You know what to eat. You've read the books, bought the vegetables with good intentions. And yet—you inhale lunch at your desk and an hour later you're hungry again, like you never even ate. You cook the "healthy" meal and still feel bloated. The vegetables go bad in the drawer. Meal prep Sunday lasted two weeks before you were back to takeout and feeling like a failure.

So maybe Ozempic is the answer? Everyone's talking about it. The idea of a shot that just turns off the food noise sounds like a miracle when you've tried everything else and nothing sticks.

But here's what most people don't realize: Your body already makes GLP-1—the same hormone those medications mimic. So why isn't it working on its own? Because your satiety signals need the right conditions to function. And if you're rushing through meals, eating while stressed, or reaching for food to soothe difficult emotions, those signals get overridden. You can take the medication, but if your relationship with food stays the same, the results often don't last.

In this episode, Dr. Avanti sits down with Dr. Erika Siegel, a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist with nearly two decades of experience in integrative and functional medicine. She's the author of The Nourish Me Kitchen—a two-volume set combining a functional medicine reference with 300+ whole-foods recipes, inspired by 15 years of listening to what her patients actually struggled with. After all that time in practice, Erika has seen it all: the overwhelm, the confusion, the women who know exactly what they "should" eat but still can't figure out why nothing works.

Together, they explore why your nervous system state changes how your body digests food, what's actually happening with ghrelin, leptin, and GLP-1 (and why rushing through meals short-circuits the whole system), what an integrative physician really thinks about Ozempic—and when it might actually make sense, the simple shift of eating fiber first and why it matters for blood sugar, and why cooking at home isn't just about better ingredients—it's about changing your relationship with food itself.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1. (06:45) Why eating "healthy" foods in a stressed state leaves you bloated and unsatisfied
2. (15:50) How your brain needs 15-20 minutes to register fullness (and what happens when you eat faster)
3. (18:54) The truth about GLP-1: your body already makes it, so why isn't it working?
4. (26:25) The order you eat your meal matters—and it's simpler than you think
5. (33:24) Why deepening your relationship with your food actually helps
6. (48:34) One small shift that can change your entire relationship with food

By the end of this episode, you'll understand that why and how you eat matters just as much as what you eat—and you'll have simple, practical shifts you can start today to help your body's natural satiety signals actually work.

About Dr. Erika Siegel:

Dr. Erika Siegel is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist with nearly two decades of experience in integrative and functional medicine. Known for her whole-person, East-meets-West approach, she blends ancient healing traditions with evidence-based practices. She is the author of The Nourish Me Kitchen, a two-volume set combining a functional medicine reference with a whole-foods cookbook, inspired by over 15 years of patient care. Her work is rooted in the belief that the body holds an innate...

For decades, medical research treated men's bodies as the standard—and women paid the price. Before 1993, women were barely included in clinical trials. Even today, we make up less than forty percent of most studies. So what happened? Women's symptoms—fatigue, pain, mood swings, even signs of a heart attack—got brushed off. Dismissed. Blamed on hormones.

That's finally starting to change. In this episode, Dr. Avanti talks with Meghan Rabbitt, an award-winning health journalist and author of The New Rules of Women's Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age. Meghan spent three years interviewing over one hundred female experts to create this book—a comprehensive guide that feels like the next generation of Our Bodies, Ourselves. It's the kind of book you keep on your shelf and reach for when something feels off.

Together, they talk about why women's health got left behind, how heart disease shows up differently in women, and why women's pain has been taken less seriously for so long. They also get practical—how to prepare for doctor's appointments, how to track your symptoms, and what it really means to become the CEO of your own health. Because your body is always talking to you. And when you learn to listen—and arm yourself with the right information—you become your own best advocate.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. (04:17) Why women were left out of medical research for so long—and what that means for your care today
2. (20:07) How heart attack symptoms look different in women, and why so many get missed
3. (24:51) Why women's pain is often dismissed, and what you can do about it
4. (30:24) How to trust your intuition and take your symptoms seriously
5. (40:20) Simple ways to prepare for doctor's appointments so you get the care you deserve
6. (43:58) A free online tool to assess your breast cancer risk

By the end of this episode, you'll know how to listen to your body, track your symptoms, and walk into any doctor's office prepared to advocate for yourself—because you deserve care that actually sees you.

