As part of your naturopathic care, I may recommend functional testing to help uncover the root cause of your symptoms. These tests give us deeper insight into how your body is functioning and can reveal imbalances that may not show up on standard blood work. They allow us to take the guesswork out of treatment and create a more targeted, personalised plan to support your health.
Microba Advanced Gut Microbiome Testing
The gut microbiome plays a central role in digestion, immunity, hormones and inflammation throughout the body. As a Microbiome Master practitioner, I use advanced microbiome testing to help uncover the underlying drivers of symptoms and guide personalised treatment plans.
One of the primary tests I use is the Microba microbiome test, considered the gold standard in gut microbiome testing. This test uses advanced shotgun DNA sequencing technology to analyse the genetic material of microbes in your stool sample, providing a detailed picture of your gut ecosystem and how it may be contributing to inflammation, digestive dysfunction and immune imbalance.
Microbiome testing can be helpful for people experiencing IBS, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and inflammatory bowel conditions such as IBD, as well as conditions linked to gut inflammation, including PCOS, endometriosis, hormonal imbalances and skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis.
The GI-MAP is one of the most valuable tools I use in the clinic. It’s a comprehensive stool test that provides a detailed picture of your gut microbiome, assessing bacterial imbalances, parasites, yeast, viruses, digestive function, inflammation, and leaky gut markers. It’s especially useful for people experiencing bloating, constipation, IBS, skin issues, autoimmune conditions, fatigue or hormonal imbalances. Because your gut influences almost every system in the body, this test helps us understand what’s driving your symptoms and what your body needs to heal.
SMART DNA Testing
In some cases I may also recommend SMART DNA testing, which looks at specific genetic variations that can influence how your body processes nutrients, detoxifies toxins, regulates inflammation and manages hormones. Understanding your genetic blueprint can help explain why certain symptoms persist and allows treatment to be tailored more precisely. This type of testing can be particularly helpful for people experiencing chronic fatigue, hormone imbalances, detoxification issues, mood concerns or conditions where lifestyle and nutritional strategies can be personalised to support long-term health.
Other Functional Tests I May Use Include:
Food intolerance testing – to identify foods triggering immune or inflammatory responses
SIBO breath testing – to detect bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine
Salivary hormone testing – for assessing female and male sex hormones over a full day
Cortisol stress testing – to understand your stress response and adrenal function
Hair mineral analysis – to check for heavy metal exposure and mineral deficiencies
OMX (Organic Metabolite Testing) – to assess detoxification pathways, nutrient status, and energy production
Thyroid hormone panels – to evaluate thyroid function in more detail than standard TSH testing
MTHFR and genetic markers – to support methylation and detoxification pathways
If you’ve been dealing with ongoing symptoms and are looking for answers, functional testing can help uncover what’s going on beneath the surface, so we can get you feeling better, faster.