the_herbal_collective

the_herbal_collective The Herbal Collective is run by Tamara Welsh, a herbal medicine practitioner on the Nth Beaches

Tamara treats men, women and children of all ages with a special interest in treating women and their children during the childbearing years. Herbal medicine is the oldest and still the most widely used form of medicine practiced today. Western herbal medicine practitioners draw from ancient knowledge paired with the latest scientific research to create herbal formulas to help support and improve

all systems in the body. Herbalism aims to stimulate a return to health by strengthening the body’s organ systems. It is a holistic form of medicine which aims to not only address symptoms but also address the underlying causes of a condition or disease.

The skin is deeply connected to the gut. I’ve found commonly in my practice that we cannot heal the skin until we have a...
21/05/2026

The skin is deeply connected to the gut. I’ve found commonly in my practice that we cannot heal the skin until we have addressed the gut.

For inflammatory skin conditions, topical remedies can only go so far. If the underlying inflammation isn’t addressed, it’s very difficult to stay in remission and flares are common.

I work with my clients to support and repair the gut immune connection. This is the first step in improving overall health, reducing inflammation and restoring balance to the skin.

If you’d like more information, please reach out or book a discovery call. Comment ‘discovery’ below or click the link in my bio.

Have you got a copy of my free guide yet?Link in bio 🙂 you’re welcome
11/05/2026

Have you got a copy of my free guide yet?

Link in bio 🙂 you’re welcome

If you pay attention to when your bloating happens, it can tell you a lot about where things are going wrong in your gut...
30/04/2026

If you pay attention to when your bloating happens, it can tell you a lot about where things are going wrong in your gut.

Here’s how to read the signs:

🪧 Bloating on waking
Often points to sluggish motility or incomplete clearance.
If things aren’t moving well, fermentation can build up overnight. Perhaps you ate too close to bedtime or went for a late night snack?

🪧 Bloating straight after eating
This is usually upper digestion.
Think low stomach acid, poor enzyme output, or simply eating too quickly and forgetting to chew! (yes, that matters more than you think).

🪧 Bloating 1–2 hours after eating
Now we’re in the small intestine.
This can be a sign of carbohydrate malabsorption or small intestinal dysbiosis (including SIBO in some cases).

🪧 Bloating 3+ hours after eating
This is when your large intestine takes over.
Some fermentation is normal—but excessive bloating here can point to imbalances in the colon microbiome.

🪧 Bloating that builds throughout the day
A big clue for sluggish motility (slow bowel transit time- see my free guide via link in my bio)
Food is going in… but not moving through efficiently.

Remember this isn’t about self-diagnosing, it’s about recognising patterns so you can know where to start.

If you’re someone who feels like you “bloat no matter what you eat” → your timing patterns are one of the most useful places to start.

Save this so you can refer back to it 🙂

29/04/2026

If you pay attention to when your bloating happens, it can tell you a lot about where things are going wrong in your gut.

Here’s how to read the signs:

🪧 Bloating on waking
Often points to sluggish motility or incomplete clearance.
If things aren’t moving well, fermentation can build up overnight. Perhaps you ate too close to bedtime or went for a late night snack?

🪧 Bloating straight after eating
This is usually upper digestion.
Think low stomach acid, poor enzyme output, or simply eating too quickly and forgetting to chew! (yes, that matters more than you think).

🪧 Bloating 1–2 hours after eating
Now we’re in the small intestine.
This can be a sign of carbohydrate malabsorption or small intestinal dysbiosis (including SIBO in some cases).

🪧 Bloating 3+ hours after eating
This is when your large intestine takes over.
Some fermentation is normal—but excessive bloating here can point to imbalances in the colon microbiome.

🪧 Bloating that builds throughout the day
A big clue for sluggish motility (slow bowel transit time- see my free guide via link in my bio)
Food is going in… but not moving through efficiently.

Remember this isn’t about self-diagnosing, it’s about recognising patterns so you can know where to start.

If you’re someone who feels like you “bloat no matter what you eat” → your timing patterns are one of the most useful places to start.
Save this so you can refer back to it ❤️

24/04/2026

Back with another addition of Tam’s two cents. The segment nobody asked for yet everybody enjoys?? 🤣

My rant today is about food! We’ve been taught to look at food as protein, carbs, fats… plus a few vitamins and minerals. These things are so important but they’re only part of the story.

