hol+ with Dr. Taz MD | The Future of Medicine is Holistic

What if the pain men carry is not always obvious, but quietly shaping their health, relationships, addiction patterns, and ability to feel connected? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with producer John Bard Manulis and Emmy-winning filmmaker Peter Jones, creators of Fortunate Sons, a documentary following the 1974 class of Harvard School for Boys, to explore men’s emotional repression, family secrets, addiction, father wounds, vulnerability, and the healing power of honest conversation. In this episode, John and Peter share how a group of former classmates reconnected during the pandemic and began having conversations they were never taught to have as boys. Raised in a culture of achievement, leadership, privilege, silence, and emotional control, many of these men went on to experience depression, addiction, burnout, broken relationships, hidden family trauma, and deep personal reckoning. The conversation explores how emotional repression can show up through addiction, anxiety, depression, inflammation, cortisol dysregulation, hormone changes, disease patterns, and disconnection from the self and others. Dr. Taz connects these patterns to the broader conversation around men’s health, family health, and the physical cost of keeping pain buried for too long. If you’re listening to this and thinking, “I know something is off in my body or my family system, but I don’t know where to start,” join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Healing is not just about fixing symptoms. It is about understanding the deeper patterns beneath them, including shame, stress, emotional suppression, addiction, family secrets, unresolved trauma, nervous system dysregulation, trust, boundaries, and the ability to be honest in the presence of people who can truly listen. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Mental Health: https://holplus.co/services/mental-health Anxiety: https://holplus.co/conditions/anxiety Dr. Taz, John, and Peter also discuss why men often “clam up” when pressured to open up, why trust must come before vulnerability, how father-son dynamics shape identity, why partners cannot always force healing, and how strong but loving boundaries can sometimes become a turning point. They explore why men need trusted cohorts, shared activity, deep listening, humility, curiosity, and relationships where they can tell the truth without fear of being abandoned. If you’ve ever loved a man who shuts down, worried about a son, struggled with addiction in your family, carried unspoken pain, or wondered why men often suffer in silence, this episode will help you understand what may actually be happening beneath the surface. In this episode, we cover: Fortunate SonsThis is not just about men opening up. It is about understanding the hidden emotional architecture beneath men’s health, addiction, family dynamics, and generational pain, and remembering that healing often begins when someone feels safe enough to tell the truth. About The Guests: John Bard Manulis and Peter Jones are the creators of Fortunate Sons, a documentary following the 1974 class of Harvard School for Boys. The film explores privilege, emotional repression, addiction, family trauma, male friendship, and the healing power of vulnerable conversation. Through deeply personal stories, the documentary shows how men can move from silence and shame toward honesty, connection, and transformation. Peter Jones is an Emmy-winning filmmaker whose work includes documentaries, television projects, and storytelling centered on people, history, and identity. After making Fortunate Sons, he began pursuing a master’s degree in psychology, inspired by the healing power of listening and helping others find their voice. John Bard Manulis is a producer and filmmaker whose work with Fortunate Sons has helped bring the documentary into communities, schools, nonprofits, churches, and family systems as a tool for meaningful conversations around men’s emotional...

What if the symptoms you feel in your body are not random, but signals of something deeper happening in your energy system? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Sue Morter, master of bioenergetic medicine, founder of the Morter Institute for Bioenergetics, and author of The Anatomy of Awakening, to explore how energy medicine connects to the nervous system, chronic stress, emotional patterns, and the body’s ability to heal. This episode takes energy medicine out of the “woo woo” category and brings it into a deeper healing conversation. Dr. Sue explains how energetic blockages can show up as a lump in the throat, tightness in the chest, a knot in the stomach, chronic tension, anxiety, digestive issues, allergies, pain patterns, and other symptoms that often appear disconnected from the deeper root cause. Dr. Sue shares how the flow of energy through the body acts like a master system, influencing the nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, respiratory system, cardiovascular system, and the body’s self-regulating capacity. When that flow becomes blocked by unresolved emotions, survival patterns, stress, fear, or disconnection from the self, the body may move into dysregulation and lose access to its natural healing intelligence. If you’re listening to this and thinking, “I know something is off in my body, but I don’t know where to start,” join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Healing is not just about treating symptoms. It is about understanding the deeper patterns beneath them, including stress, emotional suppression, nervous system dysregulation, breath, posture, self-compassion, and the relationship you have with your own body. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Mental Health: https://holplus.co/services/mental-health Anxiety: https://holplus.co/conditions/anxiety Dr. Taz and Dr. Sue also discuss why affirmations and manifestation practices may not work if they are coming from the protective or performing personality, why posture and breath can help shift the body into a different state, and how reconnecting with the true self can open the door to healing, creativity, safety, and wholeness. If you’ve ever felt stuck in chronic stress, disconnected from your body, frustrated by symptoms that don’t fully resolve, or curious about the connection between energy, emotions, and physical health, this episode will help you understand what may actually be happening beneath the surface. In this episode, we cover: This is not just about energy healing. It is about understanding the body as a connected system, learning how stress and emotion shape your physiology, and remembering that healing often begins by returning to yourself. About The Guest: Dr. Sue Morter is an international speaker, master of bioenergetic medicine, founder of the Morter Institute for Bioenergetics, and author of The Anatomy of Awakening. With more than 40 years of clinical experience, she is known for bridging energy medicine, neuroscience, consciousness, breathwork, and embodied healing practices to help people move from survival patterns into coherence, vitality, and wholeness. About Dr. Taz: Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz) is a triple board-certified integrative medicine physician, bestselling author, and founder of hol+ a multi-location integrative medicine practice. Learn more: https://doctortaz.com/about Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Book a Hol+ Consultation: https://holplus.co/locations/virtual/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Follow...

