Functional Testing Australia-Wide
Personalised functional testing for whole-body clarity, from gut microbiome to HTMA tests.
Test, don't guess what is causing your symptoms
When your conventional pathology results keep coming back normal but your symptoms persist, functional laboratory testing is an optional next step to look deeper and investigate what may actually be driving how you feel.
Tests may include gut microbiome analysis, hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA), food intolerance testing and nutrigenetics testing. Each test is chosen around your comprehensive health history and goals, then interpreted with your conventional pathology results and alongside your whole health picture: your nutrition and lifestyle patterns, and your existing medical care.
Functional test results can bring clarity: a clear explanation of the mechanisms at play, and a personalised nutrition plan to support them. You finally get to understand your body, rather than guess at the possible root causes of your symptoms.
What your results can reveal
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Functional pathology can surface the drivers of symptoms that routine blood tests may miss or leave unexplained.
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Microbiome, HTMA and metabolic testing show how your gut, hormones and metabolism are working together.
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Your results shape a nutrition protocol built around your body, your health history and the goals you want to reach.
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Food intolerance testing can help identify foods linked to bloating, fatigue, brain fog, digestive symptoms and other reactions.
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Retesting shows how your body is responding over the following months, so your progress becomes measurable.
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You move forward with answers grounded in your own test results and considered clinical interpretation.
Hi, I’m Mechelle Palermo
Functional testing is only as useful as the person interpreting it.
With 30+ years in medical laboratory science and further training in functional testing, I can recommend the right tests for you and connect what shows up in your gut, hormones and metabolism to how you feel.
These results reflect patterns over months, so I read them alongside your health history and your GP's testing. Functional testing complements your medical care; it is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment.
Qualifications and memberships
30+ years in medical science and genetics
Bachelor of Health Science (Clinical Nutrition)
Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science
Postgraduate Diploma in Molecular Genetics
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) certification
MTHFR Support and Fitgenes certifications
Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) certification
Metabolic Balance certified practitioner
G.E.M.M certified practitioner
Member of the Australian Traditional-Medicine Society (ATMS)
Testing options
Functional testing is always optional and targeted. We begin with your health history and, where appropriate, conventional pathology, then add functional tests only where they will genuinely add to your plan.
As both a medical laboratory scientist and clinical nutritionist, I can help you choose the tests most relevant to your goals and budget, so you are never paying for information you do not need. Most functional tests are not covered by Medicare.
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Standard blood screening, ordered through iScreen or your GP, is usually the first step and often the most cost-effective way to understand what is happening with your metabolic health.
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A straightforward, non-invasive screening test that uses a small hair sample to look at your mineral balance and toxic metal load at a cellular level. It gives an abundance of information for one of the lower-cost functional tests, and guides targeted food and supplement support: usually short-term, higher-dose minerals to rebalance mineral ratios and support your adrenals, thyroid, nervous system and metabolic health, followed by a retest.
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Stool testing to investigate gut health. A conventional stool test can identify common pathogens and is often the best starting point, with more detailed microbiome analysis available where it is warranted.
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Testing that can highlight genetic variations affecting how your body uses certain nutrients, supporting a preventative, personalised nutrigenomic approach that is particularly useful for more complex cases.
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Testing that helps identify foods which may be contributing to your symptoms, so your nutrition plan can be tailored accordingly.
Some foods may need to be paused for a time to let your body settle, then gradually reintroduced, because a wide variety of foods gives your body the best chance at optimal nutrition.
If you are reacting to foods and are unsure how to broaden what you eat, that is exactly what we work through together.
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A wearable monitor that shows how your body responds to different foods in real time, useful for metabolic health and blood sugar balance.
Why people work with me
Lab scientist and nutritionist
I bring decades of medical laboratory science and genetics, plus functional testing training through Fitgenes and MTHFR Support.
Tests chosen around you
I select each test around your history, symptoms and goals: gut microbiome, HTMA, food intolerance and metabolic testing.
