Hello friendly faces! It’s that time of the week! We’re back with a new Chicago North Shore Moms spotlight brought to you in part by Mary Gifford of Gifford Law.
Dr. Kristi DeSapri is making women stronger from the inside out and, and who doesn’t aspire that goal?! Dr. DeSapri founded Bone & Body Women’s Health located in Winnetka, the first concierge midlife women’s health medical practice on Chicago’s North Shore. Here she and her team work tirelessly to treat symptoms of perimenopause, menopause, osteoporosis, low bone density & fractures. When asked what makes her practice so unique Dr. DeSapri explains, “We are committed to providing an exceptional patient experience, one that is centered around comfort and trust. At Bone and Body Women’s Health, our goal is not just to treat illness; it is to guide women towards achieving their optimal health.”
Get to know more about this North Shore mom of three young boys and how Bone & Body Women’s Health can be of great benefit to you! Welcome, Kristi DeSapri!
Hi Kristi! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Thank you for this opportunity to speak to fellow moms and the generation of women entering or in the perimenopause or menopause years. I’m Kristi DeSapri a mother, wife, sister, friend, doctor and now medical business owner of Bone and Body Women’s Health; a specialized midlife women’s health medical practice.
I was born and raised in Ontario, Canada and spent childhood years in Connecticut before moving to Surrey, England for high school, Boston for college, Texas for medical school and New York and Cleveland for residency and fellowship respectively. I moved to Chicago with my husband, and we’ve stayed to raise our family in the North Shore.
And your family?
I have a split life! I love taking care of women at my practice and at home I run around with my 3 active school aged boys; age 6.5 yrs., 9yrs and 10.5 yrs. and loving and supportive husband.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
After living in Texas, I love country music; anything from George Strait to Shania Twain.
We are a tennis family! Everywhere our family goes on vacation we play tennis together and during the summer you’ll find me on the New Trier tennis courts teaching my kids (if they will listen) just like my Dad taught me.
What are your favorite North Shore places, spaces and eats to frequent?
Now that I get to work and live on the North Shore, I have discovered more local gems. We love Guanajuato Contemporary Mexican & Tequila Bar in Winnetka on summer nights and Disotto in Highwood. My sons and I love perusing the shelves at the The Book Stall in Winnetka and exploring Lovelace Park in Evanston.
What gets you through a tough day?
I write in a gratitude journal nightly; I bake a batch of (mostly) healthy muffins or cookies. I try to start the day with exercise and a plan and end each day in comfortable pink sweatpants reading with my kids.
Ha! I love the pink sweatpants part! Your mantra?
You have everything inside you that you need to succeed.
Love that mantra and I’m going to use it!
Let’s get down to business, Dr. DeSapri! Tell us about the health practice you started, Bone & Body Women’s Health, which is the first concierge midlife women’s health practice on Chicago’s North Shore.
Bone and Body Women’s Health is a clinic dedicated to addressing the unique healthcare needs of women, with a primary focus on perimenopause/menopause management and bone health.
Our practice offers a range of services, including state-of-the art bone mineral density testing (DXA), screening, prevention and treatment for osteoporosis, management of hormonal or peri- and menopause symptoms, which may include gynecological care, metabolic and cardiovascular assessment to promote optimal health at midlife.
What makes Bone and Body Women’s Health apart from going to a practice at a large network?
What sets Bone and Body Women’s Health apart is our concierge approach to care. We believe in fostering close, meaningful relationships with our patients, taking the time to truly understand their concerns and developing personalized treatment plans which may include hormonal therapies (including bio-identical hormones), nutrition and lifestyle recommendations. By limiting the number of patients, we see, we can offer extended appointment times, same-day or next-day appointments, and direct access and allow for timely and individualized care.
We are committed to providing an exceptional patient experience, one that is centered around comfort and trust. At Bone and Body Women’s Health, our goal is not just to treat illness; it is to guide women towards achieving their optimal health.
Does your practice accept health insurance?
As a concierge or direct care practice we are out-of-network with commercial insurance and Medicare. My website outlines the Bone and Body Women’s Health annual membership or bone health consult.
What are some common misconceptions about menopause? Why reach this audience?
Menopause is not one moment in time. The menopause transition includes perimenopause (early and late) and postmenopausal years. However, for many women menopause comes earlier than age 50 years due to surgery, cancer or other related treatments, or autoimmune conditions. 70-80% of women will have a constellation of menopause symptoms ranging from hot flashes and night sweats, irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding, sleep disturbance (insomnia/early wakings), mood symptoms (heightened anxiety or depression), joint pains, vaginal dryness, urinary frequency, painful intercourse, and silent symptoms of bone mineral density loss and metabolic or weight changes. Menopause also brings strength! Many women are leaders sharing skills and expertise at home, in careers and our communities. I am motivated by each of my patients and believe they deserve to thrive at midlife and beyond. My goal is to partner and help women elevate their health.
What is your process with clients who come to you wanting to feel like the best version of themselves?
For women interested in joining the practice we invite you to schedule a “meet and greet” (you can schedule online or email us) so I (Dr. DeSapri) can answer questions about the practice, explain our comprehensive approach and how we can best work together. Our initial visits are 2 hours and include complete review of medical, surgical, obstetric, gynecologic, and bone health and physical and gynecologic exams. Thorough lab, imaging review and initial in-office DXA (bone mineral density scan) and body composition testing if appropriate. I believe coordination of care is incredibly important and communicates with specialists and primary care physicians.
In addition to frequent follow up visits and direct access to me for women joining the Bone and Body Membership we offer quarterly lectures, special events on women’s health topics ranging from nutrition to pelvic floor physical therapy, sexual health and cognition.
For women joining the Bone Health consult we offer same day results, fracture risk evaluation, detailed review and explanation of current and historical DXA results to determine bone density and strength. If applicable, osteoporosis and osteopenia prevention and treatments to include lifestyle modifications (dietary, exercise, fall risk) and FDA approved therapies and coordination of care to reduce fractures and prevent bone loss.
What’s on the horizon for your line of work?
Recently menopause is having a media moment with celebrities and commercialization of products geared to midlife women. Although I welcome attention to women in their post-reproductive years, it’s important that women receive informed, individualized medical care. As a national menopause society provider since 2010, and active contributor to medical education and reputable gynecologic societies, I stay current and offer up-to-date, personalized therapies and follow current evidence-based guidelines. Central to my practice is to improve education and access to treatment for all women entering menopause.
Anything else to share? And What’s the best way to get in touch?
I love connecting with like-minded women business owners and working together to share our resources and reach our clients and patients goals. Please reach out to me if you’d like to collaborate! My practice is located at 570 Lincoln Avenue Suite 4 Winnetka, IL 60093. Call 847-999-7171 and visit https://boneandbodywh.com for more information.
About our Meet of Mom Sponsor
A very heartfelt thank you to CNSMoms’ Meet a Mom sponsor, Lake Forest mom of three and owner of Gifford Law, a solo Estate Planning Firm (wills and trusts). Mary, we appreciate your support of local moms in our North Shore communities! Learn more about Mary by visiting her Meet a Mom spotlight here! Contact Mary directly here: [email protected].
