Dr. Christine Maren

Dr. Christine Maren Functional Medicine & Menopause Medicine Certified Physician. I help women rediscover their health & happiness through a comprehensive, root-cause approach.
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Expert on Gut-Hormone-Immune connection. Dr. Christine Maren is a Functional Medicine physician and the founder of a high-tech, innovative medical practice serving patients in Colorado, Michigan and Texas. She is uniquely trained in the Functional Medicine model to identify and treat the root causes of chronic disease. Her approach to patient care is individualized and personalized, with an emphas

is on the ways our environment, food and lifestyle choices interact with our genes. She utilizes advanced lab testing to search for a root cause, and seeks the most gentle way to treat the underlying causes of disease. Dr. Maren is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP). She is a compassionate clinician, speaker and wellness advocate. She is married to a surgeon and together they balance rearwarding careers with raising two beautiful children. Learn more at www.drchristinemaren.com.

Last night at the Colorado Functional Forum, I heard a simple but powerful analogy from .christophershade about mercury ...
04/23/2026

Last night at the Colorado Functional Forum, I heard a simple but powerful analogy from .christophershade about mercury toxicity:

“Something that doesn’t belong was inside of them.”

And I haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Because this is the foundation of how the body works. Every system is built around the concept of self vs. non-self, including your immune system, your gut lining, your skin, and your blood-brain barrier, all designed to let the right things in and keep the wrong things out.

It also brought me back to something I heard recently at event in Denver, where he described these systems as not only protective, but discerning—designed to keep in what is nourishing and loving to us, and keep out what is harmful.

And this is where things get interesting, because this same principle that applies to the gut and immune system applies to the nervous system.

Yet so many of us were taught from a young age to override our instincts, tolerate what doesn’t feel good, push past the pain, and disconnect from our true nature.

So whether we’re talking about mercury toxicity or toxic relationships, it comes back to barriers.

We have physical barriers, and we have emotional ones. We call those boundaries.

When these barriers are crossed, or when you’re living out of alignment with yourself, that’s when things start to break down, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too.

Symptoms are often a signal that something isn’t right—something that doesn’t belong is inside, or something that does belong is being suppressed.

Healing isn’t not just about removing toxins, it’s about restoring integrity and coming back into alignment with yourself.

May we all get a little bit closer to our authentic and wild nature today. 🐍🦅👑

Thank you to and for hosting such a thoughtful conversation.💜

04/21/2026

One of the most common patterns I see is women who are doing everything they’ve been told when it comes to weight loss…

📉 Eat less
🏃🏻‍♀️ Work out more
🥗 Cut carbs

And despite their hard work, nothing is changing 😫

Your metabolism is adapting to the signals it’s receiving. And when it hears SCARCITY, it slows down.

When we change those signals, things start to shift.

That often looks like:
• Eating enough, consistently
• Prioritizing protein and fiber
• Pulling back on excess dietary fat
• Stabilizing blood sugar throughout the day
• Building muscle through strength training
• Supporting sleep instead of overriding it

And here’s the kicker: you also need to address what’s underneath! Hormones, thyroid function, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, gut health all play important roles in metabolism.

Your body isn’t working against you, it’s trying to PROTECT you.

Save this and share it with someone who’s been told to just eat less and try harder 💜

For many women, the strategy has been to eat less, do more cardio, and try to lose weight that way.The problem is that t...
04/17/2026

For many women, the strategy has been to eat less, do more cardio, and try to lose weight that way.

The problem is that this approach often stops working in midlife.

Losing weight in your 40s is very different than it was in your 20s or 30s. Getting on the treadmill and doing cardio isn’t going to get us very far, and depriving ourselves of food isn’t going to work either.

The real goal is body recomposition 💪🏼

That means building more muscle and losing fat, rather than focusing on weight alone.

Muscle is metabolically active tissue. It plays a major role in creating and protecting a robust metabolism.

It also supports blood sugar regulation and helps protect bone density, which becomes increasingly important as we get older.

This is one of the reasons I’m such a strong advocate for strength training in midlife.

It changes the conversation from simply getting smaller to building a body that is stronger, more resilient, and easier to maintain over time.

And it changes the way we measure progress 🙌🏻

This is not about perfection. Sustainable change comes from consistency, not extremes.

If you get off track, correct and continue.

Save this as a reminder that the goal is not just weight loss. It’s better body composition, better metabolic health, and a stronger foundation for the years ahead!

04/16/2026

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned—both as a physician and as a patient—is that self-compassion is essential for healing.

You can’t shame yourself into change.

The patients who heal fastest are the ones who practice self-kindness, curiosity, and patience with themselves.

Start with mindset, then build from there.

If you’re waiting for hot flashes, you’re already missing the early signs of perimenopause.In many women, the earliest c...
04/15/2026

If you’re waiting for hot flashes, you’re already missing the early signs of perimenopause.

In many women, the earliest changes show up in the brain… sleep, mood, focus, and stress tolerance.

Hormones play a direct role in how the brain functions, which is why these shifts can feel so noticeable, even before cycles change.

Understanding this earlier can change how you approach this phase of life and what support you may need.

Share this with someone who might be navigating these changes without realizing why 💜

Gut health is about so much more than digestion.If you’re noticing symptoms:❌ bloating❌ fatigue❌ acne❌ hives❌ inflammati...
04/14/2026

Gut health is about so much more than digestion.

If you’re noticing symptoms:
❌ bloating
❌ fatigue
❌ acne
❌ hives
❌ inflammation
❌ mood changes

especially in midlife, your gut may be playing a bigger role than you think.

