Her Hormones, Her Health: Endometriosis, Hormones & Functional Women's Care with Dr. Alexis Gonzales

Host Dr. Michelle Leary sits down with her former resident and longtime colleague, Dr. Alexis Gonzalez — Naturopathic Doctor, Functional Medicine Physician, and Clinical AI Implementation Specialist at Ovation Lab — for a wide-ranging conversation on Endometriosis, hormones & functional women's care. Dr. Gonzalez shares her journey from biochemistry labs to naturopathic medical school, and how a cross-state move and her own endometriosis diagnosis shaped her passion for women's health. Together, they explore why primary care is the foundation every functional medicine specialist needs, how to bridge conventional and integrative approaches, and what it actually means to treat the whole person. They break down the perimenopausal transition — including why symptoms like brain fog, weight changes, and elevated blood pressure are so often missed as hormonal signals — and cover how and when to test hormones, including the overlooked role of testosterone and DHT in women. They also tackle lab testing ethics, supplement transparency, and the evolving patient-as-consumer model reshaping modern medicine. The episode closes with an honest look at endometriosis: what it is, why it takes 7–12 years on average to diagnose, how it connects to gut health and the estrobolome, and what functional medicine can offer when conventional options run out. In this episode: 1:35 Meet Dr. Alexis Gonzalez – Background, education & intro 2:53 Origin Story – A family legacy in healthcare 3:49 From the Lab to Medicine – Why she left biotech for naturopathic medicine 4:54 Moving to Washington – Bastyr, broader scope, and finding Vida 5:16 Women's Health Begins – Residency, fertility focus & personal endo diagnosis 6:50 Why Functional Medicine – Frameworks, systems thinking & a shared language 9:05 Why Primary Care Is the Foundation – The risk of specializing too early 11:07 The Generalist Backbone – Managing everything from colds to hormones 11:52 Perimenopause: The Overlooked Entry Point – Signals that don't look hormonal yet 13:07 Functional Medicine vs. Conventional Primary Care – Time, tools & patient-centered care 14:30 The Patriarchal Medical System – Consumer-driven healthcare & chronic conditions 15:59 Healthcare as Hospitality – Customer service and the next evolution of medicine 17:38 Handling Criticism of Naturopathic & Functional Medicine – Humility and results 20:03 Evidence-Based Medicine: The Nuanced Take – RCTs, research gaps & clinical courage 23:54 Testing Philosophy & Ethics – Not profiting from labs or supplements 28:17 How to Test Hormones – Saliva, serum, urine & the Mira device 29:23 Endometriosis: What It Is – Pathophysiology, retrograde menstruation & anatomy 33:22 Symptoms, Diagnosis Delays & Conventional Treatment – The 7–12 year gap 35:45 Functional Medicine Approach to Endo – Diet, pelvic PT, acupuncture & lifestyle 39:10 Biggest Misconception in Women's Health – One plan doesn't work for a lifetime 41:16 The Five Modifiable Lifestyle Factors – Nutrition, sleep, stress, relationships & movement 44:54 Muscle Mass & Insulin Sensitivity – Why women should lift heavy 46:17 Dr. Gonzalez's Next Chapter – Ovation Lab, AI & clinical implementation Ready to get to the root of your health at every stage of your life? Book a consultation at a Vida location near you → thinkvida.com Explore our Functional Medicine Concierge Membership → thinkvida.com/fm-concierge 🎙️ Listen to Vida Vitality on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music 📺 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. 📲 Follow us @vidaintegratedhealth on Instagram.