69: How the Intersection of Health, Politics, and Jewish Identity is Defining This Election with Lizzy Savetsky

Foreign.

Hello and welcome. I'm Dr. Jen Simmons, a breast cancer surgeon turned integrative oncologist on a groundbreaking mission to transform the conversation around breast health. If you're seeking to redefine the way that you think about breast health, you're in the right place. Breast health isn't just an aspect of well being. It is health, integral and indispensable. Here on the Keeping Abreast podcast, we delve deep into the innovative ways to diagnose, treat, screen for, and prevent breast cancer. But it's more than that. It's about having the crucial conversations that empower, enlighten, and drive us all to a healthier place. As someone who has navigated the front lines of breast cancer treatment and now champions an integrative approach, I bring a unique perspective to these discussions, blending rigorous science with holistic health principles. Health is a journey, not a destination, and I am truly honored to accompany you on this path. Each episode aims to provide you with actionable insights and cutting edge strategies to take charge of your breast health and your overall well being. So whether you're here to learn about the latest in medical advancements or seeking tips on lifestyle changes that foster real health, then the Keeping Abreast podcast is your go to resource. Let's embark on this journey together, because when we talk health, every conversation matters. And now, stay tuned for this week's episode.

Hello, everyone. I'm here today not just as a doctor, but as someone like you. Like many of you who are grappling with the weight of what's ahead in this election. As a devoted Jew and a proud American, I hold a deep love for this country and for the freedoms it has given us. Freedoms that allow us to live fully, choose boldly, and to stand up for what matters most. More than any other before, this election feels deeply personal. And it feels urgent. Because for all of us, health, safety and security are literally on the ballot. I have always felt called to contribute. I have never wanted to let an opportunity go by where I know I could have helped. And I chose not to help. These are uncertain times, and I am genuinely afraid that without a collective choice for a safer, healthier future, we are risking more than we can imagine. Our health, our safety, our medical sovereignty. All of these are connected to the decisions that we make on Tuesday. And yes, this decision is about politics, but it's also about so much more. It's about making sure we can continue to live safely and thrive. Just yesterday, I had the chance to sit down with Lizzie Savetsky, a fierce advocate for the Jewish people and a woman who, like me, is driven by the love for this country and for the values it represents. She has witnessed firsthand how precious and fragile our sense of safety has become. Since October 7, her life has taken on great purpose as she fiercely challenges anti Semitism, which has become rampant in this country and largely ignored by the current administration. Together, we spoke about what it might take to restore health and safety in this country and abroad, not only for ourselves, but for our future generations. I know many of you feel conflicted about where to cast your vote. I get it. I'm not a politician, and some may say that I should stay in my lane. But health isn't a partisan issue, and it's certainly not an issue that I can ignore when it's being threatened. Health should not be a partisan issue. And yet it is now. It is. There is clearly a party that is concerned about health and safety, and clearly one that is not. So if you're still searching for clarity or if you feel the same unease, please tune in. This conversation may just offer you a perspective that helps you cast your vote for what truly matters. A vote for health, a vote for safety, and a vote for a future that we can all believe in. So tune in. Listen to my conversation with me and Lizzy, and I hope that somewhere in that conversation you can find peace and just know that I am coming from a place of health, of wanting you to feel safe, because without safety, you cannot be healthy. Listen in. Hello and welcome to a very special episode of the Keeping in Breast Podcast. I know in my medical practice what I have seen over the last month is that there are an abundance of people who are extremely worried about this upcoming election. And for my part of it, because I have such an interest in making people healthy, in creating health and creating better lives, I thought to come and speak to the undecided voter, speak to the person that is struggling with the things in and around this election. And I of course, am coming to you from my own personal bias because I am a very proud Jewish American and I think whatever happens on this Tuesday coming up really matters. It really matters for Americans. It really matters for Jewish people. It really matters for all of us for the purposes of health, because that is what is on the ballot and so many of the things that people are worried about can be traced back to health and safety. It is so important to make this decision one about health and safety, in my opinion. I am so delighted to have Lizzie Savetsky with me today. If you don't know who she is, she has taken on this unbelievable role as an advocate for the Jewish people since October 7th. And she has dedicated her life in unbelievable ways and has taken on this enormous, important role as an educator, as an influencer. And I know that this may have started for her in very tragic circumstances. But what she has created out of this tragedy is truly beautiful and amazing and awesome. So, Lizzie, welcome. I'm so happy to have you here.

