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

What if your birth control is affecting more than your cycle? In this episode, Dr. Taz breaks down how birth control pills, hormonal IUDs, copper IUDs, and other forms of contraception may influence inflammation, mood, metabolism, nutrient levels, libido, gut health, and fertility over time.

If you’re navigating hormone symptoms, birth control decisions, or long-term reproductive health and want deeper support, join the Circle here:
👉 https://holplus.co/circle

Birth control can affect hormone balance, inflammation, fertility, gut health, mood, and metabolism.
Learn more about related conditions and support here:
Hormone Imbalance: https://holplus.co/conditions/hormone-imbalance/
Fertility Support: https://holplus.co/conditions/fertility-support/
Inflammation: https://holplus.co/conditions/inflammation/

In this episode, Dr. Taz explains the holistic birth control conversation every woman should have before staying on the pill or choosing another contraception option long term. You’ll learn how birth control may affect inflammation markers, nutrient levels, gut health, testosterone, ovarian reserve, and even how you feel and make decisions.

If you’ve been on birth control for years, are considering starting the pill, or are helping a daughter make informed choices, this episode will help you understand what to ask, what to test, and how to support your body.

In this episode, we cover:

• How birth control may affect inflammation
• The difference between hormonal and non-hormonal contraception
• How the pill may influence mood, libido, metabolism, and testosterone
• Why nutrient testing matters before and during birth control
• The connection between birth control, gut health, and ovarian reserve
• What labs to consider before choosing contraception
• How diet, sleep, stress, and holistic support can protect hormone health
• This is not about fear. It’s about choosing wisely, understanding your body, and making birth control decisions with the full picture in mind.

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 Can Birth Control Change Your Brain and Hormones?
02:10 Why Long-Term Birth Control Use Needs a Deeper Look
05:25 Birth Control, Inflammation, and Disease Risk
10:20 IUDs, Gut Health, and the Microbiome Connection
13:45 Types of Birth Control: Pills, Patches, Rings, IUDs, and More
18:30 Birth Control Side Effects: Testosterone, Mood, Libido, and Nutrients
25:20 Non-Hormonal Birth Control and Fertility Awareness
29:40 What to Test Before Choosing Birth Control
36:30 Diet, Sleep, Stress, and Nutrient Support for Hormone Health
44:20 Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and the Holistic Approach to Birth Control

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine offer a different way to understand the body, especially when it comes to chronic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, stress, digestion, anxiety, inflammation, nervous system dysregulation, and unexplained symptoms.

In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with  Dr. Jordan Barber, clinician, educator, published researcher, licensed acupuncturist, and author of Thinking in Chinese Medicine: A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture, Herbs, and Healing, for a grounded conversation about what Chinese medicine actually is, why it has been misunderstood in the West, and how it can help us see chronic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, stress, symptoms, and whole-body health through a more connected lens.

Together, they explore why Chinese medicine is not just acupuncture, herbs, or “energy work,” but a way of thinking. Dr. Barber explains how Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the whole person, including sleep, digestion, emotions, stress, relationships, movement, pain patterns, and the way someone experiences life. He also breaks down how the word qi became simplified into “energy,” why that translation can be misleading, and why Chinese medicine is often more practical, physiological, and science-informed than many people realize.

Dr. Barber shares his own path into Chinese medicine after working in IT, living through 9/11 in New York City, and experiencing chronic health issues that conventional care did not resolve. After trying acupuncture, Chinese herbs, and dietary changes, he saw a major improvement in his recurring sinus issues and began to understand health through a completely different framework.

If you’re listening to this and thinking, “My symptoms feel connected, but no one is helping me connect the dots,” join the Circle here: 👉 https://holplus.co/circle

Chinese medicine is not just about needles. It is about patterns, relationships, the nervous system, circulation, metabolism, pain signals, emotional stress, and the body’s ability to return to balance. In this conversation, Dr. Taz and Dr. Barber discuss why chronic disease is often connected to the mind, why stress can reshape the body, and why patient agency is such a central part of healing.

They also explore how Chinese medicine approaches chronic pain, including biomechanics, inflammation, central sensitization, scar tissue, nerve entrapment, neuromodulation, dry needling, electroacupuncture, and vagus nerve stimulation. Dr. Barber explains how acupuncture may help regulate pain signals and support the body’s ability to shift out of a chronic stress state.

