Chantel Yates Naturopath & Herbalist, Hobart (2025)

12/11/2025

As herbalists, we have a responsibility not just to our patients, but to the plants themselves.

Herbal sustainability isn't just about choosing organic or avoiding overharvested species (though both matter). It's about understanding our relationship with the plants we work with, and ensuring they'll be here for generations to come.

A few things I think about in practice:

🌿 Source consciously - I work with suppliers who are transparent about their growing and harvesting practices. Wildcrafted doesn't always mean sustainable.

🌿 Choose abundant over endangered - There are often abundant, locally available herbs that can do similar work to rare or threatened species. We don't always need the exotic option.

🌿 Grow what you can - Even a small garden connects you to the plants you prescribe and reduces reliance on commercial supply chains. I grow calendula, lemon balm, nettle, and thyme at home.

🌿 Respect First Nations knowledge - Many traditional plant medicines were (and are) stewarded by Indigenous communities. We need to acknowledge this and support Indigenous-led conservation efforts.

🌿 Use the whole plant - Don't waste. Make infused oils from your spent tea herbs. Compost what you can't use. Honour the gift.

Herbal medicine is powerful precisely because it's alive. Let's keep it that way.

What do you do to practice sustainable herbalism? I'd love to hear your approach.

11/11/2025

My mentoring group Term 2 is wrapping up for 2025, and I'm already hearing from practitioners asking about Term 1 for 2026 (it'll open for registration soon!).

But here's the thing: if you need support now with a complex case, you don't have to wait.

I offer 1:1 practitioner mentoring for naturopaths, nutritionists, and herbalists who want targeted guidance on:

🔬 Microbiome interpretation and restoration protocols
🧬 Complex IBS, SIBO, and gut–brain cases
🌿 Herbal medicine strategies for digestive and immune support
🔍 Integrating functional testing into clinical practice
💡 Treatment approaches for histamine, mast cell activation, and hormonal patterns

Whether you're stuck on a challenging patient case or want to deepen your microbiome expertise, I'm here to support you.

You can book 1:1 mentoring sessions directly on my website: https://chantel-yates-naturopath-and-herbalist.simplecliniconline.com/diary.

Because sometimes, having an experienced voice in your corner makes all the difference.

11/11/2025

Hi everyone,

The biggest mistake I see people with IBS make is long-term dietary restrictions.

Restricted diets “starve” good bugs and cause dysbiosis, which in turn contributes to more inflammation.

They are also linked with various nutrient deficiencies and nutrient deficiency diseases such as osteoporosis (from low calcium intake), anemia (from lack of iron or B12), and fatigue or poor immunity (from inadequate fiber and micronutrients).

The Low FODMAP diet is designed to be temporary — it’s a tool to identify triggers, not a lifelong way of eating.

Once you’ve figured out your sensitivities, the goal is to reintroduce foods and rebuild a diverse, balanced gut microbiome.

So remember: restriction helps at first, but diversity heals long-term 🌿

Check out my free IBS and the Microbiome webinar coming out next week! Link in bio #

11/11/2025

There's something about Tasmania in spring that makes everything feel possible again.

Wildflowers blooming.
Crisp mornings that wake you gently.
Views that stretch so far your nervous system has no choice but to let go.

For 2026, we're going back to Freycinet on Tasmania's stunning East Coast - the place that held us so beautifully in 2025.

Sometimes you just know when you've found the place, and this coastal sanctuary proved itself to be exactly that: space to breathe, to reflect, to transform.

"I left feeling relaxed and more at peace," one of the retreat participants told me. "This gave me the space to truly unwind and learn."

That's what I want for you too.
Not another weekend of hustle.
Not more information without integration.

Just spaciousness. Nourishment. Permission to rest.

The waitlist is open for my 2026 retreat - spots are limited to 10, and my 2025 event sold out months in advance.

Join the waitlist via link in bio 🌿

05/11/2025

The conversation around IBS is shifting.

While dietary and behavioural management remain part of care, we now recognise that long-term restrictive diets - while providing short-term relief - can further reduce microbial diversity and impair gut barrier function.

