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Sex Drive

Why do Hormone Imbalances Happen?

By Sara Gottfried, MD | April 9, 2018

Hormone imbalance stems from various factors. In fact, symptoms and sensations you might consider normal as an aging woman are actually from broken hormones that can easily be fixed with…

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Lost Your Mojo? It's Not You, It's Your Hormones

By Sara Gottfried, MD | May 16, 2016

This statistic troubles me: 57 percent of women prefer Facebook to sex. While the data arose from a questionable source (Cosmopolitan), it reflects a general feeling of “meh” that many…

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How to Conquer Cravings + 5 Substitutions That Will Satisfy

By Sara Gottfried, MD | October 10, 2014
Woman Crave for Sugar and Sweets

Few of us are immune to cravings. Research shows that cravings are unrelated to body mass index. Yet for women who are overweight or obese, cravings usually are for foods high in fat and…

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Dr. Sara Book Review: Love Notes from Hell – Dr. Sara’s Book Club #19

By Sara Gottfried, MD | October 4, 2014
Roy Nelson’s Book Love Notes from Hell

Addiction is a sneaky, pervasive and widely misunderstood phenomenon. In Roy Nelson’s “Love Notes from Hell,” we’re faced with the uncomfortable truth that most of us are, indeed, addicts –…

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Dr. Sara's Top 3 Questions: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

By Sara Gottfried, MD | September 18, 2014
Dr. Sara's Top 3 Questions: for Good Health

When it comes to female hormonal conditions, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is probably one you’ve heard of. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between…

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The Biggest Hormone Myth That’s Sabotaging You

By Sara Gottfried, MD | July 31, 2014
Secrets How to Cure Hormonal Imbalance

MYTH: I don’t have to worry about hormones until menopause. Meanwhile, I can do whatever I want to my body – drink like a fish, party like a rock star,…

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Why Do I Feel Disconnected? The Cortisol-Oxytocin Connection

By Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO | July 19, 2014
Why Do I Feel Detached? The Cortisol-Oxytocin Connection

Do you feel stressed, tired, lonely and disconnected from your relationships with others and even yourself? Do you prefer to stay home than socialize? Have you walked by people you…

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Dr. Sara’s Genius Bar: Top Influencers in Business & Lifestyle

By Sara Gottfried, MD | May 29, 2014
Dr. Sara’s Genius Bar: Top Influential People in Business & Lifestyle

You know these people. You’ve watched them on Oprah, seen their faces on the covers of their best-selling books, and perhaps even been lucky enough to attend one of their…

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Food Sensitivities: The Hidden Dangers That No One is Talking About

By Kim Millman, MD, PhD | May 11, 2014
Food Sensitivities - The Secret Dangers That No One is Talking About

How do food sensitivities affect a person’s calcium absorption rate? Today, guest expert Kim Millman shares a Calcium CheckUp tool that can help with your diet, meeting your calcium needs,…

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How to Manage PMS: The Key to Your Feminine Power

By Sara Avant Stover | April 29, 2014
How to Handle PMS- The Key to Your Girl Power

What can you do to help relieve PMS symptoms? The swollen breasts and bellies. Tears. Raging words erupting from tight throats—the ones we wish we could take back, but can’t.…

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PRAISE

“For the first time in my adult life I feel that I have gained control over food. I feel healthier, look better and have gained an interest in making sure that what I am putting into my body is the best it can be. And I lost 10 pounds in all the right places.”

– Janice Lunde, Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“Dr. Sara is the height of excellence! She is incredibly knowledgeable and gives very generously of her time. I feel so blessed to have been able to work with her.”

– Yvonne Varah

“You don’t have to settle for being stressed out, binging on sugar and chocolate, and aging prematurely. Stop blaming yourself and step into sacred action. It’s your birthright. You can have the joyous, mission-driven life you want, and Dr. Sara is here to show us how.”

– Marci Shimoff, New York Times Bestselling Author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason

“Dr. Gottfried offers powerful and effective tools for addressing the most difficult health issues facing women and men today. She is warm and kind and has so much experience to draw upon, it’s inspiring. Thank you Dr. S!”

– Cassandra Mick

“Dr. Sara Gottfried is a modern-day healer goddess if ever there was one, and she also happens to be a Harvard Medical School graduate and rigorous physician-scientist.”

– Christiane Northrup MD, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

“Dr. Gottfried’s book and detox came at a time when I was ready to give in to old age. Hot flashes, low energy and libido, weight gain, increasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels were unacceptable to me. I now know that hormone levels and what I eat are a huge influence on how I feel and look. To now be able to control something that was out of control is empowering…”

Cheryl V., Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“My health coach told me about your book and I took the [hormone] test, and lo and behold, I found I was a mess, hormonally speaking. Now I’m getting on track and I love your videos and your book. I feel like I’m getting my life back again, when not long ago I truly thought I was losing it!”

