Understand your results. Make sense of your symptoms. Find a clearer way forward.
When you are dealing with persistent acne, irregular periods, fatigue or digestive symptoms, it can be difficult to know what to investigate first. I use your health history and relevant testing to build a clearer picture of what may be affecting your wellbeing.
A test result is most useful when it is considered alongside how you feel. Your symptoms, health history, diet and lifestyle all help provide context for what a result might mean.
At Sanatio, testing is selected for a reason. We start with your concerns, review any results you already have and discuss whether further testing could help guide your care. Then we turn the findings into a practical plan that fits your life.
As a dedicated Naturopath, my focus is on your holistic well-being, and one pivotal aspect of that journey is diagnostic testing.
Whether it’s acne, PCOS, post-pill acne, hormonal imbalance, fatigue or just wanting to understand your health more, diagnostic testing can be really helpful in giving you a deeper understanding of your health.
It guides our path towards personalised, natural, and proactive solutions, aligning your health with your body’s unique rhythms.
Diagnostic testing can be via a blood draw, a urine sample, hair, saliva or stool analysis. If you are suffering from skin outbreaks, acne, PCOS or hormonal imbalances you can take read below of some helpful tests to help you understand the drivers of your symptoms and uncover the root cause.
If there were ever one test I would recommend to all women with hormonal concerns, acne, PCOS, PMS, it would be the DUTCH TEST (Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones). DUTCH testing is the most advanced and comprehensive hormone test due to the fact it measures your hormones and hormone metabolites.
This gives us insight into hormone production and hormone breakdown. Not only does this look at sex hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone) and their metabolites, it identifies any adrenal (stress hormone) dysfunction via cortisol, cortisone, and DHEA testing.
DUTCH test now also looks at markers for neurotransmitters, B12, B6, and glutathione. These are very helpful markers for energy and overall health. This test is a must when identifying underlying hormonal imbalances and how to better manage your symptoms of PMS, weight gain, heavy painful periods, acne, and PCOS.
Test type: Urine
Investment: $360 – $500 AUD
This test is a thorough look at gut health using DNA PCR technology. It assesses levels of good and bad bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites. In addition, it tests for markers of inflammation, barrier function, and malabsorption.
The stool test is an essential starting point to identify any underlying digestive dysfunction that may also be causing problems in other areas of the body such as hormonal health, skin problems, acne, fatigue and mood disorders, and weight gain.
This is useful if you experience:
Test type: Stool sample
Investment: $390 – $440 AUD
A simple blood draw to test key nutrients will give a huge amount of information regarding the nutrient status and what could be driving your illness. These tests are immensely helpful for people experiencing
Test type: Blood test.
Investment: $33 – $180 AUD
Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) is commonly tested, the message produced by the pituitary gland that activates the thyroid gland. However, it is only one piece of the thyroid picture. T3 and T4 regulate the body’s basal metabolic rate, influence heart and nervous system functions, and are essential for growth and development. Thyroid hormones play a critical role in growth, differentiation, and metabolism.
Thyroid hormones are needed for the normal function of nearly all tissues of the body. They have a major effect on oxygen consumption and metabolic rate. Thyroglobulin Antibodies | Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies/TPO Ab . The presence of auto-antibodies against thyroglobulin indicates possible inflammation of the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s thyroiditis).
High levels are found in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (85%), thyroid carcinoma (45%) and Grave’s disease (30%). The presence of thyroid peroxidase antibodies is also indicative for autoimmune thyroid disorders.
Test type: Blood test.
Investment: $170 AUD
Hair Tissue Analysis is an analytical test that measures the mineral composition of hair, different mineral ratios e.g. copper to zinc as well as heavy metal toxicity.
Test type: Hair Sample.
Investment: $130 – $195 AUD
This simple, non–invasive, gastrointestinal test detects bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine, often referred to as BOSI or SIBO.
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that often underlies chronic gastrointestinal symptoms of maldigestion and malabsorption, including bloating, gas, diarrhea, irregularity, and abdominal pain.
Multiple studies show that sugar malabsorption and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) are leading causes of IBS symptoms and also rosacea.
Test type: Breath test.
Investment: $180 – $380 AUD
In our first consultation, we discuss your symptoms, health history, diet, lifestyle and goals. We also review any test results you already have. This helps us decide what information is missing and whether further testing would be useful.
If testing is appropriate, I explain what each recommended test measures and why it may help. We can also discuss the sample required and any costs before you proceed. You will have room to ask questions and make an informed choice.
