Treated with Dr. Sara Szal

What if your midlife wasn’t a breakdown, but a biochemical initiation? Today on Treated, Dr. Sara dives into the truth about perimenopause by dispelling the myths, breaking down the science, and reframing this transition as a powerful initiation rather than a decline. She explains what’s really happening with your hormones and how to navigate symptoms like mood swings, insomnia, and heavy cycles with compassion and strategy. From practical tools like cycle tracking, nutrients, botanicals, and bioidentical hormones to her “soft landing plan” for midlife, Dr. Sara offers both medical expertise and soulful perspective. This is an invitation to see perimenopause not as the beginning of the end, but as the beginning of a deeper, wiser chapter.// REFERENCES // Dr. Sara's Perimenopause Survival Guide // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTubeProduced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cynthia Thurlow, a seasoned nurse practitioner and TEDx speaker, discusses the hidden causes of burnout in women over 40. She shares her personal journey from traditional cardiology to understanding hormonal impacts on health. The conversation dives into essential biomarkers like fasting insulin and HRV, revealing how they can signal deeper issues. Cynthia emphasizes the significance of personal boundaries, resilience, and alignment in combating burnout, transforming midlife fatigue into a time of positive change.

Most people assume “normal” lab results mean they’re in the clear but normal isn’t always optimal. In this episode, Dr. Sara breaks down why standard blood work often misses early warning signs of disease and what that means for your long-term health. She shares the story of a patient whose labs came back “fine” but were already showing signs of pre-diabetes, and explains how the difference between surviving and thriving often lies in catching subtle markers before they become a diagnosis.Dr. Sara walks through nine essential tests that go beyond the basics, from vitamin D and ferritin to thyroid, sex hormones, inflammatory markers, and genetic risks like lipoprotein (a). These underused but powerful tools reveal whether your fatigue, brain fog, or mood issues are rooted in overlooked deficiencies or brewing imbalances. With decades of experience in longevity medicine, Dr. Sara shows how the right labs can transform your understanding of health and help you take action now because prevention is power.// RESOURCES // Dr. Sara’s Lab Reference RangesDr. Sara’s Book: The Hormone Reset Diet // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the real medicine isn’t about conquering death, but about learning how to live fully in its presence? In this conversation, Dr. Sara sits down with two close friends and colleagues, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, a trailblazer in epigenetics and author of Younger You, and Dr. Patrick Hanaway, a physician and wisdom teacher whose own journey with cancer reshaped his perspective on life. Together, they challenge the cultural obsession with “not dying” and the reductionist biohacking narrative, offering instead a counter-narrative: don’t miss it.They explore the fears we carry about aging and how embracing impermanence can actually deepen our vitality. With stories of their families, patients, and personal journeys, this is a heartfelt, thought-provoking dialogue that challenges the more common “don’t die” narrative in longevity. This is only part of their conversation. Listen to the full conversation for free by attending the virtual “Functional Medicine is Longevity Medicine: A Masterclass for Clinicians” September 17-19, 2025. Reserve your spot today by heading to this link. // LEARN MORE FROM DR. KARA FITZGERRALD AND DR. PATRICK HANAWAY // Visit Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s website, drkarafitzgerald.com Follow her on Instagram, drkarafitzgerald.  Listen to her podcast, FX Medicine. Visit Dr. Patrick Hanway’s website here.  // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even though we all operate under the same medical system in The United States, not all of us receive the same quality of care. Why do racial and economic disparities still dictate who gets access to life-saving medications? Dr. Utibe Essien joins Treated to explore what true equity in medicine looks like and how we can build a system where everyone has the chance to thrive. Dr. Essien is a board-certified internal medicine physician, Assistant Professor of Medicine at UCLA, and a nationally recognized health disparities researcher. He coined the term pharmaco-equity–the principle that every patient, regardless of race, income, or background, deserves equal access to effective medications. In this conversation, he shares his story of being born into health disparities, what