Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn

Dr. Jenn Simmons

Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn is a podcast dedicated to empowering women and promoting breast health through a functional medicine lens. Dr. Jenn is a leading functional medicine practitioner specializing in restoring health to the breast cancer population. She explores a range of topics related to breast health, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and holistic approaches to support overall well-being.  Whether you're a breast cancer survivor, a woman seeking to improve your breast health, a caregiver supporting a loved one, or you are just looking to thrive in this complicated world, this podcast is designed to meet your needs. Discover how functional medicine approaches can complement conventional treatments, support hormone balance, enhance nutrition, manage stress, optimize lifestyle choices, and promote overall well-being.  Tune into Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn to gain the knowledge, tools, and resources to take control of your breast health journey.  Remember, at the end of the day, breast health is health!    Note: The Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance and treatment recommendations. 

  1. 9 HR AGO

    143: The 5 Thyroid Tests That Change Everything and Why Your Doctor Only Runs One with Dr. Amie Hornaman

    In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with thyroid and hormone specialist Dr. Amie Hornaman to dismantle the standard of care that is leaving millions of women dismissed, misdiagnosed, and under treated. They cover what the full thyroid panel actually looks like, why T4-only therapy fails the vast majority of patients, and how the thyroid is connected to every other hormone system in a woman's body. What happens when a competitive athlete starts gaining weight, losing hair, and can't get a single doctor to take her seriously? Dr. Amie found out in her 20s with 40 pounds of unexplained weight gain, six doctors, six dismissals, and one mentor who finally ran the right tests and changed the course of her life and career.  If you've ever been told your thyroid is fine while your body is telling you otherwise, this is the episode you've been waiting for. What You'll Learn Why testing TSH alone is not a thyroid workup and what the five markers are that actually tell the full storyWhat free T3, free T4, and reverse T3 mean and why reverse T3 is the most dismissed marker in the panelWhat thyroid antibodies TPO and TGA reveal about Hashimoto's and why your doctor's normal range is meaninglessWhy 95% of hypothyroid cases are Hashimoto's and why your antibodies may already be elevated even if your doctor says they are notWhy your GLP-1 will stop working if your thyroid is not optimized firstHow estrogen dominance low progesterone high cortisol insulin resistance and low ferritin all interfere with thyroid functionWhy your insurance-based doctor cannot give you proper thyroid care even if they want toWhat the FDA's move against natural desiccated thyroid is really about and who benefitsWhy testosterone is protective against breast cancer and why women are being denied access to itWhat it actually feels like when your thyroid is optimized and how Dr. Amie gets patients thereEpisode Timeline: 00:00 Show Intro 01:08 How Dr. Amie Became Dr. Jenn's North Star 05:02 Pain to Purpose: 40 Pounds and Six Dismissals 08:37 Where Conventional Medicine Gets It Wrong 16:58 Why Thyroid Disease Is at Epidemic Levels 19:14 The Full Thyroid Panel You Actually Need 36:43 Why T4-Only Therapy Fails Almost Everyone 40:27 The Hormonal Web Nobody Is Addressing 45:32 What Thyroid Optimization Actually Looks Like 52:22 The FDA Threat to Natural Desiccated Thyroid 59:42 Dr. Jenn's Testosterone Gatekeeping Story 01:05:22 The Importance of Prevention in Healthcare Find Dr. Amie Hornaman  Website: dramie.com | Book: thyroidfixbook.com To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    1hr 17min
  2. 30 APR

