Virtual care for women in Ada and Cascade
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Ada and Cascade, MI
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Ada and Cascade?
Ada, Cascade Township and the Forest Hills area fall within the Michigan telehealth practice of Dr. Christine Maren, D.O. She is certified three ways: by the ABFM in family medicine, by the Institute for Functional Medicine as an FMCP-M, and as a Certified Practitioner of The Menopause Society (MSCP). Women east of Grand Rapids see her for perimenopause and menopause, bioidentical HRT when appropriate, autoimmune and thyroid conditions, and gut health.
Along the Thornapple River in Cascade and where it meets the Grand in Ada, Dr. Maren's care reaches you by video instead of a drive into Grand Rapids. It is built for the woman who keeps hearing that her labs are normal while she still does not feel like herself. A standard panel often stops at TSH and a few basics, leaving out the antibody, gut and nutrient testing that can explain what is going on. Dr. Maren's team tests more completely and listens to the whole story. You deserve an explanation, not another normal result.
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 Ada and Cascade?
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 Ada and Cascade 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 Ada and Cascade?
Apply online
Share your symptoms and goals in a brief application. The team confirms you are located in Michigan 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 Ada or wherever you are in Michigan.
Test and personalize
Conventional labs are drawn at a lab on your side of Kent County, and once the results are in, the team reviews them 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 Ada and Cascade and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Michigan does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Ada, Cascade, Cascade Township and Forest Hills, and throughout Kent County, just east of Grand Rapids.
Nearby communities
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Ada and Cascade: FAQs
Does Dr. Maren see women in Forest Hills and Cascade Township?
Yes. Forest Hills, Cascade Township and Ada are all covered, because every visit with Dr. Maren's team takes place by telehealth. Where your address falls between the townships does not matter. You meet by video from home, and conventional labs are drawn at whatever nearby lab suits 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.
Will Dr. Maren coordinate with my Grand Rapids doctors?
Yes. She adds to the care you already have rather than replacing it. Your primary care physician and any specialists stay involved, and the team coordinates with them so findings are shared and plans line up. If a medication another doctor prescribed needs adjusting, that is handled carefully and with their input.
Do I need to be in Michigan during my visits?
Yes. State licensing laws require you to be physically located in Michigan, or in another state where Dr. Maren is licensed (California, Colorado, Illinois and Texas), at the time of each video visit.
Can I see Dr. Maren after menopause, not just during perimenopause?
Yes. Menopause care does not end with your last period. Sleep, libido, weight, mood and energy can all keep shifting afterward, and Dr. Maren treats women through menopause and beyond, with bioidentical hormone therapy when appropriate and attention to strength, metabolic health and the gut.
How do I become a patient in Ada?
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 Ada.
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 Ada 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 Ada and Cascade and across Michigan by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.