About Meghan Rabbitt:

Meghan Rabbitt is an award-winning journalist and author of The New Rules of Women's Health: Your Guide to Thriving at Every Age. She specializes in writing about women's health and wellness, and her work has appeared in many national publications, including Women's Health, Oprah Daily, Prevention, Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper, and more. She's known for translating complex medical and scientific topics into clear, actionable information—and for telling stories that help readers better understand their bodies, their health, and themselves.

Connect with Meghan Rabbitt:

1. Website: newrulesofwomenshealth.com
2. Instagram: @meghanrabbitt
3. LinkedIn: Meghan Rabbitt

Only 9% of people achieve their New Year's resolutions—and nearly 80% have given up by the third week of January. In this episode, Dr. Avanti shows you a different path: one that leads to sustainable change, a regulated nervous system, and alignment that feels like coming home to yourself.

In this solo episode, Dr. Avanti shares the powerful reframe that changed how she approaches the new year—and why the "new year, new you" mindset is actually setting most of us up to fail. The problem isn't willpower. It's framing.

Dr. Avanti walks you through three science-backed shifts: from self-improvement to self-alignment, from goals to feelings, and from the calendar to nature's rhythm. She also shares her "highest self" visualization practice and explains why—in an age of AI and wearable trackers—understanding your dosha (your unique mind-body constitution) is more important than ever.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. (00:59) Why resolutions fail—and what to do instead
2. (01:55) The physiology of why "fixing yourself" backfires
3. (07:52) How to visualize and embody your highest self
4. (14:15) Why choosing feelings over goals leads to lasting change
5. (17:03) Why January isn't the time to push harder
6. (22:31) What AI and wearables can't tell you about your health
7. (23:49) How knowing your dosha fills the gap

This episode is your permission slip to release the pressure, honor the season you're in, and enter 2026 from a place of alignment—not lack. Whether you're tired of the resolution cycle or ready for an approach that actually works with your body, Dr. Avanti shows you how to come back to yourself.

Connect with Dr. Avanti:

1. Subscribe, Rate & Review The Healing Catalyst podcast
2. Listen to more episodes on your favorite platform
3. Watch clips and past episodes on YouTube
4. Follow Dr. Avanti on Instagram at @avantikumarsingh
5. Get Dr. Avanti’s Weekly Letter: avantikumarsingh.com/join-my-newsletter
6. Leave a voice message for Dr. Avanti

Resources:

1. Take the free Dosha Data Assessment to get your...

In this powerful and practical episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh sits down with nationally recognized dietitian Maya Feller to unpack how nutrition can be one of the most effective tools for navigating perimenopause and menopause. Together, they break down how food influences hormones, metabolism, mood, hot flashes, and bone density—and what women can do right now to support themselves through these changes.

Maya helps cut through the noise and misinformation around midlife eating, offering a clear, compassionate approach rooted in evidence and culture. She also shares insights on the rising use of GLP-1 medications, how they affect appetite, muscle mass, and micronutrient needs, and why intentional nourishment becomes even more important when using these tools.

You’ll learn what visceral fat really is, why it often increases during midlife, and how food—not restriction—can help reduce it. Dr. Kumar-Singh and Maya explore which foods soothe hot flashes and inflammation, which can worsen symptoms, and why extreme approaches like very high-protein or ultra low-carb diets may backfire in this stage of life.