    142: Mammograms Don't Save Lives And the Data Has Known It for Decades

    In this solo episode, Dr. Jenn Simmons delivers a five-alarm wake-up call on breast cancer screening. The American College of Physicians just dropped new guidelines and the radiology world is furious, not because the science is wrong, but because it isn't on their side. Dr. Jenn breaks down what the data actually shows, why mammography's survival benefit has been a statistical illusion for decades, and what real preventive screening looks like. She also takes on DCIS, collagen fears, and the question every woman with a breast cancer history is afraid to ask about hormones.  Every woman deserves this information before she makes a decision, not after. What You'll Learn Why DCIS is not breast cancer and what the data says about over treating itWhat the new ACP mammography screening guidelines say and why the radiology world responded with opinion instead of evidenceHow lead time bias and over diagnosis have made mammography look like a lifesaver when it isn'tWhat the Wisdom Trial revealed about personalized breast cancer screening and why the results make annual mammogram guidelines indefensibleWhat preventive breast cancer screening actually looks like without radiation, compression, or harmWhy collagen supplementation has no association with breast cancer risk or recurrenceWhy bioidentical hormone replacement therapy is not off the table after a breast cancer diagnosis.Why you need to tread the root cause and treat the tumorTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    1hr 18min
  3. 24 APR

    141: The Hormone They Told You to Fear Is the One That Could Change Your Life with Karen Martel

    In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with hormone specialist Karen Martel to talk about what's really driving the metabolic chaos of perimenopause and menopause and why the solution most women need is the one they've been told to fear. They also tackle one of the most misunderstood topics in women's health: the relationship between estrogen, metabolic health, and breast cancer. What happens when a nutrition expert who helps women lose weight suddenly can't lose weight herself? Karen found out the hard way at 42, gaining 15 pounds in six months, losing her period, battling depression, and watching her skin age before her eyes. Despite eating clean, exercising, and doing everything "right," her body had other plans. This is the episode you'll want to send to every woman in your life who's been told her labs look "fine." What You'll Learn Why you can gain weight in perimenopause without changing your diet or exercise routineThe biological aging study that found perimenopausal women are aging faster on the inside and what stops itWhy estrogen is the metabolic master hormone and what happens to your hunger signals, blood sugar, cholesterol, and muscle when it dropsWhy being asymptomatic in perimenopause does not mean nothing is happening to your heart, brain, and bonesWhy it is never too late to start hormone replacement therapyWhy insulin and insulin-like growth factor may be driving estrogen receptor positive breast cancer more than anyone is talking aboutWhy women with a history of breast cancer are not automatically disqualified from hormone replacement therapy and why most doctors have it wrongHow GLP-1s are changing the game for menopausal womenThe truth about breast cancer, estrogen receptors, and why insulin may be a bigger driver than anyone is talking aboutEpisode Timeline: 01:07 Meet Karen Martel 04:10 Karen's Personal Perimenopause Wake-Up Call 09:09 Why You Cannot Out-Diet or Out-Exercise Hormone Loss 17:21 What Estrogen Actually Does in the Body 25:12 HRT Delivery Methods and Why Form Matters 26:28 Breast Cancer, Estrogen Receptors, and the Insulin Connection 33:48 The Vaginal Estrogen Contradiction 37:08 Estrogen as the Most Powerful Anti-Aging Tool 38:56 The Pharmaceutical Incentive Behind the Anti-Hormone Narrative 44:35 Menopausal Weight Gain and Where GLP-1s Fit In 53:13 Is It Ever Too Late to Start Hormone Replacement 59:39 Women Deserve Better Standards of Care 1:02:06 The Statistics That Should End the Debate 1:05:38 Topical Estrogen and Why Ingredients Matter Find Karen Martel Website: karenmartel.com To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    1hr 17min
  4. 17 APR

