Virtual care for women in Encinitas
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Encinitas, CA
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Encinitas?
Encinitas, including Leucadia, Cardiff and Olivenhain, is part of the area Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., serves by telehealth. She is board-certified by the ABFM, IFM-certified in functional medicine (FMCP-M) and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP). That mix lets her treat perimenopause and menopause, prescribe HRT when appropriate, and address thyroid conditions, autoimmune disease and stubborn weight changes.
A dawn surf session, a run along the 101 or a ride through Leucadia is ordinary life in Encinitas, and you may already pay close attention to what you eat and how you move. Dr. Maren's plans rest on five foundational habits: protein-centered whole foods, strength training, low-tox living, quality sleep and a healing mindset. When perimenopause starts chipping away at your sleep, recovery or mood, those habits still matter, but they may not be enough by themselves. Her team adds the rest: real testing, a personalized plan and hormone therapy when it is right for you.
Read how she approaches perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy and thyroid care, or start with Christine's journey.
What does Dr. Maren treat for women in Encinitas?
Hormones, thyroid, gut, metabolism and the immune system all influence one another, so she treats them as one connected picture.
Sleep, mood, hot flashes, cycles and weight, treated as one connected picture.
Bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, prescribed and monitored by a physician.
A full thyroid panel with antibodies, not just TSH, and medication tuned to how you feel.
Testing for SIBO, dysbiosis and infections, then a plan to remove, repair and rebuild.
Insulin resistance, muscle and body composition, with GLP-1 therapy when appropriate.
Irregular cycles, androgen excess and estrogen dominance, traced to the root cause.
Finding the triggers that keep inflammation going, alongside the care you already have.
How is Dr. Maren's care different from a typical visit?
She combines the power to prescribe with the precision of functional medicine, and she looks for the root cause instead of treating one symptom at a time.
| What you get | Dr. Maren | Typical general visit |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Board-certified physician, IFM certified (FMCP-M) and MSCP | Varies, and menopause training is often limited |
| Hormone therapy | Prescribes bioidentical HRT when appropriate | May avoid it or offer one option |
| Testing | Hormones, a full thyroid panel, insulin, nutrients and gut health | Often one hormone level or TSH alone |
| The big picture | Sleep, mood, weight, gut, libido and energy together | Symptoms treated one at a time |
| Time with you | A 90-minute initial case review | Often a brief appointment |
| Follow-up | Regular follow-ups and portal messaging between visits | Often a one-time prescription |
When should women in Encinitas see a hormone or menopause specialist?
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Irregular, heavier or closer-together periods
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Anxiety, irritability or low mood
- Brain fog and forgetfulness
- Weight gain around the middle
- Bloating, reflux or a gut that will not settle
- Exhausted, but told your labs are normal
These symptoms are common, but they are not something you simply have to live with. See the early signs of perimenopause.
How does virtual care work if you live in Encinitas?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in California and that the practice is the right fit.
Talk it through
If it looks like a fit, you will be invited to a complimentary discovery call with the team.
Meet from home
Your 90-minute initial case review and initial nutrition consultation happen by video, from home in Encinitas or wherever you are in California.
Test and personalize
Your conventional labs can be drawn close to Encinitas, and then you and the team go through the results together, one by one. Your step-by-step plan follows, with regular follow-ups and secure portal messaging between visits.
What is Dr. Maren's approach?
Her signature three-pillar approach: address root causes, optimize hormones and build resilience. We don't guess. We test.
Address the root cause
We go deeper to uncover and treat what is driving your symptoms, starting with gut health and its links to the immune system, hormones, metabolism and nutrients.
Optimize hormones
With comprehensive labs and clinical expertise, we dial in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, thyroid medications and innovative therapies like peptides and GLP-1s, when appropriate.
Build resilience
By integrating individualized nutrition, movement, lifestyle and mindset strategies, we help you strengthen your foundation for long-term health, energy and vitality.
Serving Encinitas and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in California does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Encinitas, and throughout North County San Diego.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Encinitas: FAQs
Are Leucadia, Cardiff and Olivenhain part of Dr. Maren's service area?
Yes. Dr. Maren sees women in every part of Encinitas, including Leucadia, Cardiff, Olivenhain and New Encinitas, as well as nearby Carlsbad and Solana Beach. Care happens by video, so your appointments take place at home and you never need to head down the 5 for them.
Can a functional medicine doctor prescribe hormone therapy?
It depends on the doctor's license. Dr. Maren is a board-certified family physician as well as a certified functional medicine practitioner, so she can prescribe bioidentical estrogen, progesterone and testosterone when appropriate, along with thyroid medication and other treatments, and adjust them as your labs and symptoms change.
Does Dr. Maren work with women who prefer a natural approach?
Yes. There is one honest caveat: she does not choose treatments because they are natural or rule them out because they are not. Nutrition, strength training and sleep are always part of the plan. When hormone therapy or another medication is appropriate, she explains the risks and benefits so you can decide together.
Do I need to be in California during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in California, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
I'm 38. Am I too young for perimenopause?
No. Perimenopause can start in the late 30s for some women. Early signs include shorter or heavier cycles, worse PMS, sleep changes and new anxiety. Dr. Maren takes those symptoms seriously and tests hormones, thyroid and metabolic health instead of telling you that you are too young to have them.
How do I become a patient in Encinitas?
Start with the brief online application. If it looks like a good fit, you will get an email inviting you to book a complimentary discovery call with the team. If it is a match, you will be scheduled for a 90-minute initial case review and an initial nutrition consultation, all by video from home in Encinitas.
Do you accept insurance?
We do not contract with insurance, Medicare or Medicaid. This allows us to provide personalized, unhurried care without the limitations of insurance-based models. However, the vast majority of patients use their insurance to cover conventional lab work, and many also use HSA or FSA funds to pay for our services.
Can Dr. Maren be my primary care doctor?
No. The practice functions as a specialty consulting service. You will still need a primary care provider near Encinitas for general medical needs, physical exams and urgent issues like infections or injuries.
Ready to feel like yourself again, only better?
Dr. Maren and her team see women in Encinitas and across California by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.