Results read in context
I read your functional results alongside your full health history and your existing medical care, never in isolation.
You understand the why
I explain what may be driving your gut, hormone or metabolic symptoms, including how food influences gene expression.
Testing linked to a plan
I turn your results into a personalised, evidence-informed nutrition protocol you can act on.
A complement to Metabolic Balance
I begin Metabolic Balance from its 36 mandatory blood markers, then add optional testing where it deepens your plan.
Your six steps
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We begin with a comprehensive 1.5 hour consultation, where I take your full health history and understand your goals, symptoms, medical background, and current medications and supplements.
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Based on your history and goals, I recommend the functional tests most likely to reveal what is driving your symptoms: options may include hair tissue mineral analysis (HTMA), microbiome testing, genetic testing, food sensitivity testing or continuous glucose monitoring. Your everyday nutrition care always comes first; testing is added only where it will genuinely help.
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Most tests are non-invasive and can be completed at home using a supplied kit; an HTMA, for example, needs only a small hair sample. You return it to the laboratory by post, following the instructions provided.
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When your results arrive, we review them alongside your full health history, any pathology from your GP, and your goals, so the whole picture is considered rather than numbers in isolation.
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Findings inform a personalised nutrition and lifestyle plan, guiding which foods and strategies may support you rather than producing a fixed, one-size-fits-all diet. Where extra support is helpful, I may suggest targeted, food-based approaches such as a G.E.M.M protocol.
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Because a hair sample reflects what has been happening at a cellular level over roughly the previous three to four months, retesting is timed to track progress across several months, with follow-up coaching to keep you supported.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Functional testing uses advanced pathology to investigate how your body is working, helping identify what may be driving your symptoms rather than only confirming a diagnosis.
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It can suit people with persistent gut symptoms, metabolic or hormonal concerns, fatigue or auto-immune conditions, particularly when standard results keep coming back normal.
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Standard bloods are an important screening tool that capture a moment in time; functional tests such as HTMA and microbiome analysis look at patterns over months, and I interpret them alongside your full health history.
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Testing can help explore gut microbiome imbalances, food intolerances, mineral and metabolic health, and contributors to weight, hormonal and auto-immune concerns.
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Depending on the test, results may show gut microbiome diversity, mineral balance and toxic metal load, food sensitivities, or metabolic markers linked to insulin and blood sugar.
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I use your results to shape a personalised nutrition plan, guiding which foods and strategies may support you rather than setting a fixed, one-size-fits-all diet.
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No; functional testing supports investigation and is complementary to medical care, not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from your doctor.
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Many tests, including HTMA and microbiome sample collection, can be completed at home and posted to the laboratory, with instructions I provide.
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Yes; I offer consultations and testing Australia-wide via telehealth.
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You collect your sample using the supplied kit and return it to the laboratory by post; I guide you through each step.
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The tests I use are non-invasive or standard pathology collections; a hair sample for HTMA, for example, simply requires a small amount of hair.
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No; never stop or change medication, HRT or other treatment without your doctor, and let me know what you are taking so I can interpret your results accurately.
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No; functional testing is designed to complement your existing medical care, and I may refer you back to your GP where appropriate.
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Turnaround varies by laboratory and test type; I will give you an indication when we arrange your test.
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A hair sample reflects what has been happening at a cellular level over roughly the previous three to four months, rather than a single point in time.
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I usually time retesting to track progress over several months; the right interval depends on your test and your goals.
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We begin with a comprehensive health history consultation, I recommend the most relevant tests, we interpret your results together, and I build them into your nutrition plan.
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I read your results alongside your health history, your goals and any testing from your GP, so I consider the full picture rather than numbers in isolation.
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Costs vary depending on which tests I recommend and what is included; I discuss pricing openly during your consultation so you can choose what suits you.
Rebates may be available if you have private health insurance with cover for nutrition; the amount depends on your fund and level of cover.
Get clarity on your gut, hormones and metabolism
Arrange your functional testing today, available Australia-wide via telehealth.