Posts by Sara Szal MD
Bioidentical Hormone Therapy, Part 1: What’s Safe? What’s Smart?
I’ve been prescribing bioidentical hormone therapy since 1994. In the 25+ years since that first prescription for bioidentical hormones, we have evidence for and against their use. This has led to confusion, misinformation, and even guidelines from mainstream medical societies that are not consistently evidence-based.1 Fortunately, a masterful new book sets the record straight: Tapestry…
Read MoreHormone Therapy for Women: What Are the Known Risks?
Discussion about hormone therapy for perimenopause and menopause is complex. Questions about safety, timing, and duration typically require a nuanced conversation about a person’s history, diet, lifestyle, risk factors, genetics, blood tests, and cognitive function. This article illustrates why the discussions are complicated and how I approach them. I practice Precision Medicine, which means that…
Read MoreHow Do We Create Antiracist Healthcare?
I take respectful care of my patients regardless of skin color, but in the past few years, I’ve realized that is not enough. There are many sources of information and inspiration that have influenced me. First is my grandfather, my lifelong mentor, a biracial White/Black man from Texas who played college football and rose through…
Read MoreRacism in Medicine: 5 Disparities That Point to Health Inequality
It’s time to acknowledge the role of racism in medicine in the United States. It’s not just the racism of George Floyd that we witnessed on video at the hands of police, it’s the daily traumatizing experiences of Black Americans at our hands as well in the US healthcare system. While most physicians and other…
Read MoreWhy Cardiovascular Disease Kills More Women Than Breast Cancer
Most women I know, friends and patients, fear breast cancer. It makes sense because one in eight of us will develop breast cancer over our lifetime, which translates to a lifetime risk of 12.5 percent, and higher for those of us with a high-risk gene mutation. However, our fear of breast cancer may come at…
Read MoreHormone Testing: What to Check and Why
Questions about hormone testing are common among my patients and on social media. Women want to know which hormones they need to check and why. They also want to know what hormones and other biomarkers can be tested at home. In this video and accompanying article, I cover the biomarkers that I check for myself…
Read MorePerimenopause, Menopause & Hormone Balance: Office Hours at goop
Over recent years, I have been interviewed by Gwyneth Paltrow and her goop lifestyle brand about perimenopause and hormones as well as other popular topics such as the ketogenic diet, stubborn weight loss and the secrets to staying younger. Perimenopause & Menopause Women in their 40s and 50s are hungry for information on another way…
Read MoreHow to Strengthen Your Immune System Against Covid-19
While rapid and important work is being done to develop immunotherapy and a Covid-19 vaccine, we don’t have them yet. Meanwhile, we are getting somber reports daily on the number of cases and deaths. While we wait for proven treatments, I recommend that we focus on how to strengthen immunity as the best way to…
Read MoreHome-Style Middle Eastern Hummus
Traditional hummus has only 5 ingredients, and each of those ingredients is powerful for brain-body balance, which is why I had to include this recipe in my book, Brain Body Diet. Let’s jump into this incredible dish that is oh so creamy, simple to make and nutritious! Chickpeas are the star in hummus. Like most…
Read MoreAre Superfoods Worthy of Their Title?
When I see an article on superfoods, it makes me slightly crazy. Is eating an açaí bowl the size of soccer ball really a good idea? Some can get away with it, but most women I know over 40 find that this so-called superfood jacks up their blood sugar. I wear a continuous glucose monitor,…
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