Marcus Institute of Integrative Health - Boca Raton

Happy Halloween from all of us at the Marcus Institute! 🎃

Skeletons aside, here's a quick note from a clinic that sees plenty of rolled ankles on November 1st: costume footwear isn't built for miles of uneven pavement, and trick-or-treating covers a lot more ground than most people plan for.

Swap stiff boots or costume heels for a pair of supportive walking shoes, or pack a comfortable pair as a backup for when the miles add up. Give your calves, ankles, and lower back a good stretch before heading out, and have a safe, fun evening!

Connecting with so many women at the HER Health Summit on Wednesday made one thing clear: too many people are being told that disruptive midlife symptoms are "just normal."

Sleep disruptions, new joint pain, and metabolic shifts deserve a deeper look. By looking closely at hormone balance, thyroid function, and systemic inflammation, we replace guesswork with precise data and a personalized plan for long-term healthspan.

If you left the summit ready to take control of your health, our clinic is ready to partner with you. Get in touch!

The HER Health Summit starts at 1:00 PM today at Mizner Studio in Boca Raton.

Dr. Joanna Drowos is on the main stage at 5:00 PM, Sara Starkoff Green at 6:50 PM, and Dr. Branson Collins, M.D., joins the program as a featured panelist.

The Marcus Institute table is open the whole day. Come ask us something. Most people save their real question for the last two minutes of an appointment, and today there is no clock running. There is a QR code at the table if you want to book a first visit while you are there.

Tickets are still available at the door: https://herhealthsummit.com

Two days left to get a seat at the HER Health Summit!

Wednesday, October 28
1:00 to 9:00 PM
Mizner Studio, Boca Raton

Three Marcus Institute clinicians will take the main stage! Bring your question and curiosity!

Tickets: https://herhealthsummit.com

Take your health goals into the kitchen this fall. Registration is officially open for our free six-week nutrition series starting November 3!

Hosted in the MIIH kitchen by Tammy Fogarty, PhD, RD, this series translates complex functional medicine into practical daily eating. Learn how targeted nutrition impacts your gut, hormones, energy, sleep, and mental clarity in an interactive setting where you can ask questions directly. 🥬

Tuesdays, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
November 3, 10, 17 and December 1, 8, 15
Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, Boca Raton

Free to attend. Space in our kitchen is limited, so registration is required.

Reserve your seat: https://calendar.fau.edu/event/integrative-clinical-nutrition-eating-well-living-well

Nine days out from the Her Health Summit 2026, here is who you will hear from the Marcus Institute.

Dr. Joanna Drowos, D.O., M.P.H., M.B.A., FACOFP
5:00 PM, Main Stage
OMT: A Hands-On Approach to Wellness for Women

Sara Starkoff Green
6:50 PM, Main Stage
Midlife, Reframed: Where Science Meets Lived Experience

Dr. Branson Collins, M.D., FAAMFM, ABAARM
Featured panelist

Wednesday, October 28, 1:00 to 9:00 PM at Mizner Studio in Boca Raton. Tickets: https://herhealthsummit.com

Standard imaging captures your joints at rest, but structural issues are usually most visible in motion.

High-resolution diagnostic ultrasound lets us watch a tendon glide, a ligament take load, and a nerve move through surrounding tissue in real time. A static image misses those dynamic details completely.

Better yet, this form of imaging uses zero radiation. We perform the scan right in the room with you, explain what we see as we go, and use the exact same live visualization to place targeted injections with pinpoint precision. 🔎

Request your evaluation at fau.edu/marcusinstitute/request-appointment

Did you know that skin irritation, poor sleep, and brain fog can all originate in your gut?

Beyond bloating, a compromised gut microbiome frequently presents as chronic fatigue, brain fog, sudden adult food intolerances, intense sugar cravings, or stubborn weight fluctuations. Many patients recognize several of these signs without realizing their digestive system is asking for support.

Gut dysbiosis is measurable and treatable. By evaluating your clinical history, symptom patterns, and advanced stool testing, we identify exact microbial imbalances instead of offering generic advice like eating more fiber. 🦠

Read the full list: https://www.fau.edu/marcusinstitute/blog/signs-of-bad-gut-health/

October is Menopause Awareness Month, and we want to talk about a symptom that rarely gets filed under menopause at all.

Frozen shoulder, or adhesive capsulitis, occurs most often between the ages of 40 and 60, and it affects women more than men. Patients describe it the same way almost every time: nothing happened, the shoulder just stopped working. Reaching for a seatbelt hurts, then sleeping on that side hurts, then the arm stops going overhead.

Estrogen plays a role in collagen structure and tissue elasticity, which is part of why the shoulder capsule can thicken and contract during the menopause transition. Blood sugar and thyroid function affect it, too, and both commonly shift in the same years.

We assess it as one problem rather than two. Diagnostic ultrasound shows us the capsule and the surrounding tissue, hormone and metabolic panels show us the environment that tissue is sitting in, and treatment can include osteopathic manipulative therapy, guided injection, and addressing whatever the labs turn up.

If your shoulder changed and no one has connected it to anything else that changed, we would like to look: fau.edu/marcusinstitute/request-appointment

Tai-Chi and Qi-Gong kicks off tomorrow evening, and there is still room in the fall series.

Nick Kusturic, Lic. AP, a certified Tai-Chi and Qi-Gong instructor, leads the hour. Tai chi is a sequence of gentle exercises and stretches where one posture flows into the next without stopping, which is why it often gets described as meditation in motion. Qi Gong works on the same principle from a different angle, using breath and movement together to steady energy and focus. Both build balance and joint control, and both calm a nervous system that has been running hot.

Tuesdays, 6:00 to 7:00 PM
October 6, 13, 20, and 27
Marcus Institute of Integrative Health, 880 NW 13th St, Suite 400, Boca Raton

Free and open to the community. Registration is required: https://calendar.fau.edu/event/tai-chi-qi-gong-summer-fall-2026

Aligned Wellness: Breathe, Move & Meditate also has room on Friday mornings through October 30: https://calendar.fau.edu/event/aligned-wellness-breathe-move-meditate-fall-2026