This podcast episode was inspired by lung cancer awareness month. My friend Reina Honts, who is also the guest of this episode, has taught me that lung cancer is not just a smoker's outcome. If you have lungs, then you should be aware that:

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide
• Lung cancer takes twice as many women's lives as breast cancer
• Lung cancer takes twice as many men's lives as prostate cancer
• People who have never smoked account for 20K-30K lung cancer diagnoses each year
• Nearly 229,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

Lung cancer

Despite being the leading cause of cancer mortality, lung cancer receives far less research funding than any other cancer. That’s why funding from nongovernmental organizations is so critical. The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF) plays a pivotal role in funding scientific discoveries that may lead to improved lung cancer outcomes. 

Reina Honts

Reina Honts joined the Lung Cancer Research Foundation Board of Directors in November 2018. Why?

Reina's mother died of lung cancer at the young age of 53. So, as Reina approached her 50th birthday in 2018, she had a strong instinct that she could get tested with a baseline CT scan.

Since Reina had no symptoms and was a non-smoker, it was a surprise that the CT scan revealed a tumor in her lung. After undergoing a lobectomy, Reina is now cancer-free.

Reina believes that early detection was invaluable for her lung diagnosis and joined the Lung Cancer Research Foundation to help spread awareness and raise money for lung cancer research.

Again, lung cancer is relevant for everyone to learn more about--including those who are young, healthy, and non-smokers. You'll understand more after listening to Reina's story.

In addition to spreading awareness of lung cancer and how invaluable early detection can be, I want to emphasize that indoor air tends to be at least 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air, even in the most industrialized cities. What we buy, own, and do contribute greatly to this indoor pollution. While that can be upsetting, it is also empowering because we can influence our indoor environments. While there's a lot that we cannot change easily, there's also a lot that we can improve with practical tips.

Home Detox Workbook: Checklists to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals

To learn more about the impactful, budget-friendly things you can, check out my new Home Detox Workbook: Checklists to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals (Amazon paid link). It will help you detox your indoor air, dust, hands, water, and sleep areas. You can find it worldwide on your country's Amazon website.

(Image is an Amazon paid link)

Disclaimer 

Before you start listening to the podcast, I want to emphasize that while Reina and I talk about health and medicine, please do not take interpret any part of our conversation as medical advice. Reina and I are sharing her story so that you can consider conversations that you may want to have with your healthcare providers.

Now on with my conversation with Reina, which we recorded with members of my online D-Tox Academy on Zoom from my home office in November 2019 (watch our conversation below).

And special thanks to my podcast producer, Chris Robertson, for elevating the listening experience.

We hope this podcast helps you or someone you know.

Tips

• Examples of environmental factors that can contribute to lung cancer:
  • Smoking
  • Secondhand smoke
  • Living near facilities that emit toxic fumes, like a dry cleaning facility
  • Living in an area with air pollution
  • Indoor air pollution
• Consider whether you should talk to your healthcare providers about testing

Watch Our Conversation

Resources

• Lung Cancer Research Foundation
• Reina Honts on Instagram: @reinanyc
• Detox Your Spray Products to Improve Your Indoor Air Quality
• Check out Sophia's air purifier (10% discount code)