Personalied (Functional) Medicine

One of the most surprising things I’ve learned in my functional medicine training is how important amino acids are for how women feel — especially in midlife.

If you’ve ever felt “off” even when your labs look normal, you’re not imagining it. As part of my personalized functional medicine coursework through one of the top five medical schools in the country, I’ve been diving deep into how neurotransmitters and amino acids impact mood, sleep, energy, cognition, and overall well-being — and it has been eye-opening.

L-theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in green tea leaves. It’s what gives green tea its smooth, slightly sweet taste — and much of its calming effect. When taken as a supplement, L-theanine can cross the blood–brain barrier and directly support neurotransmitters involved in relaxation, mood, attention, and sleep.

One of the best lessons I’ve learned recently: your adrenals need recovery time. You can’t spend more cortisol than you make.

The “Get Up and Go” Hormone (and What Happens When It Goes Wrong)

I’ll be honest. For most of my 16 years in practice, whenever I heard the term “adrenal fatigue,” I nearly rolled my eyes. My training taught me to look for Addison’s disease or Cushing’s syndrome — but anything in between? I dismissed it. Then I started digging into functional and personalized medicine. Suddenly, I realized how much I was missing. Looking at the adrenal glands with fresh eyes has changed how I care for women in perimenopause and beyond.

f you’ve been struggling with stress, anxiety, or poor sleep, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common concerns I hear from women in midlife. Hormone changes, busy lives, and daily pressures can make it feel impossible to find balance.

If you’ve heard about creatine, you might think of it as something teenage boys or competitive bodybuilders take to “get huge.” But let...

At Dragonfly Menopause Care, many of my patients are looking for ways to feel better that don’t involve hormones—or they want to know...

At my menopause-focused clinic, I’m always on the lookout for gentle, effective options that help women feel better. One treatment I’m...