Ann Shippy MD

Ann Shippy MD Functional Medicine information and tips to improve your health She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Certified in Functional Medicine.

Dr. Shippy practices functional medicine, a method that addresses the underlying causes of disease, not simply treating the symptoms. Her unique approach combines the art and science of healing to address the care of the whole person. She integrates conventional and complementary therapies to promote optimal health and to prevent and treat disease by addressing contributing factors. Dr. Shippy is dedicated to providing proactive and personalized medicine for her patients.

Honored to be featured in on a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: male fertility and how it’s a marker for...
06/02/2026

Honored to be featured in on a topic that doesn’t get nearly enough attention: male fertility and how it’s a marker for men’s overall health.

When s***m quality declines, it’s often a reflection of deeper imbalances involving hormone health, metabolic health, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, and lifestyle factors.

The good news is that s***m are constantly being renewed.

That means the choices men make now can begin to shift fertility markers (and overall health) within just a few months.

Whether you’re trying to conceive or simply want to optimize how you feel and perform, the same foundations move the needle.

See slides 👆 or comment MEN below, and I’ll send you the full article.

Fertility isn’t just a family planning conversation. It’s a men’s health conversation. and one of the most overlooked performance metrics.

Dr. Ann

Autoimmune disease is far more common (and more serious) than most people realize.Today, an estimated 1 in 10 people wor...
05/27/2026

Autoimmune disease is far more common (and more serious) than most people realize.

Today, an estimated 1 in 10 people worldwide are living with an autoimmune condition, and rates continue to rise.

In the United States alone, autoimmune diseases affect tens of millions of people and are among the leading causes of chronic illness and disability, particularly in women.

Many people live for years with fatigue, brain fog, digestive issues, skin problems, migraines, anxiety, joint pain, or hormone imbalances, without ever realizing that chronic immune dysfunction may be driving them.

Over time, chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation can contribute to cardiovascular disease, neurological decline, lung damage, kidney disease, infertility, metabolic dysfunction, and even organ failure. (See slides 👆).

When dealing with autoimmunity, it’s not enough to manage symptoms. You need to understand why the immune system became dysregulated in the first place.

In my practice, I often see multiple root causes working together to fuel immune dysfunction: gut dysfunction, chronic infections, mold and environmental toxins, nutrient deficiencies, blood sugar imbalances, food sensitivities, and chronic stress. Rarely is it just one thing.👏

This is why early testing and a comprehensive root-cause approach matter so much. The sooner these underlying drivers are identified, the greater the opportunity to calm inflammation, protect long-term health, and in some cases slow or even reverse progression.

Healing is also not one single intervention. It requires addressing multiple systems.

Diet is one powerful place to start.

Comment AIP, and I’ll send you my free Autoimmune Paleo Protocol Guide.

Dr. Ann

2 out of 3 Alzheimer’s patients are women.For years, researchers have tried to understand why. Now, new research is poin...
05/22/2026

2 out of 3 Alzheimer’s patients are women.

For years, researchers have tried to understand why. Now, new research is pointing to how the loss of ovarian hormones during menopause may play a significant role in brain aging and cognitive decline.

In a 2025 mouse study modeling early Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found that loss of ovarian hormones worsened memory, increased amyloid buildup, disrupted the brain’s immune response, and led to worse outcomes when blood flow to the brain was reduced.

Much of this protection appears to come from estradiol (E2), one of the primary forms of estrogen produced during reproductive years.

Estradiol supports brain energy, blood flow, inflammation balance, and healthy neuronal function.

While this study was conducted in mice, the findings mirror what we are increasingly seeing in human menopause and Alzheimer’s research.

The good news is that there is so much we can do to support healthy aging and brain health during this transition.

See slides 👆 for strategies to support your ovarian health and your brain. 🥰

This is about understanding how deeply connected our hormones, brain, and long-term health truly are.

Comment KIT and I’ll send you the Ovarian Protect Kit I created to support mitochondrial health, healthy aging, antioxidant defenses, hormone balance, and both ovarian and brain health.

Dr. Ann

Most people just want relief from their symptoms: a pill, a quick fix, something to feel better and move on.And this is ...
05/16/2026

Most people just want relief from their symptoms: a pill, a quick fix, something to feel better and move on.

And this is exactly what many traditional healthcare providers offer - they treat the symptom without identifying what’s driving it.