inspired him to become a physician, and his groundbreaking research on racial inequities in prescribing practices. Dr. Sara and Dr. Essien unpack the roots of health inequity, the ripple effects of systemic racism in medicine, and how landmark moments like the murder of George Floyd reshaped the medical community’s response to equity. To conclude, they discuss the power of mentorship, the future of precision equity, and how research can move beyond data to real interventions that save lives. // RESOURCES // ACE QuizThe landmark 2021 article on pharmacoequity in the Journal of the American Medical Association. : Essien, Utibe R., Stacie B. Dusetzina, and Walid F. Gellad. "A Policy Prescription for Reducing Health Disparities—Achieving Pharmacoequity." JAMA 326, no. 18 (2021): 1793–1794. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.17764.Pharmacoequity Article: https://www.statnews.com/2021/07/28/pharmacoequity-new-goal-ending-disparities-us-health-care/The Sum of Us by Heather McGee // LEARN MORE FROM DR. UTIBE ESSIEN // Visit his website uessien.com. Follow him on Instagram, @uressienmd. // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The discussion revolves around the tumultuous journey of perimenopause and menopause, shedding light on the over 100 symptoms women might experience. Listeners learn how hormonal shifts can impact not just physical health, but cognitive function and mood too. Dr. Sara highlights practical lifestyle interventions like resistance training and nutrition to ease this transition. Cutting-edge research is explored, offering insights into the role of estrogen, cortisol, and FSH levels, along with an open dialogue about bioidentical hormones.

Today on Treated, we’re diving headfirst into the dating pool with Sabrina Zohar– a relationship coach and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show– to explore the intersections of love and biology. Known for her direct, no-fluff advice and grounded wisdom, Sabrina blends neuroscience with dating insight to help people heal from their past, regulate their nervous system, and create clarity while they search for their person. In this episode, Sabrina joins Dr. Sara to talk about what it actually means to be emotionally available, how trauma shows up in dating, and why so many of us feel most attracted to people who aren’t good for us. Sabrina opens up about her past marriage and the work it took to heal her anxious attachment– which led to her finding her now husband. They break down the difference between anxiety and intuition, how to use your body as a tool for discernment, and why regulating your nervous system is the key to building a real connection. Whether you’re in a single or relationship– this episode is filled with insights about modern dating and how to strengthen connections in your life. // LEARN MORE FROM SABRINA ZOHAR // Visit her website sabrinazohar.com Follow her on Instagram @sabrinazohar and @thesabrinazoharshow.Check out her podcast, The Sabrina Zohar Show, on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.  // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the third episode in Treated’s ongoing hormone series, and it’s a must-listen if you’ve ever been told “you’re fine” when you know something’s off. Dr. Sara uncovers the four most commonly misdiagnosed hormone conditions in women—PCOS, endometriosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and perimenopause—and breaks down why symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, irregular periods, and weight changes are so often dismissed as stress. She explains how traditional lab panels often miss early signs, how to track patterns your doctor might overlook,  and how to advocate for the right diagnostic tests and care. At the end, Dr. Sara answers a listener voicemail from a woman recovering from a hysterectomy and offers guidance for navigating surgical perimenopause. If you've ever felt misdiagnosed, dismissed, or gaslit—this episode is your permission slip to dig deeper and take back control of your hormonal health.// REFERENCES // Listen to the first episode in Treated’s Hormone Series, Hormones 101, and the second episode with Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi, which explores endometriosis, PCOS, and breast cancer. Read, The Hormone Cure, by Dr. Sara. Check out Dr. Sara’s website, How to Track Your Blood Sugar and Lab Reference Ranges for Healthy Adults.Period Tracking Apps: Flo or Clue Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): Now available over-the-counter.Abbott—Libre Rio and Lingo are both over the counter, no prescription needed. https://www.hellolingo.com/. Libre Rio is designed for people ages 18 years and older with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes who do not use insulin. Lingo is designed for healthy people who want to improve glucose control and energy.Dexcom—you can now purchase Stelo over-the-counter https://www.stelo.com/Zondervan, K. T., C. M. Becker, and S. A. Missmer. "Endometriosis." New England Journal of Medicine 382, no. 13 (2020): 1244–1256. