Survivorship/Survivorsh*t! Episodes

Survivor’s guilt is a common and not often talked about emotional experience after cancer. Dr. Leah Sherman sits down with returning guest Natasha Ewa, licensed clinical social worker and founder of I Thrive Therapy and Wellness, for an honest conversation about what survivor’s guilt actually looks like, why body image after cancer is so personal, and what healing can feel like on the other side.

Join Dr. Tina Kaczor and Dr. Leah Sherman as they delve into the complexities of heart toxicity in cancer care. This enlightening episode sheds light on the heart’s resilience and the specific challenges posed by cancer treatments known for their toxic effects on the heart muscle. Through engaging dialogue, the hosts explore topics such as risk factors, treatments associated with the highest risk of heart damage, and integrative medicine approaches to prevention and repair. They share personal ...

Did you know you can lower pain levels with natural agents as well as medications? Food matters too. What you eat can worsen pain, while some foods help you resolve it. Tina & Leah are naturopathic doctors who know what works (and what doesn’t!). They’ll spare you the arms-length list of supplements that “may” help. So tune in and find out how to lessen pain and inflammation. Links we mentioned on this episode: 55% of people going through cancer experience pain Boswellia information from Memor...

Pain is unpleasant. (That’s an understatement!) While pain itself is no fun, Tina & Leah keep you entertained and informed as you learn the basics in this episode. Understanding pain and knowing how to report it accurately can speed up the process of getting some relief. So listen in, and as always, please share this podcast if you find it useful! Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff: McGill Pain Questionnaire to help you describe your pain accurately About the McGill Pain Qu...

Does fasting during treatment make it work better? Does overnight fasting stave off recurrence? How does fasting affect cancer in general? Tina & Leah talk about the benefits (and risks!) of limiting food intake during and after cancer treatment. Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff: Fasting alongside neoadjuvant chemotherapy in those with breast cancer (2013) Clinical trial on fasting during chemo, currently enrolling those with breast cancer (currently recruiting) Review ...

We're talking talk sh!t in this one, survivorsh!t, that is. Along the way, we drop tips for how to lessen the long-term side effects of cancer treatments that put a real wrench in survivorship. This 40,000-foot view hits on many lingering effects and helps you understand how and why some may improve while others may not. Tune in to be entertained and enlightened; at least, that’s the idea! Links we mentioned on this episode and other cool stuff: File under "weirdness:" How toxoplasmosi...

Chemo brain, brain farts, brain fog, cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI)… no matter what you call it, it is a debilitating side effect that may persist for months or years after treatment ends. CRCI is more than just forgetting why you walked into a room or where you left your keys. You may find yourself struggling to remember a simple word or having a hard time concentrating on a single subject and don’t even mention multitasking! In this last episode of the year, Dr. Tina Kaczor and Dr...

Want to learn all about bone health? Then this is the episode for you! How does bone degrade? Who should be most concerned? How can you build bone? Are there certain nutritional supplements that can help? Fracture risk increases with age as our bones thin, but throw some cancer treatment into the mix and bone thinning can happen sooner and more rapidly (up to seven times faster following cancer treatments, according to ASCO). Loss of bone mineral density (known as osteopenia or osteoporosis) in...

Cancer-related fatigue (CrF) is common, both during treatment for cancer and afterward. Studies show up to 30% of cancer survivors experience fatigue for years following diagnosis. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill not getting a good night’s sleep or overdoing it at the gym fatigue. CrF is its own entity. It’s not relieved by sleep or rest and can be distressing, even life-altering. In this episode, Tina and Leah review the official contributing factors to CrF, and a few causes that aren’t found o...

Sleep disturbances may affect 40% of cancer survivors up to five years post treatment. In Episode 9 of Side Eff#%ks pod, Tina and Leah covered the causes of sleep disturbances and sleep hygiene, and now in Episode 10, they review integrative approaches to sleep management, including herbs and supplements that address anxiety and pain, which often contribute to insomnia. They also discuss cortisol’s association with waking up in the middle of the night. And since this is the last episode of this ...

Good quality sleep is always important, but it becomes especially precious following a cancer diagnosis. A good night's sleep supports our immune system, our mood, and so much more. It helps our body and mind heal. Anxiety, depression, and pain are only a few common causes of sleep disruption. In the first of this two-part episode, Tina and Leah talk about sleep disturbances, sleep hygiene, and some basic approaches to managing insomnia. Here are the links for some of the things we talk about o...

We're continuing with our theme of things that make our life miserable...I mean side effects from cancer treatment. Mouth sores and taste changes can greatly affect quality of life when going through treatment for cancer. Tina and Leah discuss causes and both pharmaceutical and integrative approaches to managing these side effects. Tell us your thoughts on this episode! Support the show Become a member of The Cancer Pod Community! Gain access to live Q&As, exclusive content, and so much m...

How exciting, the last installment of the Hot Flash pod is here! In this episode, we cover common and not-so-common nutritional supplements that we've used with our patients and some we have only heard about. We also share some clinical pearls, handy hints, and a bit of woo, because why not? And we added music to our intro! Let us know what you think, about the podcast, the music, and as always, be honest but be nice! We are always updating our Pinterest page with pins of links to things we tal...

This is a hot topic, don't you think? In this episode, we start to talk about ways to address hot flashes, including the pros and cons of some of the most popular drugs and phytoestrogens, and how they may or may not interact with commonly prescribed medications like tamoxifen. What the heck are phytoestrogens exactly? Tune in to find out! Check out our Pinterest page for things mentioned on this episode. Tell us your thoughts on this episode! Support the show Become a member of The Can...

Hot flashes are a common side effect of cancer treatments, especially hormonal cancers like breast and prostate. In this episode, Tina and Leah discuss some common, and not so common, triggers of hot flashes and their take on what you can be done about it.