Dr. Taz and Dr. Barber also take a deeper look at pelvic floor dysfunction, a condition that can affect both women and men in ways many people do not recognize. They discuss hidden signs such as urinary leaking, pelvic pain, pain after bowel movements, tailbone pain, hip pain, back pain, erectile dysfunction, painful sex, and symptoms that may be dismissed or misunderstood for years.

This episode also explores why TikTok herbal advice can be risky, why Chinese herbs should be personalized, and why the question “What are the best Chinese herbs?” is often the wrong place to start. Dr. Barber explains why ginger may help one person and aggravate another, why formulas are traditionally customized, and why Chinese medicine has always been rooted in matching the treatment to the person.

If you are navigating chronic pain, pelvic floor symptoms, stress, nervous system dysregulation, digestive issues, unexplained symptoms, or curiosity about acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, this episode offers a grounded, science-informed, and deeply practical way to understand what your body may be trying to communicate.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Chinese Medicine: https://holplus.co/services/chinese-medicine/
Acupuncture: https://holplus.co/services/acupuncture/
Integrative Mental Health: https://holplus.co/services/integrative-mental-health-services-for-emotional-wellbeing/
Arthritis / Chronic Joint Pain: https://holplus.co/conditions/arthritis-chronic-joint-pain/

About The Guest:
Dr. Jordan Barber is a clinician, educator, author, published researcher, and licensed acupuncturist known for explaining Chinese medicine without mysticism or oversimplification. His published work includes research on acupuncture and dry needling in the Journal of Medical Acupuncture. He is a former faculty member in bioscience and acupuncture, serves on the NCCAAOM AI Task Force, and is the author of Thinking in Chinese Medicine: A Patient’s Guide to Acupuncture, Herbs, and Healing. His work focuses on pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, psychosocial medicine, and helping bridge Chinese medicine with modern clinical understanding.

About Dr. Taz:
Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, also known as 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

Connect with Dr. Jordan Barber:
https://www.instagram.com/jbarberlac/

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Pain, Suffering, and Changing Perception
00:19 Meet Dr. Jordan Barber
00:39 Chinese Medicine and the Mind Body Connection
01:21 Dr. Barber’s Research and Background
01:46 Dr. Taz Introduces the Episode
02:07 Dr. Taz’s Personal Connection to Chinese Medicine
02:53 From IT to Acupuncture After 9/11
04:09 How Acupuncture Changed Dr. Barber’s Health
05:28 Dr. Taz’s Healing Journey with Chinese Medicine
06:59 Acupuncturists, Herbalists, and Chinese Medicine Credentials
10:18 How to Choose a Chinese Medicine Practitioner
11:31 What Chinese Medicine Really Is
12:36 Health, Disease, and the Chinese Medicine Model
13:29 Dr. Taz Introduces The Circle
14:14 Is Chinese Medicine an Energetic System?
15:06 Why Chinese Medicine Is Not Just Energy Work
16:31 Acupuncture, fMRI, and Real Physiological Effects
17:36 Why Chinese Medicine Should Not Be Called Alternative
19:07 A Brief History of Chinese Medicine
21:51 How Chinese Medicine Came to the West
23:01 Lineage...

What happens when the womb is treated as separate from the rest of women’s health? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Kemi Doll, double board-certified gynecologic oncologist, equity scientist, researcher, coach, and author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing, for a powerful conversation about womb health, uterine cancer, fibroids, HRT, health equity, and why so many women are still being taught to normalize symptoms that deserve care.

Together, they explore why womb health is not only about pregnancy, fertility, or menopause, but a lifelong part of women’s physical, emotional, hormonal, and whole-body health. Dr. Doll shares how her grandmother’s death in childbirth, her mother’s near-death experience, and her own work as a gynecologic cancer surgeon shaped her mission to bring the uterus back into the center of women’s health.

Dr. Taz and Dr. Doll also discuss why uterine cancer is rising, why Black women are twice as likely to die after a uterine cancer diagnosis, and how gaps in research, screening, and diagnostic tools may leave women of color especially vulnerable. They unpack the role of ultrasound, endometrial thickness, post-menopausal bleeding, and why women need clearer conversations with their providers when something feels off.

This conversation also takes a closer look at the explosion of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, and the questions every woman with a uterus should be asking. Dr. Doll explains why estrogen without proper progesterone protection can increase uterine cancer risk, why some women may not understand the role progesterone plays, and why monitoring the uterus matters when using hormones.

