Tania Lewis, Naturopath, Rutherglen VIC
Tania Lewis is a naturopath based in Rutherglen, Victoria, working with women in perimenopause and post-menopause. Functional blood chemistry analysis is a core part of how she works. A structured, pattern-based review of standard pathology that gives clinical decisions a clearer starting point. She sees clients in person at her Rutherglen and Yarrawonga clinics, and via telehealth across Australia.
Tania holds a Bachelor of Health Science in Naturopathy and brings 15 years of acute clinical nursing experience to her practice. She’s an ANTA member and applies a food-first clinical framework across all consultations.
When your blood test results say “normal” but you know something isn’t right
You’ve done the sensible thing. You went to your GP, had the blood tests done, and waited. Then the results came back and everything looked fine. Normal. Unremarkable. And yet you’re still exhausted, still gaining weight around your middle despite nothing changing in your diet, still waking at 3am, still feeling like your body is operating at a level well below what it should be.
Standard blood test reference ranges are designed to identify disease, not to describe optimal function. They’re derived from population averages that include a wide range of ages, health states, and life stages. A result that sits inside that range isn’t necessarily a result that indicates you’re functioning well. It means you haven’t crossed a clinical threshold.
Functional blood chemistry analysis takes a different approach. Rather than asking ‘is this result abnormal?’, it asks ‘what are these results doing together, and what does that pattern suggest about how this person is actually functioning?’ That distinction matters, especially during perimenopause and post-menopause, when multiple systems are shifting simultaneously.
This is for you if
- Your blood tests have come back normal but you still feel unwell
- You’ve been told to wait and see, but the symptoms aren’t resolving
- You have results from your GP but no clear explanation of what they mean together
- You’re experiencing fatigue, weight changes, sleep disruption, or metabolic symptoms that standard care hasn’t addressed
- You want to understand what’s actually driving your symptoms, not just manage them
- You’re in perimenopause or post-menopause and your presentation is layered. Nothing exists in isolation
- You’ve tried the standard advice and it hasn’t moved things
- You want a thorough clinical assessment, not a generic protocol
What functional blood test interpretation is
Standard pathology reports your results against a reference range. Each marker is assessed individually, and anything that falls within the range is reported as normal. This approach is useful for identifying acute illness, tracking disease markers, and flagging when something has crossed a clinical threshold.
What it doesn’t do well is look across markers for patterns, or compare results against the narrower ranges associated with optimal function rather than disease absence. It also doesn’t account for your specific history, symptoms, and presentation.
Functional interpretation does. I review your markers in detail before we meet, looking at what the numbers are doing in relation to each other and in the context of what you’ve told me about how you’re feeling. The findings consultation is where we go through that picture together — what the pattern suggests, what to address first, and what can wait.
The gap between ‘not diseased’ and ‘functioning well’ is where many women in perimenopause and beyond find themselves. Functional interpretation is one of the tools that helps clarify what’s happening in that space.
- Blood sugar regulation & metabolic stability
- Lipid balance and cardiovascular risk patterns
- Thyroid signalling and conversion patterns (including T3/T4 relationship and TSH context)
- Red blood cell health and iron markers (including ferritin, serum iron, and transferrin saturation)
- Inflammatory load and immune signalling (including hsCRP, homocysteine where available)
- Liver and gallbladder load patterns
- Nutrient patterns (B vitamins, vitamin D, minerals, depending on tests available)
Interpretation is always contextual. Results are considered alongside your history and symptoms. A number on its own tells part of the story. The pattern tells the rest.
How this fits into your care
Functional blood test interpretation is most useful when it’s integrated into a complete clinical picture, not used as a standalone report. It’s a tool, not a conclusion. What it gives us is a more precise starting point and a clearer sequence for the work ahead.
If you’re experiencing layered midlife patterns — sleep disruption, fatigue, and metabolic resistance presenting together — functional interpretation helps clarify what’s driving them and where to start. These presentations are rarely caused by a single thing, and the markers often confirm that.
I work alongside your GP and other treating practitioners, not in opposition to them. If something in your assessment warrants referral or further investigation, I’ll say so. For more on how I approach perimenopause and post-menopause care, see the Work with Tania page.
Frequently asked questions
What is functional blood test interpretation?
Functional blood test interpretation is a detailed review of standard blood tests that looks at patterns across markers rather than assessing each result in isolation against a disease-threshold reference range.