Thank you so much, Dr. Jen. You know, I've been following your work for a while, and it's great to be here. And, you know, this is a time period of emergency that we're in right now, so I'm glad that we're doing this.

We are. We are. And, you know, I don't usually get into politics because I stay in my lane.

Yeah.

And my lane is about health. And it is absolutely undeniable that stress kills. Stress kills. And we have been under nearly unbearable circumstances for the last year. And whether or not you identify as a Jew, because I have many people in my family that don't. And I remind them repeatedly that, you know, the Germans, the Nazis, certainly would consider them a Jew. And, you know, the people in occupying Hamas and Hezbollah, they would kill you before you could even get. I don't identify. Out of your mouth. So, you know, whether or not you identify, these are really, really, really important times. And for me, it comes down to a matter of health and safety. And there are Jewish Americans who no longer feel safe. And as a result, that stress is having a significant impact on them. And for my part of it, in my part of the world, you know, I think about chronic stress and its effect on your health and effect on your body. And this is one of the precursors of breast cancer, which is my major platform. And I'm so worried that people are listening to the noise and listening to the ugliness and the hate that has come out. I mean, not for nothing, but for our candidates, for one candidate to be calling another Hitler.

Yeah.

I mean, this is offensive in the Nth degree.

Yeah. I mean, it really minimizes the true evil that our people experienced.

Yeah.

Just throwing these words around like they have no weight to them at all. Nobody should be compared to Hitler. And, you know, they.

I mean, unless you're a mass murderer.

Right.

If you're a mass murderer, sure.

And there have been two attempts on President Trump's life, and it's because of this kind of rhetoric that so many people out there have been poisoned to believe these things. And it's really causing a lot of us a Lot of danger when we're just using words like that.

Yeah. I mean, I know this campaign started off as the campaign of joy. Right. And how it took this turn and how people. I mean, I'm actually so, so bothered by using the words Hitler, using the word fascist, using the word dictator. Not for nothing, but it completely discounts our democratic process that is built in. Right. Like, we cannot have a dictator because we've built in pillars that block that from happening, that have blocked that from happening for centuries, and we continue to.

Block that from happening. I think I learned about checks and balances when I was in sixth grade.

Yeah.

You know, it's like, we know that. It's just America's not built that way.

And it's really. It's so distressing. And this is what people are feeling. This is what people are feeling.

I know. Yeah. There's been a lot of the use of fear as a tool to manipulate the American people.

Yeah. So. And, you know, I do want to say from the start that Israel, to me, has to be a priority. And I think it's even more than being a Jew in that so many people don't understand the role of Israel in the scope of the world and what it means for world safety and what it.

Yeah.

So can you talk about that a little? Because I know that you talk about that a lot. And there may be people that simply don't understand that and don't understand how important it is.

Of course. And there are so many brilliant people out there that haven't had the privilege of hearing the truth or, you know, this isn't their issue. So they don't know much about it. But I'll tell you why it should be everyone's issue, because what Israel represents is so much more than just the Jewish homeland. It's so much more than just something that is, you know, very deeply personal to me. It is a representation of Western society in the Middle East. And what happens to Israel as it is surrounded by this jihadist. You know, it's right in the heart of all of this terrorism, all of this extremist fundamentalist Islamic ideologies and violence. What happens to Israel in the middle of all of that is just the beginning. It's just the tip of the iceberg. That is what they want to do to America and to the rest of the Western world. That's why you hear the Islamic Republic of Iran chant Death to Israel followed by Death to America, because to them, they are one and the same. And what Israel represents, with its progressive liberal values with its embracing of all religions, ethnicities, sexualities, what that represents in that world is just a representation of what America represents. Israel is also on the front lines of defense against terrorism for America. Like without Israel, we are going to lose the battle of national security in this country. That's why I say, often when I say I'm a single issue voter, I don't just mean as a Jewish person who cares about Israel's future. I mean as a Jewish American who cares about America, Israel is my priority because national security is in just a complete disaster right now. And we, if we don't fix this, we are not going to have a country. I mean, our country is literally on the brink of disaster because of national security. And we need Israel to ensure that we will have a safe America. And I think no matter what you think of Israel's government or Israel's leadership, you have to recognize that to be safe here, we need to keep Israel secure and safe over there.