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

Womb health is not just about periods, pregnancy, fibroids, or menopause. It is shaped by hormones, stress, inflammation, medical history, race, research gaps, diagnostic bias, body literacy, emotional suppression, and the way women are taught to silence or normalize pain. In this episode, Dr. Taz and Dr. Doll look at the womb as a vital part of women’s health that deserves attention across every stage of life.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Cancer Support: https://holplus.co/services/cancer-support/
Hormone Imbalance: https://holplus.co/conditions/hormone-imbalance/

Dr. Doll shares why fibroids often begin earlier and become more severe for Black women, why many women are not believed until symptoms become unbearable, and how chronic stress, anger suppression, vitamin D deficiency, and delayed care can all become part of a larger womb health crisis. She also explains why some women may still have options beyond surgery, while others need honest, compassionate conversations about myomectomy, hysterectomy, fertility preservation, and quality of life.

Dr. Taz and Dr. Doll also explore the connection between traditional medicine, Chinese medicine, science, and what Dr. Doll calls “womb suffering.” They discuss why women need better language for their symptoms, why bringing an advocate to medical appointments can help, and why prioritizing your womb in your 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond may change the trajectory of your health.

If you are navigating fibroids, heavy bleeding, endometriosis, pelvic pain, post-menopausal bleeding, HRT, menopause, hysterectomy decisions, fertility concerns, or the feeling that your symptoms have been dismissed, this episode offers validation, education, and a deeper way to understand what your body may be trying to tell you.

About The Guest:
Dr. Kemi Doll is a double board-certified gynecologic oncologist, equity scientist, researcher, coach, speaker, and author dedicated to advancing healing, liberation, and leadership for Black women in medicine and beyond. Her groundbreaking research on racial disparities in endometrial cancer has been funded by the NIH, PCORI, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, BET, and Good Morning America. She is the author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing.

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

Connect with Dr. Kemi Doll:
https://kemidoll.com
https://www.instagram.com/kemidoll/

Get your copy of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Uterine Cancer Is Rising
02:27 Why Dr. Taz Wanted This Conversation
03:32 Dr. Kemi Doll’s Personal Connection to Womb Health
06:04 Why Womb Health Goes Beyond Pregnancy
07:16 Why Medicine Has Missed the Womb
09:05 The Uterus, Menstruation, and Scarless Repair
11:25 Uterine Cancer, Diagnosis, and Delayed Care
12:42 What Doctors Look for on Ultrasound
13:15 Why the Research May Not Protect Black Women
14:26 Why There Is No Standard Uterine Screening
15:19 Why Women Normalize Pain and Heavy Bleeding
18:08 HRT, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Uterine Cancer Risk
20:41 The Womb Health Crisis for Black Women
21:43 Why Fibroids Affect Black Women Differently
24:20 Anger Squelching, Chronic Stress, and Fibroids
25:45 Chinese Medicine, Liver Stagnation, and Estrogen
28:23 Estrogen, Progesterone, and Fibroid Growth
30:15 Vitamin D and Slowing Fibroid Growth
31:25 Medical Options Beyond Surgery
35:06 When Fibroids Become Harder to Treat Holistically
40:08 Why Women’s Pain Gets Dismissed
50:01 How Young Women Can Advocate for Themselves
53:45 Bringing an Advocate to the Doctor
54:00 Prioritizing Womb Health in Your 30s
58:05 Menopause, HRT, and Protecting the Uterus

What happens when your body starts to heal, but your mind is still trapped in survival mode? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Amy Kurtz, certified health coach, patient advocate, speaker, and author "But You Look Fine", for a powerful conversation about chronic illness, Lyme disease, medical gaslighting, nervous system trauma, and what it really means to heal.

Together, they explore Amy’s 20+ year journey through unexplained pain, chronic symptoms, misdiagnosis, and the search for answers that finally led to a diagnosis of late-stage neurological Lyme disease and co-infections. Amy shares what it was like to be told her labs were normal while knowing something was deeply wrong in her body, and how years of invalidation shaped her relationship with her health, her identity, and her trust in herself.

Dr. Taz and Amy also discuss why so many people live in the “gray zone” between sick and well, especially when symptoms are invisible, complex, or hard to explain. They unpack why normal labs do not always mean optimal health, why Lyme disease can be missed for years, and how chronic illness can impact relationships, career, emotional safety, and the nervous system.

