The Dubai Doctors Podcast

Welcome to the Dubai Doctors Podcast.
In this episode, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by Cheryl Warsama, Consultant Counselling Psychologist, for a candid conversation about relationships, couples therapy and modern dating.
They discuss why couples don't necessarily need to wait until they are in crisis before seeking therapy, how to navigate conflict and different needs for connection and space, and why seemingly small arguments can sometimes reveal deeper relationship patterns.
We then turn to the question so many people are asking: why am I single?
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why couples might benefit from therapy before there is a problem• How couples therapy can help with communication, conflict and accountability• The importance of understanding compatibility, values and expectations before major life decisions• Why conflict is normal in relationships and how couples can learn to resolve it• Connection vs space and how different needs can create rejection cycles• How small everyday irritations can point to deeper relationship patterns• Infidelity, Instagram DMs and what constitutes a betrayal of trust• Phone privacy, passwords and boundaries in modern relationships• Divorce later in life, loneliness and starting again• Why so many people are asking, “Why am I single?”• How dating apps and endless choice may be changing the way we date• The impact of social media, WhatsApp and technology on romantic relationships• Why dating with intention matters• Being consciously single without giving up on finding a relationship• The challenges of dating in Dubai• Why meeting people in real life can still be so important• Where single people might actually meet potential partners• And, of course, the idea of a “single badge” for Dubai’s dating scene!
A fascinating and often very funny conversation about relationships, modern dating, compatibility and what it takes to build a healthy partnership.
Follow the doctors on Instagram:
Dr Natalia Spierings: www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Cheryl Warsama: www.instagram.com/cherylwarsama
 
Featured Links:
Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com
📍 Spierings Medical Group, Dubai Hills

Menopause, HRT & Headaches: Part 2
Welcome to the Dubai Doctors Podcast.
In this episode, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by her father, Dr Egilius Spierings, MD, PhD, visiting consultant neurologist to the Spierings Medical Group and a specialist in headache and migraine.
Continuing their conversation about menopause, hormones and headaches, they discuss hypothyroidism, thyroid treatment and why looking at the patient rather than simply the numbers is so important.
In Part Two, we discuss:
• How hypothyroidism can affect energy, muscles and headaches• Why TSH and free T4 need to be considered together when assessing thyroid function• The difference between a reference range and what is actually appropriate for an individual patient• T4, T3 and the complexities of thyroid hormone treatment• Why fatigue can be an important factor in frequent headaches and migraine• Why doctors should listen carefully to their patients and consider the whole person• The importance of clinical experience and continuing to learn from patients• How medical education and healthcare systems can influence the way medicine is practised• Testosterone as part of HRT and what we currently know about its relationship with headaches• Dr Spierings' approach to headache and his belief that headaches can be a signal of fatigue• His book, Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them
Follow the doctors on Instagram:
Dr Natalia Spierings: www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Dr Egilius Spierings: www.instagram.com/dregiliusspierings
Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com
📍 Spierings Medical Group, Dubai Hills

Menopause, HRT & Headaches: Part 1
Welcome to the Dubai Doctors Podcast.
In this episode, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by her father, Dr Egilius Spierings, MD, PhD, visiting consultant neurologist to the Spierings Medical Group and a specialist in headache and migraine.
With almost 50 years of experience in medicine, Dr Spierings shares his perspective on the relationship between menopause, oestrogen, HRT and headaches, including why hormonal changes can have such a significant impact on migraine.
In Part One, we discuss:
• Why migraine is more common in women• The relationship between oestrogen and headaches• Why some women experience improvement in migraine after menopause• Whether HRT can affect headaches• Why symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and hair loss shouldn't automatically be attributed to menopause• Hypothyroidism and iron deficiency as potential causes of symptoms• Why modern migraine treatments are still underused• Dr Spierings' new book, Headaches: Why You Have Them, What You Can Do About Them
This is Part One of a two-part conversation. Part Two continues next week.
Follow the doctors on Instagram:
Dr Natalia Spierings: www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings 
Dr Egilius Spierings: www.instagram.com/dregiliusspierings
Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com
📍 Spierings Medical Group, Dubai Hills

This week on The Dubai Doctors Podcast, Dr Natalia Spierings sits down with clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist Dr Rebecca to unpack the booming obsession with longevity and biohacking. From IV drips and peptides to red light therapy and endless supplements, they explore whether all this "optimization" is really about living longer — or just looking younger for longer.
Dr Rebecca shares what she sees in clinic: rising anxiety, perfectionism, and a need for control in an uncertain world, and explains why the real science points somewhere much simpler — lower stress, strong relationships, and genuine community.
A candid, thoughtful conversation about aging, control, and what actually makes a long, healthy life.
Listen, subscribe and follow The Dubai Doctors Podcast for weekly conversations with doctors practising in Dubai.
Follow Dr Natalia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Follow Dr Rebecca on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dr.rebecca.steingiesser 
Featured links:Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com

