Treated with Dr. Sara Szal

Burnout isn’t just about feeling tired, it’s a biological signal your body has been trying to send. In this solo episode of Treated, Dr. Sara unpacks the 7 key biomarkers every woman should track to understand and prevent burnout. From heart rate variability and cortisol patterns to thyroid function, progesterone, and sleep quality, she reveals why the usual metrics– steps, calories, and bathroom...

Women’s health expert Cynthia Thurlow returns to Treated to unpack one of the most misunderstood wellness trends: intermittent fasting. Together, Dr. Sara and Cynthia explore why fasting can stop working—or even backfire—for women over 35. From blood sugar crashes and burnout to the loss of lean muscle, they reveal how stress, hormones, and timing shape a woman’s fasting success. Cynthia shares ho...

Today, Dr. Sara sits down with Biet Simkin for an unflinching and soulful conversation about trauma, transformation, and the pursuit of true sovereignty. Known for blending spirituality with art, music, and radical honesty, Biet opens up about losing her mother at six, the compounding grief that shaped her early life, and how she transmuted that pain into a spiritual practice. Together, they explo...

Today Dr. Sara explores one of the most misunderstood symptoms in women’s health: brain fog. She unpacks why the mental haze so many women experience isn’t “just stress” or “getting older,” but often a biological signal of deeper dysfunction—spanning hormones, mitochondria, inflammation, and metabolism. From postpartum to perimenopause to menopause, Dr. Sara traces how shifting estrogen, nutrient...

Jimmy St. Louis is a former NFL tight end for the Tennessee Titans and USA Rower – but he joins Treated today to discuss his life mission: to help people live better through healthcare innovation. He’s the CEO of Agentis Longevity, a clinically focused provider of comprehensive longevity care. Jimmy shares how his discipline as a professional athlete shaped his values and how those values guide hi...

What if your midlife wasn’t a breakdown, but a biochemical initiation? Today on Treated, Dr. Sara dives into the truth about perimenopause by dispelling the myths, breaking down the science, and reframing this transition as a powerful initiation rather than a decline. She explains what’s really happening with your hormones and how to navigate symptoms like mood swings, insomnia, and heavy cycles w...

What if your symptoms like fatigue and burnout aren’t just about stress or overwork, but your hormones waving a white flag? In this episode of Treated, Dr. Sara sits down with nurse practitioner and nutritionist expert Cynthia Thurlow to unpack the hidden drivers of midlife burnout, fatigue, and brain fog. Cynthia shares her own journey from practicing traditional cardiology medicine to navigating...

Most people assume “normal” lab results mean they’re in the clear but normal isn’t always optimal. In this episode, Dr. Sara breaks down why standard blood work often misses early warning signs of disease and what that means for your long-term health. She shares the story of a patient whose labs came back “fine” but were already showing signs of pre-diabetes, and explains how the difference betwee...

What if the real medicine isn’t about conquering death, but about learning how to live fully in its presence? In this conversation, Dr. Sara sits down with two close friends and colleagues, Dr. Kara Fitzgerald, a trailblazer in epigenetics and author of Younger You , and Dr. Patrick Hanaway, a physician and wisdom teacher whose own journey with cancer reshaped his perspective on life. Together, th...

Even though we all operate under the same medical system in The United States, not all of us receive the same quality of care. Why do racial and economic disparities still dictate who gets access to life-saving medications? Dr. Utibe Essien joins Treated to explore what true equity in medicine looks like and how we can build a system where everyone has the chance to thrive.  Dr. Essien is a b...

Perimenopause and menopause can feel like a hormonal rollercoaster without a roadmap. In this episode of Treated, Dr. Sara unpacks what’s really happening behind the hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog, and more than 100 other symptoms women may face during this transition. With insights from cutting-edge research by Dr. Lisa Mosconi, she explains how shifting estrogen, cortisol, and FSH levels af...

Today on Treated, we’re diving headfirst into the dating pool with Sabrina Zohar– a relationship coach and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show– to explore the intersections of love and biology. Known for her direct, no-fluff advice and grounded wisdom, Sabrina blends neuroscience with dating insight to help people heal from their past, regulate their nervous system, and create clarity while they search...

