Virtual care for women in Manhattan Beach
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Manhattan Beach, CA
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Manhattan Beach?
Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach women can work with Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., entirely by telehealth. A family physician board-certified through the ABFM, she also completed Institute for Functional Medicine certification (FMCP-M) and earned the MSCP credential from The Menopause Society. Her team's work includes perimenopause and menopause, hormone replacement therapy when it is right for you, weight and insulin resistance, and gut issues such as IBS and reflux.
Midlife in the beach cities rarely slows down: work, kids' weekend tournaments, aging parents and a calendar with no white space. So restless nights, new anxiety and cycles that no longer keep a schedule get blamed on a busy season and pushed to next month. Dr. Maren's team makes it easier to stop postponing. Visits happen by video from home in Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach, your hormone, thyroid and metabolic results are read side by side, and the plan fits the way your week really runs, walks on The Strand included. Getting answers no longer has to wait for a free afternoon.
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 Manhattan Beach?
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 Manhattan Beach 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 Manhattan Beach?
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 Manhattan Beach or wherever you are in California.
Test and personalize
Your conventional blood draw happens at a lab in the South Bay, near home, and the team takes you through what each number means for you. 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 Manhattan Beach and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in California does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, and throughout the South Bay beach cities.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Manhattan Beach: FAQs
Can I see Dr. Maren if I live in Hermosa Beach or Redondo Beach?
Yes. Dr. Maren sees women throughout the South Bay beach cities by telehealth, including Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach itself. Every visit is virtual, so it makes no difference which beach city you call home or how close you live to the 405.
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.
Can Dr. Maren help with perimenopause weight gain?
Yes. Weight that shows up in your 40s, often around the middle and despite the same habits, usually has more than one cause. Dr. Maren looks at hormones, insulin resistance, thyroid function, sleep and muscle mass, then builds a plan around protein, strength training and, when appropriate, medication such as GLP-1 therapy or hormone therapy.
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 active and generally healthy. Is it worth seeing Dr. Maren?
Yes. You do not need to be in crisis to see her. Wanting to feel and function well, not just get by, is a good reason, and catching shifts in hormones, thyroid or blood sugar early can make it easier to stay strong, sleep well and keep doing what you love in the South Bay.
How do I become a patient in Manhattan Beach?
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 Manhattan Beach.
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 Manhattan Beach 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 Manhattan Beach and across California by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.