Posts by Sara Szal MD
Divorce in Midlife: Experience, Independence, and Self-Awareness Converge
If you’re in your 40s and suddenly thinking, I’d rather be alone with a houseplant than stay in this marriage, you’re not alone. Women initiate nearly 70% of divorces, and midlife is prime time for calling it quits. Why? Because the “I’m Done” decade is real. The most common age for a woman to initiate divorce is…
Read MoreLeaky Gut and Autoimmune Disorders
Severe fatigue, brain fog, aches and pains, feelings of tingling and numbness, stubborn weight gain, abdominal pain, digestive problems, hair loss, insomnia, and even anxiety are common complaints I have heard over the years from my patients, many of whom struggle to keep their conditions under control with steroids, anti-inflammatories, pain killers, and other medications.…
Read MoreFilling the Gaps in Women’s Health: Personalized Guidance Is Essential
Women may have gained more power and equality in many areas, but there is one that remains broken: women’s healthcare. In this sector the gender gap is real and widening. Men have an advantage in terms of research, access, opportunity, and advice. The current healthcare continues to adopt a one-size-fits-all approach and the solutions offered…
Read MoreWomen and Autoimmune Disease: Why Are Our Rates Higher?
Approximately 24 to 50 million people in the U.S. currently have an autoimmune disease, which means their immune system is attacking their own healthy tissues and cannot correctly distinguish self from non-self. As a result of autoimmune attack, there is damage and dysfunction in the affected tissues. Women are disproportionately affected by autoimmune disease. Why…
Read MoreThe Key to a Longer, Healthier Life: Claim Your Metabolic Health
Taking charge of your metabolic health is the key to a longer, healthier life. Metabolic health is a critical pillar that supports health and energy. At its most basic function, metabolic health refers to the body’s ability to process and utilize energy from food. However, it’s so much more than that. Metabolism encompasses all the…
Read MoreHow Much Protein Do We Really Need?
Protein is an essential nutrient that plays a crucial role in the body with its most important function being building and repairing muscles. But just how much of this essential nutrient do you really need? I’m going to delve into protein requirements for men and women, including how they change over different life stages. 46…
Read MoreClimbing Out of the Depression Hole: Kick Pills, Bring Back Aliveness
I have been treating depression for about 25 years, so when a friend mentioned feeling depressed while on a hike with me, I jumped into doctor mode: “How’s your diet? How’s your gut? How’s your inflammation?” My friend stared back at me, dumbfounded. “What does my gut have to do with my bad mood?” Tons.…
Read MoreTake Charge of Your Metabolic Health (And Stop Outsourcing to Your Doctor)
There are many reasons why you should care about your metabolic health. This applies to both men and women, however women are more vulnerable than men with regard to metabolic health. There is a misconception that men are more at risk from cardio-metabolic related diseases such as heart disease and stroke, and it’s just not…
Read MoreWhat Is Precision Medicine?
Precision medicine is about taking an individual and personalizing a treatment plan that looks at genomics and a multitude of biomarkers and then putting the story together so that we can prevent disease, even pre-disease. Precision medicine was one of the several topics that Dr. David Perlmutter and I discussed when I was a guest…
Read MoreHormone Imbalance: Let’s Stop Normalizing It
Hormones control how we feel. As a medical doctor specializing in hormonal health for over 25 years, I understand the immense impact hormone imbalances can have on physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Women are more vulnerable than men to hormone dysregulation issues. For women who are still cycling but also women in perimenopause and menopause,…
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