What Integrative Medicine Can and Can’t Do for Cancer | Dr. Leah Sherman

Integrative medicine is not a cure for cancer, and Dr. Leah Sherman is the first to say so. I sat down with her to talk about what integrative cancer care really looks like, from acupuncture and physical therapy to mind-body support, and why so much of her job as a naturopathic oncology doctor came down to listening.

This matters whether you’re in treatment right now, caring for someone who is, or running a business through a hard season. Good support doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Sometimes it’s a patient who needs an hour to be heard, and sometimes it’s a cheap peppermint inhaler for nausea. Leah shows what it looks like to meet people where they are instead of handing everyone the same plan.

She’s the right person to guide this conversation. Leah is board-certified in naturopathic oncology and worked in integrative cancer centers in Indiana and Arizona before she was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer herself in 2014. That means she has seen chemo from both sides of the infusion chair. Today she hosts The Cancer Pod and runs it on her own. Fair warning, we compare notes on Abraxane side effects.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What integrative medicine is, and why it supports treatment instead of replacing it
• Low-cost ways to ease side effects, plus a Girl Scout troop idea I can’t stop thinking about
• How a naturopathic doctor’s scope of practice changes from state to state
• Leaving the cancer center and becoming a solopreneur almost by accident
• Why you need an LLC and an EIN even when your business barely breaks even
• Self-promotion, time blocking and boundaries when your calendar belongs to your health
• Leah’s dream of a free Cancer Social Club, and why I think franchising could make it happen

Leah’s moment of gratitude goes to her biggest fan at home, and it’s a sweet one.

Nothing in this episode is medical advice. Please talk with your own care team before you change anything about your treatment.

Find Leah at https//thecancerpod.com, and on Instagram, Threads and YouTube under @TheCancerPod.

Gratitude Geek is the business education podcast for Gen X women solopreneurs who weave gratitude and appreciation into their business strategy. Hosted by metastatic breast cancer thriver, Kandas Rodarte, who co-creates spaces, opportunities, and conversations for women business owners.

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