What if weight loss has never been the right goal in the first place? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with registered dietitian Ashley Koff, RD, author of Your Best Shot, to unpack why the conversation around GLP-1 medications is much bigger than Ozempic, Wegovy, or tirzepatide alone. This episode reframes the entire GLP-1 conversation by shifting away from weight loss as the goal and toward what Ashley Koff calls “weight health.” Instead of treating Ozempic, Wegovy, tirzepatide, and related medications as magic fixes or villains, the conversation explores the deeper hormonal ecosystem behind appetite, blood sugar, digestion, inflammation, body composition, and metabolic health. Ashley explains that GLP-1 and GIP are part of a larger family of peptide hormones made in the gut lining, and that when this system is disrupted by poor digestion, stress, gut lining damage, nutrient insufficiency, dehydration, medications, or microbiome imbalance, the body’s weight regulation becomes suboptimal. She argues that many people are not failing at weight loss. Their body simply does not have what it needs to function optimally. If you’re dealing with weight changes, food noise, metabolic dysfunction, or feeling like your body is not responding the way it should, and want deeper, root-cause support, join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Weight is not just about calories in and calories out. It is deeply tied to gut health, digestion, blood sugar, inflammation, hydration, stress, hormones, and how well your body is actually functioning beneath the surface. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Metabolic Health & Weight Support: https://holplus.co/glp1-and-peptides Digestive Health: https://holplus.co/conditions/digestive-health Dr. Taz and Ashley also discuss when GLP-1 medications may be useful, why low dose use is often misunderstood as “microdosing,” the importance of preserving muscle and digestion while using these medications, and why a truly personalized, holistic plan matters far more than chasing a number on the scale. If you’ve ever felt frustrated by belly fat, food noise, weight regain, or confusing lab results that say everything is “fine” when you know it’s not, this episode will help you understand what may actually be going on. In this episode, we cover: This is not just about losing weight. It is about understanding your body, improving metabolic function, and building a healthier, more personalized foundation for long-term well-being.\ About The Guest: Ashley Koff, RD is a registered dietitian with more than 25 years of clinical experience and the author of Your Best Shot. She is known for her work in metabolic health, nutrition, and personalized wellness, with a focus on helping people understand the deeper root causes behind weight, digestion, and hormone-related challenges. About Dr. Taz: Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz) is a triple board-certified integrative medicine physician, bestselling author, and founder of hol+ a multi-location integrative medicine practice. Learn more: https://doctortaz.com/about Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Book a Hol+ Consultation: https://holplus.co/locations/virtual/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Follow Ashley Koff, RD https://www.instagram.com/ashleykoffapproved/ https://thebetternutritionprogram.com/ Get your copy of Your Best Shot Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 Why weight loss may be the wrong goal 02:00...

What if your anxiety, overwhelm, or constant sense of unease is not just a mental health issue, but a signal from a body that is overstimulated, under-rested, and out of balance? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with integrative psychiatrist Ellen Vora, author of The Anatomy of Anxiety, to unpack how modern life, stress, and physiology are quietly driving the rise of anxiety. If you’re dealing with anxiety, burnout, or feeling “off” and want deeper, root-cause support, join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Anxiety is rarely just about your thoughts. It often reflects a deeper imbalance involving sleep, blood sugar, gut health, inflammation, and how your nervous system is responding to the world around you. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Anxiety & Stress Support: https://holplus.co/anxiety Hormone Health: https://holplus.co/services/hormone-health/ In this episode, Dr. Ellen Vora explains the difference between true anxiety and physiological anxiety, and why many people are treating the wrong problem. She breaks down how poor sleep, overstimulation, gut imbalances, and even mouth breathing can create anxiety symptoms, and why medications don’t always address the root cause. You’ll learn why some anxiety is actually a healthy signal, how modern lifestyles are dysregulating our nervous systems, and why addressing the body first can change everything. This conversation challenges the idea that anxiety is simply a chemical imbalance and offers a more holistic, empowering path forward. If you’ve ever felt like your anxiety doesn’t fully make sense, or that you’ve tried everything but still don’t feel better, this episode will help you understand what might actually be missing. In this video, we cover: What “true anxiety” vs. “false anxiety” really means Why anxiety is not always a mental health disorder How sleep, blood sugar, and gut health impact anxiety The hidden role of overstimulation and modern life Why medications don’t always solve anxiety long-term The connection between ADHD and a “tired brain” How breathing and sleep quality affect mental health Why emotional sensitivity is not a weakness Practical foundations to regulate your nervous system This is not just about managing anxiety. It’s about understanding your body, restoring balance, and creating a foundation for mental clarity, resilience, and long-term well-being. About The Guest: Dr. Ellen Vora, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher who takes a functional, whole-person approach to mental health. She is the author of The Anatomy of Anxiety and specializes in identifying the root causes of anxiety through physiology, lifestyle, and emotional health. About Dr. Taz: Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz) is a triple board-certified integrative medicine physician, bestselling author, and founder of hol+ a multi-location integrative medicine practice. Learn more: https://doctortaz.com/about Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Book a Hol+ Consultation: https://holplus.co/locations/virtual/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Follow Dr. Ellen Vora https://www.instagram.com/ellenvoramd/ https://ellenvora.com/ Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 Why anxiety may not be what you think 02:00 True anxiety vs. physiological anxiety 06:00 The “wide open antenna” and emotional sensitivity 10:00 Why crying is a biological release 13:00 The myth of the chemical imbalance 18:00...

What if your chronic pain, stiffness, or recurring injuries are not just about aging, but signals from a nervous system that feels overwhelmed, inflamed, and under-supported? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with physical therapist Dr. Dan Ginader, author of The Pain-Free Body, to unpack how modern lifestyles, stress, and sedentary habits are quietly driving the rise of chronic pain. If you’re dealing with ongoing pain, fatigue, or inflammation and want deeper, root-cause support, join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Chronic pain is rarely just about one injury or one body part. It often reflects a deeper imbalance involving movement, mindset, inflammation, and how the brain interprets safety and threat. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Inflammation https://holplus.co/conditions/inflammation/ Arthritis / Chronic Joint Pain: https://holplus.co/conditions/arthritis-chronic-joint-pain/ In this episode, Dr. Dan explains why pain is not always a reliable indicator of damage, why MRIs and scans often don’t tell the full story, and how fear, stress, and inactivity can keep pain stuck in the body. He breaks down what actually drives chronic pain, why so many people feel worse as they get older, and what simple daily habits can either worsen or reverse the process. You’ll learn why movement is essential medicine, how optimism and mindset influence recovery, and why small, consistent actions matter more than occasional intense workouts. This conversation challenges the idea that pain is inevitable with age and offers a more hopeful, practical path forward. If you’ve been told your pain is “just part of getting older,” or feel like nothing has fully worked, this episode will help you understand what might actually be missing. In this video, we cover: This is not just about fixing pain. It’s about understanding your body, rebuilding resilience, and creating a lifestyle that supports long-term strength, mobility, and ease. About The Guest: Dr. Dan Ginader, DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, author of The Pain-Free Body, and Clinic Director at Mims Method Physical Therapy in New York City. He specializes in helping patients understand the root causes of pain and build long-term resilience through movement and education. About Dr. Taz: Dr. Tasneem Bhatia (Dr. Taz) is a triple board-certified integrative medicine physician, bestselling author, and founder of hol+ a multi-location integrative medicine practice. Learn more: https://doctortaz.com/about Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Book a Hol+ Consultation: https://holplus.co/locations/virtual/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Follow Dr. Dan Ginader https://www.instagram.com/dr.dan_dpt/ https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.dan_dpt Check out Dr. Dan's book The Pain-Free Body Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 Optimism and the surprising link to chronic pain 01:05 The #1 contributor to chronic pain: sedentary behavior 03:42 What most people get wrong about pain 04:46 Where pain actually comes from 07:51 How fear, stress, and expectation amplify pain 12:35 When acute pain becomes chronic pain 18:15 How much movement you actually need 20:55 Easy movement snacks to reduce pain 26:20 Why MRIs and scans often don’t explain your pain 50:45 The #1 rule for staying pain-free as you age

