Virtual care for women in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, IL
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Glen Ellyn and Wheaton?
Glen Ellyn and Wheaton are both within reach of Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., who cares for women by telehealth. Her qualifications include ABFM board certification in family medicine, the FMCP-M credential earned through the Institute for Functional Medicine, and the MSCP, which comes from The Menopause Society. She treats perimenopause and menopause, insulin resistance and body composition changes, thyroid and autoimmune conditions, and gut issues such as bloating and SIBO, with hormone therapy if and when it is right for you.
The Illinois Prairie Path runs right through Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, and on a good morning it fills with runners, cyclists and walkers. If you are one of them and your times have slipped, your recovery drags or your legs feel heavy for no clear reason, that is worth paying attention to. Midlife hormone shifts, thyroid changes, low iron and poor sleep can all chip away at strength and stamina. Building resilience is one of Dr. Maren's three pillars, and here it means testing first, then a plan built around muscle, protein, sleep and hormones. It begins with a video visit from home.
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 Glen Ellyn and Wheaton?
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 Glen Ellyn and Wheaton 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 Glen Ellyn and Wheaton?
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 Glen Ellyn or wherever you are in Illinois.
Test and personalize
Conventional labs can be drawn at a lab in central DuPage County, close to home, with every result then reviewed with you in detail. 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 Glen Ellyn and Wheaton and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Illinois does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton, and throughout central DuPage County.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton: FAQs
Is there a menopause doctor near Wheaton?
Yes. Dr. Christine Maren, MSCP, sees women in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and the rest of DuPage County by telehealth. She treats the full arc of the transition, from early perimenopause through the years after menopause, and prescribes bioidentical hormones when they are appropriate, after testing and a careful look at your personal risks and benefits.
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 bike and run the Prairie Path, but my recovery has fallen off. Could it be hormonal?
Yes, it could be. Shifting estrogen and progesterone can affect sleep, muscle repair and energy, and thyroid function, iron status and blood sugar can do the same. Dr. Maren checks all of it first, then builds a plan around protein, strength training, sleep and, when appropriate, hormone therapy, so your training has something solid underneath it.
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.
What if hormone therapy isn't an option for me?
You still have real options. Dr. Maren works on the drivers she can change without hormones: sleep, blood sugar, gut health, nutrient levels, stress and strength, and she uses other prescriptions when they are appropriate. Hormones are one tool, not the whole plan, and every choice is made with you, weighing risk against benefit.
How do I become a patient in Glen Ellyn?
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 Glen Ellyn.
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 Glen Ellyn 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 Glen Ellyn and Wheaton and across Illinois by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.