Tess Ström
NUTRITION & FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE
Functional Medicine
What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine is an approach to health that asks why, not just what. Rather than focusing solely on managing symptoms, it looks at the underlying factors that may be contributing to how you feel, whether that’s gut health, hormonal imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, or the interplay between all of them. It’s the framework I use with every client, alongside nutritional therapy, to build a fuller picture of what’s going on.
HOW IT DIFFERS FROM CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE
Conventional medicine is exceptional in many ways, especially in the management of acute conditions, diagnosis, and medication. Functional medicine is complementary to conventional medicine, not in competition with it. While conventional medicine is good at addressing symptoms once they occur, functional medicine looks at the possible causes. We will work to identify the underlying factors, triggers and drivers that may be contributing to your health concerns.
A GP appointment is usually ten minutes long. There is rarely time to discuss sleep, stress, diet, digestive issues, hormone balance, and lifestyle in any depth. This is where functional medicine can really make a difference.
What it looks like in practice
Every client starts with a detailed case history. I want to understand not just your current symptoms but your health history, lifestyle, stress levels, sleep, diet, and how everything connects. No two people are the same, and your programme will reflect that.
Where appropriate, I use functional testing to go deeper than standard NHS blood panels. These tests can assess gut health, hormone patterns, nutrient status, inflammation markers, and more, giving us a more detailed picture to work from. From there, we build a personalised plan using nutrition, targeted supplementation where relevant, and realistic lifestyle strategies. Everything is designed to work within your actual life, not an idealised version of it.
What functional medicine can support
It can be particularly useful for conditions and symptoms that haven’t responded well to conventional approaches, or where standard tests have come back “normal” but you still don’t feel right. This includes digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, autoimmune conditions, persistent fatigue, and chronic stress.
I work with clients who have often spent years looking for answers. At times, Functional medicine gives us more tools to explore what might be going on.
A NOTE ON WHAT IT ISN'T
Functional medicine is not a replacement for medical care. I work alongside your GP and any other healthcare professionals involved in your treatment. If I have concerns about anything that requires medical attention, I will always refer you accordingly.
