The Naturopathic Approach to Blood Test Assessment

3 Mar

A Naturopath’s Guide to Getting Real Insight from Your Bloodwork

Many of the women I work with have been told that their blood test results are “normal” — yet they still feel exhausted, foggy, or stuck in chronic symptoms like acne, hair loss, or irregular cycles.

If that’s your experience, you’re not imagining it.
Blood tests are one of the most powerful tools we have in natural medicine. But only when we know how to read them through a different lens.

At Kollective Wellness, I recommend regular blood testing for almost every client — especially during active phases of treatment. Testing helps us track progress, identify early imbalances, and create truly personalised plans.

But it’s not just about getting the tests. It’s about interpreting them in a way that reflects your actual wellbeing — not just whether you meet a disease threshold.

Here’s why blood testing is one of the most valuable tools in your healing toolkit, and how a naturopathic approach can help you understand your results differently.

Why I Recommend Blood Testing as a Foundational Step

Many health issues don’t show up as obvious symptoms until they’ve been simmering for a while. Blood tests give us a glimpse into what’s happening below the surface — long before symptoms become chronic or complex.

When assessed properly, your bloodwork can help us:

Track progress if you’re working on skin, hormones, gut health, fatigue or immunity
Catch deficiencies early, such as iron, B12, or vitamin D, before they affect your energy or cycles
Understand your baseline, especially if you’ve recently come off the pill, changed your diet or been under stress
Prevent chronic conditions, like metabolic or thyroid disorders, before they fully develop
Tailor your treatment, ensuring that every supplement and strategy has a reason behind it

Blood tests are not just a diagnostic tool — they’re also a roadmap. And that map becomes much more useful when viewed through a functional, whole-person lens.

Why “Normal” Doesn’t Always Mean Optimal

One of the most common frustrations I hear from clients is this:

“My doctor said my results are normal — but I don’t feel well.”

And they’re right to question it.

Conventional reference ranges are broad and based on population averages. They’re designed to detect disease, not necessarily to define optimal health. If your results fall within these wide parameters, your GP may say everything looks fine — even if you’re experiencing clear symptoms.

For example, ferritin (your iron storage marker) might be considered “normal” at 20 ng/mL because the lab range is 15–200 ng/mL. But functionally, many women need ferritin between 50–80 ng/mL to feel energised, focused and hormonally stable.

So yes, your doctor is correct within a medical model. But from a naturopathic perspective, there’s a gap between what’s considered acceptable and what’s actually supportive.

How a Naturopath Reads Blood Tests Differently

When I assess your bloodwork, I’m not just scanning for disease. I’m looking for:

How close your results are to optimal health
Whether patterns or trends are emerging — even within “normal” ranges
How your results correlate with your skin, energy, hormones or symptoms
Where your body may be compensating or running on empty
What your unique terrain needs to feel supported again

Instead of waiting until things fall apart, we intervene earlier — gently and effectively.

For example, if your thyroid markers are borderline and you’re experiencing fatigue, dry skin, or irregular periods, we don’t just wait and re-test in six months. We start supporting your thyroid now, using nutrition, stress regulation and targeted supplementation to shift things before they worsen.

Testing Tips for More Accurate Results

To get the most reliable insight from your bloodwork, timing and preparation matter. These are the conditions I recommend to all clients:

Fasted for 8–12 hours: This ensures accurate readings for glucose, insulin, iron and cholesterol.
No intense exercise 24 hours beforehand: Training can temporarily elevate inflammatory markers and liver enzymes.
Test first thing in the morning: Hormones like cortisol, TSH and prolactin fluctuate through the day, so early testing gives the clearest picture.

If it’s been more than 12 months since your last round of bloodwork — or if your symptoms have changed — this is your sign to re-test and reassess.

What I Usually Recommend Testing (and Why)

You don’t need to test everything — but a comprehensive panel can give us a strong foundation to work from. These are the markers I most often recommend to assess skin, energy, hormone balance and long-term health.

Nutrients and inflammation

Full blood examination (FBE)
C-reactive protein (CRP) or ESR
Ferritin, serum iron, transferrin saturation
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12 and folate

Thyroid function

TSH
Free T3 and Free T4
Sometimes thyroid antibodies, if relevant

Blood sugar and metabolic health

Fasting glucose
HbA1c
Fasting insulin
Lipid profile (cholesterol, triglycerides)

Hormones and adrenal health

Oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA-S, SHBG
Cortisol (blood or saliva, depending on symptoms)

Liver and kidney function

ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, bilirubin
Creatinine, eGFR, urea

Many of these can be accessed through your GP, especially if you advocate for them clearly. I’m also happy to provide clients with testing referrals where needed.

Why Functional Interpretation Changes Everything

Getting the tests is step one. Knowing how to interpret them — and what to do with that information — is where the real healing starts.

When we look at your results functionally, we can begin to:

Understand why your skin isn’t responding, even with a clean diet
Identify why your energy crashes mid-afternoon
Spot hormonal shifts that contribute to breakouts, PMS or missing periods
Track how stress is affecting your body at a physiological level

This is where root-cause medicine really comes to life. We stop guessing — and start guiding.

Want Your Results Interpreted with Clarity and Care?

If you’ve had recent bloodwork and want to understand what it’s really telling you, the Blood Test Analysis Consultation is designed for exactly that.

You’ll receive:

A full review of your results, using optimal ranges
Insight into where your body may need support — even if your GP says it’s all “normal”
Personalised, actionable recommendations across nutrition, lifestyle and supplementation
The clarity you need to move forward with confidence

Because your body isn’t broken — it may just be missing the support it needs to function at its best.

Kayla Williams

Kayla is a naturopath who supports women with skin, gut, and hormonal concerns through a holistic, inside-out approach. She combines evidence-based testing with natural medicine to create personalised, realistic treatment plans, offering clarity and care at every step of the healing journey.