Meet the Clinical Team

We’re a small team of clinicians who believe in clarity, efficiency and not guesswork.
We use targeted diagnostics and structured care to help you address the real drivers of your symptoms—so you can get back to living, not just managing.

  • Lulwa Alarmali

    Founder - Stem The Functional Clinic

    Functional Medicine Practitioner, Clinical Dietitian, and IOC Sports Nutritionist

    I specialize in solving complex health issues that have been overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed as “stress.” I believe my approach is different to other practitioners, even those in the functional sphere, because i truly understand how the body's systems are connected. The body functions in a hierarchy - just like a domino effect, some systems must be corrected first before others can fully heal, and knowing which piece to focus on first allows me to provide my clients with accelerated results.

    I have over a decade of experience in functional medicine, clinical nutrition, and sports nutrition and I specialize in multiple areas - gut health, sleep optimization, burnout recovery, mood disorders like anxiety and depression, and metabolic health/ body composition. Beyond the clinical work, I believe that empathy plays a critical role in healing. I take the time to listen, to fully understand your experience, and to provide answers backed by science and years of clinical expertise. At Stem The Functional Clinic, my focus is on identifying the missing links and restoring balance in a way that makes sense for you as an individual, providing treatment that gives you quick results, and optimizing health from all aspects.

  • Cally Frost

    Registered Dietitian

    Expert in Personalized Nutrition & Genetic Insights

    I’m based in Cape Town, South Africa. I am passionate about guiding individuals toward their health and wellness goals through personalised nutrition strategies. I work closely with patients, creating tailored plans that promote sustainable lifestyle changes and optimal well-being.


    In addition to my work with patients, I serve as a Clinical Support Specialist at a leading genetic and preventative medicine laboratory. In this role, I assist healthcare professionals by interpreting complex laboratory reports and providing insights into preventative and functional medicine. I am dedicated to helping doctors make informed, evidence-based decisions that empower patients to take charge of their health.

    With a background in both clinical nutrition and laboratory science, I bridge the gap between advanced genetic insights and practical, everyday nutrition. My mission is to ensure that every patient receives the most accurate and actionable recommendations for long-term health.

    I love to run, spend time outside (on the mountain or in the ocean) and eat good food! 

    Education: 

    BMedSci Honours Nutrition and Dietetics (University of Cape Town), BSc Human Life Sciences (Genetics) (Stellenbosch University).

Concerns We Work With

  • Abdominal Pain and Discomfort / Bloating and Gas / Chronic Constipation or Diarrhea / Acid Reflux / Food Intolerances or Sensitivities / SIBO / IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) / Leaky Gut / Candida Overgrowth / IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) / Parasites

  • Fat Loss / Muscle Gain / Weight Loss

  • Anxiety / Depression / Brain Fog / Difficulty Focusing or Concentrating / Memory Issues / Irritability & Mood Swings / Low Moods

  • Hair loss / Fatigue / PMS or PMDD / Low libido / Irregular Cycles / Acne / Weight Issues / Cravings/ Painful Cycles

  • Insomnia / Difficulty Falling Asleep / Difficulty Staying Asleep / Fatigue Upon Waking / Restless Sleep / Low Daytime Energy / Energy Crashes / Poor Daytime Focus or Concentration / Evening Anxiety or Overthinking

  • Acne / Psoriasis / Eczema / Urticaria / Unexplained Skin Rashes

Philosophy

Stem The Functional Clinic is rooted in optimizing health through a whole-systems approach. We believe that the human body communicates through a series of interconnected networks, and our health is only as strong as our weakest link. The only way to achieve optimal health is to create harmony among our different bodily systems. We also recognize that every body has a story to tell, and we listen with the intent to heal. By combining each client’s unique history with precise data from advanced diagnostic tests, we create targeted treatment plans utilizing natural medicine. This form of “precision medicine” allows us to restore balance and support the body’s innate ability to heal itself.

Stem’s Methodology

We take a systems-based approach—treating the body as an integrated whole. By restoring physiological balance, we help optimise long-term function so you can return to a stable, healthy state.

  • 01. Root Cause Analysis

    We can’t treat what we don’t know. I identify the root cause of chronic health issues to ensure targeted treatments that address the origin of dysfunction, leading to lasting health outcomes.

  • 02. Data-Driven Results

    We rely on the the most advanced functional lab tests (stool, urine, saliva, and blood) to get hundreds of biomarkers about your gut microbiome, hormone levels, nutrient status, toxic load, and metabolic health to determine your individual health needs.

  • 03. Eliminating environmental toxins & underlying infections

    We create targeted supplement plans to help remove toxic build up and hidden pathogens (like bacteria, mold, fungi, or viruses) to reduce chronic inflammation and disease risk, promoting optimal cellular and systemic health.

  • 0.4 Normalizing the stress response & circadian rhythm

    A healthy two-toned rhythm makes you productive, energetic, and excited during the day, while keeping you calm, relaxed, and restful at night. We help you fix or improve your daily rhythm, which can cause depression, anxiety, insomnia, and/or fatigue if not functioning properly

  • 05. Improving metabolic health

    We help you improve blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and thyroid function (among others), to improve your metabolism of food and reduce risk of lifestyle diseases.

  • 06. Optimizing sleep & recovery

    Healing cannot occur without the nightly repair and detoxification process that occurs in deep sleep. Sleep also impacts your immune system and inflammation levels. We help you remove any blocks preventing you from falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up energetic, to support healing and regeneration.

  • 07. Targeting the brain as a master regulator

    Our brain is the “control center” of our stress response, sleep, immune system, hormone levels, and cognitive function—including but not limited to focus, alertness, memory, and mood. Utilizing brain nutrients and normalizing overactive or underactive processes that occur in the brain is critical for those who need it.

  • 08. Maximizing healthspan through longevity protocols

    The goal isn’t to live longer—it’s to live healthier for longer. We help you target anti-aging pathways in the body to prevent the development of disease, improve quality of life, and reduce the clinical signs and symptoms of aging or age-related decline (both mental and physical).

Aerial view of lush green mountains with a person standing on a peak. 
Chronic symptoms or illnesses develop slowly over time. Environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors all play a role in gradual physical and mental dysfunction. Often, people adapt to small discomforts, eventually forgetting what optimal health feels like. We often seek help when our symptoms are so disruptive to our daily life that they become impossible to ignore. At a time where dis-ease is becoming more and more acceptable, prioritizing our health is a radical act of self-care, but it is an act we owe to ourselves.

Health is not the absence of disease.

Your Health, Our Focus
Our method treats patterns, not parts. 

Get in Touch

Have a question or not sure where to start? Reach out.
We’d love to help you figure out what’s next and get back to you within 1–2 business days.