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Sara Gottfried MD
  • Home
  • About Dr Sara
    • Media
    • Contact
  • Books
    • Women, Food, and Hormones
    • Younger
    • Brain Body Diet
    • Hormone Reset Diet
    • The Hormone Cure
  • Upcoming Events
  • Blog
    • Recipes
    • Women’s Health
    • Hormones
    • Weight Loss
    • Cleanse
    • Stress Management

Sex Drive

Speak the Correct Love Language for Your Valentine: From Words of Affirmation to Burritos

By Sara Gottfried, MD | February 13, 2019

Do any of these sound familiar? I’m too maxed out to give the attention to my marriage that it deserves. I get my buttons pushed by my spouse more often…

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Why do Hormone Imbalances Happen?

By Sara Gottfried, MD | April 9, 2018

Hormone imbalance stems from various factors. In fact, symptoms and sensations you might consider normal as an aging woman are actually from broken hormones that can easily be fixed with…

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Lost Your Mojo? It's Not You, It's Your Hormones

By Sara Gottfried, MD | May 16, 2016

This statistic troubles me: 57 percent of women prefer Facebook to sex. While the data arose from a questionable source (Cosmopolitan), it reflects a general feeling of “meh” that many…

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How to Conquer Cravings + 5 Substitutions That Will Satisfy

By Sara Gottfried, MD | October 10, 2014
Woman Crave for Sugar and Sweets

Few of us are immune to cravings. Research shows that cravings are unrelated to body mass index. Yet for women who are overweight or obese, cravings usually are for foods high in fat and…

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Dr. Sara Book Review: Love Notes from Hell – Dr. Sara’s Book Club #19

By Sara Gottfried, MD | October 4, 2014
Roy Nelson’s Book Love Notes from Hell

Addiction is a sneaky, pervasive and widely misunderstood phenomenon. In Roy Nelson’s “Love Notes from Hell,” we’re faced with the uncomfortable truth that most of us are, indeed, addicts –…

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Dr. Sara's Top 3 Questions: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

By Sara Gottfried, MD | September 18, 2014
Dr. Sara's Top 3 Questions: for Good Health

When it comes to female hormonal conditions, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is probably one you’ve heard of. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, between…

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The Biggest Hormone Myth That’s Sabotaging You

By Sara Gottfried, MD | July 31, 2014
Secrets How to Cure Hormonal Imbalance

MYTH: I don’t have to worry about hormones until menopause. Meanwhile, I can do whatever I want to my body – drink like a fish, party like a rock star,…

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Why Do I Feel Disconnected? The Cortisol-Oxytocin Connection

By Dr. Anna Cabeca, DO | July 19, 2014
Why Do I Feel Detached? The Cortisol-Oxytocin Connection

Do you feel stressed, tired, lonely and disconnected from your relationships with others and even yourself? Do you prefer to stay home than socialize? Have you walked by people you…

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Dr. Sara’s Genius Bar: Top Influencers in Business & Lifestyle

By Sara Gottfried, MD | May 29, 2014
Dr. Sara’s Genius Bar: Top Influential People in Business & Lifestyle

You know these people. You’ve watched them on Oprah, seen their faces on the covers of their best-selling books, and perhaps even been lucky enough to attend one of their…

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Food Sensitivities: The Hidden Dangers That No One is Talking About

By Kim Millman, MD, PhD | May 11, 2014
Food Sensitivities - The Secret Dangers That No One is Talking About

How do food sensitivities affect a person’s calcium absorption rate? Today, guest expert Kim Millman shares a Calcium CheckUp tool that can help with your diet, meeting your calcium needs,…

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Older Posts »

PRAISE

“For the first time in my adult life I feel that I have gained control over food. I feel healthier, look better and have gained an interest in making sure that what I am putting into my body is the best it can be. And I lost 10 pounds in all the right places.”

– Janice Lunde, Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“Dr. Sara is the height of excellence! She is incredibly knowledgeable and gives very generously of her time. I feel so blessed to have been able to work with her.”

– Yvonne Varah

“You don’t have to settle for being stressed out, binging on sugar and chocolate, and aging prematurely. Stop blaming yourself and step into sacred action. It’s your birthright. You can have the joyous, mission-driven life you want, and Dr. Sara is here to show us how.”

