Virtual care for women in Okemos and East Lansing
Functional Medicine & Menopause Doctor in Okemos and East Lansing, MI
Who is a functional medicine and menopause doctor serving Okemos and East Lansing?
Okemos sits in Meridian Township beside East Lansing, and women in both communities can see Dr. Christine Maren, D.O., by telehealth. An osteopathic physician, she is board-certified in family medicine through the ABFM, holds the FMCP-M in functional medicine and is MSCP-certified by The Menopause Society. Perimenopause and menopause, HRT when appropriate, Hashimoto's, insulin resistance and gut health are all central to her care.
For years, Dr. Maren's practice has included Michigan women, and some of her care team lives in the state, even though she herself is based in Colorado. In Okemos, East Lansing and the rest of Meridian Township, that means working with a physician who treats menopause, thyroid and gut health together without planning a day around the drive. It also means care that fits every season here, from summer walks along the Red Cedar River to winter evenings that are dark before dinner, when routines for sleep and movement get harder to hold. Video visits, labs close to home, a plan built for real life. Start with the brief online application.
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 Okemos and East Lansing?
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 Okemos and East Lansing 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 Okemos and East Lansing?
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 Okemos or wherever you are in Michigan.
Test and personalize
Conventional labs are drawn locally in the Lansing area, and you then work through the results in detail with the team by video. 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 Okemos and East Lansing and nearby communities
Care is virtual, so where you live in Michigan does not limit your options. Dr. Maren sees women in Okemos, East Lansing and Meridian Township, and throughout Greater Lansing.
Menopause care across Michigan
Helpful reading
Functional medicine and menopause care in Okemos and East Lansing: FAQs
Can women in Okemos and East Lansing get functional medicine care?
Yes. Dr. Christine Maren offers functional medicine for women by telehealth throughout Greater Lansing, including Okemos, East Lansing and Meridian Township. Her care is physician-led and data-driven: advanced testing of hormones, thyroid, gut and metabolic health, combined with prescriptions such as bioidentical HRT or thyroid medication when appropriate.
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.
Dr. Maren is based in Colorado. Can she treat me in Michigan?
Yes. Dr. Maren is licensed to practice medicine in Michigan, as well as in California, Colorado, Illinois and Texas. Because care is virtual, the distance between Colorado and Greater Lansing does not affect your care, as long as you are physically in one of those five states during each visit. Labs are drawn locally.
Can Dr. Maren help with a libido that dropped in perimenopause?
Yes. Lower libido is common in perimenopause and menopause, and it is worth raising rather than quietly accepting. Dr. Maren looks at estrogen, progesterone and testosterone along with thyroid function, sleep and stress, and treatment can include hormone therapy, including testosterone for women, when appropriate.
How do I become a patient in Okemos?
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 Okemos.
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 Okemos 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 Okemos and East Lansing and across Michigan by telehealth. Start with a brief application so we can understand your goals.