What if your child’s anxiety, disconnection, screen obsession, or emotional shutdown are not random at all, but signs of a deeper struggle for safety, attachment, and regulation in a world shaped by algorithms? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Shafali to unpack how technology, social media, and modern stress are quietly reshaping childhood, parenting, and emotional well-being. If you’re navigating parenting challenges, emotional overwhelm, or family disconnection and want deeper support, join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Struggles with attention, anxiety, and emotional regulation often point to something deeper happening beneath the surface. Learn more about support related to this conversation: Anxiety: https://holplus.co/conditions/anxiety/ Mental Health Services: https://holplus.co/conditions-and-services/ In this episode, Dr. Shafali explains why parenting today is no longer just about discipline or communication. Parents are now competing with screens, social media, and algorithms that are designed to capture children’s attention, attachment, and identity. She breaks down what children actually need most, why boys and girls often struggle differently, and how conscious parenting can help families reconnect in a distracted, dysregulated world. You’ll learn why children need safety, soothing, significance, and belonging, how screens can become a substitute for emotional regulation, and why real healing in families starts with presence, attunement, boundaries, and connection. If you’ve been feeling like technology is changing your child, your family dynamic, or your ability to stay connected, this conversation may help you understand why. In this video, we cover: This is not just about screen time. It’s about understanding what our children are turning toward, what they are missing, and how parents can become the anchor again. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Follow Dr. Shefali Tsabary Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorshefali/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrShefali Website: https://www.drshefali.com/ Dr. Shefali's Newest Books - Raising Conscious Daughters - Raising Conscious Sons Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 The algorithm is competing with parents 00:42 Introducing Dr. Shafali 01:38 What conscious parenting really means 03:02 Why parenting has changed in the digital era 05:30 How technology replaces emotional regulation 07:42 Australia banning social media for children 09:16 Dr. Taz shares her daughter’s phone battles 12:07 What parents should do instead of fighting screens 15:17 Why busy parents cannot ignore this problem 18:08 Presence, attunement, and what children really need 20:42 Stress, cortisol, and dysregulated family systems 23:20 Why parents should think deeply before having kids 25:12 The role of community, mentors, and extended family 30:16 Raising conscious sons vs. daughters 32:58 Why boys and girls are struggling differently 36:58 What boys need most from parents 42:06 What girls need most from parents 47:39 Social media, identity, and perfectionism in girls 52:26 Common parenting traps and overcorrection 57:38 Boundaries, compassion, and developmental realism 1:03:15 Parenting as a spiritual journey 1:08:24 How parents can regulate in real time 1:12:08 Mirror neurons, co-regulation, and hope 1:14:30 Final thoughts and what makes Dr. Shafali hol

What if your fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and belly fat are actually signs of high cortisol, low cortisol, or chronic stress building up over time? In this episode, Dr. Taz explains how your cortisol levels shift and why learning how to lower cortisol levels starts with understanding the pattern your body is stuck in. If you’re dealing with chronic stress, fatigue, or hormone imbalances and want to address the root cause, join the Circle and get support here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle Chronic stress often shows up as adrenal fatigue and hormone imbalances. Learn more about conditions related to cortisol imbalance: https://holplus.co/conditions/adrenal-fatigue/https://holplus.co/conditions/hormone-imbalance/In this episode, Dr. Taz breaks down what she calls the cortisol loop - a chronic stress cycle where your body goes from high cortisol to low cortisol, leaving you feeling wired, exhausted, and unable to recover. You’ll learn how this loop affects your nervous system, hormones, gut health, and long-term well-being, even when your labs appear “normal.” If you’ve been feeling off and can’t explain why, this may be the missing piece. In this video, we cover: This is not just about stress. It’s about understanding the cycle your body has been stuck in. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 High Cortisol or Low Cortisol? Understanding the Cortisol Loop 00:50 What Is the Cortisol Loop? Chronic Stress Explained 01:42 Normal Labs but Still Feeling Bad? Cortisol Levels Explained 02:55 Acute vs Chronic Stress and Cortisol Response 05:00 High Cortisol Symptoms and Effects on the Body 06:50 Low Cortisol Symptoms: Burnout and Fatigue Explained 07:42 Chronic Stress, Cortisol Imbalance, and Disease Risk 09:29 Cortisol, Brain Health, and Inflammation 11:30 Cortisol in Women vs Men (Hormones and Stress Response) 14:20 Chronic Stress in Modern Life (Why It’s Getting Worse) 15:20 7 Signs of High Cortisol and Low Cortisol 17:10 Fatigue, Brain Fog, Belly Fat (Cortisol Symptoms) 18:08 How to Test Cortisol Levels (Blood Sugar, HRV, Sleep) 20:05 Nervous System Regulation and the Cortisol Loop 21:25 How to Lower Cortisol Levels Naturally 22:12 Gut Health, Diet, and Blood Sugar Stability 23:45 Best Supplements for Cortisol (Magnesium, B Vitamins, Omega-3) 25:35 Daily Habits to Reduce Cortisol and Stress 27:10 Chronic Stress, Environment, and Relationships 28:55 How to Break the Cortisol Loop (Step-by-Step) 30:37 Final Thoughts on Chronic Stress and Cortisol Recovery