Throughout the conversation, they highlight the importance of culturally relevant, minimally processed foods as powerful medicine for hormone balance, heart health, and emotional wellbeing. With science, soul, and stories, this episode offers a grounded, trustworthy guide to eating—and living—well through midlife and beyond.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (01:18) Why your usual eating habits stop working in midlife
• (04:23) How hormones shift your metabolism and insulin response
• (08:17) What visceral fat is—and why it matters more than appearance
• (17:21) Foods that ease hot flashes and inflammation (and those that don’t)
• (30:10) Why it’s time to stop chasing skinny and focus on nourishment
• (44:08) Why restrictive diets often fail during perimenopause
• (51:57) How cultural foods can support hormone balance
• (58:51) How GLP-1s affect hunger, nutrients, and muscle

This episode is your compassionate, clear, and science-informed guide to eating well in midlife. Whether you’re managing hormonal changes naturally or with support from medications, Maya Feller shows you how to reconnect with food as medicine, culture, and healing.

About Maya Feller:

Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN is a nationally recognized dietitian and the founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, where she and her team provide inclusive, culturally sensitive nutrition care for a range of conditions including hormone and metabolic health, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, disordered eating, and more. Her patient-centered approach emphasizes anti-bias, culturally humble education to help people make informed, sustainable food choices.

Maya shares her approachable, food-based guidance with millions through her YouTube series, Where Wellbeing Meets Flavor—featuring cooking demos, expert interviews, and Q&As. She also teaches on-demand masterclasses, speaks regularly at events, and serves as a national nutrition expert on Good Morning America.

She is a Healthline Medical Advisor, sits on the advisory boards of SHAPE and Parents, and has been featured in The New York Times, TODAY, Tamron Hall, Well+Good, mindbodygreen, Food Network, Cooking Light, EatingWell, SELF, and more.

Maya is the author of the acclaimed cookbook Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World (Goop...

Are you constantly striving… but still feeling unfulfilled?

Does success come at the cost of your sleep, your health, or your peace?

If you’ve ever found yourself burned out from the hustle—or stuck in a cycle of chasing more while feeling less—you’re not alone. So many of us were taught that our worth is measured by how productive we are. But there’s another way to live. A way to be ambitious without abandoning your health and well-being.

In this episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar Singh is joined by author, executive coach, and leadership trainer, Amina AlTai to unpack the interplay between ambition, health, and personal fulfillment. Amina shares how to find purposeful ambition—the kind that fuels your soul and protects your health. She also breaks down the core beliefs that drive burnout, how to recognize when your nervous system is stuck in overdrive and how to easily regulate it, and what it takes to redefine success on your own terms.

You’ll walk away with practical tools to regulate your inner fire, reconnect with your purpose, and stop sacrificing your body for your goals.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (08:13) Why ambition alone isn’t the problem—and what is
• (11:45) The warning signs that your body is burning out before it shuts down
• (13:19) What “purposeful ambition” looks and feels like (and how to find yours)
• (17:41) How to shift from proving yourself to honoring yourself
• (38:47) Ayurvedic insights for balancing Pitta energy and ambition
• (40:13) How to regulate your nervous system when your inner fire is running too hot
• (43:11) The daily practices that help turn ambition into healing
• (48:52) How to redefine success in a way that sustains your health—not sabotages it

This episode is your guide to transforming ambition from something that depletes you… into a practice that heals and sustains you.

About Amina AITai:

Amina AlTai is an executive coach, leadership trainer, proud immigrant, and chronic illness advocate. She works at the intersection of ambition and well-being, guiding high-performing founders, creatives, and executives toward lives of meaningful impact and sustainable success. She is the bestselling author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living, and a coach to leaders at companies like Google, Meta, Roku, Snap, Outdoor Voices, NYU, and HUGE.

Named one of Success Magazine’s Women of Influence, Amina is also an Entrepreneur Magazine expert-in-residence and a Forbes contributor. Her work has been featured in goop, Well+Good, The New York Times, Yahoo, NBC, Adam Grant’s Next Big Idea Club, and more.

Connect with Amina AITai:

• Instagram: @aminaaltai
• Website: https://www.aminaaltai.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aminaaltai/
• Book: The Ambition Trap

Connect with Dr. Avanti:

• Subscribe, Rate & Review The Healing Catalyst podcast
• Listen to more episodes on your favorite platform

Hormone therapy doesn’t have to be confusing, scary, or controversial.