-Tracy, Registered Nurse

“You don’t have to accept the hormonal hell of being tired, stressed, overweight, and never in the mood for sex as you grow older. In her fabulous new book, the brilliant Dr. Gottfried gives you an effective, easy-to-follow plan to balance your hormones and become lean, energetic, and loving life again. Stop settling and reclaim your sexy!”

–JJ Virgin, Author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy and The Virgin Diet

“I lost 10 lbs., reset my hormones and metabolism and eliminated my sugar cravings! I have also found that I respond to stress much differently, I feel it, notice it and move on from it. Stress no longer has a grip on me. Dr. Sara’s conference calls and detox information was invaluable. I am so grateful for this program. Thank you Dr. Sara!”

–Sophia, Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“The Hormone Cure is the playbook for your mojo, your mind, and your bootie. With every chapter I thought, ‘So THAT’s how that works.’ I wanted to call every girlfriend and give them the goods on how to glow… now and always.”

-Danielle LaPorte, Author of The Fire Starter Sessions and The Desire Map

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Sara (Gottfried) Szal M.D.

saragottfriedmd

Author of 4 NYT bestsellers 📚
Microbiome Rehab Where do you start to improve yo Microbiome Rehab Where do you start to improve your gut health? Not everyone can afford to do microbiome testing. But there are a lot of things that you can do short of microbiome testing. In my book, THE AUTOIMMUNE CURE I share the story of one patient diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Based on Rob Knight's data from the Human Gut Project, this patient decided to start making a vegetable smoothie. Every week he would go to the farmer's market and choose different fruits and vegetables. He chose 57 varieties. He would make a smoothie out of them, freeze it, and have about 4 ozs a day. Within a few months, he had completely reformed his microbiome. Now you don’t have to be that extreme, but having a smoothie that contains fresh veggies and some fruit about 3 times a week goes a long way in helping support a healthy microbiome. A while back, I gave a lecture on breast cancer where I shared how the intake of polyphenols (beneficial compounds found in plants) is an important predictor of future risk of breast cancer in your 50s or 60s+ A while back, I gave a lecture on breast cancer where I shared how the intake of polyphenols (beneficial compounds found in plants) are an important predictor of future risk of breast cancer in your 50s or 60s+ Regular vegetable intake (or veggie smoothie) could possibly change the arc for younger women if they paid attention to their intake of polyphenols, particularly in their teens and early 20s when good nutrition is often not high on the priority list. Link in bio to watch my conversation with Dr. Smeaton at Precision Analytics @dutchtest
Your mitochondria are the powerhouses inside your Your mitochondria are the powerhouses inside your cells. 👉When they work well, you work well. In my practice, about half of my patients have mitochondrial dysfunction, especially those over 40. Here are 6 ways to protect your mitochondria: 🔘 Keep blood sugar stable - wild fluctuations in blood sugar can damage mitochondria. Sugar, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods harm mitochondria. 🔘 Avoid mercury, usually found in fish, it gunks up your mitochondria. 🔘 Lower your alcohol consumption. Alcohol impairs mitochondrial function. 🔘 Regulate and manage your stress. Chronic stress and cortisol can cause oxidative damage to mitochondria in the gut. 🔘 Eat your broccoli. You find sulforaphane in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. It boosts production of glutathione, and helps tune up mitochondria. Additionally, the same receptor on cells that environmental toxins use for their negative effects is also used by cruciferous vegetables. That means when you eat more cruciferous vegetables, you crowd out the bad environmental toxins and strengthen your mitochondria. 🔘 Supplementing with N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) and alpha lipoic acid may improve mitochondria function. Which one will you do today to protect your mitochondria?
I’ve become obsessed with what’s happening at I’ve become obsessed with what’s happening at the level of the mitochondria in our bodies. Mitochondria are the main source of energy inside of your 35 trillion cells and also generate reactive oxygen species within the cell. Here are the highlights of the mitochondria job description. 🔘 Mitochondria produce energy through chemical reactions. Mitochondria break down nutrients like glucose, fats, and proteins to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy currency for most cellular reactions. 🔘 Mitochondria support pregnancy. During pregnancy, mitochondria provide energy for the development of the embryo. 🔘 Mitochondria support insulin secretion. In beta cells of the pancreas, mitochondria play a role in the secretion of insulin in response to glucose. 🔘 In men, mitochondria support sperm movement. Mitochondria in sperm cells produce energy to help the sperm move. 🔘 Mitochondria contain their own DNA, which can affect processes across all 12 chromosomes in the nucleus. 🔘 Estrogen has many influences on mitochondrial activity, binds to estrogen receptors in mitochondria, and can influence production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) pathways. 🔘 Mitochondria influence longevity and health span. When mitochondria are not functioning properly, cells can become underpowered and lead to organ dysfunction and disease. You can read my latest article at the link in bio: Women, Estrogen, and Mitochondria: Sex Differences That May Affect Your Hormones, Energy, and Longevity Link in bio to watch my conversation with Dr. Smeaton @precisionanalytics
