Melody Hartzler, Pharm To Table

A probiotic is not a microbiome strategy.
And honestly, this is one of the biggest misconceptions we see online.
The microbiome is an ecosystem.
Different bacteria influence different processes including: • inflammation • hormone metabolism • insulin sensitivity • gut barrier integrity • immune signaling
So when someone says: “What’s the best probiotic?”
The answer is: “It depends on the pattern.”
This is why targeted testing can sometimes be incredibly helpful.
Not to over-test.
But to reduce guesswork.
In our latest blog, we explain why gut health impacts so many seemingly unrelated symptoms.
🧬 Comment MICROBES and we’ll show you how we evaluate gut patterns clinically.

This is what thriving looks like. ✨

Watch what happens when you address the ROOT of hormonal imbalance instead of just managing symptoms:
✅ Sustainable weight loss
✅ Balanced hormones
✅ Real energy all day
✅ Finally feeling like herself again

This is exactly why we do this work.
Your body has been sending signals. And with the right tools, support, and personalized approach — you can feel this good too.

💫 Comment READY if you're ready to work with our team and we'll send you a link to book your free discovery call.
Your transformation is waiting. 🌿

If you've tried everything and still don't feel better, listen to this...

Maybe you have tried:
The diets.
The supplements.
The workouts.
The medications.

And you're still tired, struggling with your weight, dealing with brain fog, digestive issues, or just not feeling like yourself . . .

One of the biggest misconceptions about functional medicine is that it's some kind of quick fix.

It's not.

Functional medicine is about understanding patterns.

It's looking at your health timeline and asking, "When did things start to change?"

It's connecting symptoms that may seem unrelated.

It's identifying the underlying contributors that are driving how you feel.

And then it's building a sustainable plan that works with your body, not against it.

Because the goal isn't just to manage symptoms.

The goal is to understand why they're happening in the first place.

That process takes time, but it also creates lasting change.

If you feel like you've tried everything and you're still looking for answers, comment READY and we'll help you determine your next best step with one of our providers.

If I could only run two tests on every woman over 35, it’d be the Hormone Clarity Kickstart test and the GutScan.

Here’s why.

Together they answer 80% of the questions that bring women into our practice:

The Hormone Clarity Kickstart test shows me:
∙ Estrogen levels AND how you’re metabolizing it
∙ Progesterone, the first hormone to drop in perimenopause
∙ Testosterone (relevant for libido, muscle, mood)
∙ Cortisol rhythm across the whole day, not one snapshot
∙ Melatonin
∙ DHEA and adrenal function

The GutScan shows me:
∙ Microbial diversity and weight-relevant bacterial ratios
∙ The estrobolome (bacteria affecting estrogen clearance)
∙ Inflammation markers (LPS, ammonia)
∙ Butyrate producers (metabolism, gut lining)
∙ TMAO bacteria (cardiovascular risk)
∙ Dysbiosis and overgrowth patterns

Together, they tell me the full story of why a woman feels the way she does ; not just one isolated number.

If you’ve been bouncing between specialists, cycling through supplements, and still don’t have a clear plan, this is the data that usually ends the guessing.

💫 Comment CLARITY and we’ll send you the link to our Hormone Clarity Kickstart test. Finally see what your s*x hormones are actually doing!

Fatty liver disease is no longer just a “liver problem.”

More and more, we’re seeing it as a gut + metabolic health problem — especially in women during perimenopause and menopause.

And many women have absolutely no idea it’s developing.

MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) is rapidly increasing in women 35–60, often alongside:
∙ insulin resistance
∙ visceral belly fat
∙ chronic inflammation
∙ poor sleep
∙ hormone shifts
∙ years of ultra-processed convenience foods
∙ sedentary lifestyles

The challenging part?
Fatty liver can develop silently for YEARS.

Many women have:
∙ normal routine labs
∙ no obvious symptoms
∙ no idea metabolic dysfunction is progressing beneath the surface

One of the biggest missing pieces in this conversation is the gut microbiome.

Your gut and liver are directly connected through the portal circulation — meaning substances produced in the gut travel straight to the liver.

When the microbiome becomes imbalanced, it can contribute to:
∙ inflammation
∙ insulin resistance
∙ endotoxin exposure
∙ impaired glucose regulation
∙ fat accumulation in the liver

This is why we often look deeper than a standard physical.

Beyond standard cholesterol and liver enzymes, we may evaluate:
∙ fasting insulin + HOMA-IR
∙ inflammatory markers like hsCRP
∙ GGT
∙ advanced lipid markers
∙ FibroScan when appropriate
∙ gut microbiome patterns connected to metabolic dysfunction

The encouraging news?
Fatty liver is often reversible, especially when identified early.

🧬 Comment MICROBES and we’ll send you the link to our GutScan to explore how your gut bacteria may be impacting your metabolism, inflammation, and liver health.

I test every patient’s fasting insulin.

Not glucose. Insulin. Here’s why.

Conventional medicine has been using fasting glucose as the metabolic gatekeeper for decades. The problem: by the time your fasting glucose is elevated, you’ve often been insulin resistant for 10+ years.

Fasting insulin catches it earlier. Much earlier.

What I look for:
∙ Fasting insulin under 7 = optimal metabolic flexibility
∙ 7-10 = early compensation, worth addressing
∙ 10-15 = clear insulin resistance
∙ 15+ = your pancreas is working hard every day
∙ 20+ = metabolic distress, often with normal glucose still

I see women every week with glucose of 94 (technically fine) and insulin of 18 (definitely not fine). They’ve been told they’re healthy. They feel terrible. And they’re 5-10 years ahead of their doctor on diabetes risk without knowing it.

This is one of the labs I always add to my initial work-up — because it changes the entire conversation.

💪 Comment READY and we’ll connect you with a PharmToTable provider to work on this together.