Virtual care for women in Winnetka
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Winnetka, IL
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Winnetka?
Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., cares for women in Winnetka and neighboring Kenilworth through secure video visits. She holds three certifications: board certification in family medicine (ABFM), the Institute for Functional Medicine's FMCP-M and the MSCP from The Menopause Society. She treats perimenopause and menopause, Hashimoto's and other thyroid conditions, autoimmune and inflammatory problems, and gut issues, prescribing bioidentical HRT when it is appropriate for you.
North Shore winters are long, and by February it is easy to chalk up feeling flat, foggy and short on sleep to the season. If those symptoms are still with you when the Green Bay Trail fills back up with spring runners, they deserve a closer look than another shrug. Dr. Maren tests rather than guesses, looking at hormones, thyroid, nutrients and metabolic health together. From Winnetka or Kenilworth, that work starts with a video visit, not a drive down the Edens.
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 Winnetka?
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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka?
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 Winnetka or wherever you are in Illinois.
Test and personalize
Your conventional labs are drawn at a North Shore lab near Winnetka or Kenilworth, and each marker is then walked through with you so nothing is left unexplained. 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 Winnetka and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Illinois does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Winnetka and Kenilworth, and throughout the North Shore.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Winnetka: FAQs
Does Dr. Maren see women in Kenilworth?
Yes. Kenilworth sits right between Winnetka and Wilmette, and care there works exactly the same way: video visits from home, conventional labs at a lab nearby, and a physician-led, all-female team that stays with you as your plan unfolds. Nothing about living in a smaller village limits what is available to you.
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 feel worn down every winter. Is it worth getting tested?
Yes. Fatigue that returns year after year has possible drivers worth checking, including thyroid function, iron and other nutrients, blood sugar, sleep quality and shifting hormones. Dr. Maren's rule is simple: test, don't guess. Once you have real data, your plan targets what is actually going on instead of waiting for spring.
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.
Is there a menopause specialist near Winnetka?
Yes. Dr. Christine Maren holds the MSCP credential from The Menopause Society and is licensed in Illinois, so Winnetka women can see a certified menopause practitioner without leaving the North Shore. Visits happen by telehealth, and when hormone therapy is right for you, she can prescribe bioidentical estrogen, progesterone or testosterone as part of a wider plan.
How do I become a patient in Winnetka?
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 Winnetka.
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 Winnetka 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 Winnetka and across Illinois by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.