Supporting gut health is foundational for hormone balance, immune function, and overall resilience.

If you’re tracking symptoms, save this as a reference for what to watch for.

Clean beauty is an inside job 🤫When my health was off, it showed up everywhere… including my skin. Acne, inflammation, d...
04/09/2026

Clean beauty is an inside job 🤫

When my health was off, it showed up everywhere… including my skin. Acne, inflammation, dullness. The glow was GONE 👎🏼

When I started addressing root causes like gut health, hormones, sleep, and stress, my skin changed.

From there, I became much more intentional about what I put on my skin, too.

These are some of the evidence-based tools I use to support skin health and aging well in my 40s ✨

Save this for later or share it with someone interested in a more low-tox, functional approach to skincare.

04/07/2026

One of the most common patterns I see is women who skip breakfast, and then struggle with low energy, weight gain, brain fog, food cravings etc.

This is coming from a girl who used to skip breakfast… so I get it.

What I’ve learned is that skipping this critical meal sets you up for blood sugar crashes and increased cravings later in the day.

Overnight oats are a staple in my own routine because they’re simple, nourishing, and support both gut health and hormone balance.

Plus, I’m starting my day already halfway to my daily fiber goal, which sets the tone for everything that follows.

I always add protein on the side. For me, that’s 3 hard-boiled eggs. Because muscle protein synthesis requires adequate protein, and breakfast (breaking the fast) is one of the most important opportunities to signal that process.

It’s not about restriction or perfection. It’s about self-respect and giving your body what it needs to function at its best.

If you’re looking for a breakfast that supports energy, mood, and metabolism, this is a great place to start.

Click here and I’ll send you my overnight oats recipe plus 3 others designed to help you meet your protein and fiber goals: https://drchristinemaren.com/power-breakfasts/

Spring allergies 🤧 got you down?There’s a reason for this that goes way beyond pollen.And it’s especially relevant for w...
04/06/2026

Spring allergies 🤧 got you down?

There’s a reason for this that goes way beyond pollen.

And it’s especially relevant for women in perimenopause.

Shifts in hormones and the gut microbiome can change how your immune system responds to the world around you.

And for some women, that shows up as histamine symptoms that feel new and confusing… But it’s all connected.

What’s often missed is that this isn’t just about allergies. It can show up as:
• itchy skin or hives
• anxiety or feeling overstimulated
• trouble sleeping
• headaches or migraines
• bloating and digestive symptoms
• that “wired but tired” feeling

And it’s one of the most overlooked connections I see in practice.

I’m breaking this down in this week’s newsletter, including the histamine-hormone-gut connection that helps explain why this happens in perimenopause.

Click here to sign up for our newsletter before 4/9 so it lands in your inbox on Thursday: https://drchristinemaren.com/newsletter-landing-page/

“Estrogen dominance” is a term that gets used a lot, but it’s often an oversimplification.In many cases, what we’re actu...
04/03/2026

“Estrogen dominance” is a term that gets used a lot, but it’s often an oversimplification.

In many cases, what we’re actually seeing is progesterone deficiency, especially in perimenopause when progesterone is the first hormone to decline.

That shift can impact sleep, mood, and cycle patterns in ways that feel confusing if you’re only looking at estrogen.

This is why context matters.

Hormones don’t work in isolation. It’s about balance, patterns, and understanding what’s happening in the body as a whole.

When we approach it this way, treatment options tend to make a lot more sense.

Save this for later or share it with someone trying to better understand their hormones.

04/02/2026

Thyroid hormones play a key role in how well you digest and absorb food and nutrients.

And they have an underappreciated role in gut health.

That’s because thyroid hormones work throughout the entire body, including the intestines and organs of digestion.

Your thyroid influences:
➡️ production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes
➡️ gallbladder function
➡️ gut motility
➡️ even the composition of the gut microbiome

When thyroid function is suboptimal, this can contribute to symptoms like heartburn, nutrient deficiencies, bloating, constipation, IBS, gallbladder issues, and even gut infections like SIBO.

But this relationship goes both ways.

The gut microbiome also influences thyroid function:
➡️ absorption of nutrients needed for thyroid hormone production
➡️ immune regulation (important in Hashimoto’s)
➡️ conversion of T4 into the active hormone T3

Which is one of many reasons I always evaluate gut health in women with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s.

This is part of a root-cause approach to care, where we look beyond the thyroid itself to understand what’s driving dysfunction.

The thyroid–gut connection runs deeper than most people realize.

💬 Comment LAB and I’ll send you my Thyroid Lab Guide to help you understand the markers I use in clinical practice and why testing beyond TSH matters.

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Broomfield, CO

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Tuesday 9am - 4pm
Wednesday 9am - 4pm
Thursday 9am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 4pm

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Christine Maren D.O. is a board-certified physician and the founder of an innovative functional medicine practice in Colorado, Michigan and Texas. She was introduced to functional medicine after struggling with pregnancy complications and recurrent miscarriages. A functional medicine approach helped to address her own underlying health issues associated with gut infections, food sensitivities, hypothyroidism, hormone imbalance and environmental toxins. Now a mother of three, she’s devoted her professional life to helping others address the root causes of their symptoms in order to restore health, prevent disease, and get their life back. Her approach to patient care is individualized and personalized, with an emphasis on the ways our environment, food and lifestyle choices interact with our genes. Dr. Maren is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is an Institute for Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner (IFMCP). She is a compassionate clinician, speaker and wellness advocate. She is married to an orthopedic surgeon and together they balance rewarding careers with raising three beautiful children. Learn more at drchristinemaren.com.