Aligned Modern Health

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Aligned Modern Health

Root Cause, Real Results
Holistic, Doctor-led Functional Medicine, Hormone Health, Chiropractic Care, and Acupuncture. Insurance Accepted. Virtual + 18 Clinics.

Book now at AlignedModernHealth.com. Aligned Modern Health is setting a new standard in healthcare empowering people to live their healthiest lives. Our expert medical team goes beyond symptom relief to address the root cause, creating personalized care plans that deliver real, lasting results across Functional Medicine, Hormone Health, Chiropractic Care, and Acupuncture. As the largest, evidence-based holistic health practice in the Midwest, we operate 18 clinics across Illinois, with a rapidly growing telehealth practice serving patients nationwide by 2026. We proudly accept major insurance plans, offer self-pay options, and services are FSA/HSA eligible —making expert care more accessible for more people. Every person is different, so is the way we approach care. This is Healthcare Designed For You. Start your path to better health at AlignedModernHealth.com.

02/02/2026

February is Heart Health Month

We look at the everyday habits that support your heart long before symptoms appear. Because heart health isn’t one moment. It’s movement. Food. Sleep. Stress. Repeated daily, across a lifetime.

No matter your age:
• Kids need play, movement, and real food
• Teens need stress support and recovery
• Adults need insight into hormones, metabolism, and inflammation
• Older adults need strength, circulation, and independence

Small, consistent choices truly add up.

If you’re ready to take a more complete look at your heart health, for yourself or your family, our clinicians are here to help.

01/29/2026

55% of women ages 30–35 report moderate to severe perimenopause symptoms, even though many think they’re “too young” for hormonal transition.

Symptoms that are technically linked to perimenopause — like mood changes, fatigue, brain fog, and sleep disruption — often start years before menstrual cycles stop and can go unrecognized.

That’s one reason why 64% of women ages 36–40 report similarly significant symptoms.

In fact, up to 80% of women experience some form of menopausal transition symptoms at some point, they just may not connect those experiences to hormonal changes.

Perimenopause isn’t about age alone, it’s about variability and pattern, not a single test result. Understanding that context can help you interpret symptoms without self-blame and make informed decisions about support.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4pTkBVI

01/28/2026

Some of the earliest signs of perimenopause are the ones women are most likely to dismiss.

Irregular cycles are often the first shift, but because timing can fluctuate gradually, many women attribute changes to stress or a busy season of life.

Other early signs are even easier to mislabel:
• urinary incontinence
• recurrent UTIs
• subtle changes in skin elasticity and fine lines

These symptoms are frequently chalked up to aging, pregnancy, or lifestyle, when in reality, they can reflect early hormonal shifts tied to perimenopause.

As Dr. Delilah Renegar, DC, MS, and Sandy Thinnes discuss, context matters. Hormonal changes affect more than cycles, they influence connective tissue, bladder support, and collagen turnover long before menopause itself.

01/27/2026

Persistent exhaustion in women is frequently normalized — attributed to stress, workload, or life stage — despite evidence linking fatigue, cognitive changes, and mood disturbances to hormonal transitions.

Hormonal systems regulate energy metabolism, stress physiology, sleep architecture, and emotional stability.

During perimenopause and other transitions, changes in estrogen, progesterone, thyroid hormones, and cortisol are strongly associated with declines in stamina, focus, and resilience. Chronic stress and sleep disruption can further compound these effects.

Clinical evaluation that identifies hormone-related patterns can help move care beyond symptom management. When addressed appropriately, women often experience improvements in sustained energy, cognitive clarity, and emotional regulation.

As Jackie Warner, FNP, emphasizes, persistent symptoms warrant deeper evaluation, not dismissal.

01/26/2026

Being told your hormones are “normal” doesn’t always explain how you feel.

Patients are frequently told their hormone levels are “normal” despite ongoing symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, sleep disruption, or weight changes.

As Dr. Anne Palovich, DC, notes, advanced hormone assessment can provide deeper insight into how hormones are functioning within the broader physiological context, shifting the focus from isolated values to actionable patterns.

Interpreting results through this lens supports more informed, individualized decision-making grounded in physiology rather than assumptions.

01/23/2026

Why do symptoms often persist when standard lab results are “normal”? Because health is not linear, it’s networked.

