A 38-year-old woman has warned that healthy habits may not protect you from disease after she was diagnosed with breast cancer despite being a ‘health fanatic.’
Jessica White ate organic foods, practiced hot yoga five days a week, hiked regularly and took daily hour-long breaks for her mental health.
So when the matchmaking business owner felt a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer, she said the news came as a ‘shock.’
The Idaho native underwent surgery to remove the cancerous lump and completed six rounds of chemotherapy, but is speaking out because she believes the cancer may have developed due to her very high levels of stress and frequent alcohol consumption.
Jessica White, 38, from Idaho, was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer in April 2023. She is pictured above at the start of the year
The small business owner said she had surgery to remove the lump on her breast and was then sent for six rounds of chemotherapy
Ms White told Newsweek: ‘This journey has really made me realize that it doesn’t matter if you do healthy things in your life and adopt the latest wellness trends.
‘Eating organic food isn’t everything, and yoga may help your health, but it won’t save it.’
She added: ‘I wasn’t given the easy answer as to why I got cancer.
‘But I can say that the regular consumption of alcohol and the persistent level of high cortisol in my life were contributing factors to my body not being able to kick cancer cells to the curb.’
Ms White is one of approximately 240,000 women in the US who are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, with about 40,000 dying from the disease.
Cases have risen slightly in recent years, and doctors blame everything from higher obesity rates, a poor diet and not having children.
Death rates for the cancer, however, have fallen — which has been chalked up to better screening tests and treatments.
It is rare for women under 40 years old Like Ms White to develop the disease, with the age group making up less than four percent of cases.
Breast cancer rates are highest among those aged 70 years and over.
Ms White has posted regularly about her experience on TikTok, including how she handled her hair loss caused by chemotherapy
Checking your breasts should be part of a monthly routine so you notice any unusual changes. Simply, rub and feel from top to bottom, feel in semi-circles and in a circular motion around your breast tissue to feel for any abnormalities
Ms White said she first felt the lump in her breast in November 2022 and quickly went to doctors to get checked.
They performed a number of tests — which could include a mammogram and a biopsy — before confirming the cancer in April 2023.
She was told she had stage one invasive ductal carcinoma, where a cancerous lump has developed in the milk ducts but has not spread to other parts of the body.
This is the most common form of breast cancer, accounting for about 80 percent of all cases.
She underwent a lumpectomy in May 2023, a surgery where the cancerous cells were cut out of the breast.
She then had six weeks of chemotherapy to help eradicate any cancerous cells that may still have been lingering in her body, which she finished in December 2023.
Having now completed her treatment, Ms White is trying to live life to the fullest.
Since December, she has visited Costa Rica to surf, started to garden and returned to her job.
Ms White said: ‘I’ve come to realize that you have nothing in life if you don’t have your health.
‘The chemo has been so rough on my body.
‘Never in my life did I think I would fantasize about being able to go on a simple walk outside at the age of 38.
‘I’ve seen such dramatic atrophy in my life over these past seasons, so I’m grateful for every tiny piece of life.’
She added: ‘It’s taken the whole summer to change my rhythm and get used to a slower pace of life.
‘Curbing drinking and stress came easier because all I could focus on was my healing.’
Several studies have linked alcohol consumption to a higher risk of breast cancer, with officials in Iowa recently blaming high binge drinking rates for the state having the fastest growing rate of cancers in the nation.
The body breaks down alcohol into acetaldehyde, a known carcinogen that can damage DNA and cause cells to become cancerous.
Pressure groups warn women who have just three alcoholic drinks per week have a 15 percent higher risk of breast cancer compared to those who don’t drink at all.
Stress has also been linked to breast cancer because the chronic inflammation it causes in the body raises the risk of DNA mutations in cells.
Ms White told Newsweek: ‘As I started sharing [my journey] on social media, I began to realize just how many young women have gone through the exact same experience.
‘I felt empowered to answer questions, offer advice and, mostly, to offer comfort. It’s a powerful experience to help someone feel less alone. If I can offer any advice, it’s to prioritize your health.
‘Don’t hesitate to get something checked out or to advocate for yourself. Take care of yourself because, like I said, you have nothing without your health.’
