Dr. Mary Pardee, ND, IFMCP 

I became a Functional Medicine doctor who specializes in gut-brain health to be the doctor I never had -- A doctor who would listen, be empathic, and find the root cause.

 

As a young girl, my stomach always bothered me.  I was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), and reflux. Conventional doctors only had one answer for me — medication, which often left me with side effects that were just as bad as the original issue.

 

Finally, a doctor told me I'd have to live with my discomfort and there was nothing else they could do for me. I felt defeated, unheard, dismissed, and hopeless.

 

Then, I met a naturopathic doctor who told me more about my gut and how it worked than all the other doctors I had seen. That’s when I pursued naturopathic and functional medicine to heal my own gut – and help others in return.  

 

I realize that I am the minority of people with IBS who are able to resolve their symptoms. To date, the only things I take to keep my gut healthy are fiber and magnesium. But through my experience helping patients, I believe everyone can improve by discovering the root cause of their symptoms.  

 

When we work together, you will receive an individualized experience where we keep asking the question “Why?”  

 

Why do you have IBS? Why do you have slow motility?  Why are you stuck in fight/flight mode?  We continue until we find the most detailed explanation we can. We work together to really understand what your life looks like and what missing pieces need to be healed in order to experience whole body healing. 

 

This is why patients fill out very comprehensive paperwork before the initial appointment, where we then spend 1-1.5 hrs talking together. These various data points help us create the foundation for lasting results and whole person healing. 

 

You have the power to change what health can look like…

To feel and become whole again…

And to remember who you truly are at your authentic core. 

 

The focus is optimizing healthspan, not just lifespan.

 

This belief is also why I specialize in longevity and metabolic health with issues such as type two diabetes, prediabetes, and weight loss.  This includes extensive lab work to determine the health of your organ systems.  For those interested, we can perform a comprehensive longevity physical exam during the initial intake at my office in Sherman Oaks, CA.

 

When we work together, we will explore every aspect of your life from physical activity, diet, and stress management, to the health of your relationships -- including your relationship to self and your body.

 

Throughout our journey together, I will also measure your level of joy.  Joy is how much and how often you experience happiness and pleasure. What brings you joy? For me, joy is spending quality time and cooking food with loved ones as well as spending time in nature – especially mountain biking, rock climbing, and gardening.

 

I’m excited and honored to join you on your health journey.