Yeah, yeah. And many people don't realize that, that Israel is the key to world safety, at least our safety. Without question.

This tiny little sliver of land that is literally on the front lines of defense for all of us all over the western world.

Yes, yes. And that for me. So you can't separate health and safety to me because you can't be healthy if you don't feel safe. And I know that there are so many people in this country that do not feel safe, not just Jews. Jews for sure don't feel safe right now. What's going on in our college campuses and the tolerance of what's going on at our college campuses is despicable.

Well, they always say that the Jew is just the canary in the coal mine. You know, antisemitism is the sign of an unhealthy society, that it's really just the beginning of the complete and utter breakdown of a society. And we've seen that throughout history. That's why so many massive powers have been destroyed over the years. It all starts with antisemitism. We're seeing it in our streets on our college campuses. But what starts with us never ends with us. So, you know, I really, I want to wake America up to the fact that we are in deep, we are in big trouble.

Yeah, I agree with you, I agree with you. And I think that what happens on Tuesday is going to have, is going to be the deciding vote on what happens with us. Without question. But so many people struggle with that one issue. Like I'm with you, I'm a single issue voter Right now, I can't think about anything beyond Israel because I know that that is the key to safety and that is the key to health. And people simply cannot be healthy if they don't feel safe. But when you boil down to what a lot of people are voting around, they're voting around women's rights.

Yeah.

So I don't know where you are or how you feel about this. I will tell you that as a physician, as a woman, I believe in medical sovereignty. I believe that a woman should be able to decide what happens with her body without question. What I don't believe is that this is a Chinese menu and the government gets to pick and choose. So the people that are out there and totally pro choice are the same people that are okay with vaccine mandates. And that is not okay with me.

Yep.

That's not okay with me at all.

And.

What I need people to understand when it comes to this issue and it comes to the pro choice versus pro life issue, by the way, what.

You just said, I just want to take a pause there. I mean, it just highlights the complete hypocrisy.

Absolutely.

I mean, absolutely. And, you know, it's. Yeah. My body, my choice. Unless you, you know, don't want a vaccine.

Right. Yeah. And it. And unfortunately, I think that that party has become full of hypocrisy. And they use the laws when they. When they work for them, and when they don't work for them, they disregard the laws. And it's very troubling to me, especially as a cancer doctor, because the number of diagnoses that I have seen shortly following that episode that happened a couple of years ago and the subsequent things that people were imposed on them. The number of cancer diagnoses that I have seen as a result is obscene.

I have so many friends, young people who have been diagnosed with cancer, and I don't know. I mean, I'm not a doctor. Listen, I. But.

And I. And that's not what this is about for me, but for me, you can have it both ways. If you want to choose, then you get to choose everything. If you want medical sovereignty, then you get to choose everything. And no matter which candidate gets in on Tuesday, no matter who gets elected, abortion is not on the. On the ticket. It's not. It is not a federal issue. And I don't remember how many years ago the states decided that they wanted to control that issue. And they do.

Yeah. I think that that issue has been used to, you know, and I understand people very care very passionately about it, and women fought very hard for the rights that we still have. But no matter who wins, it's not going to change the fact that the states are controlling it. So I just feel like it's not a fair argument.

It's not. And there is no national abortion ban and no.

And that's the big lie in the Project 2025. And I'm so sick of these lies. But I, you know, I, I did post some things when it went back to the States because I had had two ectopics and you know, there was some fear and I have heard these horror stories and I don't want to discount anyone's pain that they've experienced from that.

I agree with you 100%.

But for me, I want, and I say this like I want my kids who are Jewish, who are young, who are growing up in this country to be alive, to even have those rights to fight for. And right now I think people don't realize how dire this situation is for Jewish Americans. And, you know, if we don't even have a future here, period, then how are we going to even talk about women's rights, Abortion, right? I mean, like, I want us to be here to be able to fight for whatever rights we want. And I just feel like with the way things are going, we're not going to be.

