The Functional Foundation Programme

Get your life back and experience relief from chronic illness symptoms – the natural way

Join the Waiting List for Spring 2025

Unfortunately, for so many living with chronic health conditions, life looks a bit like this…

You’re always pushing through symptoms to make it to the end of the week, or just the end of the day, and never fully enjoy life whether at work or hanging out with your family. 

You’re tired of seeing multiple doctors, but never getting any real answers – only more pills to add to the list. 

The treatments you’re being prescribed just don’t sit right with you and are pretty ineffective at combating your symptoms so you’re only ever getting by.

You don’t feel like anyone in your treatment journey sees you, the wholeness of who you are as a human. Instead, you’re just a list of symptoms, a statistic and a graph of test results and those test results all look normal despite how you feel.

You never feel quite right, are always tired, can never find the energy, thinking is like wading through treacle and you feel like you’re only existing, not living.

It hits you: 

“There has to be a better way. I can’t keep fighting these unrelenting symptoms all day every day for the rest of my life.”

You’re right. There is a better way. Doctors are so used to reducing people to their diagnosis, symptoms and a set of body parts that often they forget about the person. By looking at the body as a whole interconnected system, and seeing the person instead of the disease, health and wellbeing can be restored. 

Instead of simply trying to suppress symptoms, what if we first found out why they were happening and identified a root cause? It’s not only more efficient but works with the body’s system and sensitivities to find a more natural way forward. 

That’s what functional medicine is all about

How The Functional Foundation Programme can help

Ordinary people facing chronic illness are introduced to and empowered by the principles of Functional Medicine to take back control of their own health. They are guided through the process of resetting their system by eliminating foods according to the autoimmune paleo diet. Then they are taught how to reintroduce foods with a deep awareness of their symptoms and how to use Functional Medicine principles long-term for sustainable relief of symptoms. 

Patients are given the power to direct how they handle their condition based on a comprehensive understanding of how their body works, what causes inflammation and how food can be medicine. 

Join our 10-week group programme for real relief from chronic illness. 

Inside FFP you get access to:

A community of like-minded people who want to regain control of their health and live life to the fullest.

Guidance from experts on how to utilise effective tools and strategies to rebalance the body.

10 video modules by Dr Sarah walking you through the Functional Medicine approach, the healing power of food and how to monitor your own health.

10 weekly group coaching sessions with certified Health Coach Joanne Grobbelaar who will facilitate your progress and support you on your journey of change

3 office-hour sessions with Dr Sarah each 1.5 hours long

A members-only portal where you can reach out for help and ask questions

An online library of resources to support you as you live according to the autoimmune paleo principles, reduce inflammation and see your symptoms dissipate naturally

A range of helpful resources to guide you through the journey and help you keep a record of your progress.

Supplements discount of 10% on a range of selected supplements which we recommend to accompany the diet and lifestyle changes from our Nutritional partner.

With this support, you can follow a symptom-relieving lifestyle and develop a deep awareness of how to nourish and heal your body, using food as medicine. 

Hi I’m Dr Sarah

I’m the founder of a UK-based online Functional Medicine clinic Functional Nexus and the creator of The Functional Foundation Programme. After spending 16 years as a GP, I left the NHS to focus solely on my Functional Medicine work because of the amazing transformations my patients were experiencing and the growth in my clinic.

I opened the clinic in 2016 after becoming one of the few fully certified Functional Medicine doctors in the UK. By using food as medicine, and harnessing the power of lifestyle interventions, I have been able to help patients with chronic fatigue and autoimmune problems. I have worked extensively with patients suffering from diseases such as arthritis and Inflammatory Bowel Disease as well as skin and Thyroid problems. Knowing the power of Functional Medicine, I’m excited to share my knowledge with even more people struggling with symptoms of chronic conditions through The Functional Foundation Programme. 

The FFP 3-Phase Journey

Over the 10-week programme, you will embark on a carefully curated journey through 3 distinct phases, to build your understanding of the Functional Medicine approach, your body and how you can use food as a medicine according to your own unique challenges and sensitivities. This will empower you to continue using the principles, tools and strategies we share with you during our time together after the programme has finished.

Phase 1 Foundation Essentials

Week 1-4

Gather the knowledge you need to set yourself up for success as you start practising the Functional Medicine approach

  • Learn about the therapeutic ways in which food can improve your health 
  • Choosing the autoimmune paleo diet meal plan for you
  • Initiating the ‘system reset’ 
  • Learn how nutritional supplementation can be used to support the regenerative process

Phase 2 Paving the Path to Better Health

Week 5-8

Navigating a Functional Medicine diet plan and lifestyle changes day-to-day to achieve positive results

  • Your social life during FFP
  • Building awareness of what is right for your body
  • The power of movement
  • Food reintroduction and symptom awareness

Phase 3 Roadmap to Better Health

Week 9 & 10

Preparing you for following Functional Medicine principles in the long term and life beyond FFP

  • Going deeper into the challenges you may face
  • Toxins to be aware of and avoid
  • Your evolving health journey 
  • What’s next?

