About Sonia Savage | Functional Nutritionist, Sydney
You've done the right things. You've seen your GP, maybe a specialist or two, and you've been told your results are "normal", yet you don't feel normal at all. If that's you, take a breath: you're in the right place, and no, you're not imagining it.
Sonia Savage is a Functional Nutritionist specialising in fertility, autoimmune conditions, and complex chronic health issues, based on Sydney's Northern Beaches and consulting online worldwide.
That's the formal version. Here's the honest one: my whole job is to help you work out the puzzle of your health, find the real drivers behind your symptoms, and give you a clear roadmap so you finally feel back in charge of your own health and wellbeing.
If You've Been Told It's All in Your Head, It Isn't
Most of the people who find me have already tried a lot. Maybe you're one half of a couple who has been trying to conceive for years, sometimes through round after round of IVF, carrying more than anyone acknowledges. Maybe you're living with Hashimoto's, endometriosis, gut issues or histamine reactions. Maybe your health changed after living in a mouldy house, and no one has ever joined the dots between your symptoms.
Wherever you sit in that picture, I want you to know two things. First, your symptoms are connected, even when separate people have treated them as separate problems. Second, chronic illness is usually ten to twenty years in the making, which means your body has been quietly compensating for a long time, and here's the hopeful part: it responds remarkably well once we finally address what's actually driving things.
What "Functional Nutritionist" Actually Means
When you work with me, you're not getting a meal plan and a wave goodbye. I'm registered as a clinical nutritionist, and I practise as a functional nutritionist because it better describes my whole-body approach. Functional nutrition looks not only at diet and supplements but at lifestyle and environmental medicine: stress, sleep, toxin exposure, movement, and past trauma.
In practice, I work like a detective. I take a deep dive into your health history and your bloods. I use functional testing, such as GI Maps and mycotoxin testing, when it genuinely changes the plan. I bring 10 years of specialised experience in nutrigenomics, which means that where genetics are relevant, I can build a truly individualised plan around your body's needs for nutrients like folate, B12, choline, and vitamin D.
Two principles guide everything:
Optimal, Not Just Normal.
Standard blood reference ranges are built on a bell curve that includes many unwell people. I review your bloods with the optimal levels we're working towards written beside them, so you always know where you stand and why.
Diversity, Not Restriction.
I don't have extreme food views, and I don't believe in generic plans. The evidence points to a diverse, mainly plant-based, whole-foods diet with high-quality protein, tailored to your genetics, culture, health history, and lifestyle. I advocate the 80:20 rule. Some conditions need a tighter approach for a period of time, and I'll be honest with you when that's the case, but restriction for its own sake helps no one.
Qualifications and Experience
Bachelor of Health Science in Complementary Medicine with Distinction
Advanced Diploma in Nutritional Medicine
Registered Clinical Nutritionist, ATMS 50371
10 years in clinical practice, including senior clinical work at MTHFR Support, one of Australia's best-known clinics for methylation and nutrigenomics
Advanced training and mentoring in mould-related illness, including MYCOTOX and environmental testing pathways
Guest expert on the Designs for Health Wellness by Designs podcast (two-part series on fertility, folate and autoimmune disorders)
Listed expert nutritionist with Run Dais; guest on the Run Culture podcast on gut health for runners
Practitioner mentor for complex cases, particularly nutrigenomics
Bachelor of Business; a decade running my own recruitment company before returning to university to study nutrition, which is why I'm as comfortable supporting practitioners with the business of practice as with the clinical side
Why I Do This Work
I grew up in Tamworth, in country New South Wales, and I'm a fairly down-to-earth person. That country upbringing shaped how I think about food and life, and I'm grateful for it. I don't make promises I can't keep, and I won't overstate what nutrition can do. But I have seen, over and over, what happens when someone finally gets a clear roadmap instead of noise and confusion.
Fertility is personal for me. I've walked that road myself, with its grief and its hope, and while I don't always share the details, it's why I treat every fertility client's journey with such care. I'm sure I sometimes go over and beyond for my fertility clients. I'm okay with that.
So if you've been carrying something heavy, or you've felt dismissed and you're nervous about telling your story one more time, know this: people share things with me they've never told their GP, from miscarriages and losses to old traumas and cancer battles. I take my place on your care team seriously, and I work hard to be a safe, steady space for the trust you place in me. You won't be rushed, and you won't be a number.
Location and Consultations
I'm based on Sydney's Northern Beaches, with online consultations available worldwide. I also offer in-person appointments at 8 La Perouse St, Fairlight NSW 2094.
Booking is simple: you can book online through my secure system and complete your health history form before we meet, so we make the most of our time together. And if you'd like to ask a few questions first, you're welcome to book a free 15-minute call.
Areas I Work in Most
IVF support
Thyroid health
The oestrogen-histamine connection
Endometriosis
Migraine
Energy and sleep
Skin conditions
Nutrition after cancer treatment
Longevity and healthy-ageing
Let's Work Out Your Puzzle Together
If you're ready for someone to finally look at all the angles, I'd love to hear from you. You don't need to have it all figured out first; that's my job. The best place to start is an initial consultation, or if you'd like to feel things out first, book a free 15-minute call. You're also welcome to explore my Fertility & Preconception and Autoimmune & Thyroid pages to see how I work.
I look forward to meeting you.
Sonia Savage, Functional Nutritionist, Sydney