Clinical and research perspectives increasingly recognize that physiological systems interact dynamically across hormonal regulation, inflammation, metabolic pathways, circadian biology, stress responses, and the gut–brain axis.

Functional medicine applies a systems-biology framework rooted in evidence: integrating comprehensive clinical history, advanced diagnostics, and longitudinal pattern recognition rather than binary “normal/abnormal” thresholds.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in symptoms without answers, save this, clarity starts with seeing the whole picture.

https://bit.ly/4qtu9I0

01/22/2026

Testosterone therapy is often misunderstood, and that misunderstanding can delay real care.

After sharing how fatigue, low motivation, and low energy can sometimes be linked to hormones, this is the next part of the conversation.

As Dr. Zahra Jafry, MD, explains, testosterone therapy is considered for men, often in their 40s or beyond, who are experiencing symptoms of hormonal decline and have consistently low testosterone levels confirmed through proper evaluation.

When used appropriately and carefully monitored, testosterone therapy can support improvements in energy, mood, and overall well-being—not by pushing the body beyond normal function, but by helping restore balance.

If feeling “off” has started to feel normal, understanding your options is a meaningful place to start.

Read more about Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT): https://bit.ly/49pkps8

01/21/2026

Research shows sleep restriction alone can lower testosterone levels, even in otherwise healthy men. And while true testosterone deficiency affects a smaller percentage of men, it’s often accompanied by vague symptoms like fatigue, low motivation, and reduced focus.

That’s why proper evaluation matters. Testosterone isn’t assessed in isolation. It requires both symptoms and consistently low morning levels.

When low testosterone is confirmed and appropriately treated, studies show improvements in energy, motivation, focus, and mood, with ripple effects that extend beyond individual health.

01/20/2026

Ever had a week where you’re exhausted, but your life isn’t even that different?

Same sleep. Same food. Same routine. And somehow your body feels like it’s running on 20%. That “stuck” feeling is usually a pattern that stacks up quietly in the background.

Michelle Shaffer, FNP-BC, puts it simply: you might not need more willpower — you might need a better map.

If you want a starting point, try asking yourself:
1. When did I last feel like myself?
2. What changed first: sleep, mood, energy, or cravings?
3. What symptom is loudest after meals or alcohol?

Sometimes clarity starts with asking the right question. https://bit.ly/4afIORW

01/19/2026

We’re excited to welcome Michelle Shaffer, FNP-BC, to the Aligned Modern Health team.

Based in Miami, Florida, Michelle is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner with advanced training in hormone health and functional medicine. She works with both women and men navigating hormonal changes across life stages, including perimenopause, menopause, and andropause.

Michelle’s approach centers on understanding the full picture — combining clinical insight, advanced diagnostic testing, and thoughtful care plans to help patients better understand what’s happening in their bodies and feel supported through meaningful, sustainable change.

Learn more and schedule an appointment: https://bit.ly/49szuJI

01/17/2026

Recent updates to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines mark a meaningful shift in how nutrition is being framed at the national level.

Dr. Blake Butler, DC, explains, the visual emphasis has changed, but what’s notable isn’t just what foods are emphasized, but how the conversation is evolving.

The updated guidance begins to acknowledge something clinicians see every day: nutrition needs vary based on biology, life stage, metabolic health, and individual context.

That’s why functional medicine relies on lab data and individualized assessment. Two people can follow the same general guidelines and have very different outcomes. Understanding how your body responds helps turn broad recommendations into a plan that’s practical, sustainable, and aligned with real health goals.

As national nutrition guidance continues to evolve, the opportunity lies in translating policy into personalized strategies that people can actually apply in daily life.

01/14/2026

Research in behavioral science shows that lasting habits form through small, repeatable actions supported by cues, rewards, and environment.

When stress is high or energy is low, willpower fades quickly—but structure and support make change easier to sustain.

That’s especially true when health is involved. When the systems in your body are out of balance, even the best intentions can feel impossible to maintain.

Understanding what’s happening beneath the surface and building habits that work with your biology instead of against it can make progress feel more realistic and less exhausting.

Real change isn’t about a perfect reset. It’s about creating systems that support you, even on the hard days.

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Chicago, IL

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+17735984387

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http://www.alignedmodernhealth.com/

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