Weight Management and Preventive Care for Women

Studies show that unhealthy lifestyle behaviors leading to obesity increase the risk for poor health outcomes, including death, with many common diseases, including diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), heart disease and cancer.
 
At the Center for Women’s Integrated Health, we offer woman-centered weight management solutions with the goals to live long and to live well.
 
We also partner with our greater team of women’s health specialists to ensure that weight management is an important component in your personalized plan, designed to address your unique health challenges.
 
Refer a Patient: Call 773-702-6118
 

What is obesity medicine?

Obesity medicine is a specialized field of medicine focused on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity combining a multifocal approach to:

• Treat chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and obesity
• Decrease associated risk factors
• Provide screening and preventive care for heart disease and cancer 

Our holistic approach addresses the complex factors affecting your weight and metabolic health. We recognize that women’s bodies respond differently to weight management interventions across various life stages. From the reproductive years through the menopause transition and beyond, we address the specific hormonal and metabolic challenges that impact your weight and overall health.

Personalized Care for Women through the Reproductive Lifespan

At the Center for Women’s Integrated Health, behavioral changes are the first step to promote better health and prevent or treat chronic disease. Our specialized assessment addresses the complex factors affecting women’s weight and metabolic health. 
 
Our program offers education and guidance on:

• Diet and nutrition
• Physical activity and exercise
• Weight management
• Following your prevention or treatment plan 

If lifestyle changes are not enough, our goal is to determine the most effective combination of healthy behaviors and medication to personalize your treatment plan. 

Tobacco, alcohol and other substance abuse also impact overall health and wellness. Additionally, the University of Chicago Medicine offers supportive programs to help with smoking cessation[DP6] .

Chronic Disease and Menopause: Diabetes, Hypertension and Your Hormones

Menopausal and perimenopausal changes in hormone levels can affect chronic disease risk and treatment in important ways.
 
During and after menopause:

• Decreases in estrogen and sleep loss can affect blood sugar levels and increase risk for diabetes complications.
• Decreases in estrogen are linked to increase in insulin resistance.
• Decreases in estrogen can affect blood vessels and cause or worsen hypertension.
• Weight gain can require adjustments in medication for diabetes, hypertension and other chronic diseases.
• Weight gain is common around the time of menopause and can also lead to changes in your cholesterol that increase your risk for future heart disease.
• Decreases in estrogen cause a decline in muscle mass and bone density.

At the Center for Women’s Integrated Health, our specialists offer expertise in creating chronic disease prevention and treatment plans with a personalized focus on your total health and wellness, including the impact of health factors like menopause that uniquely affect our patients.

Comprehensive Assessment: Beyond the Scale

Our initial evaluation includes a thorough medical history, physical examination, advanced diagnostic testing, and personalized risk assessment to develop your individualized treatment plan. 

We use advanced body composition analysis to provide a detailed understanding of your unique physiology including measurement of muscle mass, fat distribution, and metabolic indicators.

Working collaboratively with our experts, you’ll receive a comprehensive treatment plan that includes evidence-based nutrition guidance, tailored exercise recommendations, effective behavioral modification techniques, and when appropriate, careful medication management.

Take the First Step to Improve Your Health

If you think our program may be right for you, have a discussion with your primary care provider and ask for a referral.

Refer a Patient: Call 773-702-6118