I know, I know. And so I agree with you that safety, there is no path to health, there is no path to survival, there is no path to our future. Without safety, there just isn't. And if, unless we make the right decision on Tuesday, we are not going to be safe.

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Back to our show. We're not going to be safe.

No, we're not. And I've seen firsthand through my conversation that I had with the White House back last summer, summer of 2023, talking to them about their national strategy to counter anti Semitism and how they put out the 60 page report and strategy. And when I, the second I questioned it, I was completely iced out. The second that I brought up my valid concerns, which have proved since October 7th to be exactly on target, I saw that they really had no interest in actually fighting anti Semitism and actually taking any real action and actually pulling federal funding from universities who are not protecting their Jewish students. They're very good at painting a picture of look how much we're doing, look how much we care, but they really don't. And, and you know, it's just, I know that if we, and the truth is, I'll be honest, I got yelled at for saying that I believe that Joe Biden actually did care about Israel and is a Zionist. But I do believe that, and I think it may be a generational thing.

I agree with that. I actually agree with that. I think that he has had a long and beautiful career in support of Israel and I think that in this last year he has done a good job.

He has. There was a lot of messaging that I feel like was very damaging to our community. But in terms of policy, I think, you know, he, I mean, he was doing, he's doing well. He went to Israel right away, you know, I think. But we're not, we're not dealing with a Joe Biden.

No, what we're dealing with and he's not, he's not on the ticket.

Right?

He's not on the ticket.

He's not on the ticket.

And, and what we're dealing with is somebody who has expressed sympathy for the protesters, the pro Hamas protesters, saying that they're expressing exactly what the human emotion should be. Somebody who has, you know, given validity to people calling what's happening in Gaza a genocide, using, again, just like the Hitler comparison, using the words that were created about our own tragedies against us in the most ironic and despicable way, giving, you know, giving validity to that. We've seen her do that and we've just. We haven't seen her take any action in terms of anti Semitism in this country. And I'm so sick of hearing while she's married to a Jew. I'm sorry. We have Jews that are currently serving in elected positions that are our own worst enemies. So that to me, is not a reason. I mean, look at what Chuck Schumer did, telling the President of Colombia, Manous Shafik, that they should just keep their heads down and ignore the congressional criticism about antisemitism on campus. I mean, just because you're Jewish doesn't make you a good advocate for the Jewish people. So.

And, you know, this is another example of someone who may be born Jewish, but is not necessarily identifying as a Jew and not thinking about what the repercussions of that are.

Yeah, yeah. And his. I mean, his daughter. I know he is not his daughter and she is not her husband, but his daughter is raising money for unrwa, which we know that. Which was.

They were literally involved in the October.

7 attack, even by the UN proven to be involved in the October 7 massacre. We have records of the UNRWA teachers and principals on their WhatsApp chat celebrating the massacre, praising God, that, you know, for the martyrs. And this is. We know. And so that it's crystal clear. And she continues to raise money for them. And that, to me, it scares me. I mean, she's out on the campaign trail with them. What is. I just don't, and I really don't trust the people that Kamala Harris has surrounded herself with. There's some really problematic people that she has very close to her, like Meher Batar, that are really anti Israel. He was the head of students. Yeah, but. But Meher Batar was the head of Students for Justice for Palestine.

Palestine. Yeah.

Yeah. And he's a very, very close advisor to her and who knows what kind of cabinet position he would be getting.

Yeah.

And you know, I don't. The truth is I don't know where she stands. I don't. I feel like she's flip flop on so many other issues that.

Well, I don't think anyone knows where she stands because she never directly answers a question. She meanders around and on top of it, the media, for whatever the reason, has not taken her to task. No one is forcing her to answer the question. Why do you think that is infuriating? Because they're Trying to say, set her up, and even the layups that they give her, she can't make. And I just. I know that so many people are troubled by things that Trump has done in the past. Yes, I get it. I totally get it.

Me, too.

Where I land is. He's not my moral compass, right?

Absolutely not.