Standard reference ranges are built around population averages and are designed to identify disease. They don’t describe optimal function, and they don’t account for how markers behave in relation to each other. A TSH result that sits within range might still suggest a conversion issue when viewed alongside free T3 and T4. A ferritin level that’s technically ‘normal’ can still be insufficient to support energy production, particularly in women with ongoing menstrual loss or poor absorption.
In my clinical experience, many women in perimenopause and post-menopause have results that are unremarkable on paper but reveal clear patterns when reviewed in the context of their symptoms and history. Functional interpretation makes those patterns visible.
Do I need new blood tests?
Not necessarily. If you have results from the past six months, I can often work with those. Whether they’re sufficient depends on what markers are included and what your presentation is.
If your existing results are older than six months, or if they don’t cover the markers most relevant to your symptoms, I’ll advise on a comprehensive panel before your appointment. I can provide a request for your GP, or direct you to a private pathology service if preferred.
Does this replace my doctor’s testing or advice?
No. Functional interpretation complements standard testing by providing a different lens on the same markers. It doesn’t replace medical diagnosis, and it doesn’t override your GP’s recommendations.
What it offers is a more detailed interpretation of results you may already have, considered in the context of your symptoms and history rather than in isolation. If your results suggest something that warrants follow-up with your GP or a specialist, I’ll tell you clearly.
My results came back normal but I still feel unwell. What does that mean?
It most commonly means that the tests used standard reference ranges, which are calibrated to identify disease rather than to describe optimal function. A result can sit within range and still be insufficient for the level of function you’d expect.
It can also mean that the markers tested don’t include the ones most relevant to your presentation. A standard panel often doesn’t include ferritin, free T3, fasting insulin, or hsCRP unless specifically requested. Functional interpretation includes a review of which markers matter most for your particular symptom picture, and whether the available results are sufficient to draw useful conclusions.
In women over 45, perimenopause is typically diagnosed from symptoms and history rather than from blood tests. Guidelines from NICE and the Australasian Menopause Society note that FSH, oestradiol, and other reproductive hormone markers fluctuate during the transition and are not reliable discriminators in this age group; meaning a normal result does not rule out perimenopause, and an abnormal one is not required to confirm it. Standard reference ranges are also designed to identify disease, not to describe optimal function. When symptoms are layered or disproportionate, it’s reasonable to look at overlapping contributors — thyroid function, iron status, sleep, and metabolic patterns — rather than assuming hormones alone explain everything.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2015, updated 2026). Menopause: Diagnosis and management (Guideline NG23). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23
Australasian Menopause Society. (2021). Diagnosing menopause [information sheet]. https://hub.menopause.org.au/Play?pId=f769710e-20f5-4bcf-886a-1fa27d97254e
How are the results discussed?
We review them together during your follow-up consultation. I explain what I’m seeing in plain language, link the patterns to how you’ve described feeling, and clarify what the priorities are. Where relevant, a written summary of key findings and recommended next steps can be provided to support implementation.
You won’t leave a consultation holding a printout you don’t understand. The aim is for you to have a clear picture of what your results are showing and a specific plan for what to do next.
Is there an additional cost for functional interpretation?
For new clients, functional blood test interpretation is included within the Initial Clinical Assessment. There’s no separate charge for the interpretation itself.
If you’re an existing client requesting a standalone results review, this is booked as a Follow-up Consultation. Blood test costs, if new tests are required, are additional and vary depending on the panel required.
For more on the midlife symptoms that functional interpretation is often used to investigate, see the Conditions page. For other specialist testing available at Simply Naturopathics, see Work with Tania.
You can find me in person, and online across Australia
In person —
Rutherglen, VIC
74 Main Street,
Rutherglen VIC
Wednesday, Thursday
In person — Yarrawonga, VIC
31-33 Belmore Street, Yarrawonga VIC
Friday
Telehealth
Available to clients anywhere in Australia.
All consultation types are available via telehealth during the Rutherglen hours.
All appointments are booked online. Full prepayment is required.
A 48-hour cancellation and rescheduling policy applies.
If your results have come back unremarkable but something still feels off, functional blood test interpretation may be where the picture becomes clearer. Book an Initial Clinical Assessment to begin with a thorough clinical review.
If you’re not sure whether this is the right fit, the Clarity Call is a good place to start. It’s ten minutes by phone, no obligation.