Gut health might be the real reason behind your brain fog, skin issues, and stubborn hormone symptoms. In this conversation, originally recorded for The Lab Report podcast by Genova Diagnostics, Dr. Shilpa P. Saxena, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Forum Health, explains why she calls the gut "the front door to the house of health" and shares the clinical framework she uses to help patients finally get answers. Dr. Saxena walks through how gut health connects to immune function, skin, brain fog and mood, and hormone balance, breaks down her approach to stool testing and the microbiome using her signature "gated community" analogy, and explains when she reaches for antimicrobials versus antibiotics in a functional medicine practice. She also discusses the evolving evidence around bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for bone, brain, and heart health, plus where AI genuinely helps and where it falls short in modern patient care. Dr. Saxena also shares how Forum Health's nationwide network of providers works together to share best practices across gut health, hormone therapy, and other specialties, so patients benefit from collective clinical expertise rather than any single provider's experience alone. 🩺 Ready to find a root cause approach to your health? 👉 Get started: https://forumhealth.com/ 📲 Follow Forum Health: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forum_health/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forumhealthco/ About the Provider: Dr. Shilpa P. Saxena, MD, is Chief Medical Officer at Forum Health, the nation's largest network of integrative and functional medicine providers. She helps lead Forum Health's clinical vision while continuing to see patients through virtual consultations. Dr. Saxena serves on faculty with the Institute for Functional Medicine, the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine [name to confirm], George Washington University's Metabolic Medicine Institute, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine's Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, and Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola in Lima, Peru. She is known for translating complex physiology into clear, practical guidance for both patients and fellow clinicians, with a particular focus on gut health, the microbiome, hormone balance, and root cause functional medicine care. Dr. Saxena is not currently accepting new patients, but you can learn more about the Forum Health network at the link above. About Forum Health: Forum Health is the nation's first and largest network of integrative and functional medicine providers. Our clinicians go beyond symptom management to find the root cause, using advanced diagnostics, personalized treatment plans, and evidence based therapies. With clinics across the U.S., expert care is closer than you think. https://forumhealth.com/
