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

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/circleWomb 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/aboutStay 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/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsConnect with Dr. Kemi Doll:https://kemidoll.comhttps://www.instagram.com/kemidoll/Get your copy of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to HealingHost & Production TeamHost: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)Chapters00:00 Uterine Cancer Is Rising02:27 Why Dr. Taz Wanted This Conversation03:32 Dr. Kemi Doll’s Personal Connection to Womb Health06:04 Why Womb Health Goes Beyond Pregnancy07:16 Why Medicine Has Missed the Womb09:05 The Uterus, Menstruation, and Scarless Repair11:25 Uterine Cancer, Diagnosis, and Delayed Care12:42 What Doctors Look for on Ultrasound13:15 Why the Research May Not Protect Black Women14:26 Why There Is No Standard Uterine Screening15:19 Why Women Normalize Pain and Heavy Bleeding18:08 HRT, Estrogen, Progesterone, and Uterine Cancer Risk20:41 The Womb Health Crisis for Black Women21:43 Why Fibroids Affect Black Women Differently24:20 Anger Squelching, Chronic Stress, and Fibroids25:45 Chinese Medicine, Liver Stagnation, and Estrogen28:23 Estrogen, Progesterone, and Fibroid Growth30:15 Vitamin D and Slowing Fibroid Growth31:25 Medical Options Beyond Surgery35:06 When Fibroids Become Harder to Treat Holistically40:08 Why Women’s Pain Gets Dismissed50:01 How Young Women Can Advocate for Themselves53:45 Bringing an Advocate to the Doctor54:00 Prioritizing Womb Health in Your 30s58:05 Menopause, HRT, and Protecting the Uterus

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: Why OCD often goes undiagnosed for 11 to 17 years How reassurance and family accommodation make OCD worse The obsession-compulsion cycle and why it gets reinforced Why talk therapy alone often fails OCD What ERP actually does to retrain the brain How Internal Family Systems supports compassion and healing The role of uncertainty intolerance in OCD How OCD affects families, partners, and intimacy Neuroinflammation, PANS, PANDAS, hormones, and symptom flares Why intrusive thoughts do not define who you areAbout 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.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissamosemftFollow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsGet your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and MenopauseHost & Production TeamHost: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

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 checklistAbout Dr. Mindy PelzDr. 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 PelzInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.mindypelz/Website: https://drmindypelz.com/ Podcast: The Resetter PodcastFollow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsGet your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and MenopauseHost & Production TeamHost: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)

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 sacredAbout Whitney PortWhitney 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/whitneyeveportTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@whitneyportWebsite: https://whitneyport.com/Podcast: With WhitFollow Dr. Taz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribeSubscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrTazMD/podcastsGet your copy of The Hormone Shift: Balance Your Body and Thrive Through Midlife and MenopauseHost & Production TeamHost: Dr. Taz; Produced by ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek) (00:00) - Grief after dad’s diagnosis and loss (00:30) - Dr. Taz introduces Whitney Port (01:30) - Pregnancy was not “the best time” (02:00) - Fertility pressure, self-blame, finding the right team (02:30) - Dr. Taz fan-girl moment and why Whitney’s story matters (04:30) - Reality TV then vs now (06:30) - Who Whitney is beyond the show (08:00) - Losing control of your narrative (editing + portrayal) (10:15) - The gifts of the show and creative platform (11:30) - Dad’s illness, grief, identity shift (13:30) - “I Love My Baby, But…” and being vulnerable on YouTube (16:00) - Marriage, grief fog, and coping (18:00) - Breastfeeding, pumping, mastitis, mental health (21:00) - What we’re not telling new moms (trust + noise) (23:00) - Body image, female bodies, and acceptance (27:30) - Fertility journey begins: miscarriage cycle (29:30) - Surrogacy conversation and failed transfers (32:00) - Age, hope, and continuing the journey (33:30) - Shame, grief, staying sane, gratitude shift (37:30) - Finding the right doctor and the lab factor (42:30) - Preparing physically and emotionally this time (44:00) - Privacy boundaries in public life (46:00) - Advice: purpose, staying in your lane (50:30) - Businesses, creative consulting, entrepreneurship (56:30) - What makes you hol + where to follow