NMI Webinar
The Blood and Guts Approach to Long Covid
with Dr. Ciara Wright
Date: Tuesday 20th January 2026
Time: 3pm (GMT)
Location: Online (Zoom)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) approved by the CPD Certification Service (CPD UK), the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Nutritional Therapists of Ireland (NTOI).
Webinar description:
Long Covid is a complex, multisystem condition that requires a personalised, functional medicine approach. Patients often have layered histories and complex clinical pictures that may feel overwhelming. This webinar offers a practical, safety-focused framework for navigating that complexity – starting with what to prioritise, and how to intervene without harm.
Blood
Impaired blood flow and disrupted oxygen delivery appear central to Long Covid pathophysiology. SARS-CoV-2 causes vascular inflammation and the formation of fibrinaloid microclots. Many of the other affected systems and pathways, including mitochondrial dysfunction, immune dysregulation, neuroinflammation, and even autonomic imbalance, may be downstream from oxygen depletion. Although clinical diagnostics for microclots are not yet widely accessible, this pathology should be considered in all cases. Therapeutic strategies show mixed results, and understanding risks, contraindications, and side-effect profiles is essential for safe implementation.
Guts
As functional medicine practitioners, we know that the gut is the core of health and connects with many other systems. SARS-CoV-2 infection of enterocytes can result in dysbiosis, inflammation, intestinal permeability, and immune dysregulation – indicating the gut as a strategic starting point. Targeting gastrointestinal health may offer a leverage point for immune regulation, neuroinflammation, histamine tolerance, and tryptophan–serotonin pathways. For many patients, the gut is the most effective place to begin modulation.
Safe Practice
Two principles should guide clinical practice. First, screen every patient for post-exertional malaise (PEM). Second, proceed with caution. Individuals with PEM in particular may exhibit extreme or paradoxical responses to supplements, medications, dietary change, and other interventions. A low-and-slow approach is essential. Clinical missteps can precipitate prolonged crashes, loss of baseline function, and lasting deterioration.
By distilling the biological complexity of Long Covid into actionable, evidence-informed, and safety-driven strategies, this talk aims to equip practitioners to better support the large and growing population of Long Covid patients still waiting for effective care – and a path back to their lives.
Learning objectives:
- Understand the impact of vascular dysfunction and microclots in Long Covid and identify safe, evidence-informed treatment options.
- Recognise the central role of the gut in Long Covid, including dysbiosis, barrier disruption, and immune consequences – and know where to start clinically.
- Apply safety-first clinical strategies, including screening for PEM and using a low-and-slow approach to prevent crashes, flares, and iatrogenic harm.
Speaker
Dr. Ciara Wright, PhD
Dr. Ciara Wright is a science researcher and Nutritional Therapist. With a background in medical laboratory sciences and biology, Ciara obtained her PhD in epithelial immunology and worked post-doctorally in diverse research fields such as stem cell science, gene therapy, microbiology and immunology. She published a number of translational science papers and mentored PhD students during this time.
After studying with the Institute of Health Sciences, Ciara now also runs a busy Nutritional Therapy practice in Ireland. She specialises in fertility, immunology and complex fatigue conditions and is an expert in functional medicine testing for the management of chronic illness. Ciara keeps up to date with the latest research and manages her clinical team at Positive Nutrition, ensuring an evidence based practice and the best supports for her patients.
Ciara continues her research with a number of collaborators, including a clinical trial on nutritional intervention in NAFLD, publishing nutritional reviews and case reports, and contributing to a book chapter on nutritional interventions for male fertility. Ciara has delivered lectures and spoken at international medical conferences in Ireland, UK, Europe and Africa.
Most recently, Ciara has overcome personal illness with Long Covid and Lyme disease. This experience has deepened her engagement with scientists and patient-led groups, helping to raise awareness and advance research into these complex conditions. She has published a case study on her own treatment and now collaborates with leading researchers in the field. As a way of giving back, she offers pro-bono support to severely affected chronically ill patients, while Positive Nutrition can offer some financial supports to provides access to functional medicine testing.
The contents of NMI Webinars are for educational purposes and intended for health professionals. This information is not a substitution for standard medical care. Health professionals are solely responsible for the care and treatment provided to their own patients.