Instead of chronic restriction, the focus is moving toward restoration: rebuilding microbial balance, calming immune overactivation, and regulating the gut–brain axis.
Evidence-informed strategies include:

🌿 Microbiome restoration - supporting butyrate-producing bacteria and microbial diversity through food, prebiotics, and targeted probiotics
🌿 Mast cell modulation - via nutrients, herbal medicine, or short-term antihistamines when appropriate
🌿 Nervous system support - addressing gut-brain signalling (not just vague "stress reduction")
🌿 Hormone-aware nutrition - for those with menstrual cycles experiencing hormonally driven flares, and especially for women in perimenopause or menopause whose IBS symptoms have worsened or appeared alongside shifting hormone levels

For many of us, the turning point comes when we move beyond elimination and into rebuilding.

IBS is not a simple digestive issue. It's an interplay between your microbiome, immune system, nervous system, and hormones. And for women navigating perimenopause or menopause, hormonal shifts can dramatically intensify gut symptoms - adding histamine surges, food sensitivities, and unpredictable flares to the mix.

Supporting these systems in concert - rather than suppressing symptoms with restrictive diets - creates genuine, lasting change.

Whether you're a practitioner guiding others or someone living with IBS yourself, know this: restoration is possible. I'm living proof.

If you're ready to explore a new approach, join me for my free IBS webinar on Nov 18th. We'll go deep into the science and practical steps you can take. Visit https://www.chantelyates.com.au/ibs-and-the-microbiome-webinar to register 💚

04/11/2025

I’ve been thinking a lot about what made our most recent retreat so special.

Yes, the food was extraordinary.
Yes, the landscape held us.
Yes, the microbiome education landed differently when paired with rest and reflection.

But what really changed things? The circle of women.

“The lectures, morning swims, and shared meals created something truly special,” one participant shared. And she’s right - there’s a kind of magic that happens when you gather people who are ready to soften, to learn, to be honest about what they’re carrying.

You don’t need to have gut symptoms.
You don’t need to be an expert.
You just need to be ready to show up for yourself.

My 2026 spring retreat in Tasmania is limited to 10 people - and the waitlist is open now. Early birds get first access and exclusive pricing when registration opens.

Link in bio to reserve your place 🌿

03/11/2025

This month in clinic, I'm seeing a pattern I want to talk about.

So many people coming in with IBS who've been on restrictive diets - sometimes for years. Low FODMAP, low histamine, gluten-free, dairy-free, and often a combination of all of them.

They started these diets for symptom relief, and at first, it worked. But now they're stuck. Their digestive symptoms haven't actually improved long-term, their food world has shrunk, and they're anxious about reintroducing foods.

Here's the thing: restrictive diets can provide short-term relief. But when used long-term without a restoration plan, they can actually reduce microbial diversity and impair gut barrier function.

We're not meant to restrict forever.

What I'm focusing on in clinic right now:
🌿 Moving beyond elimination toward restoration
🌿 Rebuilding microbial balance and diversity
🌿 Calming immune overactivation (hello, mast cells!)
🌿 Supporting the gut–brain axis and vagal tone
🌿 Slowly expanding food variety in a supported way

IBS isn't about what you can't eat. It's about understanding the underlying dysfunction and creating the conditions for your gut to heal.

If you've been restricting for months or years and feel stuck, know this: restoration is possible. I see it in clinic every week, and I've lived it myself.

Want to dive deeper into this approach? Join my free IBS webinar on Nov 18th: https://www.chantelyates.com.au/ibs-and-the-microbiome-webinar 💚

01/11/2025

I'm a bit late will my herbal medics week celebration post.

Better late than never 😁

So happy herbal medicine week everyone. It's time to give the beautiful herbs that support our health and wellness some love and appreciation 💚

Today and I celebrated by offering a free herbal medicine making workshop in the Taroona Neighbourhood Garden in partnership with Taroona crop swap.

We made calendula infused oil followed by calendula balm and talked about harvesting and processing for highest quality.

We also explored the basics of herbal tea blending for action, flavour, and beauty 😍

It was a lovely event outside under the sun surrounded by our herbal friends 🧡 and well attended by enthusiastic and curious herbal medicine makers.

Thanks everyone who came along for a fantastic event 😊
Special thanks to for your expertise and Katja from cropswap for organising.

Happy herbal medicine making folks 🧡💛💚

31/10/2025

Spring is here, and that means one of my favourite wild edibles is popping up everywhere: nettle! 🌿

I love spring for the gorgeous green edible goodness that rushes up from the earth, and nettle is one of my most favoured herbs (or weeds, depending on who you ask!).

It's vibrant, nourishing, and absolutely delicious.

BUT...why nettle? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Nettle is incredibly nutrient-dense, rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, carotenoids, and protein. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antihistamine, and gut-supportive properties - basically, it's a spring superfood hiding in plain sight.

