Joy Nethersole
Belle is true to her word when she says she has a very workable holistic approach in providing clients with support and direction to help overcome their individual health issues. For me I have found the GAPS diet and individual supplements highly beneficial...
Gut Health
As a highly experienced Gut Health Specialist, Belle is a firm believer in working with nature to empower you through education, herbs and food to heal.
We all have the capacity to live healthy and fulfilling lives when our bodies are given the proper nutrients and support to make this happen.
Belle's philosophy combines gut health practices from 10 years working with the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) teachings, to provide a holistic and supported approach to empowering you to live your happiest and healthiest life.
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Herbal Medicine
Herbal Medicine leverages the healing power of plants to support the body’s innate ability to recover from ailments by supporting the body to do it's work better. With over 4000 years of history, this traditional practice provides concentrated nutrition from nature to enhance energy, reduce inflammation, improve immunity and alleviate stress.
By creating bespoke herbal blends tailored to your needs, Belle is able to address physical, emotional, and situational imbalances, helping restore harmony and health.
Meet Belle
At My Gut Store, you will work with Belle, a passionate Herbalist and certified GAPS™ practitioner. She works with all areas of gut health, inflammatory conditions, hormonal imbalances, auto-immunity, mental health issues, women embarking on the wise woman stage of life experiencing menopause symptoms, and much more.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Why is gut health important?The gut is the barometer of our health. It is the intake system for our nutrition or fuel, and the expulsion of our waste and as such gives us a clear picture of the current health of an individual. A malfunction in this system means the body is not receiving the fuel it needs to function, repair or replenish.
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What are common signs of poor gut health?Bloating, nausea, wind, loose stools, constipation, feeling full and heavy, vomiting, heartburn, aches and pains, brain fog, fatigue, lack of interest in life.
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What specific health issues is gut health relevant to?Any digestive disease ending in “‘itis” - which simply means inflammation, any inflammatory condition throughout the body, skin conditions, depression, anxiety, malnutrition, hormonal disturbances.
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What role do probiotics play in gut health?Anyone with a digestive system working below par will have an imbalance in their bacterial colony. Probiotics assist to increase the good bacteria going in which in turn will reduce the numbers of the opportunistic and pathogenic bacterias. It’s all about balance.
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How can I improve my gut health?Remove all inflammatory foods such as sugar, sweeteners, anything with fillers, numbers or processing, anything containing industrial seed oils such as canola, vegetable oil etc. Eat foods naturally grown and cooked at home.
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What services does My Gut Store offer?Belle has been an Herbalist for 23 years, a CGP (Certified GAPS Practitioner) for 8 years, and works individually with patients healing their gut and chronic health concerns, as well as current acute conditions. She offers assistance through herbal medicine, nutritional advice and assistance, cooking classes, fermenting workshops etc
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I want help with my health. where do I start?It’s best to book a Free 15 minute Consultation so you and Belle can discuss your health concerns and together work out a plan to address them.
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What are some signs that I need gut health support?Digestive symptoms such as bloating, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, abdominal pains, body aches and pains, fatigue, brain fog, headaches, skin problems, allergies, depression, anxiety, overwhelm, food intolerances.
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What is My Gut StoreMy Gut Store is your one stop shop for any digestive symptoms, chronic inflammatory issues, hormonal problems, emotional disturbances or when you are feeling just so unwell and overwhelmed and you don’t know where to start. Working personally with Belle, who has 23 years clinic experience, feeling fully heard in your story and receiving a personalised solution which works within your current life picture is such a relief.
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What is your cancellation policy?48 hours notice required to cancel or reschedule an appointment, 24-48 hours a 50% consultation fee will be charged. Less than 24 hours and the full consultation fee is charged.
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How can herbal medicine support gut health?There is a range of herbs to support various digestive concerns, and also to assist with calming the nervous system, giving more energy, and supporting many other symptoms which may be the result of poor gut health.
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Can I combine herbal medicine with other treatments?It’s always best to discuss this with your practitioner as there are so many treatments available which will complement your remedy and offer further support to your healing journey. But it’s important for all the practitioners working with you to be informed of all the other modalities to make sure there will be no overlap of supplements which may not work well together.
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What is herbal medicine?Herbal Medicine is the art of prescribing concentrated nutrition from the plant kingdom for particular health conditions. It’s been used for over 4000 years to support health in many different cultures. Herbs are preserved in a mild alcohol solution and presented in a liquid form to be prescribed for various symptoms and circumstances.
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Are herbal supplements safe to use?Most herbal remedies are safe to use in most situations. Herbs can react with medications however, or exacerbate certain conditions so it’s important to work with an experienced practitioner for your remedy.
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Is Herbal Medicine safe for children?Yes. The dosage is of course adjusted and Belle usually boils out the alcohol for children and depending on the age of the child can add some honey to make the medicine go down more easily.
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Are herbal tonics personalised to my health?Absolutely! When you work with an experienced practitioner who truly hears your story the blend made for you can be life changing. Belle also uses Bach Flowers in her herbal formulas to support emotions, circumstances and trauma etc. So your bottle of herbs is made specifically for your current whole health picture.
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How long should I follow the GAPS diet?The more the more the more. The more you do the more you heal. The longer you follow the protocol the more you heal. This becomes a lifestyle choice of eating according to the wisdom of traditional cultures and feeding your body what it needs to be the healthiest it can be. But as you heal more, you will be able to test reintroducing foods according to listening to your body’s wisdom.
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What are the main phases of the GAPS diet?I usually work to personalise the Full GAPS Diet as a starting poin, to help the transition and increase compliance for the commencement of the healing journey. Progression to the Introduction Diet and its stages includes minimising most reactive foods and mainly eating the most healing foods for the gut lining, and may be necessary to move into depending on the individual.
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What is the GAPS diet?GAPS is the acronym for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, or Gut at Physiology Syndrome. The diet is a protocol for utilising foods and supplements to heal and seal the gut lining, to recolonise the bacterial colony, and to provide the building blocks for the body to heal itself from many acute and chronic disorders including depression, anxiety and overwhelm.
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What foods are suitable for the GAPS diet?Most naturally grown foods from fruits, vegetables, meats and fish are included in the GAPS Diet, lots of saturated fats from animal sources, nuts and seeds, fermented dairy and vegetables. Grains are however avoided as they break down to sugar and feed the pathogenic bacterias whose numbers we are trying to reduce.
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Will the GAPS diet help with auto-immunity?Absolutely. Autoimmunity begins with a leaky gut, so following the protocol to heal and seal the gut lining, reduce inflammation and improve your bacterial colony can halt auto-immune conditions. Depending on how far along they are however will depend whether or not the damage already done can be healed.
"The healer you have been looking for is your own courage to know and love yourself completely"
Yung Pueblo