ve had a cancer diagnosis?! Is there something ELSE that can be done to navigate it gracefully?
In a world where health advice seems to change daily, complete with contradicting opinions and research, what happens when the path forward isn’t clear? For Jen Delvaux, this question became intensely personal when a routine mammogram turned her world upside down. As a health-conscious individual who thought she was doing everything “right” based on what she had been taught, her breast cancer diagnosis catapulted her to completely reimagine her approach to health and wellness. Rather than letting fear drive her decisions, Jen embarked on a remarkable journey that challenged conventional wisdom about nutrition, hormone therapy, and the very meaning of “healthy living.”
In this episode, Jen shares her transformative journey through breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, offering valuable wisdom for both cancer patients and those seeking to optimize their health proactively. The conversation covers controversial topics of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), dietary shifts towards plant-based eating, the impact of GLP-1 medication on her mental and physical health, and the importance of managing toxins and stress.
Her story is a lesson in making informed, personalized health decisions when faced with contradicting information. Through her thoughtful, research-backed approach, she discovered that sometimes the path to healing requires us to look beyond the headlines and tune into our own body’s needs.
The Unexpected Cancer Diagnosis
Jen’s cancer journey began with a routine mammogram that detected stage one grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma (ER/PR positive, HER2 negative). As someone who considered herself extremely health-conscious, the diagnosis came as a complete shock. This highlights her opinion on the importance of regular screening – while there’s ongoing debate about mammogram frequency and alternatives, Jen credits early detection with saving her life by finding the cancer when it did. There is NO cookie cutter answer and you have to make sure you do what feels right for you!
Treatment Choices and Hormone Management
Every diagnosis will be unique in its treatment choices. Rather than undergo chemotherapy, Jen personally opted for:
- Lumpectomy
- Radiation
- Zoladex injections to suppress ovarian function
- Aromatase inhibitors to block hormone production
This treatment path pushed her into immediate menopause over night, bringing with it significant challenges and menopausal side effects. Through careful lifestyle modifications (diet, exercise, sleep, etc.) and after working with both conventional and naturopathic practitioners, she’s now symptom-free!
There is emerging research on breast cancer and HRT. The sad part about breast cancer is that most women do not die from breast cancer itself – they die from the aftermath of not having estrogen in their body and perhaps the treatment side effects. This is what really scared Jen about NOT doing HRT. Jen decided to take the Dutch Complete test to test her hormones. In doing that, she discovered that in her body, estrogen metabolizes down the wrong pathway. Because of that, SHE decided to NOT do anything more in the HRT world than vaginal estrogen.
The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Recovery
When she was in the thick of her diagnosis Jen reflected on the ONE thing she could control – which is what she was feeding her body. Prior to her diagnosis she was eating protein bars, protein shakes, minimal animal protein, no fruit, and was eating to stay skinny and fit in her jeans. She found a few people who had navigated cancer diagnosis with whole, plant-based food and she decided to try it on!
Her complete nutrition transformation became one of the most striking aspects of her recovery. Here’s what she did:
- Shifted from a processed, high-protein diet to whole food, plant-based nutrition
- Focused on legumes, beans, nuts, and tempeh for protein
- Incorporated organic, non-GMO soy (challenging common fears about soy and breast cancer)
- Eliminated ultra-processed foods
- Maintained flexibility by occasionally including wild-caught fish or seafood
A Holistic Approach to Health, Healing, and Toxicity
Jen’s recovery journey extended far beyond nutrition! She focused a lot on stress management, environmental toxins, and anti-inflammatory measures.
Some things she has done that we can ALL benefit from doing – even if we are NOT currently navigating disease:
- Implemented daily meditation practices
- Focused on breath work
- Learned to slow down and appreciate life’s simple moments
- Reduced alcohol consumption significantly
- Improved air quality with proper ventilation and filtration
- Used high-quality water filtration
- Eliminated scented candles and conventional cleaning products
- Switched to non-toxic cookware
- Transitioned to clean beauty and personal care products
In addition, she also turned to using GLP-1s at small micro-doses. While these medications are often popularly associated with weight loss, Jen uses them for their:
- Anti-inflammatory properties
- Cardiovascular protection
- Potential neuroprotective benefits
- Support for bone health
- Mental clarity benefits
In taking GLP-1’s she noticed that her head/mind was FINALLY clear, she feels happier, her food noise was dramatically reduced, she feels thinner, she feels less inflamed, and has no interest in alcohol.
Key Takeaways for Prevention
For those looking to optimize their health proactively, Jen emphasizes:
- Stress Management: Don’t underestimate the impact of chronic stress. Make time for meditation and mindfulness and practice regular breath work techniques.
- Clean Living: Do your best to reduce exposure to environmental toxins, toxic personal care products, and make conscious efforts to use clean air and water.
- Mindful Eating: Focus on whole, unprocessed foods. Be careful about cooking methods to avoid high-heat charring.
- Get Regular Screening: Don’t skip routine health checks and consider comprehensive hormone testing. Make sure to work with practitioners who take a holistic approach to health.
If you are newly diagnosed with cancer, Jen’s extra advice is to slowwwww down and avoid making fear-based decisions. Make sure to take (and make) the time to:
- Get second and third opinions
- Research treatment options
- Get very clear on your situation
- Find the right medical team
- Implement stress management techniques
- Make gradual lifestyle changes
The journey through cancer is deeply personal, but Jen’s story offers valuable insights for anyone looking to optimize their health or navigate a cancer diagnosis. Her story reminds us that while we can’t control everything, we can make informed choices that support our body’s natural healing abilities. You are strong and you can do this!
