Whole Woman Health with Carrie Levine, CNM, IFMCP

What this episode covers

For many women, female health can be a complex and personal issue to navigate. From premenstrual syndrome to childbearing to menopause and more, women experience various hormonal and bodily changes throughout their lives. My guest, Carrie Levine, CNM, IFMCP, has specialized in whole women’s health for two decades. She focuses on treating patients as individuals and incorporating health-promoting lifestyle strategies into her practice. “I will have women come to the clinic and say, ‘I'm depressed, I want medication.’ Other women will come to the clinic and say, ‘I'm depressed. I don't want medication.’ And my job is to honor each of them and how they want to take care of their own body.” Listening to women’s needs, understanding their circumstances, and gaining a holistic view on their medical history is Carrie’s priority. This information enables her to optimize physical outcomes while also ensuring comfort throughout the process. Once she knows the individual, Carrie can then treat the patient. She stresses the interconnectedness between body systems, such as the gut-hormone connection, and seeks to find links between seemingly distinct symptoms. Through hormone testing, gynecological exams, and other diagnostics, Carrie can identify the best courses of action for overall health and wellness. “It is absolute essential for me to feel like I'm doing a good job to understand some of those strong aspects of women's lives.” Listen to the full episode to learn more about Carrie’s work in functional medicine, her top four recommendations for optimal women’s health, and how she practices patient-centered care. Here are the details of our conversation: [00:01:10] Carrie’s career journey [00:05:21] The mind-body connection in patient care [00:06:30] Incorporating functional medicine in routine practice [00:07:33] The evaluation process [00:10:29] Metabolites and estrogen [00:13:41] Hormone testing and treatment [00:17:50] The gut-hormone connection [00:19:43] Metabolites: the good, the bad, and the ugly [00:23:22] Methods of hormone balancing [00:25:17] Carrie’s top four recommendations for women’s health [00:31:03] Diet’s impact on overall health [00:35:07] Carrie’s book, Whole Woman Health