Want deeper support? Join Circle at holplus.co/circle and use code PODCAST for a one-month trial. Optimism is often misunderstood. It gets reduced to positive thinking, good vibes, or pretending everything is fine. But real optimism is not about denying pain. It is about learning how to stay grounded in reality while still believing that healing, change, and resilience are possible. In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Deepika Chopra, known as The Optimism Doctor, to explore what optimism actually means and why it matters for both mental and physical health. Together, they unpack the difference between optimism and toxic positivity, why our brains are wired to expect worst-case scenarios, and how that pattern may no longer serve us in modern life. They also explore the science behind sensory-based visual imagery and how the brain responds to what we vividly imagine, often in ways that influence expectation, motivation, and even the body’s stress response. Dr. Deepika shares how these tools were used in psych-oncology settings, where patients practiced visualizing treatments working with the body rather than against it, and how similar techniques can support people navigating anxiety, illness, self-doubt, and major life transitions. The conversation expands into practical tools for everyday life, including the 12-second rule, the role of awe in calming anxious or depressive states, and the importance of collecting believable evidence rather than relying on empty affirmations. They also discuss why naming emotions honestly is more healing than suppressing them, how to shift deeply rooted self-beliefs in realistic ways, and why purpose plays such an important role in long-term well-being. Rather than asking listeners to force positivity, this episode offers a more compassionate and evidence-based framework. It is about building optimism as a skill, strengthening resilience over time, and learning to meet hard seasons with honesty, curiosity, and hope. This conversation is for anyone feeling stuck in negative thought loops, overwhelmed by stress, or ready to approach healing with more realism and self-trust. About Dr. Deepika Chopra Dr. Deepika Chopra is a licensed clinical health psychologist, speaker, and author known as the Optimism Doctor. With a background in cognitive behavioral therapy, psych-oncology, and integrative mental health, her work focuses on helping people build resilience through practical, science-based tools. She is the author of The Power of Real Optimism, a book that explores how optimism can be strengthened through everyday practices rooted in psychology, neuroscience, and emotional honesty. Her approach bridges research with real life, offering accessible strategies for navigating stress, uncertainty, and personal growth. Order the Book The Power of Real Optimism Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Deepika Chopra Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdeepikachopra/ Website: https://drerika.com/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Want deeper support? Join Circle at holplus.co/circle and use code PODCAST for a one-month trial. Hormone therapy is often framed in extremes. It is either dangerous and cancer-causing, or it is the miracle solution to aging. For decades, women have been told to fear estrogen, avoid progesterone, and accept midlife decline as inevitable. But what if the story around hormones was shaped more by panic and oversimplified data than by the full clinical picture? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with preventive medicine pioneer Dr. Erika Schwartz to revisit the Women’s Health Initiative and the ripple effects that followed. Together, they explore how one study reshaped hormone replacement therapy guidelines, why the concept of “class effect” blurred important distinctions between different types of hormones, and how relative risk statistics can be misunderstood in ways that drive fear-based decisions. They also discuss bioidentical hormone therapy, the difference between compounded and FDA-approved options, and how delivery methods like creams, patches, and pellets may affect long-term outcomes. The conversation expands beyond menopause into birth control, progesterone deficiency, teen hormone health, and the broader question of how women can advocate for themselves in a system that often prioritizes protocols over personalization. Rather than promoting blind trust or blanket rejection, this episode focuses on clarity. It invites listeners to understand risk more accurately, ask better questions, and approach hormone care with nuance instead of fear. This conversation is for anyone navigating perimenopause, menopause, hormone therapy decisions, or simply wanting to better understand how women’s health became so complicated. About Dr. Erika Schwartz Dr. Erika Schwartz is a board-certified internist and a leading voice in preventive and integrative medicine. After spending 15 years practicing conventional medicine and running a trauma center, she shifted her focus toward prevention, longevity, and personalized hormone therapy. For more than three decades, Dr. Schwartz has advocated for bioidentical hormones and individualized care, teaching physicians, speaking internationally, and helping patients navigate midlife health with a whole-body approach. She founded one of the first compounding hormone pharmacies in New York and has worked extensively in physician education through organizations focused on longevity and preventive medicine. She is the author of multiple bestselling books, including the newly revised edition of Don’t Let Your Doctor Kill You, which empowers patients to understand medical risk, advocate for themselves, and make informed decisions without fear. Order the Book Don't Let Your Doctor Kill You Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Erika Schwartz Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drerikaschwartz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrErika Website: https://drerika.com/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Want deeper support? Join Circle at holplus.co/circle and use code PODCAST for a one-month trial. What if the real issue in women’s health isn’t that women are “doing it wrong,” but that the entire wellness system was built on research, protocols, and performance standards designed for male bodies? In this solo episode, Dr. Taz breaks down why bro science and modern biohacking culture often backfire for women, and how pushing harder, optimizing more, and chasing protocols can quietly drive hormone chaos, burnout, inflammation, and nervous system dysregulation. She explains why so many women are told their labs are “normal” while their bodies are clearly signaling that something is off, and how medical models that isolate symptoms fail to capture how women’s systems actually work. This episode is rooted in the same clinical patterns that led Dr. Taz to writeThe Hormone Shift. After years of watching women come into her practice exhausted, inflamed, and dismissed by conventional care, she began documenting the repeating cycles she saw across life stages, from teens to perimenopause to post-menopause. You’ll learn why women were historically excluded from research, how that gap still shapes today’s treatment models, and why intensity, calorie restriction, and rigid optimization strategies may worsen hormonal imbalance, metabolic stress, and emotional exhaustion in female bodies. This episode reframes women’s health as a whole-body system, not a protocol stack, and explores why safety, rhythm, recovery, and regulation matter more than force. This conversation reframes healing as a process of supporting interconnected systems, not overriding them. Hormones, gut health, immune function, nervous system regulation, emotional safety, stress load, and life stage are not separate variables. When these systems fall out of sync, symptoms multiply. When they are supported together, the body can restore balance, energy, and resilience. Dr. Taz shares: • Why bro science and biohacking trends often backfire for women • How “normal labs” can still mean your body is not functioning optimally • Why women’s bodies were historically excluded from research and how that impacts care today • How pushing harder, restricting calories, and overtraining disrupt hormones and metabolism • Why women’s nervous systems require safety, rhythm, and recovery to heal • How stress physiology, trauma patterns, and life stage shape women’s health outcomes • Why hormones don’t act in isolation, but communicate with the gut, immune system, and brain • Where modern tools like HRT, GLP-1s, peptides, and protocols fit and where they fall short • How to build a sustainable, personalized approach to women’s health that works with the body, not against it Whether you’re feeling dismissed by your labs, burned out from trying every new wellness trend, or frustrated by protocols that seem to work for others but not for you, this episode offers a grounded, integrative framework for understanding what women’s bodies actually need. Women don’t heal through force. They heal through safety, rhythm, and whole-system support. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 0:00 Women told it’s “normal” and “in your head” 1:13 Holistic approach and the “five bodies” 1:25 Why Dr. Taz is done with “bro science” 4:25 “Your labs are normal” and the dismissal problem 5:20 Why biohacking culture worsens...

