Kelly’s Clinic

Kelly’s Clinic Feeling off? You’re not alone. Supportive, science-backed care—right from home. Your body is speaking. We help you listen—and heal.

At Kelly’s Virtual Clinic, we help women navigate hormones, metabolism, energy, and aging with personalized, NP-led care. 25+ years of experience. At Kelly’s Clinic, we believe every woman deserves to feel seen, heard, and supported—especially during the most transformative phases of life. Now offering care as a Virtual Health Optimization Clinic, we focus on helping women move from confusion and fatigue to clarity, strength, and balance. With over 25 years of experience, Nurse Practitioner Kelly provides compassionate, personalized care in:

🌿 Hormone health and HRT
🔥 Metabolic balance and weight support
🧠 Focus, energy, and emotional wellbeing
⏳ Aging well—with intention and strength

Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, recovering from burnout, or simply ready to put yourself first—our virtual clinic is here to walk alongside you.

02/11/2026

menopause: it will pack visceral fat around your organs without asking — but the fat pads in your l***a? Gone. And neither local nor systemic estradiol brings them back. What estradiol does is protect what’s left — tissue integrity, elasticity, hydration. Menopause doesn’t negotiate. But you can still fight back with what works #

02/11/2026

Perimenopause is a 10 year metabolic cascade. Despite Diet, Despite exercise . Hormone Loss and severe fluctuations is driving this. I have been been running full metabolic panels on women for decades. Have You?
#

02/10/2026

Thinking about Wegovy, Ozempic, or Mounjaro? Let's dive into what makes each one unique! Drop your questions or experiences below!

02/09/2026

The 4 classes of laxatives explained: CLASS 1 (BULK-FORMING): Metamucil, Benefibre—fiber supplements. Good for normal transit, bad for slow transit . CLASS 2 (OSMOTIC): RestoraLAX, PEGylax—hold water in intestine. Most effective, safe long-term. Go-to daily laxative. CLASS 3 (STIMULANT): Dulcolax, Senokot—make colon contract. Safe long-term despite old myths. CLASS 4 (SECRETAGOGUES): Constella, Trulance—Rx only. Increase fluid secretion. Different mechanisms = why we layer them. 📚 Clinical guidelines treatment

02/09/2026

There are 3 main types of constipation—and depending on which type you have, fiber can either help or make things worse.
TYPE 1: NORMAL TRANSIT (most common)
Colon functions normally. Research shows fiber increases bowel movements. Standard approach works: 20-35g fiber daily, adequate water, regular activity.
TYPE 2: SLOW TRANSIT
Colon doesn’t contract effectively. Key sign: ≤2 bowel movements/week despite good habits. Clinical guidance: AVOID extra fiber—can worsen bloating. Needs motility-enhancing medications.
TYPE 3: PELVIC FLOOR DYSFUNCTION
Affects 15-25% of chronic constipation cases. Muscles don’t coordinate properly during defecation. Fiber doesn’t fix mechanical problems. Most effective: biofeedback therapy (60-80% success).
If standard advice isn’t working or fiber made you worse, talk to your provider about testing to identify your type.
📚 Evidence from clinical practice guidelines and systematic reviews
This is educational information. Consult your healthcare provider for diagnosis and treatment.

02/08/2026

Let's talk about constipation in midlife women.
This affects up to 40% of women over 40, and women are 2-3x more likely than men to experience it. Yet we rarely discuss it openly.
Why does this happen in midlife? Estrogen and progesterone have receptors throughout your GI tract and directly affect gut motility. As these hormones fluctuate and decline during perimenopause and menopause, transit time slows. Add commonly prescribed medications—antidepressants, blood pressure meds, calcium supplements—and you've got a perfect storm.
Here's what matters clinically: it's not about bowel movement frequency. Normal patterns range from 3x per day to 3x per week. What matters is ease of passage and feeling completely emptied. Straining is the biggest problem we're addressing.
Over this series, I'll cover:
• The treatment ladder (step-by-step approach)
• How medications actually work
• Types of constipation (and why it matters)
• When symptoms warrant evaluation
• What research actually shows
This is educational content based on clinical practice guidelines. Not medical advice for your specific situation—discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider.
Save this if you want the full series.

02/07/2026

How do I help women keep their muscle, their bones, and their hair while losing weight on a GLP-1?
I protect her from hormone deficiency — because the early studies are showing it makes all the difference.
Up to 40% of the weight lost on GLP-1 medications can be lean muscle mass. Add bone density loss. Add hair thinning. Now layer that on top of perimenopause or menopause — where muscle and bone are already declining from hormonal changes.
Recent Mayo Clinic research shows women on hormone therapy combined with GLP-1s lost up to 35% more weight — and their results matched premenopausal women. Without hormone support? They fell behind.
In my practice, a GLP-1 prescription is never the whole plan. I check hormones before starting and as she loses weight. I optimize transdermal estradiol. I add low-dose testosterone when indicated. Protein and resistance training from day one.
A GLP-1 with a hormone protection plan? That's medicine. A GLP-1 without one? That's an incomplete prescription.
tirzepatide semaglutide

Your heart during menopause: what the latest research shows 💗Perimenopause is THE critical window for cardiovascular ris...
02/07/2026

Your heart during menopause: what the latest research shows 💗

Perimenopause is THE critical window for cardiovascular risk—changes start BEFORE menopause, not after. The 2025 Women's Health Initiative re-analysis confirms what we've been seeing clinically: timing and individualization matter.