The Functional Foundation Programme gives those dealing with chronic health issues the knowledge, techniques, tools and guidance to use Functional Medicine principles to combat issues at the root cause, and enjoy long-term relief from symptoms.

What topics will you explore in the group coaching sessions?

While the group calls are included to help you implement the principles and techniques shared in the module videos and explored in the workbooks, they are also an opportunity to go deeper into holistic health practices. 

So during the live calls, you will also cover:

  • Food elimination and substitutions 
  • Meal planning and mindful eating
  • Building daily habits 
  • Navigating your social life while on the autoimmune paleo diet
  • The power of movement
  • Stress management
  • Sleep hygiene
  • Breathwork 
  • Celebrating success

The FFP process educates and empowers those who need powerful natural solutions to take charge of their own health and optimise wellbeing.

Why an online group programme?

I knew this programme needed to exist, because there are so many people suffering day to day who could benefit from the Functional Medicine approach, [link to blog] but are unable to access the resources and information to take action in a practical way. 

Functional Medicine is an in-demand but relatively rare specialism, getting one on one help from trained experts does require an investment that not everyone can afford and the addition of long waiting lists can also present a real barrier to getting help when you most need it. This is not an area that GPs are trained in so this kind of help is unavailable in the NHS 10-minute appointment system.

I passionately believe in making the transformative powers of the Functional Medicine approach more widely available. This is why The Functional Foundation Programme was brought to life. With the group programmes we could help more people, at a more accessible cost, instead of them languishing on waiting lists or relying on Google.

Our experience from running the Group programmes is that patients are able to benefit from real, life-changing health transformation and learn effective strategies to improve their health long-term.

Even though it is an online group programme, you will still have:

  • Access to my expertise in the module materials and during office hours
  • Real-time support during the weekly coaching sessions and membership portal
  • The opportunity to personalise the principles to your specific situation and medical history 
  • A chance to experience life-changing results, as your symptoms diminish to a level you may never have seen before

There is no expiration date. Once you have found a plan that works for you, it can be used to manage your symptoms long term and ill health will no-longer hold you back from living a life you love.

So often, people with chronic health conditions are stuck between a rock and a hard place. On one side are ineffective conventional treatments that will, at best, only mask symptoms. On the other side is the knowledge that a natural way of treating the root-cause must exist, but not having the knowledge to utilise Functional Medicine principles in any meaningful way. 

The Functional Foundation programme frees people from being stuck between treatments that aren’t right for them, and the uncertainty of how to access the Functional Medicine approach, by creating a clear path forward to relieve issues at the root-cause for the long term.

Meet the Team

Dr Sarah Davies – Is your Functional Medicine Doctor who will share knowledge and techniques through the module videos and at group Q&A sessions.

Joanne Grobbelaar – Is your certified Health Coach supporting the application of the Functional Medicine approach and autoimmune paleo principles in weekly live calls.

Plus, we have a guest appearance from Functional Fitness expert James Jowsey from James Jowsey Performance, who will demonstrate the 10-minute workout to help relieve symptoms alongside an adapted diet.

The Functional Nexus team will manage the members portal to ensure questions and queries are answered by an expert within two working days.

The Functional Foundation Programme is for you if…

  • You’ve been struggling with chronic illness for years and have never found a solution that actually works
  • You are menopausal or perimenopausal and would like a way to naturally improve your symptoms to maintain your quality of life
  • You’re tired of suppressing symptoms with medication and want to deal with the root-cause to help restore your body’s health
  • You’d like to embrace the body’s natural way of working and use food as a medicine instead of relying on manufactured products to get by
  • You’re ready to enjoy life again instead of always just getting by and pushing through your symptoms
  • You’re willing to put in the work to understand how the Functional Medicine approach works, how to use it for your own benefit and form new habits for long-term relief

FAQ

We do ask for a pre-course questionnaire to be completed, to understand your medical history and health issues. However, you don’t need any previous training in functional health or to have worked with our team before. 

This programme has been created for people who are struggling with autoimmune diseases, cognitive decline, chronic fatigue, thyroid disease, menopause and perimenopause, and similar health challenges. This may cause symptoms including digestive problems, brain fog, hormonal issues, joint or skin problems, mental health issues or fatigue. 

Even if conventional prescribed treatments have not worked, this approach may still be effective.

