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.

Her Health Compass is proud to partner with a brand that puts care, intention, and real wellness first. Visit sleepagainpillows.com to learn more, and be sure to use code HERHEALTH15 for 15% off your purchase. Better sleep really does change everything! For more about this podcast, follow @yonnihealthandwellness on Instagram today!

Sleep is one of the most fundamental pillars of health, yet it’s often the hardest to protect. In this episode, Sweet Dreams & the Elusive Nature of Sleep, we explore how quality rest supports physical recovery, sharpens mental health and shapes how we show up each day. Join us and our guests, author/singer/songwriter and radio host Carrie Rowan, and breast cancer survivor and Founder/CEO of Sleep Again Pillows, Rachael Baumel, as we break down why a good night’s sleep is anything but optional.

Sleep Again Pillows (@sleepagainpillows) is our 2026 podcast sponsor, founded by Rachel Baumel and Kate Devlin out of real life healing and a simple but powerful need for better sleep during recovery. What started as a personal solution has become a thoughtfully designed therapeutic pillow system that supports proper alignment, elevation, and comfort, whether you are recovering from surgery, managing pain, or just struggling to get truly restorative rest. These are not ordinary pillows. They are doctor recommended, FSA and HSA eligible, and loved by people who feel a meaningful difference in how they sleep and therefore , how they feel during the day. We are proud to partner with a brand that puts care, intention, and real wellness first. Visit sleepagainpillows.com to learn more, and be sure to use code HERHEALTH15 for 15% off your purchase. Better sleep really does change everything!

For more about the Her Health Compass Wellness Retreat, contact info@herhealthcompass.com and be sure to follow @yonnihealthandwellness on Instagram for episode drops, nutritional health support and more.

We’re thrilled to welcome Dr. Lauren Slayton, M.S., R.D., founder of Foodtrainers (@foodtrainers) and author of The Little Book of Thin, as our featured guest this month! A New York–based registered dietitian who has been helping people make sense of nutrition since 2001, Lauren blends real-world practicality with playful insight to make healthy living feel doable (yes, you can balance fun and wellness!) Over the years she’s been featured in major outlets like The New York Times, Good Morning America, and O Magazine, offering science-backed guidance with a dose of relatable humor. In our conversation, Lauren shares her tips for navigating food, body image, and wellness without burnout, and leaves you feeling inspired to fuel your best life. Be sure to check out her site at www.foodtrainers.com, sign up for her free newsletter for weekly nutrition gems, and follow her on Instagram @foodtrainers for bite-sized wellness wisdom each week!

We’re so excited to introduce Sleep Again Pillows (@sleepagainpillows) as our 2026 podcast partners, sponsors, and most importantly, friends. Founded by Rachel Baumel and Kate Devlin, Sleep Again was born out of real life healing and a simple but powerful need for better sleep during recovery. What started as a personal solution has become a thoughtfully designed therapeutic pillow system that supports proper alignment, elevation, and comfort, whether you are recovering from surgery, managing pain, or just struggling to get truly restorative rest. These are not ordinary pillows. They are doctor recommended, FSA and HSA eligible, and loved by people who feel a meaningful difference in how they sleep and therefore , how they feel during the day. We are proud to partner with a brand that puts care, intention, and real wellness first. Visit sleepagainpillows.com to learn more, and be sure to use code HERHEALTH15 for 15% off your purchase. Better sleep really does change everything!

For more about the Her Health Compass Wellness Retreat, contact info@herhealthcompass.com.

Each of us has experienced some sort of grief in our lifetimes. We often think of grief as death but there’s grief in divorce, leaving your family home, moving to a new location, even in losing dreams or versions of ourselves. In this episode we are joined by Melissa Stein, creator of My Life 2.0 to hear her story of loss, renewal and second chances.

With more than 30 years in entertainment publicity and brand storytelling, Melissa Stein has spent her career helping some of the world’s most beloved franchises connect with audiences. As Vice President, Publicity for TV, Animation & Originals at Warner Bros., she oversaw campaigns across TV, Genre, Family, and Animation, including Warner Bros. Animation, DC Comics, Hanna-Barbera, and LEGO.

Now, she is channeling that same storytelling instinct into her next act: My Life 2.0, a lifestyle blog and community for women starting over in midlife. It’s there that she shares her reinvention journey with humor and heart covering everything from love and loss to motherhood, fashion and the gadgets that make life a little easier.

Whether in the boardroom or on the blog, Stein’s mission remains the same, to connect, inspire, and remind us it’s never too late for a reboot.

The Bonds We Make: Choosing the right healthcare professional is such a critical part of any experience. Hear from our guests, Dr. Elisa Port of the Dubin Breast Center at Mt. Sinai in NYC and The Today Show’s Jill Martin about the power of a successful doctor and patient team, and the lessons they have learned in their careers, along this journey, and how they embrace life to the fullest.

One family’s insight into ovarian and uterine cancer, finding support, cherishing family and making change through philanthropy. An inspiring story for anyone confronting illness, acting as caregiver, or looking for a way to make a difference.