Years ago, after delivering more than a thousand babies and spending decades immersed in women’s health, I began to notice a troubling pattern: patients were told their labs were “normal,” yet they felt anything but. Fatigue, brain fog, stubborn weight gain, mood changes, and hormonal imbalances were being dismissed as inevitable—or worse, ignored altogether.

That realization became a turning point in my career.

During a conversation I had on the For Embers to Excellence Podcast with host Dave Hollenbach, I shared why true healing requires more than prescriptions—it requires curiosity, precision, and a willingness to look deeper. That philosophy continues to guide my work today.

The Foundation of My Medical Calling

I was born in Chicago, but my upbringing took me across the country before my family eventually settled in Boulder, Colorado. Growing up in an environment that valued wellness, movement, and nature quietly shaped my understanding of health long before I ever put on a white coat.

My calling to medicine emerged early. I always knew I wanted to work with mothers and babies, but at 17, everything became crystal clear when I witnessed a live birth for the first time—that moment—raw, powerful, and profoundly human—cemented my desire to become a physician.

I went on to attend Texas Lutheran University, where I played collegiate softball and learned the discipline, resilience, and teamwork that would later define my medical practice. Medical school followed at the University of Texas in San Antonio, where my goal was simple: help people feel better and live healthier lives.

Practicing Medicine and Asking Better Questions

I began my career in obstetrics and gynecology, a specialty I loved deeply. Over the years, I had the privilege of delivering more than a thousand babies—each one a reminder of the body’s remarkable intelligence and capacity for healing.

But alongside that joy came growing frustration.

Women came to me exhausted, inflamed, hormonally dysregulated, and discouraged. Many had been told they were “fine” because their labs fell within standard reference ranges. Others were offered medications or hormone therapies that addressed symptoms but never the underlying cause.

I began asking questions that conventional medicine wasn’t trained to explore:

• Why are so many women struggling with hormonal imbalance?
• Why does menopause feel like a health crisis instead of a transition?
• Why are inflammation, gut dysfunction, and chronic stress so often overlooked?

The answers weren’t in a prescription pad.

Discovering Integrative Medicine

My search for deeper solutions led me to bioidentical hormones and, ultimately, to integrative medicine—an approach that blends evidence-based science with a whole-body perspective.

For the first time, I saw medicine that connected the dots:

• Hormones influence brain function, metabolism, and immunity
• Gut health drives inflammation, mood, and immune response
• Chronic stress alters cortisol, blood sugar, and hormone signaling
• Inflammation is often the silent root of chronic disease

This wasn’t alternative medicine. It was complete medicine.

Why Root-Cause Care Changes Everything

Transitioning my practice was a deliberate and thoughtful process. I didn’t abandon science—I expanded it.

Today, my work centers on identifying why the body is out of balance. Inflammation plays a central role in nearly every chronic condition I see—from autoimmune disorders and joint pain to fatigue, hormone disruption, and brain fog.

Testing is essential. When we measure inflammatory markers, hormone patterns, nutrient deficiencies, and food sensitivities, we gain clarity. With that clarity, we can create individualized treatment plans that support the body’s natural healing mechanisms.

Through targeted nutrition, stress regulation, lifestyle interventions, and carefully selected supplementation, patients don’t just feel better—they understand their bodies for the first time.

And that understanding is empowering.

Normal Doesn’t Have Side Effects

One of the most meaningful extensions of my work has been writing my book, Normal Doesn’t Have Side Effects. That title reflects a core belief I’ve developed over years of clinical experience: when the body is returned to its natural physiological balance, health improves—without the cascade of side effects so often associated with conventional treatments.

My mission has evolved beyond the exam room. Whether I’m writing, speaking, or sharing conversations, my goal remains the same: to educate, empower, and help people take ownership of their health.

Because informed patients make better decisions and balanced bodies heal more effectively.

An Invitation to Restore Balance

If you’re feeling tired, inflamed, hormonally off, or simply not yourself, I want you to know this: your symptoms are not random, and they are not something you have to accept as “normal.”

They are signals.

Integrative medicine invites us to listen to those signals, uncover their root causes, and restore balance at the most foundational level. When you’re ready to explore what your body is telling you, I invite you to schedule a Discovery Call and start your journey back to clarity, energy, and balance.

Let’s move beyond simply managing symptoms and start restoring your health, balance, and life to its fullest potential.

DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own physician or healthcare provider.