– Marci Shimoff, New York Times Bestselling Author of Happy for No Reason and Love for No Reason

“Dr. Gottfried offers powerful and effective tools for addressing the most difficult health issues facing women and men today. She is warm and kind and has so much experience to draw upon, it’s inspiring. Thank you Dr. S!”

– Cassandra Mick

“Dr. Sara Gottfried is a modern-day healer goddess if ever there was one, and she also happens to be a Harvard Medical School graduate and rigorous physician-scientist.”

– Christiane Northrup MD, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom

“Dr. Gottfried’s book and detox came at a time when I was ready to give in to old age. Hot flashes, low energy and libido, weight gain, increasing blood pressure and cholesterol levels were unacceptable to me. I now know that hormone levels and what I eat are a huge influence on how I feel and look. To now be able to control something that was out of control is empowering…”

Cheryl V., Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“My health coach told me about your book and I took the [hormone] test, and lo and behold, I found I was a mess, hormonally speaking. Now I’m getting on track and I love your videos and your book. I feel like I’m getting my life back again, when not long ago I truly thought I was losing it!”

-Tracy, Registered Nurse

“You don’t have to accept the hormonal hell of being tired, stressed, overweight, and never in the mood for sex as you grow older. In her fabulous new book, the brilliant Dr. Gottfried gives you an effective, easy-to-follow plan to balance your hormones and become lean, energetic, and loving life again. Stop settling and reclaim your sexy!”

–JJ Virgin, Author of Six Weeks to Sleeveless and Sexy and The Virgin Diet

“I lost 10 lbs., reset my hormones and metabolism and eliminated my sugar cravings! I have also found that I respond to stress much differently, I feel it, notice it and move on from it. Stress no longer has a grip on me. Dr. Sara’s conference calls and detox information was invaluable. I am so grateful for this program. Thank you Dr. Sara!”

–Sophia, Dr. Sara’s Detox Challenge Participant

“The Hormone Cure is the playbook for your mojo, your mind, and your bootie. With every chapter I thought, ‘So THAT’s how that works.’ I wanted to call every girlfriend and give them the goods on how to glow… now and always.”

