Your unique genetic variants interact with your environment on a daily basis. This interaction dictates whether your body and mind are working at their best. DNA analysis can reveal whether you tend to under-produce certain neurotransmitters, whether you’re prone to deficiencies in certain nutrients that impact energy and focus, the best type of diet to match your genes as well as tendencies to chronic pain and inflammation.

A dietitian focuses exclusively on diet and ensuring optimal intake of nutrients from food.

As a clinical nutritionist and integrative naturopath, I analyse all your biomarkers such as DNA, blood, saliva and gut microbiome testing when formulating a whole-body strategy, which includes diet, individualised nutritional formulas, exercise and mindset.

This is currently the only program in Australia combining genetics, biological testing, personalised nutrition/exercise/neuroscience with weekly accountability and support. By the end of the program you will have gained the deepest level of knowledge about how your body and brain work, how to preempt challenges and future-proof yourself to be in control of your energy and resilience, rather than constantly be in a reactive state.

Yes. When our biochemistry is in balance, when our diet, exercise and environment are finely in tune with our genetics, we achieve the highest level of energy, mental balance and focus as well as renewed enthusiasm and motivation.

Mentoring sessions are held online via Zoom or at the Work Club on Collins St if you’re Melbourne based. The online option is recommended as this allows for recording of the session. Sessions are held 4-6 weekly and last one hour, except the 2-hour discovery session, where you will find out everything about your DNA, blood and gut test and neurotransmitter profile results.

Yes. Most of my clients are senior executives, successful entrepreneurs and busy parents running full business and family schedules. There is no lasting change without implementation so the program has been created with the demands of modern life in mind. Exercise, dietary changes and mindset drills are all scheduled to fit within your current schedule and are introduced in a step-wise fashion.

>No. Hunger between meals is a sign of under-nutrition and hormonal, gut microbiome and neurotransmitter imbalance. The aim of the program is to re-balance your blood sugar levels so you can have sustained energy without feeling hungry or craving sugary snacks. Initially in fact, it is likely that you will be eating more than you are right now for a process of re-feeding.

Yes, the program starts with comprehensive blood, genetic and stool testing. Blood testing is requested via a referral letter addressed to your GP.

Professor Jerome Sarris of Western Sydney University advocates ‘recognition of diet and nutrition as central determinants of both physical and mental health’. For many years, the medical field did not fully acknowledge the connection between mood and food. Multiple studies have now found correlations and direct causation between not only what you eat, how you feel, and how you ultimately behave, but also the kinds of bacteria that live in your gut. These in turn impact levels of neurotransmitters, immune function, weight and energy.

The program brings together the latest evidence from nutritional psychiatry and the emerging field of nutrigenomics – how food affects our mood, energy and health.

Yes, in a positive way. Most clients find that their partners and family end up reaping great benefits themselves by incorporating some of the dietary and nutritional changes throughout the program. Some clients opt to have meal deliveries so as to not impact on their family. The food recommended on the program is delicious, nutritious and very easy to prepare as the ethos is about natural food as close to its natural state as possible.

Gluten, dairy, religious / ethical restrictions and dietary allergies can all be catered for on the program.

Your brain is always “on.” It takes care of your thoughts and movements, your breathing and heartbeat, your senses — it works hard 24/7, even while you’re asleep. This means your brain requires a constant supply of fuel.

That “fuel” comes from the foods you eat — and what’s in that fuel makes all the difference.

Put simply, what you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and, ultimately, your mood and energy.

At every mentoring session, we agree the next 4 week-timeline of actions to be completed. Actions reminders are sent out weekly to email and SMS. Alessandra reviews all clients’ actions weekly and follows up with an email/phone call if the deadline has not been met.

Many of Alessandra’s clients are on at least 2-4 medical drugs. She has ten years’ clinical experience as an integrative naturopath and nutritionist working with medical doctors and specialists. Nutrient/drug interactions are integrated in your personalised program. Most clients find that as a result of the program, supervised medication withdrawal/reduction is a possibility.

No. Many of Alessandra’s clients either do not like cooking or have no time beyond simple snack preparation. Meal delivery options can be incorporated into your program if you live in or close to urban centres.

I use Smart DNA lab for genetic testing as they are at the forefront of genomic research in Australia.

Blood testing is done via Melbourne Pathology, Clinical Labs and Dorevitch Pathology in Victoria or their corresponding collection labs interstate. For international clients, local function pathology laboratories are engaged.

Gut DNA testing is sent off to Genova Diagnostics (GDX) in the US.

Psychological profiling is done via medically validated online questionnaires.

Yes you will be able to eat out. As part of the program you will have three sessions with our clinical nutritionist who will provide you with individualised information on what food choices to make when eating out.

Yes! There are no results unless we can measure them! Starting off with biochemical testing and a comprehensive physical and psychological assessment, we can track changes over time by repeating the blood tests and profiling for energy, sleep, weight, neurotransmitter rebalancing. You will also be asked to self-rate on a number of criteria at every mentoring session.

Your subjective perception of how you feel may not match how healthy and fit your body actually is. Often, clients have been told they are in the healthy range by their GP. Unfortunately, most GPs are not trained in functional medicine and base their verdict of health on 1) absence of symptoms 2) blood test reference ranges provided by the pathology lab.

Unfortunately, blood test reference ranges are based on the average of all the patients (many sick and unhealthy) that have had their blood tested in the previous 2-4 years.

High performance ranges follow much narrower guidelines. Most clients upon finishing the program feel like they had no idea they could feel this good.