When we evaluate thyroid health at Tendwell, we often check for two types of thyroid antibodies: TPO (thyroid peroxidase) antibodies and thyroglobulin antibodies. These markers help us assess whether the immune system is playing a role in thyroid dysfunction, often before symptoms even show up.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder affecting many women, often marked by elevated androgens (like testosterone), irregular cycles, and symptoms such as hirsutism and infertility. While conventional treatments exist, many women seek natural options with fewer side effects—one of which may be as simple as sipping spearmint tea.
Longer, fuller lashes are often associated with youth and vitality—but you don’t need prescription serums or lash extensions to get there. At Tendwell, we believe in supporting beauty from the inside out. Here’s how to naturally nourish eyelash growth while keeping your eyes healthy and irritation-free.
For many women, perimenopause and menopause are more than just hot flashes and irregular cycles. They can also be a time of intense emotional change—mood swings, anxiety, depression, brain fog, or just feeling “off.” Many women share with me that they feel “overwhelmed” despite experiencing the same levels of stress they have in the past. These women, do not feel like themselves.
If you're experiencing water retention while on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), you're not alone. Mild fluid shifts are a common and often temporary side effect, particularly when starting or adjusting estrogen-containing formulations. At Tendwell, we support a thoughtful, individualized approach to optimizing your hormonal balance while minimizing side effects.
Seaweed is a nutrient-dense superfood packed with iodine, minerals, and antioxidants. However, like all plants from the ocean, seaweed can absorb heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury from the water in which it grows. Understanding the risks and how to choose safe seaweed is essential for anyone incorporating it into their diet.
It usually starts with a vague sense that something’s off. Fatigue that’s not your normal fatigue. Joint stiffness. Brain fog. Maybe a rash or some odd symptoms that come and go. You finally push for labs — and then comes the result that gets your attention: a positive ANA.
Recently, I spoke with a woman who was looking for a new hormone-savvy provider. As we began talking, I couldn’t help but notice her voice—low, gravelly, with a sort of sexy smoker’s rasp. But as she shared more of her hormone history, I began to suspect there was something else going on: unintentional vocal deepening, likely due to testosterone pellets.
Have you ever felt drained by trying to control how others perceive you, respond to you, or behave around you? Mel Robbins' new book, The Let Them Theory, offers a simple yet transformative mindset shift: instead of worrying about what others do, just let them.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women, yet many standard cholesterol tests miss critical markers that help assess true risk. Traditional testing often focuses on total cholesterol and LDL levels, but functional medicine takes a deeper, more individualized approach to cardiovascular health.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be life-changing for women experiencing symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. However, it’s essential to understand the associated risks, particularly regarding cancer.
The world of hormones can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re just beginning your journey into perimenopause or early menopause. With so much information—and misinformation—available online, it’s easy to feel lost in a sea of opinions.
Many patients seek functional medicine to address hormone-related concerns. Unfortunately, in conventional medicine, it’s common for patients to hear, “We don’t test hormones in your age group,” especially if they…
Hair loss can be a challenging and deeply personal issue. At Tendwell in Denver, we take a holistic, functional medicine approach to uncover the root causes of hair loss and thinning, helping our patients find effective, natural solutions. As part of our commitment to comprehensive care, we stay up-to-date on emerging treatments that show promise for stimulating hair growth. One increasingly popular method is Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT)—a non-invasive treatment that supports natural hair growth for both men and women. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what to expect from LLLT, covering how it works, available device options, and potential outcomes.
At Tendwell, our Institute for Functional Medicine Certified practitioners take a root-cause, personalized approach. We also blend in Integrative medicine. You may be wondering what the differences are between the two approaches. While they are very similar, there are some differences. Taking as a case study, the general approach that might be taken to address perimenopause, this blog explains the similarities and differences in the two approaches.
Swelling, water retention, edema…these symptoms can plague even the most active among us. Water retention can occur due to taking hormones (either as part of perimenopause or menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or not). While many women are very happy with MHT, swollen feet and ankles are never welcome. Though we can always turn to conventional medicine to reduce swelling, many of the clients at our functional medicine office in Denver Colorado prefer to start with or transition to a more natural approach. This is when I love turning to teas.
Abdominal adiposity. Apple bodies. My best friend was just lamenting to me about what she was calling her “meno-belly”. Another friend told me that she was going to “throw up” if she heard the term “visceral fat” again. Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, refers to the fat that accumulates around the abdomen and internal organs. Unlike subcutaneous fat, which is found just beneath the skin, visceral fat is deeper within the abdominal cavity and surrounds vital organs such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines. Excess visceral fat has been linked to an increased risk of various health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome.
Overall, joint pain during perimenopause and menopause is multifactorial, with hormonal changes, changes in connective tissue, lifestyle factors, and underlying health conditions all playing a role. If you're experiencing significant joint pain or discomfort during perimenopause or menopause, it's essential to consult with a functional medicine healthcare professional for evaluation and management. They can help determine the underlying cause of your joint pain and recommend appropriate treatment options—a well-rounded approach that doesn’t leave you with an empty diagnosis and no realistic way through to better health.
At our functional medicine practice, we specialize in perimenopause and migraines. With respect to migraines, we offer a more effective root-cause approach than in traditional medical practices. For many, the instinctive response to a migraine, involves reaching for medications like Ibuprofen or prescription pain medications. However, the regular use of such medications (two or more times a week) can pose risks to the stomach and intestines, as highlighted by recent FDA warnings citing an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Clearly, something else is needed. At Tendwell, we offer an individualized plan to tackle the causes of migraines and to help women navigate the perimenopausal period.
At Tendwell, we have many patients who are entering menopause. Recent advances in hormone therapies for menopause (“Menopausal Hormone Therapy”, “MH”, or “MHT”), also known as hormone replacement therapy (“HRT”), make it a great compliment to holistic and integrative approaches for women experiencing menopause. The decision to start MHT should be made in consultation with your Tendwell healthcare provider based on a thorough assessment of your individual health, medical history, and symptoms.