    140: The Metabolic Crisis Behind Breast Cancer

    In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn takes on one of the biggest questions in breast health: why are more women being diagnosed with breast cancer? In this solo episode, she challenges the long-standing belief that estrogen is the main driver and argues instead that metabolic dysfunction, not estrogen itself, is the deeper issue we should be paying attention to. Dr. Jenn explores how insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, obesity, and hormone depletion may shape breast cancer risk, progression, and recurrence. She also explains why she believes conventional screening is too focused on finding disease after it has developed, and why women need a more proactive approach that looks at metabolic health, prevention, and long-term support after menopause and breast cancer treatment. What you will learn Why Dr. Jenn believes the “estrogen causes breast cancer” narrative is incompleteHow metabolic dysfunction, insulin resistance, and inflammation may shape breast cancer risk and outcomesWhat metabolic syndrome is and which markers she believes women should be trackingWhy she argues conventional screening often misses the bigger pictureHow she thinks about hormone replacement in menopause, including for some high-risk women and survivorsWhy foundational health habits are presented as the basis for prevention and recovery Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to Breast Cancer Concerns 03:27 Dispelling the Estrogen Myth 06:34 Understanding Hormone Deficiency and Breast Cancer 09:13 The Role of Metabolic Health 12:02 High-Risk Populations and Hormone Replacement 14:49 Foundational Health for Breast Cancer Survivors 17:55 The Metabolic Crisis and Breast Cancer 20:14 Screening for Metabolic Dysfunction 25:08 The Flaws of Mammography 27:48 Innovative Screening Approaches 30:35 Conclusion and Call to Action 52:51 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    54 min
  5. 3 APR

    139: Vaccines, Chronic Disease & the Data No One Wants us to See with Del Bigtree

    In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Del Bigtree for a conversation that pushes straight into one of the most uncomfortable questions in modern medicine: what if some of the things we have been taught to never question were never fully questioned to begin with? Together, they explore vaccines, informed consent, chronic disease, media influence, hospital incentives, and why so many people are starting to feel like the system was built to protect itself, not patients. This is not a light conversation, but it is a gripping one. If you have ever felt like the story you were given about health was incomplete, this episode will give language to that feeling and challenge you to think far more deeply about who decides what counts as truth. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why so many people are losing trust in the medical system What informed consent should look like and why it matters How certain ideas in medicine become protected from scrutiny Why chronic disease is forcing bigger questions about what is making us sick How money, power, and institutional pressure shape medical decision making Why questioning the standard of care can come at a cost What is really at stake when patients are discouraged from asking questions Why this conversation matters even if you have never questioned the system before  Episode Timeline: 01:04 Dr. Jenn introduces Del Bigtree 05:39 The Journey of a Contrarian: Del Bigtree's Background 08:49 Challenging the Vaccine Narrative 11:40 The Science Behind Vaccines: What We Know 14:44 The Impact of Vaccines on Health 17:37 The Role of the Pharmaceutical Industry 20:26 The Decline of Children's Health 23:41 The Debate on Vaccines and Natural Immunity 26:27 The Influence of Media and Funding 29:43 The Shift from Conventional Medicine 32:29 The Inconvenient Truth About Vaccines 35:40 The Future of Health and Safety Regulations 48:33 Dinner with Dr. Zervos: A Turning Point 57:14 The Shocking Study: Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated 01:05:59 The Medical System: A Crisis of Trust 01:15:36 Informed Consent: The Right to Choose 01:23:24 The Risks of Vaccination: A Parent's Dilemma 01:29:45 Introduction to Breast Health Awareness Guest: Del Bigtree Where to find him: www.instagram.com/delbigtree/To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    1hr 31min
  6. 27 MAR

    138: The Cancer Theory That Challenges How We Think About Cancer with Mark Lintern

