The Shift with Sonia Azad

Sonia Azad
  • 5.0 (12)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Sonia Azad is a two-time Emmy award-winning Health & Wellness journalist and yoga & meditation instructor based in the U.S. These podcast episodes should be considered conversation starters between Sonia and experts, physicians and real people. Her long-format, television interview style discussions explore major shifts in life and healthy ways to navigate them.

  1. Fertility Preservation Explained: Egg Freezing vs Embryos (What to Know)

    APR 23

    Fertility Preservation Explained: Egg Freezing vs Embryos (What to Know)

    Fertility preservation is changing how we think about family planning.  In this episode, Sonia Azad sits down with fertility specialist Dr. Katie Doody to explore the evolving world of reproductive health and the options available today. We break down egg freezing vs embryo freezing— what it means, how it works, and what to consider. You'll learn: • The difference between egg freezing and embryo freezing • How age impacts fertility and outcomes • What the process actually looks like (timeline, injections, retrieval) • Common myths about fertility preservation • How technology is changing success rates • What to consider when planning for your future family Subscribe for more conversations on health, wellness, and life transitions. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Meet Dr. Katie Doody 02:30 Fertility vs Infertility (Why language matters) 04:00 Who seeks fertility treatment today? 06:00 Age, health, and fertility factors 09:20 How fertility technology has evolved 11:50 Egg Freezing vs Embryo Freezing 14:20 What the egg freezing process is really like 17:30 How many eggs do you actually need? 20:00 Success rates explained 21:30 Choosing between eggs vs embryos 24:00 GLP-1s, weight, and fertility 28:00 Future of fertility technology 30:00 Common myths about egg freezing 32:00 Different paths to building a family 34:00 Final thoughts Key Takeaways: Fertility preservation is not a guarantee, but it increases options Egg freezing and embryo freezing follow the same initial process Age impacts egg quality more than quantity You don't need a partner to start planning your future family Technology is improving success rates, but expectations matter There are multiple paths to building a family

    36 min
  2. What Every Woman Should Know About Fertility in Her 20s, 30s & 40s

    APR 21

    What Every Woman Should Know About Fertility in Her 20s, 30s & 40s

    Fertility is one of the most misunderstood areas of women's health, and most people don't realize how early planning actually matters. In this episode of The Shift podcast, Sonia Azad sits down with reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist Dr. Kimberly Yau to break down everything you need to know about fertility, egg freezing, IVF, AMH testing, PCOS, irregular periods, and how age impacts reproductive health. You'll learn: • When to see a fertility specialist • What AMH actually means (and what it doesn't) • The truth about egg freezing success rates • Fertility in your 20s, 30s, and 40s • IVF, embryos, and reproductive technology advances • Male factor infertility and sperm health • Fertility preservation for medical reasons (like cancer treatment) This conversation is designed to give you clarity so you can make informed decisions about your reproductive future. 📌 Subscribe for more conversations on health, wellness, and navigating life transitions.   CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Meet Dr. Kimberly Yao — her 15-year journey to fertility medicine 02:30 The state of women's health today 03:00 Who sees a fertility specialist — and why 04:30 Sonia's personal experience freezing her eggs at 35 05:15 When is the right time to see a fertility specialist? 06:30 Fertility by decade: your 20s 07:45 How to find the right fertility clinic (look for SART) 08:45 Fertility by decade: your 30s 09:45 Why egg quality declines — the science explained 11:15 What AMH is and what it actually tells you 13:30 AMH ranges and what they mean 14:15 Fertility by decade: your 40s 15:30 What "60% abnormal eggs" actually means 16:30 Aneuploidy, chromosomes, and miscarriage risk explained 17:30 Fertility in your 50s — and the role of frozen eggs 18:45 How much does the male partner contribute? 19:45 What causes male factor infertility? 20:15 What a male fertility workup looks like 21:00 How much has egg freezing technology changed in 10 years? 22:00 Vitrification — the flash-freezing breakthrough 23:00 The most common questions Dr. Yao gets asked 24:10 The full fertility workup: what to expect 25:30 Tracking ovulation and irregular periods 27:00 When irregular periods become a red flag 28:00 Fertility preservation before chemotherapy 29:30 Cancer, fertility access, and insurance coverage 30:45 Sperm freezing — an undertalked option 31:00 Is there anything you can do to naturally preserve fertility? 32:00 Dr. Yao's message to anyone who's been putting this off 33:00 You can still get pregnant with one ovary or one fallopian tube 33:40 How to connect with Care Fertility 34:10 Closing thoughts   KEY TAKEAWAYS: You don't need a fertility problem to see a fertility specialist The best time to go is before you need to Age 35 is when egg quality begins an exponential decline; the ideal time to freeze eggs is before that AMH tells you how many eggs you have remaining, but it does not predict your future fertility Up to 50% of infertility cases involve a male factor; it is never just a "woman's issue" Vitrification (flash freezing) has dramatically improved egg survival rates after thawing Freezing your eggs is not a guarantee, but it expands your options If your period has been irregular for 3 or more months in a row, get evaluated Cancer patients should ask about fertility preservation before starting treatment — coverage is expanding in many states You can still conceive naturally with one ovary or one fallopian tube Knowledge is the first step — being pre-contemplative puts you ahead