And if I'm being honest, if I had the playbook of my life right now before my eyes, I'm not 100% certain that I would like everything I saw either. We are not perfect beings, but we live in a world where we are constantly given the opportunity to make amends, to make things better. And for my part, I have every single day committed myself to making this world a better place. You know, I have taken on giant, giant issues. I have gone outside of the conventional medical world. I have suffered tremendous, tremendous criticism as a result. People say horrible, horrible things about me, but I know that I am doing the right thing. I know that ultimately, five years from now, 10 years from now, I will have changed the world. And I am only able to do that because of people like RFK who did the same thing, who walked outside of his comfort zone. I mean, he could have rode the tails of his family until the sunset.

I know, but he went.

He went outside of the lines for the purposes of what's doing, for doing what's right. And I was so excited about his candidacy.

Yeah.

So excited.

I want to know from you, like, what. Because this is obviously not an issue that I am super focused on, but I feel like a lot of voters are. But talk to me about what his campaign was all about.

You know, I mean, at the risk of sounding corny, he wants to make America healthy again. He wants to get the garbage out of our food. You know, in every other country of the world that we manufacture food for, they require us to take out the food dyes, to take out the food additives, to take out the things that we know causes obesity and heart disease and cancer. Right. But when we manufacture it here.

We have it all.

It's all good, because our kids like things more colorful. Not for nothing cares what our kids like.

Yeah. We want to bring comfort to them.

Yes, that's exactly right. And we can get them to like things that are pink because they're dyed with beet juice rather than pink because they're dyed with red dye, which causes cancer.

Red number four. What are we doing?

What are we doing? We are absolutely like, the tail is wagging the dog. That's what's happening here.

And he is it because people being, I mean, how much of it has to do with people being sick, being good for business?

Well, that's exactly it is that everything is complicit. So we are giving subsidies to grow all of these commodity crops. So grains and soy and corn, GMO crops, these are genetically modified crops so that they yield a lot more than a normal wild crop would. And then we spray them with all of these chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, so that the organisms don't eat them and they can survive because they don't have the protection of nature because they've been genetically modified. Then we do other things to make them easier to harvest. And then we take all of these chemically laden things and we create all of this highly ultra processed food out of it. And then on top of it, we add in all of these preservatives and dyes and things for texture and things for flavor. And you know, everyone has heard of MSG and that kind of thing. And then we feed this to our population who gets obese and hypertensive and their lipids are off and they get cancer and then we get to treat them.

So, like, that's big business.

It's big business. Here we go. Right? And I hate to believe that it's like some big diabolical plan, but it's hard to think otherwise because why then do we not do for our people what we're forced to do for the rest of the world? Why?

You know, it's so interesting that this has become now like a right wing argued point. I remember, like, must have been in high school and Michael Moore's movie Sicko came out and obviously I was like, very progressive. I was a lifelong progressive till I had my awakening. And I remember it being like a very like, you know, he doesn't get more left wing than Michael.

No, he doesn't.

And I remember he was like exposing all this stuff about health insurance and this and that and how sick America was. And I feel like now I'm really only hearing about that from this other party.

Yes, I know. And this is the thing. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. It shouldn't.

Antisemitism shouldn't either.

Yeah, none of, none of the things that we're talking about should be partisan issues. And yet unfortunately, today they are.

I feel like when you, when your whole platform is based on joy and vibes and, you know, you can't even discuss your own policies yourself, you have to tell the reporter to go look at your website. And that's where you'll see your policies. No, but seriously, like, it's, it's really scary. Like, we don't even know what the plan is, period. It's absolutely terrifying because we know things aren't working now. And if we don't know what the plan is to make them better, like beyond just hearing about, you know, what was it, small businesses that she's going to give a few thousand dollars to or something housing middle class. I mean, those are things I've heard her talk about.

No matter what she says, how is she going to pay for it? She, like, doesn't, she doesn't ever think about what that means. And is she just going to continue to tax what she sees as the rich people to pay for these programs? And not for nothing, that doesn't, it doesn't work.

Doesn't work.