    In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with cancer researcher and author Mark Lintern for a provocative conversation that challenges one of the most deeply rooted assumptions in modern oncology: that cancer is primarily a genetic disease. Drawing from his book The Cancer Resolution?, Mark introduces his Cell Suppression Theory, a framework that argues cancer may be driven less by random mutation and more by chronic inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, immune suppression, and a possible infectious component involving fungal pathogens. Together, Dr. Jenn and Mark explore why the current model of cancer leaves so many unanswered questions, how the metabolic theory shifted the conversation, and why terrain, mitochondria, immune health, toxins, stress, and chronic inflammation may all matter more than most patients have been told. If you are looking for a conversation that challenges conventional thinking and opens the door to a broader view of breast cancer and whole-body health, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn: Why the dominant genetic model of cancer does not fully explain the diseaseWhat the Warburg effect is and why it matters in cancer researchHow the metabolic theory of cancer changed the conversation around treatmentHow chronic inflammation, toxins, immune dysfunction, and tissue damage may create the conditions for cancerWhy mitochondria play a much bigger role in cancer than most people realizeHow fungal pathogens fit into cancer developmentWhy microbiome health, detoxification, and stress regulation matter in prevention and healingWhat makes breast tissue uniquely vulnerable in this conversation around estrogen, immunity, and inflammation Episode Timeline: 00:00 Introduction to a Different Conversation About Cancer 04:45 Mark Lintern’s Journey Into Cancer Research 07:34 Why the Somatic Mutation Theory Falls Short 10:41 The Metabolic Theory and the Warburg Effect 13:40 The Possible Role of Pathogens in Cancer 16:32 The Hallmarks That Define Cancer 19:19 Cancer Diagnosis Versus Active Disease 22:08 The Cell Suppression Theory Explained 27:06 Practical Solutions for Prevention and Healing 30:02 Foundations of a More Holistic Cancer Approach 33:49 Cortisol, Stress, and the Healing Environment 41:49 Why Antifungal Treatments Are So Challenging 43:45 Can We Identify the Pathogens Inside Tumors? 46:30 Why the System Resists New Cancer Models 51:04 Breast Cancer, Estrogen, and Tissue Vulnerability 55:21 Estrogen, Inflammation, and Fungal Overgrowth 58:55 Final Thoughts on Prevention and Whole-Body Health Learn more about Mark Lintern and get his book here: https://www.cel To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    1hr 2min
  7. 19 MAR

    137: Part 2 | Cancer Begins Before Anyone Finds It and Your Environment Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think with Dr. Nasha Winters

    PART TWO - In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons continues her conversation with Dr. Nasha Winters, a renowned integrative oncology expert and metabolic health pioneer, for a deeper look at what cancer care is missing and what true individualized healing actually requires. Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Nasha challenge the protocol-driven mindset that dominates both conventional and alternative medicine, making the case that cancer treatment must begin with the foundations: metabolic health, nervous system regulation, immune resilience, and an honest understanding of why a particular body became vulnerable in the first place. They explore why so many practitioners feel unequipped to care for cancer patients, how fear and institutional limitations keep better tools out of reach, and why therapies like mistletoe continue to be dismissed in the United States despite decades of research and widespread use around the world. If you want an empowering perspective on integrative cancer care, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn:  Why foundations matter more than any single “magic bullet” therapy How Dr. Nasha thinks about mistletoe as terrain support, not a standalone cure Why mistletoe is so widely used in Europe and still resisted in the United States How integrative therapies can work with conventional cancer treatment, not against it Why individual biochemistry matters when deciding whether a treatment will actually work How fear, burnout, and cognitive dissonance affect doctors as much as patients What it looks like to build a true “board of directors” for healing Why safer, more thoughtful screening and treatment options are urgently neededEpisode Timeline: 02:02 What pets can teach us about healing and foundational health 05:57 Dr. Nasha on being dismissed by conventional medicine 12:01 Why doctors stay stuck in broken systems of care 16:01 How The Metabolic Approach to Cancer became a roadmap for healing 20:13 Why foundations matter more than any magic bullet 25:32 The problem with protocol culture in cancer care 27:29 Mistletoe, terrain, and the future of integrative oncology 35:54 Why effective therapies are still dismissed in mainstream medicine 40:09 Why patients need a collaborative team approach 43:56 Safer screening, better tools, and moving beyond outdated technology 48:27 Why we need to treat the person, not just the diagnosis 51:34 Where to find Dr. Nasha and what’s next Guest: Nasha Winters  Where to find her: https://drnasha.com/ To talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    55 min
  8. 12 MAR

