Board-certified internal-medicine physician and functional-medicine practitioner
By Lauren Jones, Photo by Courtney Runn
Dr. Valerie Chavez has a passion for getting to the root causes of bothersome gut symptoms at her clinic, Gut Mend, which is located in Northwest Austin. She was led on this path through her own journey of alleviating many years of gut-dysfunction symptoms. After addressing her pro-inflammatory diet, several infections and a heavy-metal burden, she feels better at age 42 than she did in her 20s. Her mission is to provide relief of gut-related disorders to those who struggle with conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and abdominal bloating. With her additional time, she serves as the medical director for AseraCare Hospice and Abiding Home Health. Additionally, she is an avid toastmaster who is on track to earn her Distinguished Toastmaster title by next year.