Using a variety of formats and resources, we will help you to use Functional Medicine and autoimmune paleo principles to relieve symptoms of chronic illness. When you first join, you will be sent a questionnaire to establish your medical history, your areas of focus and any adaptations that may need to be made for you. 

The foundation of knowledge is set through the video lessons in each module and your own exploration in the accompanying workbook. Then you will have action points to follow through on, to apply the tools and strategies to your own situation. 

You will be coached through any bumps in the road, and your understanding will be extended in the weekly group coaching sessions. Throughout the 10-week programme, you will have 3 opportunities to check in with Dr Sarah during her office hours in a Q&A format. You can always reach out to the members portal, where you will also find additional resources. 

By the end of the 10-week programme, you will have:

  • An understanding of the possible root causes of your chronic illness or symptoms
  • Strategies to reduce inflammation and prevent triggering your symptoms
  • Knowledge of how to use food as medicine for symptom relief
  • Confidence to apply the why and how in your own life for long-term wellbeing

While we encourage you to make the most of all the support available to you, especially live interaction, we understand that life happens. The weekly group coaching sessions will be on Tuesdays at 7pm. If you’re unable to make it, recordings will be shared on the members portal so you can catch up on the discussions we had.

As the programme is run live and includes group coaching, there is a cut off for when you can join each round and how many members there are. We want each participant to be able to receive the attention they deserve and feel comfortable sharing in group coaching sessions. To provide an intimate and safe environment, we need to draw the line somewhere, so there will be no more than 25 members in each cohort. 

No! When you’re in, you’re in. This is a commitment to making changes in your life that will make a significant impact on your health and wellbeing as you free yourself from your symptoms in a natural and sustainable way.

If you choose our payment plan you are agreeing to pay the amount in full.

Please note this course is not suitable for the following patient groups:

  • Under 18’s
  • During Pregnancy and breast-Feeding
  • Vegetarian or Vegan patients (pescatarians can be catered for). We feel working with these patients is better catered to in a 1:1 setting. Should there be enough interest in a specific Vegan course in the future then this is something we would consider – do send us feedback if you wish.
  • Those with active eating disorders or BMI under 18. Again we prefer to work with more vulnerable patients in a 1:1 setting. If you have concerns about this then do call to discuss the issues with us 1st.
  • Patients with multiple chemical sensitivities (for example severe histamine intolerance or known salicylate or oxalate sensitivity). The diet plan we are using is high in these chemicals and 1:1 setting is necessary to cater for these specific needs.

All participants will be required to complete a full medical history form on successful booking. This is so that we can understand your health needs better and make necessary adaptations for you if needed.

If we find there is a valid reason why the course is unsafe or inappropriate for your needs, then a full refund will be considered.

If you have any worries or concerns about whether the course is right for you then do contact the clinic team at enquiries@functional-nexus.co.uk

Please note

The techniques taught in this programme have massively improved the quality of life and experience of many people dealing with a variety of chronic illnesses. But you will only see results if you show up for yourself and put in the effort to make changes in your life. It’s not a quick fix or a magical cure. However, the diet and lifestyle changes we use, can have the power to relieve or eliminate many symptoms of chronic illness.  

This course is not suitable for the following patient groups:

  • Under 18’s
  • During Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • Vegetarian or Vegan patients (pescatarians can be catered for). We feel work with these patients is better catered to in a 1:1 setting. Should there be enough interest in a specific Vegan course in the future then this is something we would consider – do send us feedback if you wish
  • Those with active eating disorders or BMI under 18. Again we prefer to work with more vulnerable patients in a 1:1 setting. If you have concerns about this, do call to discuss the issues with us first
  • Patients with multiple chemical sensitivities (for example, severe histamine intolerance or known salicylate or Oxalate sensitivity). The diet plan we are using is high in these chemicals, and a 1:1 setting is necessary to cater for these specific needs
  • Patients with severe food allergies and a history of anaphylaxis where the source of the allergy has not been identified

Your Investment 

For this cohort only (limited to the first 25 participants), this 10 week transformative programme will cost you £799 

Pay in full or sign up for our payment plan – 3 monthly payments £299 today + 2 monthly payments of £250

This isn’t just a charge on your card. This is an investment in your health and wellbeing so you can live life on your terms, not constantly fighting against your own body.

If you’re ready to break out of the cycle of unrelenting symptoms and ineffective surface-level treatments, we’re ready to welcome you to The Functional Foundation Programme. 

Access includes:

  • Video Modules with Dr Sarah Davies, founder of Functional Nexus
  • 10 weekly group coaching sessions with health coach Joanne Grobbelaar
  • Office hour sessions with Dr Sarah Davies
  • Members only community forum for help and questions
  • Online Library of Resources
  • 10% off recommended supplements at our dedicated store

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