Once your results are available, we review them in the context of your wider health. I create a personalised plan with practical nutrition and lifestyle guidance, with other support considered where appropriate. Follow-up consultations give us time to discuss your progress and adjust the plan.
Your consultations are designed to give you clearer information, practical guidance and support as you decide what to do next.
Understand why particular tests may be relevant to your symptoms and what information they can provide.
Discuss your findings in plain language and see how they relate to your wider health history.
Focus on investigations that may help answer a specific question, rather than choosing tests without a clear reason.
Receive recommendations shaped by your symptoms, results, preferences and daily life.
Know what to prioritise, what to discuss with your GP and when to review your progress.
Use follow-up consultations to ask questions and refine your plan as new information becomes available.
I’m Lindsay Braid, a naturopath with a special interest in women’s health, skin, hormones and digestive health. I know how frustrating it can be to experience symptoms without feeling clear on what they mean or what to do next.
My approach begins with listening. We look at your health history, review the results you already have and consider further testing when it may add useful information. From there, we create a plan that is personal, practical and guided by your needs.
I have been working with Lindsay for over 6 months and she is fantastic!! I’ve learned so much about my skin, my cycle and my overall health. She has helped me immensely in clearing my skin and regulating my cycle. I’ve had a few different health issues arise while working with Lindsay and she’s always been so compassionate and willing to help. I’m so glad I’ve found a Naturopath who I really trust and one who I know will do her best to help. If you’re thinking of working with her I thoroughly recommend that you do!
I’ve been seeing Lindsay for a few months, and she has really helped me clear my skin—I’m amazed! She is kind, understanding, and incredibly knowledgeable. Just as I started my treatment, I moved overseas, and she even adjusted her schedule to accommodate both time zones. I’m so grateful I found her and feel very supported in the process of clearing my skin and improving my overall health. Thank you, Lindsay!!
I've been seeing Lindsay for 9 months to work on my gut & skin health. She is not only very knowledgeable but kind & empathetic, which has been much appreciated after countless visits to GPs who were often dismissive of my concerns. Under Lindsay's expert guidance I have been able to clear my skin & I would happily recommend her to anyone feeling stuck or frustrated & needing support in improving their health.
I have been seeing Lindsay for a couple of months now and highly recommend her services. She is very knowledgeable, dedicated and caring and offers great advice. With her help I am now on the right track to improving my health and I couldn't be more grateful. Her follow-up care is excellent and it is clear that Lindsay is passionate about what she does.
I have been working with Lindsay for over a year now and can definitely recommend if you’re struggling with your hormone health. She is non-judgemental, genuinely caring, and always helpful. Lindsay takes the time to listen and provides thoughtful guidance that makes you feel supported and understood.
Lindsay has been a dream to work with! She's kind, knowledgeable and down to earth. She's helped me balance my hormones post pill and now I understand so much more about my body and what it needs/can pull back from! There are so many habits that Lindsay taught me that I'll stick with for life.
Lindsay was amazing in helping me heal my eczema - I would recommend her services to anyone. She makes you feel heard and provides excellent guidance and support in lots of different areas as well as skin. After years of misery suffering with chronic eczema, I am now almost 100% clear which is life-changing!
You do not need to work out which test to order on your own. Start with a consultation so we can talk through your symptoms, review what you already know and decide on the most useful next step together.
No. Your first consultation is an opportunity to discuss your symptoms and review any results you already have. Lindsay can then explain whether further testing may be useful for your particular concerns.
No. Hormone testing is considered in the context of your symptoms, health history and goals. Lindsay will discuss what a proposed test can tell you and whether the result is likely to help guide your plan
Yes, you can bring existing results to your consultation. Reviewing them alongside your symptoms may help identify what has already been investigated and what questions remain. Lindsay can also suggest matters to discuss with your GP where medical assessment is needed.
The sample depends on the test selected. Sanatio’s listed options include blood, urine, stool, breath and hair testing. Lindsay will explain what is involved before you decide whether to proceed.
A test may provide useful information, but results need to be interpreted in the context of your symptoms and medical history. Some concerns require assessment or diagnosis by a GP or specialist. Lindsay can help you understand the role of testing in your plan and when to seek medical care.
Sanatio offers online naturopath consultations across Australia. You can discuss your symptoms and existing results with Lindsay remotely. If testing is appropriate, she can explain the next steps for the particular test being considered.