Breast cancer screening is often treated as a given. Mammograms are framed as routine, early detection as unquestionably life-saving, and following guidelines as the responsible choice. But what if the full picture is more complicated? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with integrative oncologist and breast surgeon Dr. Jenn Simmons, author of The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, to explore what breast cancer screening data actually shows, where common narratives may oversimplify reality, and how statistics can sometimes be misunderstood by both patients and providers. Together, they discuss the difference between screening and diagnostic imaging, why detecting more cancers does not always mean fewer deaths, and how concepts like overdiagnosis and lead-time bias shape our interpretation of outcomes. Dr. Jenn also explains how breast cancer behaves differently from many other cancers, why progression is not always linear, and what tumor markers like ER, PR, HER2, and triple-negative really indicate. The conversation expands beyond imaging into a whole-body view of breast health, touching on inflammation, immune function, metabolic health, toxic burden, stress, and lifestyle as factors that shape cancer risk and recovery. Rather than promoting fear or urgency, this episode focuses on helping listeners understand their bodies, ask better questions, and make informed decisions with clarity. This episode is for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of breast cancer screening, feels overwhelmed by conflicting guidance, or wants to approach breast health with more nuance and less panic. About Dr. Jenn Simmons Dr. Jenn Simmons is an integrative oncologist, breast surgeon, and founder of Real Health MD. She was Philadelphia’s first fellowship-trained breast surgeon and spent nearly two decades leading one of the region’s top breast programs before transitioning into integrative oncology. Drawing from her experience in conventional cancer care and her own health journey, Dr. Simmons now focuses on whole-body approaches to breast health, cancer prevention, and recovery, including metabolic health, inflammation, immune function, lifestyle medicine, and root-cause healing. She is the author of The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer, a patient-centered resource designed to help women better understand their diagnosis, ask informed questions, and navigate treatment decisions with clarity rather than fear. Order the Book The Smart Woman's Guide to Breast Cancer Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Jenn Simmons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjennsimmons YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dr.jennsimmons Website: https://www.jennsimmonsmd.com/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) 00:00 Swedish trial claim and overdiagnosis framing 00:52 Why this became a part two conversation 03:25 Reframing screening narratives and medical training gaps 04:39 Why Dr. Simmons questions mammograms as a screening tool 06:06 Origins of screening programs and “invitation to screen” bias 07:12 Relative risk vs absolute numbers example (4 vs 5 per 1,000) 08:49 Overdiagnosis explained with a vivid analogy 09:50 Autopsy-study claim and the “microscopic cancer” idea 12:11 Swedish trial claim revisited: more diagnoses, same deaths 13:38 Downstream harms: callbacks, biopsies, overtreatment 15:04 Lead-time bias and survival statistics explained 16:44 Dr. Simmons’ view on the founder’s...

OCD is often misunderstood as being about cleanliness, checking, or perfectionism. In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with therapist and author Melissa Mose, LMFT, to unpack why OCD is frequently misdiagnosed for over a decade and what’s really happening beneath the surface of obsessions and compulsions. Melissa’s book Internal Family Systems Therapy for OCD bridges compassionate parts-based work with proven science to offer a richer path to lasting change. Using clear science and compassionate explanations, this conversation explores how OCD hijacks the brain through a cycle of alarm and relief, why reassurance and family accommodation can quietly reinforce symptoms, and what actually works in treatment. Melissa breaks down why talk therapy alone often fails OCD, how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) retrains the nervous system, and how Internal Family Systems (IFS) adds depth, self-compassion, and relational healing to recovery. In this hol+ conversation, Dr. Taz sits down with therapist, educator, and author Melissa Mose, LMFT, to unpack what OCD really is and why it often goes undiagnosed for over a decade. Melissa shares why OCD disguises itself as “just anxiety,” how well-meaning reassurance can quietly reinforce the disorder, and why many people spend years in talk therapy without real relief. Using clear science and compassionate language, this episode explores how OCD operates through a cycle of alarm and relief, why the brain learns to depend on compulsions, and how Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) helps retrain the nervous system. Melissa also explains how Internal Family Systems (IFS) adds a relational, self-compassionate layer to treatment, helping people work with their inner world instead of battling it. This conversation also looks at the bigger picture. OCD does not exist in isolation. Dr. Taz and Melissa explore how neuroinflammation, PANS and PANDAS, hormonal shifts, trauma, ADHD, eating disorders, and chronic stress can overlap with or intensify OCD symptoms. They discuss why intrusive thoughts can be disturbing and taboo, why intolerance of uncertainty sits at the core of OCD, and how relationships and intimacy are often quietly impacted. From shame and self-blame to clarity and support, this episode offers a grounded reframe of OCD as a treatable condition rooted in brain-body patterns, not personal failure. Whether you are seeking help for yourself, supporting someone you love, or trying to understand OCD beyond the stereotypes, this conversation replaces fear with understanding and helplessness with practical pathways forward. Dr. Taz and Melissa Mose, LMFT discuss: About Melissa Mose, LMFT Melissa Mose is a licensed marriage and family therapist, educator, and specialist in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. With over 30 years of clinical experience, she works with individuals and families navigating OCD and anxiety, and trains clinicians in evidence-based treatment approaches. Melissa integrates Exposure and Response Prevention with Internal Family Systems to support deep, sustainable change that goes beyond symptom management. Melissa is the author of Internal Family Systems Therapy for OCD: A Clinician’s Guide, a resource designed to help therapists bring compassion, parts-based awareness, and relational healing into gold-standard OCD treatment. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Melissa Mose, LMFT Learn more about Melissa’s work: https://melissamosemft.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissamosemft Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive...

Many women reach their 30s and suddenly feel an invisible pressure set in. The clock gets louder. The messaging gets scarier. And fertility, something that once felt distant or optional, becomes charged with fear, urgency, and self-blame. This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered if they waited too long, if their body is betraying them, or if turning 35 means everything has suddenly changed. This is not a failure of timing. This is not a lack of effort. And it is not a fertility cliff. In this hol+ conversation, Dr. Taz sits down with double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist Dr. Lucky Sekhon to dismantle one of the most anxiety-producing myths in women’s health: that fertility suddenly collapses at 35. Dr. Lucky explains why fertility is a continuum, not a deadline, and why the panic surrounding age often does more harm than the biology itself. Using clear science and compassionate language, she breaks down the difference between egg quantity and egg quality, why egg quality cannot be directly tested, and what actually changes as women age. This episode explores why fertility struggles are increasing worldwide, even among young women, and how factors like insulin resistance, PCOS, endometriosis, inflammation, environmental toxins, and chronic stress quietly shape reproductive health long before pregnancy becomes a goal. Dr. Taz and Dr. Lucky also reframe painful and irregular periods as vital signs that should never be ignored, explain why many fertility diagnoses remain unclear, and clarify how treatments like IUI and IVF work not because the body is broken, but because human reproduction is naturally inefficient. From fear-based fertility messaging to evidence-based clarity, this conversation offers a grounding reset. If you are trying to get pregnant, thinking about egg freezing, navigating fertility anxiety, or simply want to understand your body better, this episode replaces panic with perspective and urgency with informed choice. Dr. Taz and Dr. Lucky Sekhon discuss: • Why fertility does not suddenly end at 35 • The difference between egg count and egg quality • Why egg quality cannot be directly tested • The real drivers behind declining fertility rates • PCOS, endometriosis, and insulin resistance as fertility blockers • Why painful or irregular periods are red flags • What fertility treatments actually improve and what they cannot • How to approach pregnancy with clarity instead of fear About Dr. Lucky Sekhon Dr. Lucky Sekhon is a double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist, infertility specialist, and OB/GYN based in New York City. She is widely recognized for her compassionate, evidence-based approach to fertility care and her ability to translate complex reproductive science into language women can actually understand. Dr. Lucky is the author of The Lucky Egg: Understanding Your Fertility and How to Get Pregnant Now, a practical and empowering guide designed to help individuals and couples navigate fertility decisions with confidence, clarity, and realism. Her work focuses on demystifying fertility testing, treatment options, and the emotional toll of trying to conceive. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Lucky is a trusted educator across social media and digital platforms, where she helps women move beyond fear-based fertility narratives and make informed choices aligned with their life goals. Order the Book The Lucky Egg: Understanding Your Fertility and How to Get Pregnant Now Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Lucky Sekhon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucky.sekhon Website: https://theluckyegg.com/ Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast:...

Many women hit midlife and feel something they cannot name. They are still doing the right things, eating well, exercising consistently, showing up for everyone, yet life suddenly feels harder and less familiar. Age Like a Girl gives language to this experience and explains why it is not a failure, but a shift happening beneath the surface. This is not a motivation problem. This is not a discipline issue. And it is not “all in your head." In this hol+ conversation, Dr. Taz sits down with New York Times bestselling author and leading voice in women’s health Dr. Mindy Pelz, host of the hit podcast The Resetter Podcast, to explore the core message behind Age Like a Girl: menopause is not a decline, it is a biologically wired reinvention. Instead of treating perimenopause and menopause as a crisis to manage, Dr. Mindy reframes the transition as a neurochemical and cognitive remodel designed to make women more focused, emotionally resilient, and aligned with who they truly are. She breaks down why modern life often clashes with this primal design, and why brain fog, mood shifts, and emotional intensity are not random symptoms, but signals that the brain is asking for a new way of living. This episode explores why women can feel anxious, disconnected, or unlike themselves even when they are “doing everything right,” and how metabolism, stress chemistry, and neurotransmitters shape mood, clarity, and identity. Dr. Taz and Dr. Mindy discuss why many women initiate big life and relationship changes after 40, why community and connection become essential, and why reinvention is not a midlife crisis, but biology. From perimenopause into postmenopause, this conversation reframes aging as an awakening. Not the end of youth, but the return of clarity, boundaries, and self-trust. If you have ever felt dismissed, confused, or afraid that something is wrong with you, this episode offers a validating and hopeful roadmap forward. Dr. Taz and Dr. Mindy Pelz discuss: • The core message of Age Like a Girl and why it reframes menopause • Why the female brain is biologically wired for reinvention after 40 • Brain fog and mood shifts as signals of a cognitive remodel • How modern life clashes with primal biology • Why women often make major life decisions in midlife • The role of neurotransmitters in clarity, calm, and confidence • Why community and deep connection matter more than ever • How to reclaim vitality without another exhausting checklist About Dr. Mindy Pelz Dr. Mindy Pelz is a New York Times bestselling author, visionary educator, and trailblazer in the field of women’s health and hormone science. With over two decades of experience, she’s built a global movement to help women understand the power of their bodies at every stage of life. Her bestselling books, including Fast Like a Girl, The Menopause Reset, and Eat Like a Girl, have helped millions of women use fasting, nutrition, and lifestyle shifts to balance hormones, boost energy, and take back control of their health. Her newest release book, Age Like a Girl, redefines what it means to grow older as a woman.Rooted in the latest science and rich in personal story, the book challenges outdated narratives about menopause and aging offering instead a roadmap for awakening. Dr. Mindy shows women how to use the neurochemical shifts of midlife as a launchpad for purpose, leadership, and bold reinvention. Dr. Mindy’s Resetter Podcast consistently ranks among Apple’s top U.S. science shows, with guests ranging from LeAnn Rimes and Rachel Hollis to Dr. Rangan Chatterjee. Her YouTube channel has surpassed 110 million views, and her teachings have reached hundreds of thousands through workshops, online programs, and live events. Order the book: Age Like a Girl Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Mindy Pelz Instagram:...

