The Blood Sugar, Insulin & Cancer Connection (Fasting Insulin Explained) with Dr. Dawn Mussallem

Could your blood sugar be influencing your long-term health in ways you've never considered? In this powerful episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid sits down with Dr. Dawn Mussallem, a double board-certified physician in hematology, oncology, and lifestyle medicine who spent more than 20 years at Mayo Clinic and founded its integrative breast oncology program. Together, they explore the connection between insulin resistance and breast cancer, why fasting insulin deserves more attention, and how everyday nutrition choices can support metabolic health, cancer prevention, and healthy aging. Dr. Dawn also shares her remarkable personal journey through stage four lymphoma, heart failure, and a heart transplant—and how it shaped her mission to help people prioritize aliveness, not just survival. This conversation is a reminder that food is medicine, personalized nutrition matters, and taking care of your health doesn't have to mean following restrictive rules or striving for perfection. **What You’ll Learn In This Episode:** - The connection between blood sugar, insulin resistance, and breast cancer risk. - Why fasting insulin may reveal important information about your metabolic health. - How sleep, exercise, and balanced meals influence blood sugar regulation. - The role of fiber, protein, healthy fats, and colorful plant foods in an anti-inflammatory diet. - What the research says about plant-based diets, animal protein, soy, and breast cancer. - How personalized nutrition and advanced testing can help identify individual nutrient needs. - Why berries, purple sweet potatoes, green tea, turmeric, and other plant foods offer valuable phytonutrients. - How Dr. Dawn's experience with cancer and heart failure transformed her perspective on healthy aging, gratitude, and living fully. **Timestamps:** - 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Dawn Mussallem and Her Journey - 02:21 Explaining the Blood Sugar and Cancer Connection - 05:38 The Significance of Hemoglobin A1C and Fasting Insulin - 08:33 Insulin's Role in Cancer and Heart Disease - 12:18 The Importance of Vegetables, Fruits, and Fiber - 14:36 Advanced Testing and Personalized Medicine - 17:01 Detecting Heart Disease with Quantitative CT Scans - 22:30 The Future of Precision Medicine and Data Analysis - 26:25 Dietary Patterns for Longevity and Healthy Aging - 39:02 Dr. Mussallem’s Personal Health Journey and Resilience - 56:51 Living Fully and Embracing Aliveness - 01:02:38 Connecting with Dr. Mussallem and Her Mission **Resources & Links:** \+ Watch the full episode on YouTube \+ Dr. Dawn Mussallem’s Instagram \+ Learn more about Fountain Life \+ Join The Being Collective \+ Brigid’s Website \+ Brigid’s Instagram Enjoyed this episode? Follow or subscribe to The BeingBrigid Show and leave a rating and review to help more women discover science-backed strategies for better health, balanced blood sugar, and healthy aging.