In this week’s episode I am joined by Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh!

Joel Warsh is a Board-Certified Pediatrician in Los Angeles,California who specializes in Parenting, Wellness and Integrative Medicine. He grew up in Toronto, Canada and completed degrees in Kinesiology, Psychology and Epidemiology and Community Health before earning his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College.

He completed his Pediatric Medicine training at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) and worked in private practice in Beverly Hills before founding his current practice, Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City, in 2018. Dr. Gator has published research in peer-reviewed journals on topics including childhood injuries, obesity and physical activity.

He has been featured in numerous documentaries, films, summits, podcasts and articles including CBS, Fox, LA Parent, Washington Post, MindBodyGreen, and many others. He is also the founder of the Parenting Masterclass Platform Raising Amazing which can be found at RaisingAmazingPlus.com

Dr. Joel Gator may be best known for his popular Instagram DrJoelGator where he offers weekly parenting and integrative pediatric support.

He is a consultant for high-profile brands in the health and wellness space.

Dr. Gator is married to Sarah Intelligator, an attorney, whose Holistic Divorce and Family Law practice is located in Beverly Hills.

For almost 20 years, she has taught yoga throughout Los Angeles. Dr. Joel was given the nickname, Dr. Gator, by his peers after marrying Sarah Intelligator (yes that is her real last name) and the nickname stuck.

On May 20, 2025, he will be releasing Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Tackling Vaccine Questions with Balance, Data, and Clarity (currently ranked #1 in new releases in vaccines on Amazon). It is the first and only book about vaccines that offers a balanced approach by fostering open dialogue and informed choices for the sake of our children’s health. This is not an “anti-vax” book – it encourages thoughtful discussion free from biases of advocacy or opposition. Vaccines are amongst the most heated topics of debate and discourse and are often subject to censorship. This is why openly discussing vaccines has never been more critical.

Key Points • Vaccine talks reignite curiosity

• RFK's impactful health campaign

• The push for preventive health practices

• Curiosity in science is essential for progress

• Parents increasingly question vaccine safety

• Ingredients in food vastly differ today

 

 

Best Quotes

07:11 - 07:25

• "I think we need to be curious and we need to ask questions. And I do believe, just like you said, COVID really opened up people's minds about vaccines because exactly what you said, like if we have something that can save your life or prevent you from getting sick, that's great."

10:15 - 10:20

• "I'm a doctor, I'm a pediatrician, I'm a great pediatrician. If anyone was gonna know it should be me, and I didn't know most of it." 12:59 - 13:06

• "We really need smart people talking to each other and, and disagreeing and, and, and kind of talking about these, these subjects."

13:40 - 13:48

• "And it's really tough for parents when you have all that information. And it's tough for me because I see that and I'm like, it, it's just, it's really tough, you know?"

20:22 - 20:27

• "But I do think they wanna have a better understanding of what the risks are."