    35 min
  3. Health Tourism & Hair Transplants in Turkey

    09/20/2025

    Health Tourism & Hair Transplants in Turkey

    Would you get a hair transplant in Turkey? Istanbul is now among global leaders in health tourism. In this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad, we explore the reasons behind the popular shift toward medical care outside of the U.S. through the experience of Minnesota native Devin Buckley (yes, from Love is Blind Season 8). Devin is documenting his hair transplant journey with Vera Clinic. Related Links:  https://www.sonia-azad.com/blog/medic... https://www.veraclinic.net   Show Notes: You can follow Devin's journey on his social channels (@DevBuck3) IG (@DevBuck03) TikTok

    36 min
  4. Cold Therapy and Testosterone

    03/26/2025

    Cold Therapy and Testosterone

    Whether you're into ice baths or cold plunge, cold therapy is having a moment! If you're curious but not sure of the benefits, this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad addresses those questions. Sonia chats with Thomas Seager, PhD, Associate Professor for Arizona State University's School of Sustainable Engineering. The CEO of Morozko Forge candidly shares the reasons behind his personal shift toward wellness and his research related to cold therapy. He distinguishes the difference between ice baths and cold plunges and discusses new data around how cold therapy can be used to increase testosterone levels. Dr. Seager will highlight findings at CryoCon in Dallas April 3-5.   Related Links:  https://cryoconvention.com https://www.morozkoforge.com

    35 min
  5. BrainTap with Dr. Patrick Porter

    03/19/2025

    BrainTap with Dr. Patrick Porter

    How long does it take to create a new habit? Is it possible to rewire your brain at any age? How can I get a full, restful night's sleep without my mind keeping me wide awake? In this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad, we chat with Dr. Patrick Porter, founder of BrainTap Technologies. His mission is to better a billion brains around the world... and the company is well on its way! Learn how this science-driven technology can hack your brain into focusing, thinking and sleeping better.   Dr. Porter will be speaking at CryoCon in Dallas, Texas on April 3-5! Related Links: https://cryoconvention.com https://braintap.com/?afmc=4y9&utm_ca...

    26 min
  6. Dave Asprey: Father of Biohacking

    03/12/2025

    Dave Asprey: Father of Biohacking

    What is biohacking? It's a term you're seeing all over the Internet these days. How does biohacking help you to be healthier and live longer? In this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad, we chat with the Father of Biohacking (yes, the man who invented the definition), Dave Asprey. The entrepreneur, 4x NY Times bestselling author and founder of Bulletproof Coffee shares more about his new book, Heavily Meditated, plus upcoming conferences in Texas where you can hear more about the latest in longevity research. Related Links: https://cryoconvention.com https://daveasprey.com

    28 min
  7. Athletic Recovery with Griff Long

    03/06/2025

    Athletic Recovery with Griff Long

    In this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad, we explore the essential landscape of recovery for those looking to up their fitness and longevity game. A world class athlete, and President of Upgrade Labs, Griff Long shares more about: biohacking at Upgrade Labs, how data and wearable tech have helped him to embrace recovery days and his plans to speak at the upcoming CryoCon Convention in Dallas April 3-5.  Related Links: https://upgradelabs.com https://cryoconvention.com

    28 min
  8. 55 Years of Jazzercise

    01/09/2025

    55 Years of Jazzercise

    In this episode of The Shift with Sonia Azad, we examine the shift in women's fitness with Jazzercise CEO Shanna Missett Nelson. Shanna's mom, Judi Sheppard-Missett started Jazzercise 55 years ago and still teaches today. We discuss how they've shifted to maintain a relevant and growing brand through the decades, plus why Jazzercise is such a popular and effective form of exercise for women of all ages and stages of life.  Jazzercise classes emphasize these key components:  Getting up and down off the floor; HIIT training for cardiovascular health and nervous system resilience;  Multi-directional jump training for bone density; and  Strength training

    23 min
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About

Sonia Azad is a two-time Emmy award-winning Health & Wellness journalist and yoga & meditation instructor based in the U.S. These podcast episodes should be considered conversation starters between Sonia and experts, physicians and real people. Her long-format, television interview style discussions explore major shifts in life and healthy ways to navigate them.

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