Patient guides
Guides written from Dr. Wood’s own handouts
Ten short guides on the conditions Total Body Renewal treats — what is going on, what the evidence says, and what Dr. Wood tells her patients.
Weight
Obesity is a disease, not a willpower problem
Dr. Kelly Wood explains why obesity is a chronic disease, not a willpower problem: hunger hormones, sleep, medications and genes, and how it is treated.
Read the guideSmall habits that make weight loss last
Dr. Kelly Wood’s habits for weight loss that lasts: tracking what you eat, realistic goals, everyday movement and celebrating without food.
Read the guideEating for weight loss, without a fad diet
Dr. Kelly Wood’s food rules for weight loss: shop the outside aisles, stop at 80% full, choose darker grains and plan restaurant meals before you get hungry.
Read the guideExercise and weight loss: where to start
How much exercise weight loss takes, from Dr. Kelly Wood: the CDC’s 150-minute target, strength work twice a week with bands, and cheap ways to start at home.
Read the guideObesity and cancer: the 13 linked types
The National Cancer Institute links obesity to at least 13 types of cancer. Dr. Kelly Wood explains which ones, why, and the habits that lower the risk.
Read the guideBefore you start a GLP-1: what to know
Before starting a GLP-1 such as Wegovy or Zepbound: who the FDA approved them for, its warning on compounded and fake drugs, and how Dr. Wood decides.
Read the guideHormones
Perimenopause and menopause, explained
Perimenopause and menopause explained: the 12-month definition, the average age of 52, the symptoms of the years before, and hormone care at Total Body Renewal.
Read the guideLow testosterone: the signs and the test
The signs of low testosterone, the AUA’s 300 ng/dL cut-off confirmed by two morning tests, and how testosterone therapy is started and checked at TBR.
Read the guideQuestions
About these guides
Who writes the patient guides?
They are written from Dr. Kelly Wood’s own patient handouts and her approach to care, with outside facts cited at their source — the CDC, the National Cancer Institute, the NIDDK, the FDA, The Menopause Society and the American Urological Association.
Can a guide replace a visit with Dr. Wood?
No. The guides explain the background; a visit, an exam and your labs are what decide your treatment.
What happened to the old patient education articles?
The old library covered treatments the practice does not offer. It has been replaced by guides on the care Total Body Renewal actually provides, and the old addresses lead to the closest new page.
Where can I ask a question about a guide?
Call the office at (618) 719-2011 Tuesday through Friday, or bring the question to your next visit. Questions about your own health belong in the patient portal, not the contact form.