But when symptoms persist or recur, it’s often a sign that the underlying cause has not been addressed.

Chronic inflammation can present in many ways (see slide), such as fatigue, joint pain, skin issues, mood changes, or hormone imbalances.

Left unaddressed, inflammation is linked to many of the conditions we see commonly today, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune conditions, cancer, cognitive decline, and hormone-related disorders.

This chronic inflammatory process also plays a central role in your overall health and how you age.

When you take a deeper look and identify what’s contributing, whether it’s diet, gut health, stress, toxins, or underlying infections, you can begin to support the body in a more targeted and effective way.

This is where the functional lab testing comes in.

The lab markers outlined in the slides 👆can help you understand your inflammatory burden and help to connect the dots.

Swipe 👉through to learn how chronic inflammation may be affecting your health, how to identify root causes, and ways you can take to support long-term healing and longevity. 🥰

Alongside identifying root causes, there are natural compounds with strong evidence for supporting the body’s inflammatory response.💚 see slides 👆

Curcumin in particular helps regulate key inflammatory pathways (including NF-κB), supports gut and brain health, and works upstream of many symptoms.

Absorption matters, look for clinically studied, bioavailable forms, and check with your physician to see if it’s right for you.

Comment HEAL and I’ll send you the link to one of my favorites.

Dr. Ann

Histamine intolerance is rarely just about food.It’s about your body’s total histamine load, and your ability to clear i...
05/02/2026

Histamine intolerance is rarely just about food.
It’s about your body’s total histamine load, and your ability to clear it.

Avocado. Aged cheese. Wine. Fermented foods. Chocolate. Leftovers.

These absolutely matter, and diet is a great place to start.

But if you’ve removed these foods and you’re still not feeling well…

it’s time to look a little deeper.❤️

Histamine buildup can show up in ways that don’t always seem connected:

• Bloating, gas, or digestive discomfort
• Headaches or migraines
• Skin flushing, hives, or itching
• Nasal congestion or sinus issues
• Anxiety, irritability, or poor sleep
• Heart palpitations

These symptoms often persist when underlying drivers aren’t addressed.

Stress can suppress DAO, your primary histamine-clearing enzyme.

Poor sleep can reduce overnight histamine breakdown.
Hormonal shifts (especially estrogen) can increase histamine, and histamine can feed that cycle.

👉 Gut imbalances may lead to excess histamine production internally.

👉 Chronic infections can keep the immune system activated.

👉 Environmental toxins can interfere with both production and clearance pathways.

👉 Even dehydration can raise histamine, as the body uses it to help regulate fluid balance.

When these factors stack together, your “histamine bucket” fills faster, and symptoms follow.

Histamine intolerance is not just a food issue.
It’s a load and resilience issue.

Swipe to see more on how each of these factors can contribute

DAO is central to histamine balance. When levels are low, histamine isn’t broken down efficiently, so even small exposures can trigger symptoms.

If histamine intolerance is something you’re navigating, supporting your DAO enzyme can be a helpful tool while you address root causes.

Comment DAO, and I’ll send you the link to my Histamine Support.

Dr. Ann

If you’re dealing with cravings, energy crashes, blood sugar swings, or trouble maintaining muscle, protein may be the m...
04/25/2026

If you’re dealing with cravings, energy crashes, blood sugar swings, or trouble maintaining muscle, protein may be the missing piece.

Most people think protein is just for building muscle.

But it’s foundational for nearly every system in your body…from hormone production and detoxification to gut integrity, fertility, immune function, and healthy aging.

Every cell depends on amino acids as raw material for repair, resilience, and regeneration. Protein needs don’t diminish with age- if anything, the need for high-quality protein often increases.👏

Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) can begin as early as your 30s. Low muscle mass isn’t just a fitness issue -it’s independently linked to insulin resistance, fracture risk, immune decline, and all-cause mortality.

Protein is one of the most powerful levers you have against it.👏👏👏

A few things you may not know about protein…
Protein supports:

✔ Blood sugar balance and reduced cravings
✔ Hormone and neurotransmitter production
✔ Liver detoxification pathways
✔ Gut barrier integrity
✔ Egg and s***m quality
✔ Longevity and healthspan

Quality and consistency matter as much as quantity.

Prioritize whole food, nutrient-dense sources, and aim to distribute protein throughout the day to support muscle protein synthesis.

See slides 👆 for ways to get in more protein daily. (Paleo diet options).

I often rely on protein powder especially on busy days. My go to is Perfect Paleo Protein powder was designed to fill the gaps supporting protein intake.

Comment PALEO, and I’ll send you the link.

Dr. Ann

If you’re dealing with cravings, energy crashes, blood sugar swings, or trouble maintaining muscle, protein may be the m...
04/25/2026

If you’re dealing with cravings, energy crashes, blood sugar swings, or trouble maintaining muscle, protein may be the missing piece.

Most people think protein is just for building muscle.

But it’s foundational for nearly every system in your body…from hormone production and detoxification to gut integrity, fertility, immune function, and healthy aging.

Every cell depends on amino acids as raw material for repair, resilience, and regeneration. Protein needs don’t diminish with age- if anything, the need for high-quality protein often increases.👏

Age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) can begin as early as your 30s. Low muscle mass isn’t just a fitness issue -it’s independently linked to insulin resistance, fracture risk, immune decline, and all-cause mortality.

Protein is one of the most powerful levers you have against it.👏👏👏

A few things you may not know about protein…
Protein supports:

✔ Blood sugar balance and reduced cravings
✔ Hormone and neurotransmitter production
✔ Liver detoxification pathways
✔ Gut barrier integrity
✔ Egg and s***m quality
✔ Longevity and healthspan

Quality and consistency matter as much as quantity.

Prioritize whole food, nutrient-dense sources, and aim to distribute protein throughout the day to support muscle protein synthesis.

See slides 👆 for ways to get in more protein daily. (Paleo diet options).

I often rely on protein powder especially on busy days. My go to is Perfect Paleo Protein powder was designed to fill the gaps supporting protein intake.

Comment PALEO, and I’ll send you the link.

Dr. Ann

Your brain is one of the most nutrient-demanding organs in the body, and one of the first to suffer when it’s depleted. ...
04/21/2026

Your brain is one of the most nutrient-demanding organs in the body, and one of the first to suffer when it’s depleted.

Modern life makes it harder to get what your brain needs:

• Soil depletion reduces nutrients in our food
• Absorption declines with age
• Chronic stress depletes key nutrients faster than we can replace them

It’s increasingly difficult to meet all your needs through diet alone. But you can support your body more strategically.

Targeted support can make a meaningful difference.

👉See slides above👆 for a comprehensive list.

But supplements are just one piece of the puzzle.

True brain health is built daily through:

• A whole-food, nutrient-dense diet
• Regular movement and exercise
• Quality sleep
• Stress management
• Meaningful social connection
• Challenging your brain and learning something new

Because your brain thrives on stimulation, connection, and nourishment.

If you’re ready to take a more proactive approach to your brain health…

Comment BRAIN, and we’ll send you the link to my Better Brain Kit.

Dr. Ann

If you have Hashimoto’s and you’ve been told your labs are “normal,” but you still don’t feel like yourself, it’s import...
04/16/2026

If you have Hashimoto’s and you’ve been told your labs are “normal,” but you still don’t feel like yourself, it’s important to look deeper.

In many cases, there is an underlying trigger like mold that has not yet been identified or addressed.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is an autoimmune condition where the immune system mistakenly targets the thyroid. It affects hormone production, energy, metabolism, and many other systems in the body.

And it doesn’t happen in isolation.👏

Hashimoto’s can develop when three factors come together:

👉 A genetic predisposition. But a lack of family history doesn’t rule out Hashimoto’s, which is why symptoms and lab work (TSH, TPO antibodies, thyroglobulin antibodies) are key for diagnosis.

👉 Immune system dysregulation (often rooted in the gut)

👉 An environmental trigger

That third piece is often overlooked❗️
Toxic mold exposure, especially.

👉 Swipe to see how mold impacts Hashimoto’s and signs that mold may be the hidden trigger.

👉👉👉Other triggers include:

✅ Environmental toxins
✅ Hidden infections
✅ Gut imbalances
✅ Hormonal shifts
✅ Ongoing stress or disrupted sleep

Medication can be a helpful tool. But if your goal is to support your body more naturally, you have to address the underlying drivers of immune dysregulation.

If you think mold could be holding you back, comment “MOLD,” and I’ll send you my “It Could Be Mold” guide. It’s a great place to start.

Dr. Ann

Address

6836 Bee Cave Road # 114
Austin, TX
78746

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+15127329975

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Ann Shippy MD posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Ann Shippy MD:

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category