This conversation offers a grounded and hopeful look at what happens after illness, when the body may be improving but the mind and nervous system are still bracing for the next crash. Amy introduces her concept of Medical Trauma Brain, or MTB, which describes the anxiety, hypervigilance, fear, and survival patterns that can remain after chronic illness, cancer, stroke, chronic pain, or any major health crisis.

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 only physical. It is shaped by the nervous system, emotional safety, medical experiences, self-trust, community, trauma, hormones, inflammation, and the way the body and mind learn to feel safe again. In this episode, Dr. Taz and Amy look at healing as a whole-person process, especially for people who have been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told “but you look fine.”

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Lyme Disease & Chronic Infections: https://holplus.co/conditions/lyme-disease/
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: https://holplus.co/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

Amy shares why chronic illness can create an “illness after the illness,” why recovery often brings up grief, and why so many patients feel lost once they are expected to simply get back to normal. She explains how Medical Trauma Brain can show up as fear of relapse, obsessive symptom checking, anxiety, hypervigilance, and feeling physically better but emotionally stuck in survival mode.

Dr. Taz and Amy also explore the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, why patients need to feel believed, and how reclaiming agency can become a central part of healing. They discuss practical tools for calming the nervous system, including orienting, CBT-based stress checks, walking, rest, breathwork, meditation, exercise, and learning to pause before reacting to every internal alarm.

If you are navigating chronic illness, Lyme disease, invisible symptoms, medical gaslighting, nervous system dysregulation, fear of getting sick again, or the emotional aftermath of a long health journey, this episode offers language, validation, and practical tools to begin rebuilding trust with your body.

About The Guest:
Amy Kurtz is a certified health coach, patient advocate, speaker, and author dedicated to empowering patients to reclaim agency over their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. She is the author of Kicking Sick and But You Look Fine: Trapped in the Hell Between Sick and Well and How to Break Free. Amy has been featured on Good Morning America, Oprah Daily, The Boston Globe, and Wanderlust, where she was named one of their 35 women under 35 to watch in wellness.

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

Connect with Amy Kurtz:
https://amykurtz.com
https://instagram.com/@_amykurtz

Get your copy of But You Look Fine: Trapped in the Hell Between Sick and Well and How To Break Free

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters

00:00 What Is Medical Trauma Brain?
02:35 When Your Labs Are Normal But You Still Feel Sick
03:27 Amy Kurtz’s Chronic Illness Journey
05:20 The 36th Doctor and the Lyme Diagnosis
07:10 Symptoms That Started in Childhood
09:01 Learning to Live With Discomfort
11:20 Taking Her Health Into Her Own Hands
12:35 Medical Gaslighting and Losing Self-Trust
13:10 Why the Medical System Misses the Gray Zone
14:47 Hypothyroidism, Celiac, and Still Not Feeling Well
15:21 Writing Kicking Sick While Still Searching for Answers
17:06 Why Amy Wrote Her First Book
18:45 The Rise of Chronic Illness
20:34 Trusting Your Inner Intelligence
22:14 Why Lyme Disease Is So Often Missed
24:20 Chronic Lyme, Co-Infections, and Nervous System Symptoms
27:00 Tick Prevention and What Patients Need to Know
29:18 Lyme Testing and Late-Stage Diagnosis
30:15 Treating Barto...

What does it really take to keep intimacy alive after years together? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Caitlin V, sexologist, educator, coach, author, and host of Good Sex, for a candid conversation about sex, connection, hormones, communication, and the relationship patterns that quietly shape long-term intimacy.

Together, they explore why many couples start to feel disconnected over time, especially through the pressures of marriage, parenting, midlife, stress, changing bodies, shifting hormones, and unspoken resentment. Caitlin explains why intimacy is not something couples are simply supposed to “know how to do,” and why learning to talk about sex, desire, needs, and repair can completely change the direction of a relationship.

Dr. Taz and Caitlin also discuss the role of men’s health, testosterone, cortisol, perimenopause, menopause, performance pressure, emotional shutdown, and the invisible load that many women carry. They unpack why both men and women can check out of a relationship, how resentment builds, and why emotional distance is often one of the earliest signs that a couple needs support.

This conversation offers a grounded and hopeful look at how couples can rebuild closeness, not through pressure or blame, but through communication, curiosity, physical connection, appreciation, and a willingness to keep learning each other.

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

Intimacy is not only about sex. It is shaped by hormones, nervous system stress, emotional safety, communication patterns, body changes, desire, identity, and the way partners repair after disconnection. In this episode, Dr. Taz and Caitlin look at intimacy as a vital part of health and partnership, especially during midlife and beyond.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Hormone Balancing: https://holplus.co/services/hormone-balancing/
Menopause & Perimenopause: https://holplus.co/conditions/menopause-perimenopause/
Men’s Health: https://holplus.co/services/mens-health/

Caitlin shares why sex often changes after the early years of a relationship, why many couples wait too long to talk about what is not working, and why resentment can become one of the biggest barriers to desire. She also explains how scheduled intimacy, honest repair conversations, non-sexual touch, and simple practices of appreciation can help couples reconnect before disconnection becomes the norm.

Dr. Taz and Caitlin also explore the pressures men often face around masculinity, performance, sexual confidence, and providing, as well as the ways women can support connection without shrinking themselves or taking on all the emotional labor. The result is a more balanced conversation about how both partners can participate in rebuilding intimacy together.

If you are navigating changes in desire, emotional distance, midlife hormone shifts, stress, resentment, communication breakdowns, or the feeling that your relationship needs more intentional care, this episode offers language, perspective, and practical tools to begin repairing connection.

About The Guest:
Caitlin V is a sexologist, educator, coach, author, and host focused on helping people build greater confidence, connection, and satisfaction in their sex lives. She is the author of Harder, Better, Longer, Stronger: The Science, Skills and Secrets for the Best Sex of Your Life and the host of Good Sex, a television series on HBO Max where she works

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

Connect with Caitlin V
https://caitlinvneal.com/
https://www.instagram.com/Caitlinvictoriousx/
https://www.youtube.com/@CaitlinV

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Why Intimacy Changes in Long-Term Relationships
06:11 Why Modern Relationships Feel More Complicated
10:31 The 2-Year, 4-Year, and 7-Year Relationship Patterns
16:31 Hormones, Midlife, and Relationship Connection
19:25 Men’s Health, Confidence, and Performance Pressure
23:03 Resentment, Distance, and Relationship Warning Signs
29:38 How Couples Can Reconnect and Repair
35:00 Stress, Cortisol, and the Invisible Load
44:25 Moving From Pressure to Connection
55:00 Communication, Desire, and Lasting Intimacy

What if the best workout for your body is not the hardest one, but the one you can actually keep showing up for? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Megan Roup, founder of The Sculpt Society, celebrity trainer, mother, former professional dancer, and creator of a movement method designed to help women build strength, confidence, and consistency without burnout. Together, they explore why so many women feel overwhelmed by midlife fitness advice, especially around strength training, cardio, cortisol, pelvic floor health, menopause, and body composition.

Megan shares why extreme, all-or-nothing workout plans often fail women in real life, especially during midlife when hormones, sleep, stress, family responsibilities, and energy levels are constantly shifting. She explains how shorter, well-programmed workouts can still support muscle, bone density, cardiovascular health, mobility, and emotional well-being.

Dr. Taz and Megan also discuss pelvic floor function, progressive overload, cardio myths, GLP-1 medications, body image, intuitive movement, and why body confidence does not come from being thin. Megan offers a more realistic, joyful, and sustainable way to think about movement as medicine, especially for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, postpartum recovery, and the constant transitions of life.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like fitness became another source of pressure instead of a path back to themselves.

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

Movement is not just about weight loss. It is a hormone story, a nervous system story, a mental health story, and a body confidence story. Dr. Taz and Megan discuss how strength training, mobility, deep core work, cardio, breath, pelvic floor function, and recovery all work together to support women through different life stages.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Menopause & Perimenopause: https://holplus.co/conditions/menopause-perimenopause/
Hormone Balancing: https://holplus.co/services/hormone-balancing/

Megan also explains why cardio still matters, why pelvic floor release is just as important as pelvic floor activation, how progressive overload actually works, and why women should not abandon movement just because they are naturally thin, on a GLP-1 medication, or not trying to lose weight. She also shares how tools like sleep, energy, HRV, and readiness scores can help women choose the right workout for the right day.

Dr. Taz and Megan also discuss body neutrality, intuitive eating, food freedom, postpartum recovery, cycle syncing, and how women can stop using movement as punishment and start using it as medicine. They explore why thinness does not equal confidence, why body image struggles can show up at every stage of life, and why daughters are watching the way women talk about their bodies.

If you struggle with all-or-nothing workouts, midlife weight changes, high cortisol, body image pressure, pelvic floor concerns, menopause fitness confusion, fear of strength training, or feeling like fitness has become one more thing to “get right,” this episode will help you find a more realistic and supportive path forward.

About The Guest:
Megan Roup is the founder of The Sculpt Society, a celebrity trainer, former professional dancer, mother, and entrepreneur. She created The Sculpt Society to make dance cardio, sculpt, strength, mobility, pelvic floor, prenatal, postpartum, and midlife movement more accessible, joyful, and effective for everyday women.

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

Connect with Megan Roup:
https://thesculptsociety.com/
https://www.instagram.com/meganroup/
https://www.instagram.com/thesculptsociety/

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters

00:00 Why Midlife Fitness Needs a Reset
03:34 Fitness Advice for Women in Perimenopause and Menopause
07:23 How to Make Movement Feel Joyful Again
09:48 Listening to Your Body, Cortisol, Sleep, and Energy
11:18 Why Shorter Workouts Can Still Be Effective
15:17 Strength Training, Mobility, Deep Core, and Pelvic Floor Health
21:38 Progressive Overload and Strength Training Without Burnout
25:35 Why Cardio Still Matters for Women Over 40
34:56 Intuitive Eating, Protein, GLP-1s, and Muscle Loss
39:13 Body Confidence, Body Neutrality, and Food Freedom

What if the patterns in your relationships are not just about communication, compatibility, or choosing the wrong person, but subconscious wounds your nervous system learned years ago? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Thais Gibson, PhD, bestselling author, counselor, speaker, attachment theory expert, and founder of The Personal Development School, to explore how attachment styles, childhood conditioning, core wounds, subconscious programming, and nervous system regulation shape the way we love, fight, connect, and pull away.

In this episode, Thais explains why the conscious mind often cannot overpower the subconscious mind, and why so many people keep repeating the same relationship patterns even when they know better. She breaks down the four attachment styles: secure, anxious, dismissive avoidant, and fearful avoidant, and explains how each style can show up in adult relationships, dating, marriage, family dynamics, conflict, ghosting, love bombing, emotional shutdown, clinginess, and the painful push-pull cycle.

Dr. Taz and Thais discuss why affirmations may not be enough to heal deep core wounds, why the subconscious mind responds more to emotion and imagery than language, and how childhood experiences can become the lens through which we interpret adult relationships. Thais also shares a practical 21-day rewiring exercise using memory, emotion, visualization, and repetition to help shift core wounds like abandonment, betrayal, shame, unworthiness, and fear of being trapped.

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

Attachment is not just a relationship story. It is a nervous system story. Dr. Taz and Thais discuss how unresolved attachment wounds can keep people in fight-or-flight, create emotional trigger cycles, increase conflict in relationships, and shape the health of families across generations.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
 Integrative Mental Health Services for Emotional Wellbeing: https://holplus.co/services/mental-health/

Dr. Taz and Thais also discuss why anxious and avoidant partners are often drawn to each other, why secure attachment can feel boring before someone heals, why high-conflict couples can still change when both people are willing to do the work, and why healthy relationships require more than insight. They require rewiring core wounds, understanding your needs, regulating your nervous system, learning healthy communication, and building real boundaries.

If you struggle with relationship anxiety, emotional shutdown, fear of abandonment, fear of betrayal, ghosting, love bombing, conflict, people-pleasing, or repeating the same relationship cycle with different people, this episode will help you understand the deeper pattern and where healing can begin.

About The Guest:
Thais Gibson, PhD, is a bestselling author, counselor, speaker, and one of the leading voices in attachment theory and personal development. She is the founder of Gibson Integrated Attachment Theory and co-founder of The Personal Development School, where she helps people understand and rewire subconscious relationship patterns, attachment wounds, and emotional conditioning.

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

Connect with Thais Gibson:
https://www.personaldevelopmentschool.com/
https://www.youtube.com/@ThePersonalDevelopmentSchool
https://www.instagram.com/thepersonaldevelopmentschool/

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Why affirmations may not heal core wounds
03:35 Thais Gibson’s story and the subconscious mind
08:12 How childhood conditioning shapes adult relationships
10:55 The four attachment styles explained
13:14 Anxious attachment, abandonment, and relationship anxiety
17:55 Dismissive avoidant attachment, ghosting, and emotional shutdown
24:17 Fearful avoidant attachment and the push-pull cycle
29:21 Why certain attachment styles attract each other
35:00 The 5 pillars of rewiring attachment patterns
38:40 Why affirmations do not work

What if your genes are not your destiny, but a set of clues your body has been giving you all along? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Florence Comite, endocrinologist, clinician scientist, longevity expert, and author of Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer, to explore how biomarkers, genetics, hormones, sleep, metabolism, and family history shape the way we age.

In this episode, Dr. Comite explains why longevity is not just about biohacking, supplements, peptides, or the latest wellness trend. Instead, she shares why true healthspan begins with understanding your own body, your own patterns, and your own family story. She explains how changes in blood sugar, fasting insulin, free testosterone, cholesterol risk ratio, sleep quality, muscle, and metabolism can reveal early signs of disease risk long before symptoms fully appear.

Dr. Taz and Dr. Comite discuss why “normal” lab ranges are not always the same as optimal health, why some people begin showing signs of metabolic disease decades earlier than expected, and how family history can act as a powerful roadmap for prevention. They also explore how genetics, lifestyle, hormones, wearables, continuous glucose monitoring, sleep, movement, protein, and personalized medicine may help people change the trajectory of their future health.

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

Longevity is not just a biohacking story. It is a family story. Dr. Taz and Dr. Comite discuss how your parents, grandparents, ethnic background, hormone patterns, metabolic markers, sleep habits, and lifestyle choices can all influence your risk for diabetes, heart disease, dementia, osteoporosis, hormone decline, and accelerated aging.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Longevity & Anti Aging: https://holplus.co/services/longevity-anti-aging/
Brain Boost / Brain Health: https://holplus.co/services/brain-boost/

Dr. Taz and Dr. Comite also discuss why sleep may be one of the most powerful modifiers of genetic destiny, why muscle matters so much as we age, and why personalized medicine requires more than a list of biomarkers. It requires a doctor who can interpret the data, understand your story, and help translate your numbers into real-life action.

If heart disease, diabetes, dementia, hormone imbalance, low energy, weight gain, or accelerated aging runs in your family, this episode will help you understand why your future may not be fixed and how earlier awareness can help you protect your healthspan.

About The Guest:
Dr. Florence Comite is a clinician scientist, endocrinologist, longevity expert, and founder of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Health. She has spent decades studying how biomarkers, genetics, hormones, metabolism, and lifestyle influence aging and chronic disease. She is the author of Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer, where she shares a personalized approach to healthspan, prevention, and precision medicine.

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

Connect with Florence Comite, MD:
https://florencecomite.com/
https://instagram.com/drflorencecomite/

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
 00:00 Sleep, genetics, and the future of aging
 03:11 Why longevity needs a more grounded approach
 04:33 How early signs of aging can appear in children
 06:15 Hormones, midlife changes, and genetic patterns
 08:00 What the longevity conversation is missing
 12:10 The five biomarkers that reveal future risk
 15:24 Why normal labs are not always optimal
 18:04 Fasting insulin, free testosterone, and cholesterol risk
 19:45 Early metabolic signs in children and young adults
 21:27 South Asian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and early disease patterns
 24:03 How medicine should evaluate healthspan
 27:52 Genetic testing, biomarkers, and your health story
 30:23 Why wearables and CGMs can make data actionable
 33:00 How to defy your genetic destiny
 35:39 Why continuous glucose monitoring can be life-changing
 36:46 A 90-year-old improving VO2 max and muscle
 37:24 Meditation, cortisol, magnesium, and sleep
 38:41 The non-negotiables for longevity
 40:54 The seven patterns of aging
 42:54 Sarcopenia, testosterone, and hormone decline
 44:42 Long-term hormone use and aging
 46:05 Peptides, GLP-1s, and regenerative medicine
 48:20 Brain health, APOE4, and dementia risk
 49:29 Invincible and owning your health destiny
 51:03 Longevity is a family story

What if the stress you feel around certain friendships is not just emotional, but something your body is carrying too? In this episode, Dr. Taz sits down with Ericka Sóuter, journalist and author of How to Have a Kid and a Life: A Survival Guide to explore the hidden health impact of toxic friendships, toxic mom groups, social rejection, motherhood, loneliness, and the deep need for real connection.

