Virtual care for women in Elmhurst
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Elmhurst, IL
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Elmhurst?
Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., is a functional medicine and menopause doctor Elmhurst women can see entirely by video. She is a family physician with ABFM board certification and a certified menopause practitioner (MSCP), and she holds functional medicine certification (FMCP-M) from the Institute for Functional Medicine. She treats perimenopause and menopause with bioidentical HRT when it is appropriate, and looks just as closely at thyroid function, gut health, insulin resistance and autoimmune conditions.
Hormone therapy has been debated for decades, you have seen the headlines swing back and forth, and you want a doctor who will look at your history and give you a straight answer. That is a conversation Dr. Maren welcomes. She looks at your personal risk and benefit, tests before she prescribes, and offers bioidentical hormones when they are appropriate, alongside the nutrition, sleep and strength work that help any plan hold. For Elmhurst women, it happens by video, with no Metra ride downtown and no afternoon lost.
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 Elmhurst?
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 Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in Illinois 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 Elmhurst or wherever you are in Illinois.
Test and personalize
Conventional blood work is drawn close to home in DuPage County, and you review the results in detail with the team before any treatment decision is made. 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 Elmhurst and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Illinois does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Elmhurst, and throughout DuPage County.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Elmhurst: FAQs
Is there a doctor near Elmhurst who tests more than a standard physical does?
Yes. Dr. Maren sees Elmhurst women by telehealth, and her testing goes well beyond a basic panel: a detailed hormone picture, a complete thyroid panel with antibodies, stool and SIBO breath testing, metabolic and immune markers, nutrient levels and, when your history suggests it, hidden factors like mold and heavy metals. The point is not more tests. It is finding the actual cause.
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.
I'm 52 and past menopause. Am I past the point where treatment helps?
No. Menopause care does not end when your periods do. Dr. Maren works with women after menopause on sleep, energy, strength, gut health, weight and libido, and she weighs whether hormone therapy makes sense for you based on your history, timing and personal risks. The goal is to feel like yourself again, only better.
Do I need to be in Illinois during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in Illinois, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Michigan and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
How soon will I feel better once I start?
It depends on what is driving your symptoms, and Dr. Maren will not promise a timeline she cannot keep. Some symptoms may ease sooner than others once the cause is addressed, while gut, thyroid and metabolic work often takes longer. The aim is steady progress, with the plan adjusted as your labs and symptoms change.
How do I become a patient in Elmhurst?
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 Elmhurst.
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 Elmhurst 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 Elmhurst and across Illinois by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.