What actually impacts cancer risk—and what helps you get through it? This episode blends expert insight and lived experience to reveal how lifestyle medicine supports prevention, treatment, and healing.

In this episode of Her Health Compass, we explore what it truly means to heal through the lenses of resilience, grief, and lifestyle medicine. Yonni and Heather are joined by Dr. Amy Comander, a breast cancer specialist trained in lifestyle medicine, and Britt Aronson, who shares her powerful firsthand experience navigating cancer alongside profound personal loss. Together, they unpack how nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and mindset can influence not only cancer prevention, but also treatment outcomes and recovery. This conversation bridges science and story—offering both evidence-based insight and lived experience for anyone seeking to better understand their body, their health, and their capacity to heal.

Amy Comander, MD, DipABLM, FACLM, MSCP is a breast oncologist and Medical Director of the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute in Waltham, Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Comander studied neurobiology and psychology as part of the multidisciplinary Mind, Brain, and Behavior Initiative at Harvard University and received her Doctor of Medicine from the Yale University School of Medicine. She completed her internal medicine residency training and Hematology-Oncology fellowship training at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School. She is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology, and Lifestyle Medicine.

As a breast oncologist, Dr. Comander has witnessed the struggles her patients face during and following completion of primary cancer treatment, and is passionate about improving the overall health and well-being of breast cancer survivors through lifestyle interventions. In collaboration with Dr. Frates, she launched the PAVING the Path to Wellness Program lifestyle medicine program for breast cancer survivors. She trains other colleagues to run PAVING groups, so that this transformational experience can be offered to a larger group of cancer survivors. She has co-authored PAVING Your Path Through Breast Cancer and Beyond, PAVING the Path to Wellness Manual and Workbook, and PAVING a Path Through Menopause and Beyond.

Dr. Comander practices what she preaches, having run 12 consecutive Boston Marathons to date. Dr. Comander was honored to serve as the first oncologist on the Board of Directors of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and proud to serve as Vice President on the Board of the PAVING the Path to Wellness non-profit organization. She also serves on the Board of the Ellie Fund, a non-profit that provides services and support to women diagnosed with breast cancer in Massachusetts. She is a medical advisor to the non-profit organizations, SurvivingBreastCancer.org and the Tigerlily Foundation. She has served as a medical advisor to Oneinforty, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating people of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage about the one-in-forty chance of having inherited a BRCA mutation.

Britt Aaronson is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles, where she has lived since 1993. She finds great joy in being a mother to Rayce and Eisley. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking, traveling, and supporting nonprofits including the National Brain Tumor Society, the Hidden Hills Theater Committee, and the Fondle Project. In February 2020, she was diagnosed with Grade 2–3 DCIS breast cancer. Britt underwent seven surgeries—including a double mastectomy, reconstruction, and capsulectomies—and is grateful to now be cancer-free. Deeply appreciative of the technology that led to her diagnosis, she is dedicated to raising awareness and helping redefine conversations around breast health, survivorship, and healing.

“You’ve Got Mail” on a patient portal notification can send anyone into a spiral of anxiety. From the mysterious BI-RADS score to the dreaded “callback” for more imaging, the world of breast health often feels like a foreign language we never asked to learn.

Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on the imaging suite with Dr. Pamela Weber MD, a board-certified radiologist specializing in breast and body imaging with White Plains Hospital Physician Associates. We’re breaking down the difference between 2D and 3D, decoding the scary words like “asymmetry” and “calcification,” and explaining why a callback is usually a reason for a deep breath, not a panic attack. Whether you’re prepping for your first scan, concerned about your family history, or navigating news of dense tissue, this episode is your roadmap to breast health with less stress and more clarity.

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