Dr. Andréa Salcedo, a proud Claremont local, is a Mexican American mom of three who brings a vibrant bicultural perspective to everything she does. With deep roots in the Southwest and a strong connection to her heritage, she’s passionate about keeping culture alive, especially through language. For her, speaking Spanish isn’t just communication, it’s a way to stay connected, empower communities, and celebrate where she comes from. For Dr. Salcedo, women’s health is not only deeply personal but also critically misunderstood. By reframing menstrual disorders through a metabolic lens, Dr. Salcedo challenges long standing gaps in how reproductive health is understood and treated, especially for women of color.

When asked about the most promising and urgent areas of research in lifestyle medicine for gynecological and metabolic conditions, Dr. Andréa Salcedo pointed to the critical need to understand the metabolic roots of women’s health issues. She highlighted that many gynecological diseases, often misunderstood as purely hormonal, stem from insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. By advancing research in what she calls “metabolic gynecology,” Dr. Salcedo hopes to shift treatment away from symptom management like birth control or surgery, and toward addressing underlying metabolic dysfunction, offering women more effective and empowering care options. In today’s AI-driven world, Dr. Salcedo stresses the need for doctors to focus on root causes to offer truly personalized care. “90% of my patients already come in with solutions they found online usually through AI tools like ChatGPT,” she explains. “They’ll say, ‘I don’t like that solution. What else do you have for me?’” Her metabolic gynecology approach helps uncover the inflammatory and metabolic triggers behind gynecological issues, allowing for tailored treatment beyond just “in-between” fixes like medication or surgery. This method not only fills critical gaps in culturally responsive care but also empowers Hispanic women by addressing the true source of their symptoms.

Dr. Salcedo empowers underserved women by teaching the physiology behind their symptoms. She explains that conditions like heavy bleeding or irregular periods often stem from hyperinsulinemia and chronic inflammation, which disrupt the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis. By linking insulin resistance and stress related ovulation suppression to systemic challenges like weathering, she helps women, especially women of color, understand their reproductive health in context. This knowledge gives patients the tools to make informed, empowered decisions about their care. Dr. Salcedo’s clinical work aligns closely with research efforts like those at SHE IS Lab, as she continues to explore the deeper metabolic and inflammatory roots of gynecological disease. “It’s not just about a ketogenic diet,” she explains. “It’s about identifying the exact inflammatory trigger.” Her current projects include studying how exosomes, tiny cell byproducts, may contribute to uterine fibroid growth, investigating the link between visceral fat and fibroid burden, and developing a vitamin A trial for endometriosis, which she sees as deeply connected to gut health, immune response, and even trauma. Her research bridges lifestyle medicine with cutting-edge science, always grounded in finding root cause solutions for women’s health. Dr. Salcedo sees a critical need for deeper collaboration between research and clinical care when it comes to trauma-informed gynecology. “There’s a huge correlation between women who’ve experienced trauma and the development of endometriosis,” she notes. She advocates for integrating therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) into treatment for chronic pelvic pain and calls for more research that centers trauma as a key driver of inflammation and disease, especially in Hispanic women. Bridging these gaps, she says, is essential to providing holistic, culturally responsive care. When it comes to low-carb nutrition in Hispanic communities, Dr. Salcedo focuses on reframing rather than restricting. “Our ancestors made tortillas by hand, they didn’t come in a 200-pack from Costco,” she says. She encourages patients to honor their cultural foods, but also to recognize how modern food systems have changed what and how we eat. Her goal: help patients reconnect with traditional ways of eating that were more nourishing, balanced, and rooted in intention.

Dr. Salcedo encourages young Hispanic women, and other women of color pursuing healthcare or science to find their community early. “Find your tribe, people who look like you, who share your values,” she says. Whether it’s a student group, professional organization, or online network, surrounding yourself with like-minded women of color can provide the support, inspiration, and resilience needed to thrive in spaces where you might not always feel seen. “You don’t have to do it alone,” she adds. “There’s power in community.”