Studio City resident Dr. Shira Miller has been busy lately—in real space and in cyberspace.
She just became the most popular Menopause Doctor on Facebook, with more than 5,000 followers, and now blogs as a local voice on Studio City Patch, offering advice on how to circumvent the aging process—even though she doesn't look a day over 35 herself.
Using new-age technology to address an old age problem, her fresh approach is bringing the once taboo subjects of menopause and andropause (male menopause) out in the open. Yes, guys—you get it too!
Her Facebook page offers a free sanctuary for people everywhere to ask questions and get straight answers.
“We don’t have to feel bad because we are getting older—there is a fix for that,” Miller said.
She was motivated to focus on anti-aging protocols during her medical residency when she realized that many of the medications she had learned to prescribe were not addressing her patients’s primary problem, but instead only covering the symptoms.
“The standard diagnosis of ‘it's menopause and you just have to live with it’ didn’t sit well with me,” she explained.
Miller was further inspired when her mother began her menopausal journey. They both read The Sexy Years by Suzanne Somers. Coupling her conventional medical training with the more unconventional therapies described in Somers’ book, the innovative doctor came up with a cutting edge treatment plan and created “The Luxurious Menopause.”
Although some might think a luxurious menopause is an oxymoron, Miller has had great success with her patients, using precise dosages of bio-identical hormones and supplements tailored to an individual’s needs after a thorough review of their blood work.
“I didn’t know how bad I felt, until I felt better,” states one 50-year-old patient in a testimonial.
Miller was born in Israel and moved with her family to the United States when she was 8 years old. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego and then returned to Haifa to complete her medical degree. She is a board-certified internist.
She was married less than two years ago to Sean Saulsbury, a dot-com entrepreneur who specializes in the entertainment business. They have settled in their Studio City home, within walking distance of Ventura Boulevard, with their beloved cocker spaniel, Daphne and two young parrots, Max and Liberty. They enjoy walking the dog in the neighborhood and feel that the people are mellow and friendly.
Their favorite Studio City restaurant is on Ventura, where they eat several times a week.
Miller is a member of the (NAWBO) and ambassador of the San Fernando Valley Chapter. She frequently holds group meetings at the restaurant.
She is founder and medical director of the Integrative Center for Health & Wellness, strictly a concierge medical practice, located on South San Vicente Boulevard in the Beverly Hills area close to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
From Studio City, her office is a short 20-minute drive down Laurel Canyon. Although her cyber-business approach is high-tech, her office presents a charming contrast. Even though her location is near the busiest medical center in Los Angeles, she occupies a single-story bougainvillea-covered bungalow from the 1920s. There is no waiting room, just a comfortable space for private consultations, with a sea-green couch and wood floors. The ceiling is painted blue with white, wispy clouds that add to the peaceful ambience.
Her concierge service costs about $5,000 a year, which includes all necessary personal consultations. She will respond to any issue within 24 hours by phone or email.
For more information, check out Miller's website, shiramillermd.com, which has links to her blog and Facebook page. And, of course, her Local Voices blog.