This is the third episode in Treated ’s ongoing hormone series, and it’s a must-listen if you’ve ever been told “you’re fine” when you know something’s off. Dr. Sara uncovers the four most commonly misdiagnosed hormone conditions in women—PCOS, endometriosis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and perimenopause—and breaks down why symptoms like fatigue, mood swings, irregular periods, and weight changes are...

When you’re struggling with your health in the traditional medical system, it can feel like there’s no real solution. Pill after pill masks the symptoms but never seems to solve the problem. Dr. Darshan Shah is health and wellness specialist, board-certified surgeon, and the founder of Next Health , the world’s first and largest longevity clinic. Today at the age of 52, his biological age is 29. B...

Microplastics are everywhere– but what are they doing to our bodies and what can we do about it? Microplastics are small pieces of plastic less than 5 millimeters long. Recently, they have moved from being an environmental concern to a potential human health crisis. Dr. Sara has been tracking them for over 20 years and today, she breaks down what they are, how you're exposed, and who’s most at ris...

If your cycle is unpredictable, you’re growing hairs where you shouldn't, and your period is acting like a rebellious teenager: this episode is for you. Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi (Dr. A) is an OB/GYN and leading expert in endometriosis and PCOS, who has dedicated her life to raising awareness and advancing women's health. You may have heard of her through her popular podcast, SHEMD , and she’s the gyneco...

Today, Dr. Sara and longevity expert Kayla Barnes-Lentz dive deep into the emerging science of microplastics, detox pathways, and personalized medicine. Drawing from Kayla’s recent lab work—which included elevated BPA (bisphenol A) levels and genetic vulnerabilities—they explore how chronic exposure to environmental toxins affects hormones, inflammation, and long-term health. Together, they discus...

Welcome to Hormones 101—the first episode in Dr. Sara’s deep-dive hormone series. In this foundational solo, Dr. Sara breaks down what hormones are, why they matter, and how imbalances can impact everything from mood and metabolism to sleep, libido, and energy. She introduces the “Big Five” hormones—cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid—explaining their distinct roles, how th...

Do you always feel a sense of urgency—like you’re on edge, reactive to everything around you? Or, on the other hand, shut down and withdrawn? Then you may be experiencing dysregulation. Dysregulation occurs when the body and mind fall out of balance and struggle to return to a neutral state. Today, clinical psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera ( @theholisticpsychologist ) joins Treated to explore how an...

The common prescription to heal our psyche today is to take an SSRI and go to talk therapy. But as we’ve learned through the past few episodes, this only works for 30% of people. That means we need to explore other ways to heal our consciousness. Today on Treated, Dr. Sara sits down with Dr. Brad Jacobs to learn about the alternative ways he has healed his consciousness. From taking MDMA for the f...

Join Dr. Sara and her sister, Anna Reed, for an honest, funny, and sincere conversation around navigating the healthcare system in the United States as a woman and learning how to regulate your nervous system with age. Anna is a fourth grade teacher and was diagnosed with endometriosis earlier on in life–-a condition that runs in their family. Today, she’s had three surgeries to remove it and unde...

Rob Fisher is a marriage and family therapist (MFT), Hakomi trainer, professor, and author. After working in the entertainment industry, he began studying for his master’s degree in psychology. About a decade later, he discovered Hakomi—a body- and mindfulness-centered approach to psychotherapy that emphasizes experiential healing and the importance of the therapeutic relationship. Today, Rob has...

What if the key to financial success and a fulfilling life is slowing down and feeling safe? Kate Northrup is an author, podcaster, and coach who helps people regulate their nervous systems to attract abundance. After the traumatic birth of her daughter in 2016, Kate was left with anxiety and hypervigilance. It was then that she realized she had been using stress and pressure as fuel—and began to...

Did you know that some people take a small dose of LSD in the morning instead of an SSRI to treat depression? Microdosing psychedelics has become more mainstream, and today, Dr. Sara explores the growing body of research on microdosing to improve overall health. Although limited, studies have shown that microdosing LSD and psilocybin can improve blood pressure, sleep, mood, social cognition, and—a...

How do we balance our polarities—our feminine and masculine, our lightness and darkness? In this episode, Dr. Brad Jacobs and Dr. Sara discuss how to balance our lives to optimize our healthspan by focusing on what is common sense but not common practice. Dr. Brad Jacobs delves into the top health issues he sees in his patients: loneliness, sleep disturbances, and a complete denial of their health...