Dr. Emily Parke Blog
New Podcast Episode: My journey into functional medicine + what I’ve learned
I’m excited to share that I recently joined DeLo for Episode 165 of the On the DeLo podcast! In this conversation, we explored my journey from conventional medicine to creating a purpose-driven, root-cause wellness practice. We talked about the moment I knew I needed to leave my high-stress specialty and why I chose to build…
Read moreUnderstanding the Essential Labs for Women on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
So what are the minimum labs we’re looking at when we do hormone replacement therapy? We obviously want to look at an estrogen level, so an estradiol, we definitely want to look at a progesterone level, and we also want to look at least a total testosterone, if not a total and free testosterone. And…
Read moreHow to figure out the right amount of HRT in women
What about checking lab values when you’re on hormone replacement therapy? I do find it to be helpful, but we also want to consider symptoms. So we always look at labs and symptoms combined when we’re doing hormone replacement therapy. We check labs to make sure that numbers don’t get super, super high, and we…
Read moreDid you know there’s a difference between food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances?
Did you know that there’s a difference between food allergies, food sensitivities and food intolerances? Food allergies, the reactions tend to happen pretty immediately and then food sensitivities, the reactions can happen as much as three to four days later after being exposed to the food. And food intolerances have nothing to do with the…
Read moreFood Intolerances: Symptoms, Causes, and How They Differ From Food Allergies and Sensitivities
Eating a wide variety of whole foods is a key way to ensure a nutrient-rich diet full of vitamins and minerals. But what happens when you eat something your body doesn’t agree with? For example, you might eat a food item and suddenly experience digestive symptoms like diarrhea, cramping, and bloating—or these symptoms might not…
Read moreTestosterone Replacement In Menopause
What about adding testosterone replacement for women on hormone replacement therapy? Well, it can be really, really helpful for energy, libido, body composition changes. When we go through menopause we lose about half of our own body’s ability to make testosterone, and so it can be a really helpful part of hormone replacement therapy. Now,…
Read moreProgesterone Therapy In Perimenopause
What about progesterone therapy in menopause? So if you are on hormone replacement therapy with estrogen and you have a uterus, meaning you have not had a hysterectomy, then you should be on some form of progesterone. The preferred method for progesterone is oral micronized progesterone. And we do like oral progesterone because we do…
Read moreDifferent Ways To Replace Estrogen in Menopause
When doing hormone replacement therapy for women, there are about four different ways we can get hormones into the body, especially estrogen. So our estrogens drop, and that’s what gives us the main symptoms of menopause, like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, mood changes and so on. Vaginal dryness, all those things. So getting estrogen…
Read moreMicroplastic Exposure and Health: How Microplastics in Food Affect Health
In our modern world, plastics are all around us. Because they have poor biodegradability and are often not efficiently recycled, our environment is contaminated with microplastics. They’ve been found in beaches, oceans, soil, and freshwater systems. Even in remote areas of the world, microplastics have accumulated in ecosystems. Transferred through the food chain and used…
Read moreGLP-1’s and Weight Loss: What They are and How They Work: A Guide
Sometimes you need extra help losing excess weight and getting blood sugars under better control. Maybe you’ve been trying for years or maybe the post-baby weight won’t go away no matter what you do. That’s where weight loss medications like semaglutide or tirzepatide may be able to help. Many of these medications were traditionally used…
Read moreThe Power of a Paleo Reset
In this session, we’ll dive into the fundamentals of the Paleo diet and lifestyle—what it is, why it works, and how it can help you feel your best. We will kick things off by introducing the core principles of Paleo eating and sharing why I personally love using it as a tool to identify food…
Read moreThe Ultimate Guide To Increased Intestinal Permeability and Leaky Gut
Did you know our digestive system does so much more than just absorb nutrients from our food? It protects us from toxins, helps with hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, and supports our immune system to name a few other important functions. A key part of a healthy, well-functioning digestive system is the gut lining. Studies show…
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