Spotlight on Dr. Victoria Andarcia: Championing Integrative and Functional Health
Interview by Natalie Ruiz
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining health can be challenging, especially for women navigating the complexities of hormonal shifts and life stages. Enter Dr. Victoria Andarcia, an integrative and functional medicine physician. With a deep passion for transforming lives through a blend of conventional and holistic practices, Dr. Andarcia focuses on empowering women to reclaim their wellness. Her journey from traditional medicine to integrative care reveals a deep commitment to addressing root causes, promoting long-term health, and making a positive impact.
Dr. Victoria’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering belief in prevention and education shine through our conversation. Below is an inspiring Q&A where she shares her approach, challenges, favorite reads, and the personal philosophies that drive her work.
Q&A with Dr. Victoria Andarcia
Q: Tell me about what you do professionally.
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: I work with women to help them achieve optimal health and wellness by focusing on balancing hormones and modifying lifestyle practices. My approach is integrative, combining conventional medicine with functional and holistic methods. I address underlying issues that contribute to hormonal imbalances, such as stress, gut health, and nutrient deficiencies. By tailoring personalized plans that include nutrition, movement, and stress management, I support women through various life stages, including fertility, perimenopause, and menopause, to help them feel their best.
Q: How did you get into this?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: It all started during my residency when I noticed that, while we were helping people in the hospital, we were really just putting out fires — addressing the symptoms without ever getting to the root cause of their problems. It was frustrating to see how many conditions could have been prevented through simple lifestyle changes and education. That frustration led me to search for other ways to truly help my patients, which is when I discovered integrative medicine. It aligned perfectly with my desire to address the root causes, focusing on prevention and long-term wellness, rather than just managing symptoms.
Q: What do you love about your work?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: What I really love about my work is seeing the results. I’ve had women come to me after struggling with certain symptoms for years, and once we start working together, it’s amazing to see those symptoms improve and their quality of life get better. It still surprises me sometimes how much can change when we go back to the basics — how we eat, move, sleep, and manage stress. It’s incredibly rewarding to help women reconnect with their bodies and feel better than they have in years.
Q: Why is this work important to you?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: This work is important to me because, after spending time in the hospital and seeing how chronic illness takes away your quality of life and independence, it became clear how much our healthspan as a society has decreased. I don’t want people to wait until they’re sick to start taking care of themselves. I’m passionate about empowering people to take control of their own health so they can live longer, healthier lives. By focusing on prevention and lifestyle changes, we can truly shift the way people experience their health and well-being.
Q: What is the most challenging part of your work?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: The most challenging part of my work is also what makes it so interesting. While general principles may be similar, each patient is unique, and what works for one person might not work for another. It’s a constant puzzle that requires me to really listen, adapt, and find the right approach for each individual. I’ve also been diving into the connection between personal experiences, trauma, and chronic illness, which adds another layer of complexity. It’s tougher to navigate, but I believe there’s a strong link, and understanding it better is key to helping people heal on a deeper level.
Q: What kind of an impact are you hoping to make through your work?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: I’m hoping to make a lasting impact by empowering women to take control of their health and understand that they don’t have to just “deal with” their symptoms. I want to shift the focus from managing illness to preventing it, helping women feel better not just in the short term but for the long haul. My goal is to educate and guide them in ways that allow them to live healthier, more vibrant lives — through simple, foundational changes in how they eat, move, sleep, and manage stress. Ultimately, I want them to feel equipped to make decisions that support their well-being at every stage of life.
Q: If you could talk to your younger self, what would you say?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: If I could give my younger self advice, it would be to slow down. I’d remind myself that I don’t always have to be doing something, that just existing and being is enough. Growing up, I tied my self-worth to performance and achievement, and it has taken me years to unlearn that mindset. Pushing myself too hard led to burnout and unhappiness, and I wish I had learned earlier that life is about balance, not just doing, but also being.
Q: Do you have a favorite quote? What does it mean to you?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: The quote, “Someone once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too was a gift,” comes from the poet Mary Oliver. I read this many years ago, and it really stuck with me because in that moment, I saw all the hardships I had lived through and realized how they shaped where I am now. I don’t hold grudges or feel resentment for the tough moments in my past because they led me to where I am today. It requires a shift in perspective to be able to look at those experiences and ask, “What was this trying to teach me?” or see them as lessons rather than burdens.
Q: Outside of work, what do you love doing? What lights you up?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: Outside of work, I love taking nature walks with my pup and husband. I’m also a huge fan of reading, and dancing has always been a passion of mine. I used to do ballroom dancing, which brought me so much joy, and I’m working on getting back into it.
Q: What is the biggest lesson you have learned through your life and career journey?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: The biggest lesson I’ve learned in both life and my career is realizing how important it is to be okay with asking for help — something I resisted for a long time. Humans thrive in community, yet for a while, I wanted to do everything on my own. Learning to lean on others and embrace support has been a huge growth point for me.
Q: What makes you a powerful woman?
Dr. Victoria Andarcia: What makes me a powerful woman is my ability to turn challenges into growth. I don’t shy away from the tough stuff — whether it’s my own personal experiences or the challenges faced by my patients, family, or friends.
Closing Thoughts
Dr. Victoria Andarcia’s work is a beacon of hope for women seeking a new way to understand their health. Her dedication to empowering patients, addressing root causes, and advocating for holistic well-being resonates deeply in a world where health often takes a back seat to other priorities. Dr. Andarcia continues to inspire a shift from merely managing symptoms to living vibrant, intentional lives through her personalized care and unwavering passion.
Connect with Dr. Victoria on Instagram @healthfulrootsmd or visit her website at www.healthfulrootsmd.com.
🌸 A bit more about me:
I’m Natalie Ruiz, CEO of AnswerConnect, and I often say that my path to success has been unconventional. My journey has fueled my drive to continually challenge assumptions about what work, success, and balance in life really look like. Along the way, I’ve been honored to receive awards such as Female Executive of the Year and Women Helping Women from the Stevie Award Association, one of the 100 Women to Know in America, as well as being named a Woman of Influence by the Portland Business Journal.
Outside of my day job, I’m passionate about giving back. I volunteer, speak on international stages, share my insights through podcasts and publications, and always aim to leave people and places better than I find them.
Connect with me here: on Medium, on LinkedIn, and Instagram
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