Paula J. Pretty, MSN, FNP-BC
I graduated from Oakland University in 2007 with a Master’s Degree as an Adult Nurse Practitioner. I am board certified through the AANP. Prior, I graduated with my Nursing Degree in 1999. My background in nursing existed mostly in the Emergency Room.
On the wellness side, I worked in Bio-Identical Hormonal Therapy which led me to be a Nurse Practitioner.
My Nurse Practitioner background consist of 15 years in Family Practice where I incorporated some functional medicine ideas and Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy.
My why?
I am a product of hormone imbalance!
Since a young age, I had irregular periods, difficulty losing weight, mood swings, low energy and infertility. I faced the merry-go-round of countless specialist and left with no real answer but repeated “try this prescription” (none really worked).
It wasn’t until my late 20’s when I was working as a RN and dealing with infertility that I realized there truly is not a specialty that understands and treats the root cause of hormone imbalances . It’s all Band-Aid medicine!
I became my own advocate and diagnosed myself with HPA axis dysfunction and insulin resistance, ultimately Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).
After several years of working as an NP, I noticed a huge influx of women coming in, having a lot of the same symptoms that I did in my early teens to mid-20’s. I heard the same quote amongst these women…”I can’t stand being around myself”. After a lot of deep dive research, I realized all these women were facing Perimenopause, something that wasn’t taught in school. I also realized that Peri-menopause and PCOS have a lot of similar symptoms.
The Disconnect: There is a HUGE population of people that are facing hormone imbalances and not getting the treatment deserved.
The Problem: Determining root cause is not taught to conventional medicine practitioners nor are they given the time required with patients to determine the root cause. It’s not their fault.
It’s an insurance driven practice model!
The Solution: A Functional Medicine provider that has a passion in getting you back to feeling balanced.
On a personal side, I am happily married to my very supportive husband, George for the last 22 years and together we’re raising our two teenage boys and living our best country life in my hometown, Armada!
What I believe
- I Believe the patient should be the focus. I want to change todays healthcare industry away from where insurances are dictating the care of the provider, requiring mandates that interfere with good, quality care.
- I Believe in working alongside our patients to improve their health, but it takes time and effort from each individual to achieve the type of health they are looking for. I most often use nutrition, pharmaceutical grade supplements, and when necessary, prescribed bio-identical hormones. My goal is to always get you feeling your best with the least amount of medication.
- I Believe we need to recognize and appreciate both holistic and allopathic medicine. While I will most often work with treatments that come from real plant or food sources, there are times when modern medicine is needed and utilized to make sure you are receiving the most comprehensive care.
- I Believe prevention is key. If you have a genetic predisposition to a disease/illness, then I can help you to prevent it.