What if the real question isn’t just how to live longer, but why so many people are living longer and healthier lives on paper, yet feel depleted, inflamed, disconnected, or cognitively foggy in daily life? In this solo episode, Dr. Taz reframes what longevity really means and why healthy aging has far less to do with chasing more years and far more to do with protecting cellular health, vitality, and resilience across decades. She explains why humans are living longer than ever before, yet not necessarily living better, and how focusing only on disease management or biohacking trends misses the real drivers of aging. You’ll learn why longevity is not defined by a number, but by biological age, health span, and cellular aging, and how inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, gut imbalance, nervous system stress, emotional disconnection, and loss of community quietly accelerate aging long before symptoms become diagnoses. This episode reframes longevity as a full body system, not a supplement stack or a protocol. One that integrates physical health, brain function, emotional regulation, spirituality, and community. When these systems fall out of sync, aging speeds up. When they are supported together, living longer becomes living with clarity, strength, and purpose. Dr. Taz shares: • What longevity actually means and why lifespan and health span are not the same • Why humans are living longer but not necessarily healthier • How cellular aging, inflammation, and metabolic stress drive chronic disease • Why diet quality, gut health, liver function, movement, sleep, and nervous system balance matter more than biohacking • How cognitive reserve, dopamine regulation, and emotional health protect the aging brain • Why community and spirituality are overlooked but essential pillars of healthy aging • Where peptides, hormones, and modern longevity tools fit and where they don’t • How to build a longevity plan that is realistic, accessible, and sustainable Whether you’re thinking about how to live longer, worried about aging faster than you should, or simply want to protect your health span as you move through midlife and beyond, this episode offers a grounded, integrative roadmap. Longevity is not about optimizing harder. It’s about supporting the systems that keep you well, year after year. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) Chapters 00:00 Longevity is not about more years 00:50 Are humans really living longer 01:49 The global aging reality 03:31 Why aging became something to fear 05:17 Aging on a spectrum, not a number 06:07 The hidden disease burden of aging 08:31 Cellular aging explained 09:45 Why biohacking misses the foundation 11:10 The five-body approach to longevity 13:10 Community, emotion, and aging 14:05 Diet, inflammation, and cellular health 16:19 Medications, gut health, and aging 16:49 Fasting, calories, and longevity 18:52 What eating for longevity actually means 19:39 Movement and aging well 21:35 Sleep, repair, and brain health 22:50 Dementia, cognitive reserve, and prevention 24:20 Dopamine, emotion, and brain aging 26:49 Spirituality, community, and vitality 30:05 Peptides, hormones, and future medicine 31:58 A new vision for positive aging 32:48 Longevity is built day by day

Fertility, motherhood, and grief are rarely experienced in isolation. They overlap, compound, and quietly reshape how a woman sees herself, her body, and her future. Many women move through loss while still being expected to function. They carry grief while building families. They navigate pregnancy, postpartum, and fertility decisions while holding careers, relationships, and public identities together. From the outside, it can look composed. Inside, it often feels fragile, confusing, and deeply human. This is not failure. This is not weakness. And it is not something that needs to be fixed. In this hol+ conversation, Dr. Taz sits down with Whitney Port for an honest, grounding conversation about motherhood without the myth, and finding peace after profound loss. Whitney shares what unfolded after The Hills, including the loss of her father, who was also her business partner, and how grief reshaped her identity, marriage, and mental health during a pivotal season of life. Together, they explore the realities that are often softened or skipped entirely. Pregnancy that does not feel joyful. Postpartum that feels disorienting. Breastfeeding struggles that take a real toll on mental health. And the invisible pressure women carry to do motherhood and fertility “the right way.” Whitney also opens up about her fertility journey, including recurrent miscarriage, IVF, surrogacy, and failed transfers. She speaks candidly about the emotional spiral that can happen when you are someone used to achieving goals, but suddenly face something you cannot control. Rather than centering the story on struggle alone, this conversation focuses on what helped her find steadier ground: learning to stop future-spiraling, returning to the present, and holding gratitude alongside grief. This episode is a reminder that healing does not mean bypassing pain. It means allowing space for it, while slowly reconnecting to meaning, relationships, and self-trust. It reframes fertility and motherhood not as tests of worth or discipline, but as deeply relational, emotional, and embodied experiences. Dr. Taz and Whitney Port discuss: • Life after The Hills and the identity shift that followed • Losing a parent and navigating grief while building a family • Motherhood without the myth of constant joy • Pregnancy, postpartum, and mental health honesty • Breastfeeding pressure, pumping, and maternal burnout • Fertility, IVF, surrogacy, and the emotional weight of uncertainty • Why high-achieving women struggle most with loss of control • How to stop future-spiraling and return to the present • Sharing your story publicly while protecting what is sacred About Whitney Port Whitney Port is a television personality, entrepreneur, podcast host, and creative consultant. Known for starring on The Hills and The City, she now uses her platform to speak openly about grief, anxiety, fertility, body image, and modern motherhood, helping women feel less alone in experiences that are often hidden. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Whitney Port: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyeveport TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whitneyport Website: https://whitneyport.com/ Podcast: With Whit Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

