Virtual care for women in Long Grove
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Long Grove, IL
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Long Grove?
Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., works with women in Long Grove, Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods entirely by telehealth. Three credentials back her care: the Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) designation, certification from the Institute for Functional Medicine (FMCP-M), plus family medicine board certification from the ABFM. She treats perimenopause and menopause, thyroid and autoimmune conditions, gut issues including SIBO, and metabolic changes like insulin resistance, prescribing bioidentical hormones when they are appropriate for you.
In Long Grove, Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods, almost everything is a drive, and the Loop sits about 30 miles to the southeast. Seeing a specialist downtown can turn one appointment into most of a day behind the wheel. Dr. Maren's care leaves that part out. She earned her medical degree in Illinois, at the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, and now practices from Colorado, caring for Lake County women by video. The hours you save can go toward the habits that restore energy: real sleep, time outdoors and meals cooked from scratch, which happens to be how Dr. Maren likes to spend hers. Getting started never requires the car.
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 Long Grove?
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 Long Grove 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 Long Grove?
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 Long Grove or wherever you are in Illinois.
Test and personalize
Your blood work is drawn at a lab nearby in Lake County instead of downtown, and afterward each result is explained to you thoroughly. 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 Long Grove and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Illinois does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Long Grove, Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods, and throughout central Lake County.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Long Grove: FAQs
Does Dr. Maren see women in Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods?
Yes. Dr. Maren sees women throughout Kildeer and Hawthorn Woods as well as Long Grove. You meet by video, have labs drawn close to home, and work with a physician-led, all-female team on one plan from your first visit through every follow-up.
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.
Is there a hormone doctor near Long Grove, or do I have to drive into Chicago?
Yes, and you don't have to drive into Chicago. Dr. Maren, a menopause-certified (MSCP) physician licensed in Illinois, sees Long Grove women by telehealth, and conventional labs are drawn at a nearby Lake County lab. Hormone testing, treatment planning and follow-up all happen without a trip toward the city, including bioidentical HRT when it is appropriate.
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.
Will I have to give up carbs or follow a strict diet?
Not as a rule. Dr. Maren's nutrition approach centers on protein and whole foods, not deprivation, and she is happy to say she eats carbs herself. The team's nutritionist builds meals around your labs, your goals and the way you actually cook, so the plan fits your household instead of fighting it. Progress over perfection is the rule.
How do I become a patient in Long Grove?
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 Long Grove.
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 Long Grove 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 Long Grove and across Illinois by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.