In this episode of The Dubai Doctors Podcast, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by plastic and breast surgeon Dr Matteo Vigo for a candid conversation about modern plastic surgery.
They discuss breast implants, Mia Femtech, PRESERVÉ, post-weight-loss changes including the “Ozempic breast”, breast lifts, body contouring, facelifts and the increasingly popular “deep plane” facelift.
They also explore why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to plastic surgery, why your surgeon’s aesthetic matters, and the importance of choosing the right procedure for your individual anatomy and goals.
A fascinating conversation about trends, techniques, natural-looking results and knowing when to say no.
Listen, subscribe and follow The Dubai Doctors Podcast for weekly conversations with doctors practising in Dubai.
Follow Dr Natalia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Featured links:Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com
Follow Dr Vigo on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drmatteovigo

Many women in their 40s are told they're anxious, burnt out or simply experiencing perimenopause. But for some, there may be another piece of the puzzle.
In Part 2, Dr Natalia Spierings and Consultant Family Medicine Physician Dr Kiren Sahota discuss the overlap between perimenopause and ADHD, why diagnosis takes time, the importance of gut health, hormones and lifestyle, and why a trusted family doctor is often the best place to begin.
They also explore HRT, ADHD assessments, the gut-brain connection and why treating the whole person—not just individual symptoms—is essential.
Follow Dr Natalia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Featured links:Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com

Could your symptoms be perimenopause, ADHD, or both?
In Part 1 of this two-part episode, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by Consultant Family Medicine Physician Dr Kiren Sahota to discuss why many women first experience ADHD symptoms, or receive a diagnosis, during perimenopause.
They explore the relationship between hormones and brain function, why ADHD is so often missed in girls and women, and how many high-performing women spend years masking symptoms before reaching a point where they no longer feel like themselves.
They also discuss executive function, dopamine, diagnosis, and why understanding the whole person is key to providing the right treatment.
Part 2 releases next Wednesday.
Follow Dr Natalia on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Featured links:Spierings Medical Group: https://spieringsmedicalgroup.com

Body Sculpting, Liposuction, GLP-1s & The Reality of Weight Loss Surgery with Dr Hardik Ganatra
This week on The Dubai Doctors Podcast, Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by Dr Hardik Ganatra, a Dubai-based plastic surgeon specialising exclusively in body contouring and body reshaping.
Together, they discuss what happens when the body changes after major weight loss — whether through lifestyle changes, bariatric surgery or GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
They explore:
• Why liposuction is not a weight-loss treatment• How fat cells are permanently removed during liposuction• Why lean patients and bodybuilders may seek body sculpting procedures• The importance of accurate body composition testing with DEXA scans• Why InBody and bioimpedance devices can sometimes give misleading results• Excess skin after significant weight loss• GLP-1 medications, muscle preservation and the future of weight-loss treatments• The role of protein, resistance training and maintaining muscle• Gynaecomastia surgery in male bodybuilders• The ethics of plastic surgery and helping patients achieve realistic goals
Dr Hardik also shares his perspective on why aesthetic procedures should never replace healthy habits — but can sometimes be a powerful catalyst for confidence, wellbeing and positive change.
A fascinating conversation about medicine, fitness, body composition and making informed choices.
Listen, subscribe and follow The Dubai Doctors Podcast for weekly conversations with doctors practising in Dubai.

Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by Dr Alia Issa for Part 2 of our two-part conversation to discuss the treatments everyone is talking about and whether travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures is worth it. From the popularity of Korean skincare and aesthetic treatments to social media trends, skin quality and evidence-based medicine, they discuss how to separate good medicine from good marketing.
 
This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation.
Follow Dr Natalia: www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Follow Dr Alia Issa: www.instagram.com/draliaissa

Dr Natalia Spierings is joined by Dr Alia Issa for Part 2 of our two-part conversation to discuss the treatments everyone is talking about and whether travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures is worth it. From the popularity of Korean skincare and aesthetic treatments to social media trends, skin quality and evidence-based medicine, they discuss how to separate good medicine from good marketing.
 
This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation.
Follow Dr Natalia: www.instagram.com/drnataliaspierings
Follow Dr Alia Issa: www.instagram.com/draliaissa