And, and so, you know, even like the, the, the little sound bites that she's been willing to give out, if anyone sits down and thinks about it, you have to say, like, how are you going to pay for that? How is that going to work? You need a plan more than you need something past your sound bite. And so I do want to appeal to that undecided voter right now. For me, I believe, I significantly believe in medical sovereignty. I believe in personal rights. I do. I want everyone to be able to make their own decision, and I want people to feel good about their decision. And as I start to say, you know, Donald Trump is not my moral compass, but I need to live in a safe world. I need to not worry that my children at school are not going to get attacked because they're Jewish.

Yeah.

I need, I need to know that I'm not going to go out for a jog and get murdered because we couldn't be bothered to vet the people that come into this country. And listen, my parents are first generation.

I believe, but they immigrated legally.

I believe in legal immigration.

Legal.

Come to this country, succeed. You know, I come from amazing success stories. Come to this country, succeed, work hard. I was with my friend Betty Uribe last week. Her story is unbelievable. She came here at 12 years old from Colombia with nothing. Her and her mother cleaned houses. Betty Uribe is now, like building a kingdom. The American dream is alive and well, but we need to look at who we're letting in.

Yes. We can't be letting in convicted criminals.

Yes. We have to be safe and we have to be selective. Let's give good people opportunity. Absolutely. But we can't open the door and say all are welcome because most of those People that are coming want us dead. They are putting us in danger. And you cannot be healthy if you have a saber toothed tiger on your tail. And we are letting mounds and mounds of saber toothed tigers into this country.

We certainly are.

Who want to hurt us.

They do and they are hurting us. Some of these stories that I've heard, the 12 year old girl who was raped and murdered by the Venezuelan men and her mother testifying before Congress, I.

Mean, cried all night after listening to her mother. I know, I mean, it is just.

Because it could have been prevented.

It's an un. Yes.

And then. But I also, I think we have to talk about the fact that people keep using the argument of Trump blocking the bill even though he wasn't even in office. But blocking the border bill, it doesn't have any legs to stand on because he didn't have a bill for three and a half years. There was no bill and he closed the border. You don't need a bill to close the border. And that's just a very sorry excuse. Trump really does, I believe, care about, care about the safety of our country and the security of our country. I mean, that's why he ran for president. Yeah, but, but I, I do, I want to just echo what you said. Listen, I never thought that I would be voting Republican. I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas in a more small minded, close minded, I should say, not small minded, close minded community. And I might, you know, I was raised in a very open minded family and I had very progressive values. I still have progressive values. I just feel like my liberal values no longer align with the Democratic Party because they're not open minded, they're closed minded. If I have a belief that I hold, I'm not allowed to have that belief. You know, suddenly, you know, they're open unless you don't agree with them. Yes, but I don't love a lot of things about Donald Trump, but I don't love a lot of things about most politicians. Most politicians, if it get, if we get down to it, the truth is, you know, the media has completely given us a false picture. I can't, if I have to hear about Charlottesville one more time, I may just, I know, pull my hair out because they never talk about the, the full interview. They say, oh, he said there were good people on both sides. Yeah. And then he said, except the white, except for the neo Nazis and the white supremacists. They should be condemned strongly. They always fail to, to share that part of the interview. The part, that part of the clip. And it's so frustrating. They're. They're literally lying to our faces and expecting us to believe it, and so many people do. And that's why I'm so happy we're talking about this, because even though I don't love everything about him, I don't think he's been treated fairly. They've been out to get him. The guy has been almost killed twice just in this election.

I know.

Because of them. Because of the rhetoric that they are spewing.

Yes, yes. And so the party of joy actually has created a lot of divisiveness, and this has been their movie for the past few campaigns.

Yeah.

And, you know, when you call an entire, you know, group of people 250 million people garbage, or I forget what Hillary Clinton.

Deny it.

And I forget what Hillary Clinton accused. Oh, deplorables. Yeah, yeah.

Like.

And then Mark Cuban.

Oh, I know. Said that only weak women. Or Trump surrounds himself with weak and.

Yeah. Weak and unintelligent women. Yeah.

Well, there are some brilliant women that.

I think he should debate. Trump's lawyer.

I would love that.

And see how that goes. Or Kellyanne Conway.

Yeah. But they say these things, and nobody bats an eye. But anything that we every. Can you imagine if a Republican said that?

No. No. It would be absolutely unacceptable.

The double standard is baffling.