In this powerful episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh sits down with OB-GYN and menopause expert Dr. Suzanne Gilberg to bring clarity, compassion, and science to one of the most misunderstood topics in women’s health. Together, they unpack the myths born from the Women’s Health Initiative study, reveal what the science really says, and explore how hormones impact everything from brain health to bone strength.

Dr. Gilberg also shares her personal experience with breast cancer and why she ultimately chose to go on hormone therapy — a story that will surprise and empower you.

This episode goes beyond hormones. You’ll hear how lifestyle, sleep, nutrition, and stress interact with HRT; how ancient wisdom like Ayurveda reframes menopause as a sacred transformation rather than a decline; and why curiosity, community, and connection are powerful medicine for this stage of life.

If you’ve ever wondered whether hormone therapy is safe, if you’ve “missed the window,” or how to navigate menopause with clarity and confidence — this conversation is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (03:55) What hormone therapy really is — and why it matters
• (10:54) The truth behind the Women’s Health Initiative study
• (17:04) When to start HRT, who it’s for, and if it’s ever too late
• (21:05) How to weigh real risks and benefits with confidence
• (28:44) The role of lifestyle, gut health, sleep, and stress
• (31:06) How Ayurveda reframes menopause as a sacred transition
• (43:31) Why community and connection are powerful medicine
• (47:41) Dr. Gilberg’s self-care rituals and her message for every woman

This episode blends modern medical science with ancient wisdom to bring clarity, compassion, and confidence to menopause. Discover the truth about hormone therapy, the integrative self-care practices that support it, and the mindset shifts that can turn this transition into a powerful new beginning.

About Dr. Suzanne Gilberg:

A disruptor, healer, educator and fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Suzanne Gilberg earned her medical degree from USC in 1996 and completed her OB/GYN residency at Cedars-Sinai. Board certified in integrative and holistic medicine, she also holds a Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist degree. Dr. Gilberg is Chief Medical Correspondent for The Drew Barrymore Show and author of Menopause Bootcamp. She serves as Chief Clinical Officer at Monarch, transforming women’s healthcare, and co-founded Cedars-Sinai’s Green Committee. Based in Beverly Hills, she’s committed to healing individuals, families, communities, and the planet.

Resources Discussed:

• Monarch MD (telehealth)
• Menopause Bootcamp (book)
• Menopause Bootcamp (course)
• Estrogen Matters (book)

Connect with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg:

• Instagram: @askdrsuzanne
• Website: https://thedrsuzanne.com/ and https://gilberg.monarchmd.com/
• YouTube:

In this practical and empowering episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh sits down with Dr. Jen Ashton—board-certified OB-GYN, nutritionist, obesity-medicine specialist, and four-time Emmy Award-winning journalist—to explore the science of weight management and strength in midlife.

Together, they unpack how shifting hormones, changing metabolism, and lifestyle habits affect women’s health in their 40s, 50s, and beyond—and what truly works to stay strong, energized, and balanced.

Drawing on Dr. Ashton’s medical expertise and her own six-month Wellness Experiment, they discuss how women can combine evidence-based science, smart movement, and self-compassion to thrive through perimenopause and menopause.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (03:17) Why midlife weight gain happens—and how hormones like estrogen, cortisol, and testosterone influence metabolism
• (13:58) How Ayurvedic principles of balance, rhythm, and individuality align with modern science on women’s metabolism and longevity
• (18:58) How to balance strength training, cardio, and recovery to optimize energy and results
• (30:33) How variety and intensity (not restriction) are essential for healthy weight management and long-term vitality
• (43:17) Why adaptability—not perfection—is the foundation for sustainable health
• (47:26) The role of creatine in supporting muscle, metabolism, and brain health—and how to use it safely
• (52:07) Why Dr. Ashton’s one simple wellness tip, to start doing today, is meditation

This episode is your science-backed guide to weight management and strength in midlife—showing how adaptability, balance, and variety can help you feel strong, confident, and fully alive at every stage.