In this episode, Ericka explains why toxic female friendships can leave women feeling anxious, rejected, drained, and unsure of themselves, and how social rejection can activate the same neural pathways as physical pain. She shares how these dynamics often begin early in girlhood, continue into adulthood, and become even more complicated when motherhood raises the stakes of belonging.

Ericka and Dr. Taz discuss why so many women stay in social groups that do not feel good, often because of proximity, fear of rejection, their children’s friendships, school communities, social pressure, or the emotional cost of leaving. They also explore the different roles that show up inside toxic groups, including the queen bee, flying monkey, emotional arsonist, silent stabilizer, and disruptor.

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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

Friendship is not just a social issue. It is part of your health. Dr. Taz and Ericka discuss how your community body, the relationships and environments you live inside, can influence your stress, mental health, family dynamics, self-worth, and even your physical wellbeing.

Learn more about support related to this conversation:
Pediatric Mental Health: https://holplus.co/services/pediatric-mental-health/
Mental Health: https://holplus.co/services/mental-health

Dr. Taz and Ericka also discuss how mothers can model healthier friendship for their daughters, why girls need to learn what real friendship looks like, and why two trustworthy friends may be more powerful than a large social group that leaves you feeling lonely, anxious, or unseen.

If you’ve ever left a dinner, school event, group chat, mom group, or social gathering feeling smaller, tense, excluded, or emotionally drained, this episode will help you understand why that feeling matters and how to begin choosing connection that actually supports your health.

In this episode, we cover:

•  Why toxic friendships can affect your mental and physical health
•  How social rejection activates the brain like physical pain
•  Why motherhood makes belonging feel even more urgent
•  How toxic mom groups form and why women stay in them
•  The roles of the queen bee, flying monkey, emotional arsonist, stabilizer, and disruptor
•  Why girls learn friendship more from what mothers model than what they say
•  How toxic friendships can affect your home life, family dynamics, and self-worth
•  Why real connection does not require a large friend group
•  How to help daughters navigate exclusion, rejection, and social pressure
•  Why diversifying your social groups can protect you and your children
•  How to recognize when a friendship no longer feels aligned
•  When to use a quiet exit and when to call out harmful behavior

This is not just about friendship drama. It is about understanding how your relationships shape your nervous system, your emotional wellbeing, your family environment, and your ability to feel safe, supported, and whole.

About The Guest:
Ericka Sóuter is a journalist, author, and speaker who writes about motherhood, identity, friendship, and the emotional realities women often face behind the scenes. She is the author of How to Have a Kid and a Life: A Survival Guide, a book based on research and conversations with hundreds of women about the challenges of motherhood, relationships, career, identity, and self-care.

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\

Connect with Ericka Sóuter:
https://www.instagram.com/erickasouter/
https://erickasouter.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickaóuter/

Get your copy of How to Have a Kid and a Life: A Survival Guide:
https://amzn.to/4dmDzRs

Host & Production Team

Host: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

Chapters
00:00 Toxic friendships and social rejection
 03:41 Why women stay in toxic relationships
 06:46 Why rejection feels like physical pain
 10:44 Queen bees, flying monkeys, and emotional arsonists
 14:30 Why toxic behavior has to be called out
 19:36 Why diversifying your social groups matters
 24:17 Community health and the “community body”
 32:53 What toxic stress does to the brain and body
 36:25 How mothers can model healthier friendships
 55:36 Quiet exits vs. calling out harmful beha...

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:

•  Why men’s health is family health
•  How emotional repression can shape addiction, anxiety, depression, and disease patterns
•  Why men often shut down when directly confronted about their feelings
•  How father-son wounds and family expectations influence male identity
•  Why family secrets can quietly shape mental and physical health
•  How shame, silence, and addiction can move through generations
•  Why trust and listening are essential before vulnerability can happen
•  How partners can support men without trying to fix them too quickly
•  When loving boundaries may become necessary in addiction or destructive behavior
•  Why male friendship, community, and trusted cohorts are essential for healing
•  How shared activities can help fathers and sons build connection
•  Why social media may be affecting young men’s mental and emotional development
•  What young men need to learn about humility, curiosity, flexibility, and resilience
•  How Fortunate Sons is creating conversations in schools, families, churches, and communities

This 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 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

Watch Fortunate Sons:
https://fortunate-sons.com/

Watch Fortunate Sons on ...