Key findings:
• Age 50-59: NO increased CV risk with HT—optimal window
• Age 60-69: Individualize based on symptoms, CV risk, route
• Age 70+: May consider transdermal if low CV risk + severe symptoms
• Route matters: transdermal bypasses liver, avoiding metabolic impact
• NEW: Long-term estrogen therapy may lower Lp(a) (genetic CV risk)

Racialized & Indigenous women experience more severe symptoms but face greater barriers to care. We need to do better.

🩺 If you and your provider are uncertain about cardiovascular risk or need additional assessment, resources are available across Canada. A newer option in Ottawa: Cardiac Longevity Clinic (Dr. Behn Banihashemi, MD FRCPC FACC) offers comprehensive cardiac evaluation with a focus on longevity medicine—especially valuable for women in perimenopause & beyond, those with complex metabolic/cardiac history, or anyone needing specialized cardiovascular assessment.

Your heart health matters. Evidence-based, individualized care is your right.

02/06/2026

My boomer friends: "Talk about testosterone!"
Here's what I'm seeing: Women prescribed testosterone for low libido are reporting brain fog clearing, energy returning, muscle strength improving, confidence coming back.
A 2024 study: 47% better mood, 39% clearer thinking.
Why isn't this mainstream? Generic = no profit = no pharma funding.
ESTEEM trial (UK, 2028) will finally give us data. Canada? No equivalent trial. Women's health research: still underfunded.
The pattern is there. The funding finally came (elsewhere). The evidence is coming.
WomensHealthcare ResearchMatters

02/04/2026

After prescribing Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro to hundreds of women in my practice, the pattern is undeniable—and it comes down to science, not hype.
Quick clarification: Ozempic and Wegovy are both semaglutide (just different doses—Ozempic for diabetes, Wegovy for weight loss). Mounjaro is tirzepatide.
Ozempic/Wegovy (semaglutide) = GLP-1 agonist only Mounjaro (tirzepatide) = GLP-1 + GIP dual agonist
That GIP component changes everything: better insulin sensitivity, more weight loss (22.5% vs 15% in trials), and significantly fewer GI side effects.
But here's what concerns me most as a clinician: when GLP-1 medications cause severe gastroparesis, your OTHER medications don't absorb properly. Your thyroid meds. Your HRT. Everything sitting in a stomach that's barely moving.
The women I'm seeing thrive on Mounjaro typically have: ✔️ Significant insulin resistance ✔️ Hormonal metabolic dysfunction (perimenopause/menopause/PCOS) ✔️ Previous semaglutide intolerance ✔️ Stubborn visceral fat
Weight loss should come from true metabolic optimization and appetite regulation—not from feeling too sick to eat. There's a difference.
Not everyone needs the same approach, but understanding the mechanisms helps us make informed choices.
What's your experience been? 👇

02/02/2026

After years of treating perimenopause, I support GLP-1 agonists for most of my midlife patients. Here's what clinical experience taught me:
PERIMENOPAUSE = 10-YEAR METABOLIC CASCADE
I watch the same woman: → Age 42: Normal labs → Age 52: Insulin resistance, visceral fat, fatty liver, hypertension, dyslipidemia
Same patient. 10 years. Multiple metabolic conditions.
WHY HRT ALONE ISN'T ALWAYS ENOUGH:
HRT is foundational—stops the hormonal cascade.
But most women start it late. By then: → Insulin resistance is established → Visceral fat produces inflammation + bad estrogen → Fatty liver exists
HRT prevents progression. Doesn't always reverse established damage.
WHY GLP-1 AGONISTS:
I watch metabolic restoration: ✓ Insulin resistance improves ✓ Visceral fat ↓ 40% (eliminates tissue making bad estrogen) ✓ Liver fat ↓ 40-70% ✓ Cardiac events ↓ 20%
HRT = addresses hormones GLP-1 = addresses metabolism Together = comprehensive restoration
MOST women develop enough metabolic dysfunction to benefit from both.
Intervene in 40s-50s = prevent disease Wait = treat disease in 60s-70s
I've seen both. Prevention works better.
fattyliver womenshealth menopause prevention

01/31/2026

The loss of estrogen in your va**na is a big deal for all women. A UTI after menopause can kill you. Heart attack — 2.5x risk Stroke — 2.3x risk Urosepsis — 60% don't survive Fracture — 1 in 5 dead within a year The death certificate won't say UTI. Vaginal estrogen is the protection. Go ask for what you need.

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Ottawa, ON
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