The variety you want for cooking (Urtica urens - small nettle) is different from the medicinal nettle in teas and tinctures. It's less fibrous and blends beautifully into soups.

A few tips:
🧤 Wear gloves when harvesting! The sting is real...
🌱 Harvest before flowering in spring
🌿 Trim just the leaves (not too much stem or it'll be fibrous)
♻️ Wildcraft from clean sources away from roadsides
💚 Once cooked or blended, the sting breaks down completely

This Nourishing Nettle Soup is one of my go-to's - creamy, earthy, and deeply nourishing. Perfect served with toasted seeds, a dollop of yoghurt, and a squeeze of lemon.

For the recipe, head to the blog: https://www.chantelyates.com.au/recipes.

Have you cooked with nettle before?

29/10/2025

There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over you when you step away from the noise.

No phone pinging.
No rush.

Just morning swims in cold Tasmanian water, shared meals that nourish more than your gut, and conversations that meander like the trails we walked together.

"This retreat ticked all my boxes and I didn't even know I had boxes!" one of the beautiful humans said as we closed the final circle.

That's the thing - you don't always know what you need until you give yourself permission to receive it.

The waitlist is now open for my 2026 Microbiome Retreat in Freycinet, on Tasmania's breathtaking East Coast - we loved it so much in 2025, we're going back.

If you've been craving space to slow down, reconnect, and truly feel nourished in a place that holds you perfectly - this is your invitation.

Link in bio to join the waitlist 💚

28/10/2025

What makes L. plantarum special?

✨ Barrier support: It strengthens tight junctions in the gut lining, reducing intestinal permeability (aka "leaky gut")

✨ Anti-inflammatory: It modulates immune responses and can reduce inflammatory markers in the gut

✨ Pathogen protection: L. plantarum produces antimicrobial compounds that inhibit harmful bacteria

✨ IBS evidence: Multiple clinical trials show it can reduce bloating, abdominal pain, and improve overall IBS symptoms

✨ Resilient: It's naturally found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and some pickles, and it's quite robust in supplemental form too

Where you'll find it:

👀 Quality probiotic supplements (check the strain code - LP299v is well-researched)

👀 Traditionally fermented vegetables

👀 Some fermented plant-based products

A word of caution: if you have histamine sensitivity or react to fermented foods, you may need to introduce this strain carefully or focus on barrier repair first before adding it in.

Probiotics aren't one-size-fits-all, but when matched to the right person at the right time, they can be genuinely transformative.

Do you use L. plantarum in your practice or supplement routine? I'd love to hear your experience.

22/10/2025

Many people with IBS also experience food sensitivities, rashes, brain fog, or cyclical flares that don't quite fit the standard picture.

For these individuals, mast cell activation and histamine intolerance may be part of the story.

Recent research shows:
🔬 A strong overlap between mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and IBS
🔬 Mast cells near intestinal nerves release histamine and other mediators that increase gut pain sensitivity
🔬 Microbial products can trigger mast cell activation, amplifying inflammation
🔬 Butyrate (a key microbial metabolite) appears to calm mast cell activity

For those with menstrual cycles - and especially those in perimenopause or menopause - hormonal shifts add another crucial layer. Oestrogen and progesterone fluctuations influence histamine release and degradation, which may explain why many experience IBS flares around menstruation, during the perimenopausal transition, or after menopause when hormone levels shift dramatically.

In my clinic, I see this pattern constantly: women whose gut symptoms worsen or appear for the first time during perimenopause, often alongside histamine-related symptoms like flushing, sensitivity flares, and unpredictable reactions to foods they once tolerated well.

This highlights a dynamic histamine–mast cell–microbiome–hormone axis that may underpin symptoms in certain IBS subtypes, especially those with multi-system sensitivities or cyclical patterns.

When to suspect a histamine or mast cell component:
➡️ IBS symptoms plus flushing, itching, or hives
➡️ Food sensitivity to high-histamine or fermented foods
➡️ Cyclic symptom flares linked to hormonal changes (menstruation, perimenopause, menopause)
➡️ Partial or short-lived response to standard IBS treatments

If this sounds familiar, you're not alone - and there are pathways forward.

Want to learn more? Join my free IBS webinar on Nov 18th where we'll explore this connection in depth: https://www.chantelyates.com.au/ibs-and-the-microbiome-webinar.

Chantel Yates Naturopath & Herbalist

12/11/2025

11/11/2025

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