How This Member Improved Her Digestion and Balanced Her Hormones

At Parsley Health, we’ve helped thousands of members feel better with root-cause resolution medicine . With our Member Stories series, we zoom in on a member’s health journey, what brought them to Parsley, and their road to recovery.

Read on to find out how Katherine, age 24, realized she could resolve her low energy, poor digestion, and mood swings along with her menstrual symptoms.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I’m 24 years old, work in digital advertising, and live with my cousin (who is also a member of Parsley Health). I love spending time with my family, getting a good night sleep , and treating myself to ice cream.

How did you hear about Parsley Health and why were you interested?

It wasn’t until after I graduated from college that I discovered my interest in and passion for wellness. I heard about Parsley Health through a friend’s mom, who graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and was inspired by a talk given by Parsley's Founder, Dr. Robin Berzin .

I didn’t know much about functional medicine at the time. However, nothing else was working for me, so I decided to give it a chance.

When you first came to Parsley Health, what were you hoping to accomplish?

I only had one goal in mind: solving the issue I was facing with my missing menstrual cycle (or amenorrhea ).

It wasn’t until my first visit, when I was asked to list three health goals, that I realized the root cause of my issue stemmed much deeper. My energy was low, my digestion was struggling, and mood swings were becoming more and more frequent. As I talked to my clinician, I realized that all of these problems were related and each needed their own treatment plan.

Up until that point, how had you been trying to reach those goals?

There was a long period of time where I wasn’t trying to reach my health goals at all! I ignored the signals my body was sending me indicating that something was off. Once the smaller issues accumulated into larger ones, I finally decided to see a doctor.

Given my main problem had to do with my menstrual cycle (or lack thereof ), a common solution pushed on me was to use synthetic hormones. No physician came close to addressing my diet, stress levels, or anything else of that nature.

How was your first visit with your Parsley Health clinician different from other doctors you'd seen before?

I expected Parsley Health to look and feel like all of the other doctor offices I had visited—white walls, stark atmosphere, long waits, and built-up feelings of frustration.

To my surprise, Parsley Health was nothing like that. At the New York Cente r, I sat down in the common area where people were eating lunch together until my clinician, Dr. Link , came to get me with a smile on her face. She was right on time, had a warm demeanor, and there was a half-finished green juice on her desk. Immediately, I knew Parsley Health would offer me an experience like no other .

What has your health journey been like since starting at Parsley Health?

The best word to describe my health journey is dynamic. No two test results , medical visits, or health coach appointments are ever the same.

The beauty of my Parsley Health medical team is that they help me connect the dots throughout my journey, giving me a clearer understanding of the factors and decisions that propel me toward better health versus those that hold me back.

How do you feel differently now than you did before joining Parsley?

Pre- and post-Parsley Katherine are two very different people. For the first time, I feel empowered and confident to make honest decisions that I know are right for me. A huge part of this has been the continuous resources and tools provided to me by my clinical and health coach, which I have digital access via the portal at all times.

What has been the most valuable part about working with Parsley Health?

At Parsley Health, they treat me like Katherine, not Patient XYZ. Each appointment, protocol, and piece of advice is tailored to me and my individual health journey. I feel strongly that this patient-first approach has been a key contributor to my healing and growth.

How has your improvement in your health impacted the rest of your life?

For the first time in a long time, I have enough energy to devote to myself and to others. I continue to place a strong focus on self-improvement, but also bettering my relationships with friends, family, and coworkers. I’ve now become less self-critical and more self-loving, which in turn has allowed me to focus on things other than myself and has resulted in a happier life.

What’s the next step on your health journey?

A constant goal and challenge of mine is to be more mindful—in the way I act, think, feel, talk, listen, eat, and drink. I believe that mindfulness translates into kinder and smarter decision-making, which results in better health and balance. Each visit I have with Parsley Health is a friendly reminder that I am not alone in my wellness journey and that I need to continue to keep my head up high.

Want to become a Parsley Health member? Schedule a free call  to learn more about Parsley’s virtual primary care , how to use insurance  to pay for your Parsley medical fees, and more.