About me

As a former Board Certified Family Medicine doctor, I have decades of practical experience taking care of patients, especially women. 
As someone who learned the nuts and bolts of bio-identical hormone replacement, I can help women of all ages get into hormonal balance.   
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https://drval.podia.com/about
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A little bit about me:

Credentials

I attended Central College in Pella, Iowa where I obtained a Biology degree with a Chemistry minor.  I applied to the Peace Corp and one medical school-the University of Iowa School of Medicine.  I was excited and a little surprised to be accepted into med school at the U of Iowa, graduating in 1993.  Next was residency in Family Medicine at the Genesis Family Medicine Residency in Davenport, Iowa.  My first rotation in residency was in OB, and I loved serving moms and babies in this most important life transition.  

Since then, I have cared for thousands of women in the clinic or hospital setting.  In the last few years, I have made the change to health coaching, so that I am able to spend more time with women helping them to achieve hormone balance so that they can get the best health outcomes possible.  

Beliefs

I spent nearly 25 years doing family medicine, concentrating on women's  and OB.  After being in traditional medicine for about a decade, I discovered functional medicine.  I believe that the human body has an amazing God-given capacity for healing if it has everything it needs-such as clean air, water, nourishing food, physical movement and activity, loving relationships, spiritual health, and of course, balanced hormones.  

Education

I am passionate about educating women and young adults on their hormones and other health related topics. I believe birth control is not always the best option to regulate a young females hormones. My main cliental are women who are in perimenopause and menopause. I offer hormone testing as well as consultation to get you on the correct path to taking your life back.  

Career highlights

Delivered around 1500 babies.
Educational rotations in Kenya in medical school & residency.
Medical mission trips in Sierra Leone and Liberia, West Africa, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Ecuador. 
I met and adopted my daughter, Anna, from Sierra Leone on a medical mission trip. 

Frequently asked questions

You’ve got questions. I’ve got answers.

How do I know that I need to get my hormones tested?

If you suffer from:
Hot flashes & night sweats,
Sleep issues, fatigue, even fibromyalgia,
Emotional instability & memory issues,
Decreased libido & poor bladder/vaginal health,
Hair loss & poor skin appearance,
Loss of bone density & muscle strength,
Premature aging.

Then you should talk to me! 

What experience do you have working with women and bio-identical hormone replacement?

I have over two decades of experience as a medical doctor working mostly with women. I have delivered about 1500 babies, done about 50,000 patient visits for women with acute & chronic conditions, and done thousands of women's wellness exams. Many  "hormone experts" don't have the advanced medical education or training to understand a woman's  physiology, nor have they cared for thousands of female patients to truly understand what women need for optimal health. 

Unlike others who claim they can help balance a woman's hormones, I have the knowledge and the background to help you make that happen. As a woman, I know what it's like having a hot flash, but I also knew how to fix that nearly immediately.  I have the experience to help you eliminate uncomfortable symptoms as quickly and safely as possible, without using dangerous pharmaceuticals. 

What age should I be worried about hormonal imbalance?

Some women go through their entire lives never achieving hormonal balance.  They may have acne, PMS, and heavy painful periods in their teens, and then struggle with infertility when trying to start a family. 

Many women start losing hormones when they hit their mid to late 30's and by mid 40's most women have some hormonal imbalance. 

Some hormones (especially progesterone) can start dropping a decade before others, potentially increasing the risk of anxiety, depression, insomnia, heavy painful periods, endometriosis, and even increasing the risk of breast and uterine cancer. 

After menopause, all the sex hormones can drop, causing the loss of vitality and youth. 

Hormones can be replaced to improve and optimize health, but it is imperative to use the right hormones, in the correct doses, at the right time, through the safest delivery system, to get the best results.  It is extremely difficult to find professionals who get all these factors right.  In fact, by mixing the wrong delivery systems and lab testing methods, some providers are recommending that women use 100 to 200 TIMES the amount of estrogen that a young healthy woman would make naturally.  

This is terrifying!