Posts by Sara Szal MD
Vitality: Hormonal, Nutritional, Sexual + Lifestyle Tweaks
I became an integrative physician when I found mainstream medicine failed to address the #1 issue my patients struggle with: decreased desire. I went rogue but not in a Sarah Palin way… more of a Dr. Christiane Northrup meets Dr. Andy Weil way. There are many reasons for low sex drive which goes hand in…
Read MoreBioidentical Hormones: Yes or No? VOGUE Magazine Wants to Know
Here’s a great question from a member of our community named Amy Fleischer, pictured here on the beach with her husband. Amy’s question popped up in response to the September Vogue article on hormones by Ginny Graves. Amy’s Question I have all the classic perimenopause symptoms, and yet even with all I do with nutrition,…
Read MoreNot Your Mama's Kugel
Tonight is the start of the Jewish High Holidays with Rosh Hashanah, i.e., the Jewish New Year. We’re hosting 22 people for dinner and I’m perpetually searching for ways to make traditional Jewish foods more nutrient-dense. Check out the two “alternative” kugels I found, both from Epicurious. Cauliflower-Leek Kugel with Almond-Herb Crust Bon Appetit, 2005…
Read MoreSex drive missing? Go undercover, find it + DOUBLE it in 30 days
Is your sex drive MIA? Mine was, for years. Similar to Gena Lee Nolin, the Baywatch actress on our teleseminar today with thyroid expert Mary Shomon, I struggled with baby weight, fatigue, mood problems, and in particular, low sex drive after my second child was born. I didn’t have to wear a red bathing suit on TV…
Read MoreWhy the Weirdness with Doctors + Thyroid? Talking Shop with Gena Lee Nolin & Mary Shomon Next Week
It happened again this week. I saw a patient who is 48 and came to me a few months ago because she felt flat sensually and sexually. Let’s call her Daphne. As part of our work together, I found she had a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) of 3.1 and a low free T3. In other…
Read MoreBrazilians + Formaldehyde: Not a Good Thing for Your Hair
Today the New York Times featured an article on the risks of having a Brazilian Blowout. I was so struck by this photo by Richard Perry – I felt like it captures perfectly the dangers women will subject themselves to in the pursuit of beauty. Apply formaldehyde to your hair to make it look Supermodel-straight?…
Read MoreMy Fave Kale Salad: Lessons from Ani Phyo, Raw Mystic
You know I’m the Queen of Kale. It’s a superfood. It has more iron per gram than red meat. But I know how icky kale is to most people. My husband give me that withering look whenever “dinner” and “kale” are in the same sentence. But even my husband, who is in recovery from a meat-and-potatoes…
Read MoreAllergy: How to Reclaim Your Mojo Naturally
With everything you need to deal with each day, do you really need allergies slowing you down? Whether it’s hay fever, pet dander or some other U.F.O. (Unidentified Frustrating Offender), the suffering caused by chronic allergies can make you either mildly slower-than-usual or downright miserable. Unfortunately, relying on any one of the allergy medications lining…
Read MoreIt's Not You, It's Your Adrenals
I have a confession: It wasn’t long ago that I was addicted to all the things that I preach against – sugar, adrenaline, caffeine, dairy and alcohol. At Harvard Medical School, I was taught (and blithely internalized) the message that the ruthless and dogged pursuit of medical knowledge was noble, even if it meant denying…
Read MoreThyroid: Minimize Goitrogens for Optimal Metabolism + Weight
Here is a great list of foods that slow down your thyroid. They are also known as goitrogens. Isn’t that a weird word? It’s best to avoid these foods in their raw form – lightly cooked is a better option. Caffeine. Yes, not a popular food to give up, but it will help your thyroid…
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