Mitochondria play a pivotal role in many aspects o Mitochondria play a pivotal role in many aspects of women's health, including hormone balance, cell function, and feeling like you are fully charged with power. Women have about 35 trillion cells in the body and mitochondria are the organelles inside of cells that produce energy through chemical reactions. They are known as the power source of the cell. They fuel trillions of chemical reactions each second. When your mitochondria are functioning well, your cells feel fully powered and you have the energy you need to accomplish the activities of daily living. Sadly, many women over 40 find that they do not have mitochondria that are functioning well. I have been obsessed with mitochondria since I wrote my book YOUNGER. Mitochondrial impairment is part of what accelerates the aging process. I’m going to be sharing more on what happens to your mitochondria as you age, sex differences in mitochondria, and the relationship between them and your hormones. Plus what you can do to rev up your mitochondria. To get started, you can read my latest article: Women, Estrogen, and Mitochondria: Sex Differences That May Affect Your Hormones, Energy, and Longevity Follow the link in my bio or head to SaraSzalMD.com to read
Inside the female body, poisons abound. Toxic cul Inside the female body, poisons abound. Toxic culture. The stress of keeping up with all the things we are supposed to be doing. Working full-time, raising children, attending to pleasure, partnership, and long-term sexual satisfaction. Overfunctioning. Heavy weights. Botox. Fillers. More protein. High cortisol, then low if you drag yourself around too much. Excess estrogens, beta glucuronidase in the gut causing estrogens to recirculate like bad karma. Perimenopause hits hard. But excess stress in the female body is the main problem. Millions of women are exposed to these internal poisons, and even consent to some of them. It robs us of the joy of the present moment, the pleasures of embodiment, as we chase some impossible standard. The consequences are profound. I see them every day as I pore over the blood work, genomics, and wearables of my clients. Of course, these problems affect men too, but women are more vulnerable. Especially if we don’t feel safe. And I know first hand about this. I just spent 5 days at a retreat near Cancun. When I arrived, my stress levels were quantified and over the top. My cognitive tests weren’t what they used to me. My muscle mass was down. My fat mass was up. I was retaining fluid, a lot of it. Then, 4 days of healthy food and treatments. Fish and vegetables. Sound healing. Cryotherapy (not the ice bath, yuck, but something more manageable). Mobility training. Sexual coaching. I splurged on exosomes, NAD, and ozone intravenously. No alcohol. Ocean. Now as I get ready to leave for home... I fell more like myself than i have in a very long time. Do you need a reset? If you want to change your unwanted habits of mind and behavior, especially how you work and your current levels of stress, check out a place like the SHA Wellness Clinic. Install new code in your operating system. This is not an ad, I just want you know about an exquisite experience. Of course, the female body, our toxins that we consent to, how to unwind and recover, is the juicy topic of my next book. Honor your worth and depth. Love, Dr. Sara #stress #cortisol #womenshealth #menshealth #shawellnessmexico @shawellness_mexico #nutition
💥New chapter. New name. New website! Over 15 y 💥New chapter. New name. New website! Over 15 years ago, I launched SaraGottfriedMD.com. As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to launch a new site that authentically reflects who I am today. I am thrilled to announce that SaraSzalMD.com is now live! New content. New programs. New retreats and opportunities for us to work together and become healthier, cells to soul. Let me address the name change because I know many of you are curious. The simple answer is I need to reclaim my identity and sovereignty. I completed a divorce in 2023. Now I’m taking the next step, and changing back to my maiden name—Sara Szal MD. Since I announced my return to my maiden name, I’ve been deeply moved by how enthusiastically and kindly you’ve accepted the change. Any change is hard, and this one matters a lot because I am in a process of returning to a state of wholeness and utter authenticity. I imagine you might have experienced an important change like this in your own life. During the interim, you will continue to see Sara (Gottfried) Szal in many places as I transition slowly back to my maiden name. It was not an easy choice to change back to my maiden name, but it feels right and true. Thank you for accompanying me on my journey all these years, at my side. Let’s celebrate new beginnings together. Gratitude to @anastasiachomlack for the gorgeous photography @audreydigital for the website design Like the new website?
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