Read
Transform your life
Explore the latest articles by Dr. Sara Szal, where she blends science and holistic wisdom to address the most pressing issues in women’s health, longevity, and personal transformation.
50 Shades of Grey Fever: Why This Gynecologist Loves 50 Shades
This past week in my office I witnessed two extremes of behavior among my clients. The first woman told me that she announced in couple’s therapy to her husband, “I’m never having sex again with you. I’m fat. I couldn’t care less about sex any more, and I’m done.” You could’ve heard a pin drop.…
But I LOVE Strawberries! Why Don't They Love Me Back?
When last we met, I was doing a cleanse to look and feel better before a photo shoot for my book cover. I was cleansing for my overall health, skin, energy and vitality which is the super-duper benefit of flushing toxins from our systems. But if you’ve ever gotten a migraine after drinking wine, felt…
Become a Paleolista. How to Eat the Paleo Diet (Part 1) Plus 3 Tips to Reclaim Hormone Balance (Plus My Homage to Madonna)
Could there be a better time to turn Paleo than July 4? We’re surrounded by meat on offer, and some of it is even hormone balancing. Let’s get brutally honest. Are you happy with how you feel in your bod? Not at the weight you most want? Does your mood depend on the number on…
Kicking the Dairy Habit: Why It's So Friggin' Hard (Plus Several Tips to Get 'Er Done)
If I were to tell you there are toxins and carcinogens in cigarettes, I know that news wouldn’t make you fall from your chair with shock. But did you know that many every day foods can be toxic for our systems too? Throughout my 23 years of taking care of women, I’ve seen a…
Fiber Is the New Sexy
Rock your fiber, but not for the reason you’re thinking. Eighty percent of women aged 35+ have estrogen dominance, and fiber is proven to lower estrogen levels (and prevent breast cancer). Mind the Gap I recommend 35 to 45 grams of fiber per day yet the average fiber intake among American women is less than…
The Day After: Neurohormonal Reverb After Finishing Somethin' Big (A Book, For Instance)
Have you ever finished a gigantic project, and been surprised by how you felt the next day? A bit unsettled. Out of sorts, maybe? Adrift? That’s how I feel today. Baby is launched. But why such weirdness? And my enduring followup question: What’s the neurohormonal backstory? It’s been an 18-month arc of getting my book…
Cortisol Switcheroo (Part 2): How to Right-Size Your Cortisol When It's Bringing You Down
One month ago, I wrote about my Achilles heel, which is the wayward, dysregulated hormone called cortisol. I wrote about “cortisol switch” which I’ll define again in a moment, but first up… let’s talk about how cortisol, the main stress hormone produced by your adrenal glands in your mid-back, brings you down and ramps up your…
My Paleolista Soul Sister: Julia Ross and The Diet Cure
Most Americans are now unable to stop eating refined sweets and starches. Why? Because these foods are actually more addictive than alcohol or drugs! No joke. Sugar ages you prematurely and feeds the wrong message to your genetic code. Stop the sugar train. As NIDA chief Nora Volkow explained in her April 30, 2012, 60…
The Cortisol Switch: How Cortisol Makes You Fat and Angry, Plus 7 Practices to Rock Your Stress
Have you heard of the “cortisol switch?” Here’s the scenario. When you’re stressed, you feel the positive vibe of cortisol – the rise of energy, the focus, the charge, the ascent. Cortisol is the main stress hormone made in your adrenal glands and it’s designed to get you out of danger. It has 3 main…