-Danielle LaPorte, Author of The Fire Starter Sessions and The Desire Map

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When you have low thyroid function, you make more When you have low thyroid function, you make more thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). TSH is not made in your thyroid, it’s made in your pituitary gland in your brain. When your thyroid gland is not making enough thyroid hormone, your brain senses it. Your hypothalamus tells the pituitary to crank out more TSH and whip that thyroid into shape by stimulating greater production of thyroid hormones. As a result, the hormone factory in the thyroid manufactures more thyroid hormones, which are then sensed by the brain. Often the thyroid will adjust sufficiently, and TSH settles back down to normal. If not, your TSH levels will climb correlating with the severity of the problem. Mainstream medicine usually defines thyroid problems as: 🟤Overt hypothyroidism: TSH levels are high, but total and free T3 and T4 are below normal Or 🟤Subclinical hypothyroidism: TSH levels are high, above 2.5, but total and free T3 and T4 are in the normal range. In my years of practice, I’ve observed gradations of thyroid IMBALANCE. More people, particularly women, brave thyroid imbalance because of old reference ranges for the thyroid. That’s a lot of sluggish, uncomfortable, and unhappy people. I recommend a full hormone panel to my patients, including TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. Your mainstream doc will probably only check TSH, maybe free T4. In 2002, the AACC lowered the normal range for TSH to 0.3-2.5 mIU/L. Your doc may not know this and still use the old range. Don’t forget that if you purchased my book WOMEN, FOOD, AND HORMONES, you can still access the bonus gifts for your purchase. These include optimal lab ranges (including thyroid labs) as well as a bonus hour-long webinar on Thyroid Disorders: Integrative Assessment and Treatment. Click on the main link on my profile page and you will see the Bonus Gift link. Save this post to refer back to as we continue with the thyroid. Next, I will dive deeper into free T3 & T4 and reverse T3. Is this post helpful? #thyroidproblems #thyroidawareness #hypothyroidism #hyperthyroid #hashimotosdisease #thehormonecure #womenfoodhormones
You cannot realize your full potential in the worl You cannot realize your full potential in the world if your thyroid is working against you. Your thyroid is a major endocrine gland in the front of your neck, and its main job is to produce and store hormones that regulate weight, energy, and metabolism (the rate at which you burn calories). Just like the drummer in a band, if your thyroid doesn’t set the right pace for your cell’s metabolic activity, you may feel slow—physically and cognitively—and gain weight. People with low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) may experience blood sugar problems and inflammation. ☑️When your thyroid is working properly, you feel energetic, think clearly, and are upbeat. ☑️Your weight is easier to manage. ☑️Your bowel moves food along at a normal pace. ☑️You don’t wear socks to bed or need to outline your eyebrows. ☑️Your cholesterol is normal. ☑️Your hair stays on your head, your skin is moist and your nails aren’t dried out. ☑️Your sex drive is strong, and your memory is crystal clear. Conventional physicians often respond with skepticism and derision to people who earnestly ask for thyroid help so I want to help you understand your thyroid. This week, I’ll cover: ◾Causes of thyroid dysfunction, including toxins, food, and genetics ◾Testing your thyroid and the numbers you need to look at, including T3/T4 and reverse T3+ ◾Why you need carbs for your thyroid function ◾Steps to boost your thyroid function Like, save, and share😍 . . . #thyroid #thyroidhealing #thyroidproblems #thyroidhealth #thyroidweightloss #thyroiddisease #thyroidawareness #hypothyroidism #hyperthyroid #hashimoto #hashimotosdisease #hashimotothyroiditis #hormonebalance #hormoneimbalance
Best diet for glucose control? 100% plant-based w Best diet for glucose control? 100% plant-based whole foods (with zero processed fake food) is probably the most effective according to the scientific literature but it leaves me too hungry. Even hangry! Mediterranean and ketogenic diet are next best in terms of proof. But I gain weight on the Mediterranean Diet. Maybe it’s because of past trauma—all those grains, beans, and fruits spike my blood sugar unnecessarily. I find that after 35, plant-rich #keto helps me the most with blood sugar stabilization though it took me years to refine it for myself. I didn’t burn fat when I ate too much saturated fat but high plant-based fat (olives, avocados, coconut, nuts, seeds, EVOO, etc.) together with moderate lean protein (mostly fish, eggs, wild game, pastured meat), and low-ish carb (just slightly less than my carb limit) truly helped me become metabolically flexible, i.e., able to switch between burning carbs and fat as needed. Mostly plant-based keto combined with intermittent fasting (the back door to ketosis) brought my mean glucose to <90 mg/dL with minimal variability (<15 mg/dL per day). Want to learn more? Pick up my latest book—link in bio! I provide the 3-step process to create blood sugar stability and heal insulin resistance. It’s what I’ve used to reverse my #prediabetes and decrease my metabolic age. Food is a primary driver of blood sugar regulation and dysregulation along with genetics and lifestyle—and as I covered in a previous reel, trauma (big T and probably little t types of trauma). What’s your experience with best food plan for blood sugar? #metabolism #nutrition #metabolicflexibility #metabolichealth #autoimmune #trauma #plantbased #ketogenicdiet #mediterranean #mediterraneandiet #health #stress #lifestyle