What if the fatigue, stubborn weight changes, brain fog, inflammation, or burnout you’re experiencing isn’t a failure of willpower, but a signal that your metabolism is under strain? In this solo episode, Dr. Taz unpacks what metabolic health actually means in the age of GLP-1 medications. She explains why weight loss alone is not the same as healing, and how focusing only on the scale can quietly erode muscle, gut function, hormonal balance, cellular energy, and nervous system resilience. You’ll learn why so many people lose weight but still feel exhausted, inflamed, anxious, or disconnected from their bodies. Dr. Taz breaks down the six core metabolic engines that regulate energy, fat storage, blood sugar, hormones, stress response, and longevity, and why ignoring even one of them can stall long-term health. This episode reframes metabolism as a full body system. One that includes the gut microbiome, hormone signaling, mitochondrial function, liver detoxification, muscle health, and the nervous system. When these systems fall out of sync, weight becomes a symptom, not the root issue. Dr. Taz shares: • Why GLP-1 medications support weight loss but do not repair metabolic dysfunction • How up to 25% of weight lost on GLP-1s can come from muscle, impacting long-term health and longevity • Why the gut is the foundation of metabolic health and how digestion, bile flow, and microbiome balance shape hormones and inflammation • How hormone shifts, especially in midlife, can rapidly disrupt blood sugar, cholesterol, energy, and weight • The role of cellular and mitochondrial health in fatigue, brain fog, and metabolic slowdown • Why liver function is central to detoxification, fat metabolism, and insulin regulation • How stress and nervous system dysregulation can drive cravings, poor sleep, and metabolic instability • How to identify which metabolic engine needs attention first so your plan stays targeted and sustainable Whether you’re currently on a GLP-1, considering one, struggling after coming off, or simply want to build metabolic health that lasts for decades, this episode offers a grounded, integrative roadmap. You don’t need to chase trends or stack solutions. You need to understand the system you’re living in. You may not control every variable that shaped your metabolism, but you can change how it functions moving forward. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Many women describe a pattern they are never able to explain. They eat well, exercise consistently, and follow every recommendation they are given. Yet their weight fluctuates, their mood shifts unpredictably, and their focus disappears for weeks at a time. Anxiety creeps in. Depression settles quietly. Brain fog becomes normal. And eventually, shame takes over. This is not a motivation problem. This is not a discipline issue. And it is not “all in your head.” In this hol+ conversation, Dr. Taz sits down with reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Sarah Oreck to reveal why PCOS is not just a hormonal or reproductive condition, but a whole-body mental health story that has been overlooked for decades. Instead of viewing PCOS through isolated symptoms like irregular cycles, acne, or fertility struggles, Dr. Oreck explains how insulin resistance, inflammation, cortisol dysregulation, and androgen shifts directly affect brain chemistry, cognition, emotional regulation, and stress tolerance. She breaks down why women with PCOS experience significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression, brain fog, and eating disorders, even when routine labs appear normal. This episode explores how blood sugar instability alters neurotransmitter production, why inflammation may be a core driver of mood disorders, and how chronic stress and cortisol overload reshape the nervous system over time. Dr. Taz and Dr. Oreck also examine the role of medical gaslighting, delayed diagnosis, and the psychological toll of being told symptoms are imagined, exaggerated, or self-inflicted. From adolescence through fertility journeys, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause, this conversation reframes PCOS as a condition that affects the brain, gut, metabolism, and nervous system together, not in isolation. It highlights why symptom masking often fails, why talk therapy alone is not enough during hormonal dysregulation, and why true healing requires integrated, compassionate care. You will learn why weight swings are not about willpower, why mood changes often track with insulin and cortisol rather than character, how gut health and microbiome shifts influence cognition, and what it means to become hormone-literate early, for yourself and for your children. Together, Dr. Taz and Dr. Oreck offer a clear, validating roadmap for anyone who has felt dismissed, confused, or trapped in a body that will not respond the way it is supposed to. Dr. Taz and Dr. Sarah Oreck discuss: • Why PCOS has a major mental health component that is rarely addressed • How insulin resistance and blood sugar swings impact mood and cognition • The link between inflammation and anxiety, depression, and brain fog • Why cortisol and chronic stress intensify PCOS symptoms • How medical gaslighting delays diagnosis and fuels shame • Why fertility journeys often uncover long-missed PCOS patterns • The connection between PCOS and eating disorders like bulimia • How gut health and microbiome shifts affect brain function • Why birth control can help some women and worsen symptoms for others • The importance of hormone literacy across the lifespan • How to advocate for yourself when symptoms are dismissed • Why healing requires integrated care, not isolated fixes About Dr. Sarah Oreck Dr. Sarah Oreck is a reproductive psychiatrist and the founder of Mavida Health. She specializes in the intersection of female reproductive hormones and mental health, with a focus on conditions like PCOS, fertility-related mood disorders, pregnancy, and postpartum mental health. Through clinical care, education, and community building, she works to close the gap between psychiatry, endocrinology, and whole-person medicine. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Sarah Oreck Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahoreckmd Website:...

What if the anxiety, burnout, inflammation, or exhaustion you carry didn’t begin with you? In this solo episode, Dr. Taz explores the emerging science behind generational trauma and how stress, fear, and survival patterns can be passed down biologically through mitochondrial DNA, the nervous system, and hormonal pathways. She explains why some people struggle with symptoms that don’t resolve despite doing everything right, and how ancestral trauma may be quietly shaping inflammation, cortisol levels, emotional regulation, and energy production across generations. You will learn how trauma can alter mitochondrial function, disrupt the HPA axis, and create inherited patterns of hypervigilance, anxiety, burnout, and chronic disease. Dr. Taz introduces her five body map framework, physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and community, to help you understand where inherited trauma may be showing up and how healing becomes possible when all layers are addressed. Dr. Taz shares: • How trauma can be transmitted biologically through mitochondrial DNA passed down the maternal line • Why chronic inflammation, insulin resistance, and cortisol dysregulation often appear in families with histories of displacement, silence, or survival stress • The signs of inherited nervous system patterns, including hypervigilance, fear based thinking, emotional suppression, and burnout that starts early • How ancestral trauma affects hormones, energy production, mental health, and emotional regulation • Why family secrets, shame, and silence can destabilize the entire family ecosystem and show up as disease • The five body map approach to screening generational trauma across physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and community layers • Practical ways to begin healing, including nervous system regulation, storytelling, somatic release, mitochondrial support, and restoring safe connection within families Whether you are dealing with unexplained symptoms, chronic stress, emotional patterns that seem bigger than your life experience, or simply want to understand your family’s health history more deeply, this episode offers a new lens on healing. You may inherit biology, but you can change how it is expressed and what gets passed forward. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Postpartum is not just a recovery phase, it is one of the biggest full body transitions a woman will ever go through. In this episode, Dr. Taz breaks down what actually happens in the fourth trimester, from the steep drop in estrogen and progesterone to fluid shifts, tissue dryness, gut slowdown, metabolic changes, and the mental and emotional load that can follow. You will learn why so many women feel unprepared after birth, why the six week bounce back expectation is unrealistic, and how older systems like Chinese medicine and Ayurveda approached postpartum as a sacred 40 to 100 day window of restoration. Dr. Taz shares: • Why postpartum can feel so destabilizing: the hormone crash, nervous system strain, and energy depletion most women are never taught about • The hidden physical shifts after delivery, including swelling and fluid volume changes that can take months to fully regulate • Why skin, hair, and vaginal dryness are common postpartum, and how this can affect libido, confidence, and self perception • How breastfeeding changes hormones, including oxytocin’s calming effect and its relationship with cortisol and mood • Why weight loss varies dramatically postpartum, and how insulin sensitivity, blood sugar history, PCOS, and metabolic factors change the timeline • The gut changes no one talks about: slower motility, constipation, reflux, and why progesterone shifts play a role • The fourth trimester frameworks from Chinese medicine and Ayurveda: rest, warming foods, nourishment, massage, acupuncture, herbs, and community care • A modern 100 day postpartum plan that starts in the third trimester with nutrient optimization, thyroid and blood sugar support, gut health, and a real support circle Whether you are newly postpartum, preparing for birth, or supporting someone in those early months, this episode gives you a clear, practical roadmap to protect energy, reduce depletion, and recover in a way that helps you feel like yourself again. Stay Connected: Connect further to Hol+ at https://holplus.co/- Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on future episodes of hol+. Follow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/ https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/ Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcasts Get your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause Host & Production Team Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)