About Dr. Jen Ashton:

Dr. Jennifer Ashton is the founder and President of Ajenda, a multimedia company centered around weight management, women’s health and nutrition. She is the creator of Ajenda’s Wellness Experiment, a daily nutrition, fitness and health program designed specifically for women over 50. One of the only physicians with a national platform who is credentialed in nutrition, obesity medicine and gynecology, Dr. Ashton is the former ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent where she was the first woman and only the third physician to hold this position in the history of the network. A graduate of Columbia College and Columbia Medical School, she is board-certified in Ob-Gyn and Obesity Medicine, is a 4-time Emmy Award winner for her work in medical reporting and has received the Columbia Alfred DuPont Award for Excellence in Journalism and the American Heart Association’s Woman of the Year Award for her work on women’s health advocacy. She serves on the Board of Directors of the American Heart Association and is the author of six books, including the national best-seller, The Self Care Solution.

Connect with Dr. Jen Ashton:

• Instagram: @drjashton / @joinajenda
• Website: https://www.joinajenda.com
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjashton
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jennifer-ashton-354576204/

Connect with Dr. Avanti:

• Subscribe, Rate & Review

In this episode of The Healing Catalyst, Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh welcomes back her good friend and recurring guest, Tara Stiles, founder of Strala Yoga, for a timely and powerful conversation about the health benefits of living softly.

Tara shares wisdom from her upcoming book Living Softly, and explores how the cultural obsession with hustle and constant productivity is not only misguided—but harmful to our health and well-being. Instead, she offers another way: a practice of softness that creates real strength, resilience, and presence.

Together, Tara and Avanti dive into what it means to soften—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and how simple “softness breaks” throughout the day can help us access flow state, regulate the nervous system, and create more meaningful connections in every area of life.

They also explore how, in a world that feels increasingly difficult and disconnected, Living Softly helps us reconnect—not just to ourselves, but to each other. This way of being allows us to show up with compassion, empathy, and presence—qualities that are urgently needed as we navigate the uncertainty and division in our world. It’s a reminder that healing is never just individual—it’s collective. And the more we soften, the more we can support ourselves and each other.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• (07:32) How “Living Softly” can have an expansive impact, mentally, emotionally, and physically
• (12:55) Why hustle culture harms our health and what the science says about its long-term risks
• (23:28) How flow state improves productivity, focus, and emotional well-being—and how softness helps us get there
• (32:18) What “Living Softly” really means—and how it’s different from simply relaxing or doing less
• (33:22) Tips for handling negativity and toxic behaviors and how to employ the practice of softness in our relationships
• (37:51) The ripple effect of nervous system regulation and how softening helps us connect more deeply with others
• (41:55) Practical ways to integrate softness into your daily life—including Tara’s “softness breaks” that you can try today

This episode is your guide to redefining strength through softness—and learning how small, conscious shifts in how you move, breathe, and show up can lead to better health, deeper connection, and more grounded power.

In a world that feels increasingly hard and divided, Living Softly reminds us that healing isn’t just personal—it’s relational. The more we soften, the more we can connect—with ourselves, with others, and with the communities we’re part of. This practice helps us create calm within, so we can become a calming force in the world around us.

(correction: the World Health Organization (WHO) study discussed in this episode was published in 2021; not 2019)

About Tara Stiles:

Tara Stiles is the co-founder of Strala Yoga, best-selling author, and well-being expert. Tara has revolutionized yoga for millions, transforming a practice so often seen as dogmatic, and guru-based, into an everyday movement that supports ease and well-being.

Strala Yoga is practiced in more than 100 countries, thousands of Guides lead Strala classes around the globe every day, and Tara shares yoga with thousands of people on the Strala Yoga app. She has been profiled by The New York Times, Times of India, The Times (UK), and featured in most major national and international magazines.

Connect with Tara Stiles:

• Instagram: @tarastiles
• Website: