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In partnership with Allara Health. Editor’s Note: We only select and work with partners that meet our quality standards, so you can rest assured we only endorse products we believe in.
I adore my OBGYN. Truly. I’ve been seeing her for close to 15 years, and she is warm, smart and knows the intricacies of my health history. But, getting in contact with her – no less an actual IRL appointment – is harder than snagging BTS tix (did you know the average wait time to see an OBGYN is 31 days?). The last time I emailed a non-urgent question, it took her five days to respond. No shade. It’s just the reality of her practice.
So when I started noticing changes in my body that felt familiar but also…maybe not, I wanted answers from a real medical professional. I’m prone to spiraling through WebMD or an overconfident ChatGPT late night thread and it never leads anywhere good.
That’s what led me to Allara Health. Designed specifically for women navigating hormonal shifts and unexplained symptoms (like weight gain, irregular cycles, excess facial hair, bloating, acne, thinning hair, and brain fog) Allara goes beyond surface-level care. Whether you’re searching for answers or already managing a diagnosis like PCOS or another hormonal condition, Allara isn’t just another telehealth platform. It’s a more thoughtful, patient-first care experience for women that pairs medical providers and registered dietitians to look at the whole picture, not just a single symptom. And most importantly, it meets you where you are (literally – and in my case, in between meetings), without judgment or the long wait.
Why Allara, Why Now
I’m at a time in my life where my yearly PAP just doesn’t seem like enough. I can sense changes on the horizon like the subtle 3 a.m. wake up or extreme fatigue. Call it maturity, heightened awareness of perimenopause or the fact that I'm the daughter of a physician, but I’m trying to be more proactive in managing my health before things feel urgent.
Allara speaks directly to that need many women like myself feel. They acknowledge and confront head on the very real care gap in women’s health. Because like many women, I’m not just looking for symptom management; I want care that considers how hormones, nutrition, mental health, and daily life intersect, instead of siloing them into separate appointments and specialists who cannot – or don’t have the bandwidth – to see the full picture.
This care gap isn’t new. Women remain underrepresented in clinical research with one study revealing that women make up only 22% of phase one clinical trial participants. Further, according to McKinsey, a woman will spend an average of nine years in poor health, which affects our ability to be present and/or productive at home, in the workforce, and in the community, ultimately, reducing our earning potential.
Many of us spend years cycling through rushed appointments without clear answers. If you’ve ever left a doctor’s office feeling dismissed, confused, or quietly resigned to “dealing with it later,” you know how untenable that system can feel.
So when Allara promised comprehensive, ongoing care – real medical expertise paired with nutrition support, without judgment or long waits – it felt like a no-brainer decision to try.
How It Works
The sign up process is refreshingly simple. You’re asked the basics you’d expect at any new doctor’s office: date of birth, address, emergency contact, family health history, current medications and supplements. In other words, nothing out of the ordinary.
From there, you choose how you’d like to pay. You can go out of pocket (which comes out to roughly $149/month) or bill insurance. If opt for the latter, many patients pay as little as $0, which feels like a small miracle in modern healthcare.
Next, I scheduled my 30-minute appointment with a credentialed medical provider (like an OB-GYN, endocrinologist, Nurse Practitioner). This is where Allara really shines. Not only did I book an appointment for the very next day, but I also had the option to browse providers and choose someone whose experience aligned with my specific concerns. It all felt intentional and empowering, putting me in the driver’s seat. Once booked, confirmations arrived immediately via text and email.
At the set appointment time, Allara Health requires patients to be in their home state and in a quiet, private place (sorry, multitaskers, you can’t take the call during school pick up). My provider and I had an honest and grounded discussion about how I’ve been feeling: tired and maybe more irritable than usual. She listened carefully, asked thoughtful follow-ups, and offered clear guidance – without jumping to worst-case scenarios or pushing unnecessary tests or supplements.
My provider (who raved about working with Allara after having her own practice for 30 years) told me that she didn’t recommend an in-person screening, but if something warranted it, she would refer me out for an in-person exam. I could also follow up with her by email with any questions or concerns. And, if the ease of booking my appointment was any indication, I bet I’ll barely have to wait for an answer.
Enter: The Dietitian
Part of Allara’s focus on the entire body is connecting patients with a Registered Dietitian after their initial medical consult.
Booking a session with an RD was just as seamless. Appointments were available the next day and even on the weekend. To prepare for the call, I filled out a three-minute questionnaire covering my eating challenges (rushing through meals, zero time for meal planning, logistics) and what a typical day of food looked like for me (does coffee count as breakfast?).
I've never worked with a dietitian before and admittedly, I was a little apprehensive. Would she judge my protein bar habit? Tell me my go-to supplements were garbage? Side-eye my family's vegetable aversion?
The judgment never came. Instead, the hour-long session felt more like talking with a big sister who happens to know a lot about nutrition. We covered my meal planning struggles, what and when I actually eat daily, where there's room for improvement, and my exercise routine (or lack thereof). We talked candidly about how nutrition and fitness should evolve in your 40s (spoiler: it's time to start building muscle) and even touched on one of my kid's selective eating habits. I especially appreciated that she came right out and said her approach is to not focus on weight or what’s on a scale as an indicator of overall health.
Together, we landed on a couple of realistic goals: Strength training once a week, drinking 6-8 cups of water daily, and non-starchy vegetables at dinner four times a week (a to-do that’s become much easier thanks to the recipes available in the Allara app). My RD was incredibly down-to-earth, and as a mother herself, she innately understood the push-and-pull of raising kids while trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle – and how those two things can often feel at odds. She mentioned that sometimes we just need accountability to someone else. I agree.
I ended the call feeling empowered and validated; I had a real plan that wasn't just another wellness to-do list I'd ignore.
So, Is It Worth It?
Allara is trying to democratize healthcare for women. From PCOS, Hashimoto's, hypothyroidism, perimenopause, and other hormonal conditions, these providers just get women’s health and they’re raising the bar for American women seeking comprehensive care.
I'm not saying telehealth replaces everything. If you need a physical exam, you'll still need to show up somewhere in person. And yes, your provider won't have your complete medical history pulled up on a screen – so you need to come prepared and be thorough about your background
But for the questions that don't warrant a $200 specialist visit but still deserve real human answers? The "is this normal or should I be worried" spiral at 11 p.m.? Allara fills that gap beautifully.
I walked away from both appointments – the medical consult and the nutrition session – feeling seen, heard, and equipped with an actual plan. I thought, Wow, they really get women’s health and what’s important to me.
And honestly? That alone feels really good and like a huge step in the right direction for women’s healthcare.
If you've been putting off asking questions about your health because the logistics feel too hard or the judgment feels too real, Allara might be exactly what you need. It certainly was for me.