Natural solutions for PMS. I am careful not to o Natural solutions for PMS. I am careful not to overpathologize PMS because often women who are people-pleasers—who overprovide, overfunction, overaccommodate—may speak their truth during the luteal phase when they say things they wouldn’t normally during the rest of their cycle. However, when patients come to me saying they are suffering because of their PMS, then this is what I advise. Here’s what works for PMS: ◾Calcium, as calcium carbonate or citrate, reduces PMS by 50% Dose: 600 mg 2x/day taken orally ◾Magnesium helps with bloating Dose: 200 mg/day ◾Vitamin B6 also helps with bloating Dose: 50 to 100 mg/day. Taken with magnesium, B6 reduces PMS-related anxiety. B6 is involved in the production of many neurotransmitters, including serotonin, which controls mood, sleep, and appetite, and dopamine, which controls pleasure and satisfaction. Recently, vitamins B1 and B2 were shown to be lower during PMS, and low vitamin D was also associated with PMS, but we do not yet have randomized trials supporting their use for treatment. ◾Regular exercise like brisk walking helps. It’s the frequency not the intensity that is shown to help. ◾Acupuncture, homeopathy and guided visualization have all been shown in randomized trials to help PMS. 🌿Botanicals: Chasteberry (vitex) has 5 randomized trials showing effectiveness for PMS. Dose: 500 to 1,000 mg/day raises progesterone levels St. John’s wort: a randomized trial showed that the combination of this botanical and chasteberry was effective for PMS in perimenopausal women. But consult with your doctor if you already are taking an antidepressant or antipsychotic medication before trying St. John’s wort You can find the full Gottfried protocol for PMS in my book THE HORMONE CURE What’s worked for you? . . . #hormone #hormonehealth #hormonebalance #hormoneimbalance #hormones #hormonesupport #hormonebalancing #hormonereplacementtherapy #hormonetherapy #hormonereplacement #hormonehealing #hormonereset #healthyhormones #hormonen #hormoneoptimization #hormonal #hormonalimbalance #hormonalhealth #hormonalbalance #progesterone #progesteronedeficiency
Progesterone resistance and its effect in the body Progesterone resistance and its effect in the body. Progesterone resistance can be seen in women with endometriosis and may contribute to its development in some cases. Estrogen and progesterone are in balance with one another but if progesterone is low, then estrogen dominates because the levels are relatively high compared to its partner hormone, progesterone. In one study, nearly half of the women with endometriosis had either low blood progesterone or a short luteal phase. Women with endometriosis don’t make enough progesterone receptors, particularly in the endometriosis growths, or cells become numb to progesterone. That makes it difficult to shut down estrogen activity, so estrogen levels rise, especially around the aberrant growths, thus worsening the symptoms of endometriosis. For some women who suffer from PMS, a form of progesterone resistance may be the cause. Progesterone stimulates GABA receptors, and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) has sedative qualities. In certain women with PMS, progesterone after ovulation changes the GABA receptor so that it is no longer able to respond to progesterone and other neurosteroids. This creates a form of “progesterone resistance” because the neurosteroid receptor is unresponsive. It’s like a complicated key that fits snugly into a lock and opens a door. Progesterone is the key to the lock (in this analogy, the receptor for GABA). Since the progesterone is supposed to unlock the door, and the lock is jammed, there’s no calm for you in the luteal phase. Enter PMS. All bets are off—and more progesterone doesn’t open the door. Would you like some integrative strategies for PMS? Drop a 🙋‍♀️below and I’ll share those next. . . . #thehormonecure #hormonebalance #hormoneimbalance #perimenopause #menopause #estrogen #estrogendominance #endometriosis #estrogenos #estrogenoverload #estrogenbalance #progesterone #perimenopausesymptoms #perimenopauserelief #menopauserelief #naltrexone #menopausesupport #menopausesymptoms #menopausehealth #estradiol #microbiome #microbiomehealth #estrobolome
How can you increase your body’s progesterone le How can you increase your body’s progesterone level? When you’re premenopausal, your ovaries still may be able to produce progesterone, but they may need a nudge. 🟤Vitamin C: It’s an OTC nutraceutical treatment for low progesterone proven to be effective + works in surprisingly low doses. Doses 750-1000 mg/day have been shown to raise progesterone levels in women. 🟤Chasteberry aka Vitex: Dose 500-1,000 mg/day. We don't fully understand how it works but we do know this botanical has a good safety profile with >60 years of clinical research behind it including 5 randomized trials. 🟤Reduce caffeine: High cortisol can block progesterone receptors and your daily dose of caffeine may be decreasing the ability of your progesterone to bind to its receptor and do its job. Start by switching from regular coffee to yerba mate or green tea, and from yerba mate or green tea to decaffeinated green tea, and then to flavorful herbal teas, such as rooibos and fruit teas. Once you’ve had your final period and a year passes (the definition of menopause), bioidentical topical or oral progesterone is a good choice. Bioidentical progesterone is biochemically the same as the progesterone you make in your ovaries. In most over-the-counter creams, 20 mg equals about ¼ teaspoon. Rubbing ¼ teaspoon (about the size of a dime) into your arms where they’re hairless and the skin is thin, for 14 to 25 nights per month, is often enough to relieve symptoms of low progesterone. See pages 144/145 in THE HORMONE CURE for more on bioidentical progesterone. Any decision to use bioidentical hormones should be made together with your doctor based on symptoms and only after a careful review of all of the risk factors. And don’t forget, men need progesterone too esp for sleep! #hormone #hormonehealth #hormonebalance #hormoneimbalance #hormones #hormonesupport #hormonebalancing #hormonereplacementtherapy #hormonetherapy #hormonereplacement #hormonehealing #hormonereset #healthyhormones #hormonen #hormoneoptimization #hormonal #hormonalimbalance #hormonalhealth #hormonalbalance #progesterone #progesteronedeficiency #estrogendominance #perimenopause #menopause
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