Virtual care for women in Evanston
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Evanston, IL
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Evanston?
Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., is an osteopathic physician who practices functional and menopause medicine by telehealth for women in Evanston. Her credentials include family medicine board certification through the ABFM, IFM certification (FMCP-M) and MSCP certification through The Menopause Society. Hashimoto's, SIBO and IBS, insulin resistance, and the full span of perimenopause and menopause are all within her scope, with bioidentical HRT prescribed when it is appropriate for you.
Evanston sits right where Chicago ends, with the lake on one side, the Purple Line and Metra running through, and a pace that rarely lets up. Dr. Maren's approach suits women who want to understand their own health, not just be handed a prescription. Before anything is prescribed, she lays out the evidence, the risks and the benefits, so the two of you can decide together. You bring the lived experience, and her team brings the clinical expertise. That partnership happens over video, so it fits around work, family and the lakefront run you keep meaning to get back to.
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 Evanston?
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 Evanston 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 Evanston?
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 Evanston or wherever you are in Illinois.
Test and personalize
Conventional labs are drawn at a lab in or near Evanston, and then the team takes the time to explain your results until the numbers make sense. 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 Evanston and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Illinois does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Evanston, and throughout the North Shore, just north of Chicago.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Evanston: FAQs
Is functional medicine just supplements and guesswork?
No. Dr. Maren is a board-certified physician, and her recommendations rest on testing and your history rather than a generic protocol. That testing goes beyond a standard panel: hormones, a full thyroid workup with antibodies, gut testing, metabolic markers and nutrients. Nutrition, sleep and strength work sit alongside prescription treatment when it is appropriate. As she puts it, it is time for actual data.
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 38 and my cycles are changing. Is that too early for perimenopause?
No. Perimenopause most often starts in the 40s, but it can begin in the late 30s, and the first signs are often subtle: shorter or heavier cycles, worse PMS, lighter sleep or new anxiety. Dr. Maren takes those changes seriously rather than telling you to wait, and she tests to rule out thyroid and other causes.
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.
Does Dr. Maren see Evanston women for PCOS, or only for menopause?
She treats PCOS too. Irregular periods, acne, unwanted hair growth, stubborn weight and insulin resistance often travel together, and Dr. Maren tests hormones, androgens and metabolic markers to see the whole pattern. Plans center on nutrition, strength training and blood sugar control, with medication added when it is appropriate for you.
How do I become a patient in Evanston?
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 Evanston.
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 Evanston 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 Evanston and across Illinois by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.