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra1810764. // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When you’re struggling with your health in the traditional medical system, it can feel like there’s no real solution. Pill after pill masks the symptoms but never seems to solve the problem. Dr. Darshan Shah is health and wellness specialist, board-certified surgeon, and the founder of Next Health, the world’s first and largest longevity clinic. Today at the age of 52, his biological age is 29. But Dr. Shah’s health wasn’t always like this. At 42, he was suffering from diabetes, auto-immune disease, and hypertension. When his son was born, he realized that with all these conditions, he might not live long enough to see him graduate from college or get married. That’s when he decided to turn his health around. It took some research, but within eight months, he completely transformed his health.In this conversation, Dr. Shah and Dr. Sara discuss the importance of healthspan over lifespan and care that prioritizes root-cause healing and prevention. They discuss practical tools like wearables, mobility tests you can do at home, fasting, and stress reduction. Then Dr. Shah explains his four-part model for optimal health: lifestyle, functional, preventative, and longevity medicine. Together, they offer a new blueprint for taking control of your health—and creating a future where feeling your best is the new normal.// LEARN MORE FROM DR. DARSHAN SHAH // Check out, Next Health, his health optimization and longevity center.  Download his free Biomarkers guides here (mentioned in the episode). Visit his website drshah.com Listen to his podcast, EXTEND. Follow him on Instagram, darshanshahmd. // REFERENCES // Dr. Sara mentioned Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s research on biological age reversal through nutrition:  Fitzgerald, K. N., T. Campbell, S. Makarem, and R. Hodges. "Potential Reversal of Biological Age in Women Following an 8-Week Methylation-Supportive Diet and Lifestyle Program: A Case Series." Aging (Albany NY) 15, no. 6 (March 22, 2023): 1833–1839. doi:10.18632/aging.204602. // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microplastics are everywhere– but what are they doing to our bodies and what can we do about it? Microplastics are small pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters long. Recently, they have moved from being an environmental concern to a potential human health crisis. Dr. Sara has been tracking them for over 20 years and today, she breaks down what they are, how you're exposed, and who’s most at risk.Right now, we don’t have large-scale human studies to fully understand the clinical implications. While we wait for the science to catch-up, Dr. Sara shares the signs and symptoms of microplastic buildup and actions you can take today to limit your exposure. Microplastics are small but their impact is big and growing. To learn more about them, check out the resources below and make sure to read Dr. Sara’s articles on them (Part One and Part Two). // RESOURCES // Dr. Sara’s Articles on Microplastics: Part One and Part Two. News Reports: Barron’s – More Microplastics In Glass Bottles Than Plastic: StudyCNN – ​​Microplastics shed by food packaging are contaminating our food and drink, study findsOther Articles: French Study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157525005344Chaïb, Iseline, et al. “Microplastic Contaminations in a Set of Beverages Sold in France.” Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 144 (August 2025): 107719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2024.107719.Bocker, R., and E. K. Silva. “Microplastics in Our Diet: A Growing Concern for Human Health.” Science of the Total Environment 968 (2025): 178882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.178882. Li, Y., et al. “Microplastics in the Human Body: A Comprehensive Review of Exposure, Distribution, Migration Mechanisms, and Toxicity.” Science of the Total Environment 946 (2024): 174215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174215. Luo, Q., et al. “Microplastics as an Emerging Threat to Human Health: An Overview of Potential Health Impacts.” Journal of Environmental Management 387 (2025): 125915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.125915. // KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DR. SARA //If you have a question, leave a voicemail at speakpipe.com/treated Follow on IG: @saragottfriedmd @treatedwithdrsaraWatch Treated on YouTube Produced by Dear Media. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.