Yes. That one side has to walk on eggshells and the other side can say these outrageous, outrageous things.

I was terrified to even come out and say that I was voting for Trump, and when I did, I suffered.

Repercussions, and I will surely suffer repercussions for this podcast.

But at the end of the day, like, I. I feel like we're in such a state of emergency, and I look at this as through the lens of a Jewish mother who sees the direction things are going in. But we are in such a dire situation that I am willing to put my future, my financial situation, everything on the line in order to do whatever I can for my country, for the Jewish people in this country.

Yes.

And, you know, I don't want to look back and feel like, oh, I wish that I had just given it that one last effort to wake people up, to open people's eyes to the truth, you know, and so that's why I do it. You know, I. Everything to lose and nothing to gain.

You know, and same here. And I committed myself many, many years ago to making an impact in the world of health and leaving this world a far better place than I found it. And I know that we need a complete change in how we approach health and how we approach safety. And there is only one way that that change is going to come, and we don't have another four years to wait. We don't.

We don't. And even if you don't, even if you're nervous about Donald Trump, even if you don't fully trust him, I always say we can never fully trust any human being.

No.

I mean, who knows anything?

But that's what the House and the Senate and the Supreme Court are for.

Yes.

There is no. There is no dictatorship in the United States. No, it doesn't exist.

And the people that Trump surrounds himself with are. There are some really good people. I mean, in this case, health plan. And, you know, like David Friedman, the ambassador to Israel, you know, with Trump was. I don't care what you have to say about him. Objectively, he was the best president of the United States for Israel that ever existed. Objectively, if you just look at all the things he did, you know, the Abraham Accords, acknowledging the Golan Heights moving, the. Moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Acknowledging. Acknowledging Jerusalem as the Israel's eternal capital. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. And, you know, we were really making amazing headway with normalization with the Arab world. And, you know, I believe that the people around him are going to continue us in that direction. That came to a screeching halt once Joe Biden came into office.

Yeah. No, I think you're absolutely right. So for those people who are undecided, for those people who are feeling uncomfortable, one way or another to cast your vote, I will tell you that health and safety are on the ballot right now, and they have to be our priority. And if you think because you're not Jewish, it doesn't apply to you, you're wrong. This is about everyone. This is about everyone's health and safety. And if you think that, that somehow, if you're Jewish but don't identify, it doesn't apply to you, you're wrong. This is about health and safety for all of us, for all Americans. And I know that rfk, if Donald Trump gets elected and RFK gets appointed, what we are going to see will be an unprecedented focus on health and safety. And it couldn't come at a better time, because as a cancer doctor, I can tell you we are in crisis. We are in crisis. We are seeing cancers in women of ages. I've never seen this before. Unheard of. Unheard of. And it has to stop. We have to stop poisoning our people. We have to start creating lives and lifestyles that are healthy. We need public safety, because just the stress of not feeling safe alone has its own impact on health, its own impact. And so what we do collectively on Tuesday is going to literally determine our survival, all of our survival, on every level. I couldn't agree more. On every level.

And, you know, I love what you said, Jen, because I had said when I first came out, it was on Sid Rosenberg's radio show, and I first came out and admitted, yes, I'm going to vote for Trump. I said, you know, whatever I do on November 5, no matter what happens, I'm gonna go into the voting booth and I'm going to feel bad about whatever I do in some way and on some level. But what you are saying is, actually, no, we can feel good about our decision. And I think we have to kind of put the fear that they're trying to shove down our throats aside and focus on our priorities and the issues that are important to us.

Yeah.

And I think, you know, knowing that we're making this decision not because it's popular, because it certainly isn't, but because we really care and we're. And, you know, we know that the alternative is just too damaging, too dangerous.

Yeah.

And I. I do want people to feel good about your decision, because the second you do, the second you accept, that's when the healing starts. And this country is in need of so much healing. We are in need of so much healing, and we need a leader who is focused on that. And whatever you want to say about him, for my part, he could be on a beach somewhere. He could be doing whatever the hell he wants. There is nothing for him to gain about taking this job. This job is the worst job in the world.

He almost lost.

He was almost murdered twice.

Yeah.

