I'm Dr. Christina — Functional Medicine Practitioner, Optometrist, and the Doctor Who Finally Asks Why.
Specializing in gut-centered root cause healing for women dealing with chronic symptoms that conventional medicine keeps calling "normal."
My Path Didn't Start in Gut Health. But It Led Me Here for a Reason.
B.S. Neuroscience
Ursinus College · Minor in Biology
Doctor of Optometry
Pennsylvania College of Optometry, Salus University
IFM Coursework
Institute for Functional Medicine
Restorative Health Practitioner (RHP)
Institute of Restorative Health
Gut Honest Truth Academy
Level 1 complete · Level 2 in progress
CrossFit Level 1 Trainer
Precision Nutrition Level 1
My journey into medicine began with the eyes — and with my mother.
When I was in sixth grade, she suddenly began losing her vision. Despite seeing some of the top specialists in the country, answers were limited. Watching her navigate that experience — and continue living fully despite it — shaped everything about how I approach medicine.
I wanted to understand the body deeply. Not just treat what was visible, but investigate what was driving it.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience with a minor in Biology from Ursinus College, followed by my Doctor of Optometry degree from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University. Eye care was where I started — and it still holds a meaningful place in my practice today.
But something shifted as I began seeing patients.
The people with the healthiest eyes shared a pattern — they moved their bodies, ate well, slept, managed stress. And the patients with the most chronic eye conditions? They almost always had something else going on systemically. Inflammation. Gut dysfunction. Metabolic imbalance. Autoimmune activity.
The eyes weren't the problem. They were reflecting one.
That realization sent me down a path I couldn't come back from. I started studying functional medicine — a model built around investigating why symptoms develop, not just what to prescribe for them. I completed coursework through the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM), became a Restorative Health Practitioner (RHP) through the Institute of Restorative Health, and completed Level 1 training — currently advancing through Level 2 — with the Gut Honest Truth Academy, with a specific focus on gut-centered root cause healing. I also participate in the High Performance Mentorship for functional practitioners as part of my ongoing advanced clinical training.
Along the way I became a Certified CrossFit Level 1 Trainer and earned my Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification — because I believe movement and nutrition are two of the most underutilized tools in medicine.
What I practice today is the intersection of all of it: deep clinical training, a root cause framework, and a genuine belief that the body is capable of healing when you give it the right investigation and the right support.
Every Doctor Has a Specialty. Mine Is the System That Affects All of Them.
Your gut is not just where food gets digested. It is the foundation of your immune system, the origin of neurotransmitters that regulate your mood, the gatekeeper of what enters your bloodstream, and the primary driver of systemic inflammation throughout your entire body.
When the gut is compromised — and it often is, silently, for years — the effects don't stay local.
They travel.
They show up as skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis that dermatologists treat topically without ever asking what's happening in the digestive tract. They show up as hormonal chaos that gets managed with birth control instead of investigated. As thyroid dysfunction that gets a prescription but no explanation. As anxiety and brain fog that gets labeled as stress. As autoimmune conditions that get suppressed rather than traced back to the intestinal permeability and immune dysregulation that triggered them.
No one connects the dots because conventional medicine isn't structured to. Each specialist owns one piece of the picture. Nobody owns the whole system.
The gut is where I start with almost every client — because in almost every case, it's where the answers are.
"The eyes weren't the problem. They were reflecting one."
The Testing I Run Goes Where Standard Labs Don't
Conventional labs are designed to rule out disease. Functional testing is designed to find dysfunction — the imbalances, overgrowths, deficiencies, and patterns that have been quietly driving your symptoms long before they would ever appear on a routine panel.
Every test I order is chosen based on your specific symptoms, history, and clinical picture.
There is no one-size-fits-all panel here.
Some of the core testing I use:
GI-MAP (Comprehensive DNA Stool Analysis)
A deep look at the gut ecosystem — pathogens, parasites, bacterial overgrowth, H. pylori, candida, inflammation markers, and digestive function. This is the test that explains what's been driving your gut symptoms, your skin, your immune reactivity, and more.
DUTCH Test (Complete Hormone & Cortisol Mapping)
A full picture of how your body produces, uses, and clears hormones across an entire day — including cortisol rhythm, estrogen metabolism, progesterone, androgens, and more. This is how we understand the real story behind your cycles, mood, sleep, and energy.
HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis)
Reveals cellular mineral status, heavy metal burden, and metabolic patterns that blood work cannot show. Often the missing piece behind fatigue, thyroid dysfunction, mood instability, and slow metabolism.
Metabolomix (Micronutrient and Organic Acids Test)
An advanced look at mitochondrial function, neurotransmitter production, gut microbial activity, detox capacity, and nutrient deficiencies at the cellular level. This is the test that explains the brain fog, the exhaustion, and the "I've tried everything" plateau.
Additional Testing
Complete thyroid panels beyond TSH, advanced metabolic and insulin markers, comprehensive nutrient panels, advanced full female cycle tracking, inflammatory markers, food sensitivity testing — all interpreted at functional optimal ranges, not just disease thresholds.
See Which Labs Make the Most Sense for You
Not Sure Where to Start? Watch This First.
Take this 2-minute quiz to find out what functional medicine can uncover for your specific symptoms — and which labs are most likely to give you the answers you've been missing.
Get in Touch
Subscribe for Updates
Insights on functional medicine, root cause testing, and women's health — delivered to your inbox.
Send a Message
Have a question before booking? Reach out directly.
If You've Been Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, or Simply Never Investigated — This Is Where That Changes.
I built this practice for the woman who knows something is wrong, has been told otherwise, and is done accepting that answer. If that's you, I'd like to talk.
Dr. Christina · Functional Medicine
Functional medicine for women ready to investigate the root cause — not manage the symptoms for the rest of their lives.
+
LET'S CONNECT