    136: Part 1 | Cancer Begins Before Anyone Finds It and Your Environment Plays a Bigger Role Than You Think with Dr. Nasha Winters

    PART ONE - In this episode of Keeping Abreast, Dr. Jenn Simmons sits down with Dr. Nasha Winters, a renowned integrative oncology expert and metabolic health pioneer, for a deeply personal and eye-opening conversation about cancer, resilience, and why so many people are getting diagnosed younger than ever before. Dr. Nasha shares the story of her own terminal ovarian cancer diagnosis at age 19 and how being forced outside the conventional system led her to ask a different question, not just how to treat cancer, but why the body became vulnerable to it in the first place. What followed became the foundation of her life’s work. Together, Dr. Jenn and Dr. Nasha explore the root causes driving modern cancer risk, from mitochondrial dysfunction and immune suppression to environmental toxins, vitamin D deficiency, chronic stress, trauma, and the cumulative burden of modern life. This is part-one of a two-part conversation. If you have ever wondered why cancer is rising, why it is showing up earlier, or why true healing has to go beyond standard treatment, this episode is a must-listen. What You’ll Learn: Why cancer is becoming more common in younger peopleThe difference between chronological age and biological ageHow mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to cancer and accelerated agingWhy immune suppression and vitamin D deficiency matter more than most people realizeThe role of environmental exposures, plastics, hormones, and EMFs in modern diseaseHow trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system dysregulation affect healingWhy looking inward may be one of the most important steps after a diagnosisWhat it means when someone says, “I did everything right and still got cancer”Why prevention has to start long before disease appearsEpisode Timeline: 01:04 Meet Dr. Nasha Winters 05:15 Dr. Nasha’s cancer diagnosis at 19 and how it changed everything 11:22 Cancer, aging, and the mitochondria connection 18:22 Environmental overload and the rise of early-onset disease 23:28 Immune suppression, vitamin D, and cancer risk 26:03 The growing cancer burden and why prevention matters 30:49 Trauma, stress, and the psychoneuroimmunology of healing 34:40 Can someone heal if they are not ready to look inward? 38:26 Readiness, resistance, and the patient’s role in healing 40:36 Alcohol, lifestyle patterns, and difficult truths in cancer care 45:40 “I did everything right” — what that really means 48:47 Toxic exposures, hidden patterns, and what we normalize 49:25 Stress, uncertainty, and building the tools to adapt 51:21 Pets, pesticides, and what our environment is telling us 52:35 Why you won’t want to miss Part Two Guest: Nasha Winters httpsTo talk to a member of Dr. Jenn's team and learn more about working privately with Dr. Jenn visit: https://calendly.com/stephanie-1031/clarity-call To get your copy of Dr. Jenn's book, The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, visit: https://tinyurl.com/SmartWomansBreastCancerGuide To purchase the auria breast cancer screening test go here https://auria.care/ and use the code DRJENN20 for 20% Off. Connect with Dr. Jenn: Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrJennSimmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons

    54 min

About

Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn is a podcast dedicated to empowering women and promoting breast health through a functional medicine lens. Dr. Jenn is a leading functional medicine practitioner specializing in restoring health to the breast cancer population. She explores a range of topics related to breast health, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and holistic approaches to support overall well-being.  Whether you're a breast cancer survivor, a woman seeking to improve your breast health, a caregiver supporting a loved one, or you are just looking to thrive in this complicated world, this podcast is designed to meet your needs. Discover how functional medicine approaches can complement conventional treatments, support hormone balance, enhance nutrition, manage stress, optimize lifestyle choices, and promote overall well-being.  Tune into Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn to gain the knowledge, tools, and resources to take control of your breast health journey.  Remember, at the end of the day, breast health is health!    Note: The Keeping Abreast with Dr. Jenn podcast is intended for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for personalized guidance and treatment recommendations. 

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