This is the worst job in the world. And he's taking this job in the worst period of time. The worst period of time. And yet he is doing it enthusiastically, willingly, wantingly, joyfully.

Yeah.

And we.

Because he loves this country. I do believe he loves this country.

Because he loves this country. And he may have done some really stupid shit in the past. He may have, right?

Yeah. And, I mean, he's. He's a big personality, and he has a big mouth, and he's crass and he's, you know, something interesting. I just want to share this before we wrap up. When I was in Israel, I've always said that the things I didn't like about him were how crass and unhinged he could Be. And you know how, you know, quick he was to lash out. And in Israel, I took a poll of people in Tel Aviv who they thought would be better for Israel, and somebody said something to me that I hadn't even thought about before, that the reason that Trump is better for Israel is because he's a bully, because of all the things that people criticize him for because he's not presidential. And I hadn't thought about that. Like, we need a strong person that maybe, maybe terrorists, world leaders fear.

I don't so much see him as a bully, but I see him as someone who will not back down.

Yeah.

Who will not back down. I see him as authoritative without being authoritarian.

Yeah.

Right. And even if you think he is authoritarian, that's why we have the House and the Senate and the Supreme Court.

Supreme Court. Yeah.

Because he is not. He cannot be a dictator and he cannot make unilateral decisions. That doesn't exist in this country.

Yeah.

When I think about someone going through a cancer diagnosis, if you follow that conventional model, you are immediately filled with a lot of fear. In order to get you to agree to undergo all of these conventional treatments, of course. And they want you to undergo them fast. They want to get you into surgery, they want to get you into chemo, because they don't really give you time to think and change your mind.

Going through this now.

Yes.

So. Well, first of all, I'm going to do a shameless plug and tell you that if you have a friend with breast cancer, my book, the Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, is a must read. However, that is kind of what's happening right now, where there are all of these stories circulating and he's a dictator and he's a this, and they're trying to incite fear, to convince you that something exists that doesn't exist.

Yeah. And it's working, unfortunately, on a lot of people.

Well, I do hope that the undecided voter takes the time to listen to this, to know that we have health on the ballot, we have safety on the ballot, and there's only one decision to make. There's only one choice. There's only one choice. We have to have to vote in the person that is going to protect Israel, that is going to protect this country, that is going to protect your health, because without that, there's not going to be a tomorrow.

You're exactly right. This is a life or death moment and we need to choose life. So.

Yep, that's exactly right. Lizzy, thank you so much for spending some time with me today. You, Dr. Ben. I hope that I was able to help people sit with their decision and feel good about it and commit to making that decision that supports health, that supports safety, so that we can heal because it's so important. We are a very, very sick country. We are very, very sick America. We have stress levels that are unbelievable because we are surrounded by fear and we are coming from a place of weakness and we need to take back our control, take back our strength and start to heal.

Amen.

Amen. Good Shabbos. Good Shabbos.

Jen, thank you so much.

Thank you so much for listening, everyone. Please, please, please go out and vote and use your vote to make America healthy again. It's Dr. Jen. Bye for now.

Thank you for tuning in to the Keeping a Breast podcast with me, Dr. Jen Simmons. I hope today's episode has inspired you and equipped you with valuable insights to take control of your breast health and overall well being. If you found our conversation enlightening, please consider liking and sharing this podcast. Every like, share and comment helps us to reach more listeners just like you who are on a journey to better health. Let's spread the word and make a collective impact. If you or anyone you know is dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, I highly recommend picking up a copy of my best selling book, the Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer. It's designed to guide you through understanding the root causes of breast cancer and provides you the tools you need to navigate the complexities of a breast cancer diagnosis, the complexities of treatment, and all the while providing you the tools you need to reclaim your health. If you or someone you know is navigating a breast cancer diagnosis and seeking integrative, personalized care, Visit us@realhealthmd.com We're here to support you every step of the way. Also, for those interested in the latest breast screening technology that's safe, painless and accurate, be sure to check out perfectionimaging.com and remember, perfection is spelled with a QT in the middle. Our innovative approach is forever changing the way that we think about and conduct breast cancer screenings. Remember, health is a journey, not a destination. I'm honored to be part of your journey towards health. Stay tuned for our next episode. And until then, remember, breast health is healthy.