Hair loss is one of those symptoms that can feel incredibly frustrating—and there is rarely just one possible cause. At Tendwell Functional Medicine, when someone comes to us concerned about increased shedding, thinning hair, a widening part, or changes in hair texture, we like to take a deeper look at why it may be happening rather than focusing only on the hair itself.
If you’ve been dealing with recurrent urinary symptoms, vaginal irritation, or unexplained fertility challenges, you may have heard of Ureaplasma—or maybe you’ve never heard of it at all. Ureaplasma is a very small type of bacteria that can live in the urinary and reproductive tracts. It’s actually fairly common, and plenty of people carry it without ever having symptoms. So, a positive test doesn’t necessarily mean Ureaplasma is causing a problem or needs to be treated. But in certain patients, I do think it can be worth looking for.
When we talk about preventing heart disease, cholesterol numbers are only part of the story. Tests such as ApoB, LDL cholesterol, Lp(a), blood pressure, blood sugar, and inflammatory markers can tell us about cardiovascular risk—but sometimes we want to answer a more direct question: Is there actually plaque in the coronary arteries? Two tests you may hear about are a coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and Cleerly coronary plaque analysis. They both look for coronary artery disease, but they provide very different information.
Anti-ovary antibodies (AOAs) are autoantibodies directed against proteins within the ovary. Their presence may suggest that the immune system is recognizing ovarian tissue as a target. Although testing is not part of the standard infertility evaluation and the assays have not yet been standardized, ovarian autoimmunity is increasingly recognized as a potential contributor in a subset of women with reproductive challenges. In Functional Medicine, we view anti-ovary antibodies as one piece of a larger immune assessment, rather than a stand-alone diagnostic test.
If you've spent any time exploring nervous system regulation, you've probably come across wearable vagus nerve stimulators like Pulsetto, Nurosym (sold as NuroPod in the U.S.), or Truvaga. These devices promise to reduce stress, improve sleep, support digestion, and even increase heart rate variability (HRV). As someone who spends much of my day helping patients navigate anxiety, IBS, SIBO, reflux, constipation, chronic stress, and functional GI disorders, I understand why there's so much excitement around these devices.
When someone is living with chronic stress or chronic illness, the nervous system often gets stuck in a state of threat. The vagus nerve plays a central role in calming the body, supporting digestion, immunity, and emotional regulation. Limbic retraining helps re-pattern the brain’s threat response, reducing overactivation and allowing the body to shift toward safety, healing, and resilience.
The Menopause Moment is a refreshing, evidence-based, and deeply empowering guide for women navigating perimenopause and menopause—and for clinicians who care for them. Dr. Kelly Casperson brings a much-needed blend of medical rigor, clinical clarity, and straight talk to a phase of life that has been historically under-taught, under-treated, and often dismissed.
Life is marked by transitions—some expected, others abrupt. New roles, shifting hormones, changing responsibilities, and evolving priorities all ask something different of our bodies. At Tendwell, we see these transitions not as problems to fix, but as invitations to listen more closely to what your body needs now.
GLP-1 medications can be a powerful and supportive tool for weight loss and metabolic health. But like any tool, how you use it matters. At Tendwell, we focus on helping you lose weight in a way that protects your muscle, supports your metabolism, and sets you up for long-term health—not just short-term results on the scale.
When we talk about menopause, we often focus on hot flashes, sleep disruption, or weight changes. But there’s another category of symptoms that deserves far more attention: mood changes.
If you struggle with falling asleep—or staying asleep—there’s a surprisingly simple habit that may help: wearing socks at night. It sounds almost too easy, but this small change can support one of the most important drivers of good sleep: healthy temperature regulation.
Protein is one of the most powerful—and most under-consumed—nutrients I see in clinical practice. Adequate protein intake supports blood sugar balance, muscle and bone health, hormone production, detoxification pathways, immune function, and satiety, especially for women navigating perimenopause, menopause, or metabolic health concerns.
At Tendwell, we talk a lot about the gut—and for good reason. Your gut is not just about digestion. It’s central to immune function, hormone balance, brain health, and inflammation throughout the body. One of my favorite tools for getting a truly comprehensive picture of gut health is Vibrant Wellness’s Gut Zoomer 3.0.
There’s no single “right” way to do a cleanse, and the word itself often means very different things to different people. For some, it brings to mind water fasting (my sister-in-law immediately thinks of this!). But starving your way through a fast—only to regain weight or feel depleted afterward—isn’t my idea of an effective or sustainable cleanse. Others think of juice-only programs, which can send a surge of natural sugar straight into your system without offering much in the way of real detox support.
As women move through perimenopause and menopause, one of the most common changes we see on lab work is a noticeable rise in cholesterol levels—sometimes for the first time in a woman’s life. This shift can feel surprising or concerning, but it’s actually a well-documented and physiologically understandable part of the menopausal transition.
As estrogen levels begin to fluctuate and drift downward in perimenopause, many women notice changes they didn’t expect—more irritation, new (or recurrent) yeast infections, increased discharge, or episodes of bacterial vaginosis (BV) that feel out of nowhere. These symptoms can be frustrating, uncomfortable, and often surprising, especially for women who never struggled with vaginal health before.
Wondering if GLP-1 medications affect egg freezing or fertility? Tendwell Functional Medicine in Denver offers personalized fertility optimization, metabolic support, and hormone balancing to prepare your body for IVF and pregnancy.
Anyone who’s ever started a business has probably been told to define their “ideal client.” When I first launched my functional medicine practice, that concept felt foreign — even uncomfortable. I mean, I’m a people person. I like everyone. I find challenging personalities interesting. I didn’t want to exclude anyone. I’m here to help.
Bone health becomes a key focus during perimenopause and menopause, when declining estrogen levels can lead to bone loss and a higher risk of osteoporosis. Many women are now asking about vibration plates (also called whole-body vibration therapy) — do they really work?
With all the changes our bodies experience during the menopause transition, one issue raises more questions, frustrations, and self-doubt than almost any other: the new accumulation of fat around the midsection — often called belly fat.