50: If Your Mom Had Breast Cancer, Does that Mean You Will Too? A Candid Conversation with a Genetic Cancer Prevention Coach.

50: If Your Mom Had Breast Cancer, Does that Mean You Will Too? A Candid Conversation with a Genetic Cancer Prevention Coach.

This is a topic I don’t know much about, so I was looking forward to interviewing Cancer Prevention Coach and nurse, Krista.

Krista’s focus is on genetic testing because she’s tested positive for a strong breast cancer gene, and she believes it’s the same gene that caused her mother’s breast cancer.

• I’ve always wondered: if a close relative had cancer does that mean I will get it too?
• What can you do to prevent cancer if it’s a big part of your family history?
• How “close” does the relative with cancer have to be to increase your own risk?
• Are there tests that you can take to see if you have strong cancer genes?

Krista answered all these questions and so many more.

This is a tough topic, and I’ll be honest a little scary when you think about getting tested to see if you have a higher likelihood of cancer. But Krista is very clear that knowledge is power, and it’s better to understand the risks in your genetics so you can take action to lower your risk.

We had an enlightening conversation about stress and its link to cancer. We are both in agreement that organic is best when it comes to produce, but we also understand that it can also be very expensive. We discussed some unique ways to eat organic produce (she suggests eating 8-10 servings per day) without blowing your food budget.

Krista, BSN, RN, combines her diverse training in traditional medicine, integrative oncology, and functional nutrition to her work with patients at high risk of cancer due to inherited genetic mutations and/or family history. She is currently finishing her Master’s degree at Arizona state University as part of the first Medical Nutrition program in the country. Her focus is nutrigenomics and personalized cancer prevention. She has training through Harvard Medical School in cancer genomics, precision oncology, and immuno-oncology. Krista truly believes knowledge is power, and considers herself a life-long learner.

Her passion for prevention began amidst her mother’s 12+ year battle with breast cancer which was caused by a genetic mutation. Krista, who is also a carrier of this mutation, has since dedicated her career to educating herself about cancer and showing others how to decrease risk as much as possible. She wants others to understand that genetics is just a small piece of the puzzle, and that their DNA is not their destiny.

She owns a private nutrition practice in which she works closely with patients to create individualized prevention plans, and offers various courses throughout the year. Her goal is to empower patients with integrative nutrition and lifestyle modifications and teach them how to “fill their plates, and their lives, with purpose.”

To learn more about upcoming classes Krista will be offering, you can follow her on Instagram (@cancer.prevention.coach)

 

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This podcast is for informational purposes only and none of the information should be construed as medical advice. Listeners should seek guidance from their own medical team before making any medical or lifestyle changes.