Whole foods contain thousands of phytochemicals—plant compounds that act as signalling molecules in the body.

They don’t just “feed” you… they communicate with your biology. If this sounds a little woo woo, I can assure you I’m talking pure science here. 🤓

These phytochemicals have the ability to:

- Turn on cellular pathways
- Calm inflammation
- Promote detoxification
- Improve energy production
- Feed and shape your microbiome

This is why two diets with the same macros can have completely different effects on health.
It’s not just what you eat. It’s the information your food carries.

This is the essence of Nutrigenomics. Nutrition that “talks to your genes” 🧬 and its powerful stuff. Our food can really be our best medicine.

If I’ve even slightly intrigued you, comment ‘intrigued’ below and I’ll at least know that you read this far down the caption 😆🙌

24/04/2026

IBS isn’t a real diagnosis. It’s a label for “your gut is a mess and we don’t know exactly why.”

The likely answer.. the cells lining your gut are inflamed and your microbiome is unhappy. Your beneficial bacteria are depleted and/or problematic bacteria have taken over. Your gut lining is permeable.

The result? Bloating, cramping, unpredictable bowel movements, food sensitivities, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety. Aka IBS

The mainstream solution? Well there ain’t really one. Generally it’s about managing symptoms with medications, natural or pharmaceutical.

but what if there was a better approach? What if we could restore functioning of the gut wall, support immune balance to lower inflammation, rebuild beneficial bacteria in the gut, rebuild the diet to support microbiome diversity?

We can!

Want more info? Follow me 🙂

17/04/2026

This might be a little heavy for a Friday night 😆 but are you stuck in a cycle of chasing symptoms?

Constipation → take something for the gut

Food intolerances → cut out another food group

Fatigue → push through or add caffeine

Skin flares → topical creams or steriods

Hormonal issues → take the pill or get the Mirena


The problem is that none of these ‘fixes’ actually do any fixing. Unless you’re working to address the underlying physiology, you’re really just masking, whether you take a drug, or a natural medicine, it’s still the same story. You have this symptom- take this remedy to manage the symptom.

Don’t get me wrong, symptom relief is important! Anyone with horrible symptoms will enjoy some temporary relief. But at the end of the day, we need to work on the underlying drivers as well.
Things like:
• Dysregulation in gene expression (how your body responds to its environment)

• Underlying low-grade inflammation (the quiet drive behind your chronic symptoms)

• Gut microbiome imbalances (turns out those little gut bugs do a lot for us)

• Chronic stress keeping the body in survival mode (you simply can’t heal in survival mode)



Because when you address these ⬆️ Something powerful happens ✨

Symptoms start resolving as a by-product of better physiology.

This is the difference between managing your health vs truly healing it.


I LOVE working in this space. So if you’re ready to make some real change, book a discovery call or DM me and let’s chat.

17/04/2026

Are you stuck in a cycle of chasing symptoms?

Constipation → take something for the gut

Food intolerances → cut out another food group

Fatigue → push through or add caffeine

Skin flares → topical creams or steriods

Hormonal issues → take the pill or get the Mirena


The problem is that none of these ‘fixes’ actually do any fixing. Unless you’re working to address the underlying physiology, you’re really just masking symptoms, whether you take a drug, or a natural medicine, it’s still the same story. You have this symptom- take this remedy.

Don’t get me wrong, symptom relief is important! Anyone with horrible symptoms will enjoy some symptom relief. But at the end of the day, we need to work on the underlying drivers as well.
Things like:
• Dysregulation in gene expression (how your body responds to its environment)

• Underlying low-grade inflammation

• Gut microbiome imbalances

• Chronic stress keeping the body in survival mode



Because when you address these ⬆️

Something powerful happens ✨

Symptoms start resolving as a by-product of better physiology.

This is the difference between managing your health vs truly healing it.


I LOVE working in this space. So if you’re ready to make some real change, book a discovery call or DM me and let’s chat.

14/04/2026

Heading to the fridge for another snack? 🙋‍♀️ There’s a good chance you’re just thirsty!

Most of our ancestors got a large portion of their water through food — fruits, vegetables, raw foods all have high water content. So, the body evolved to associate eating with hydration. But in a modern diet of processed, dry foods, that trick backfires.

I chat with my clients about reducing constant snacking. The digestive system needs a rest between meals. One thing I find is that the constant snackers also don’t drink a lot of water. So next time you’re hungry for another snack, consider…could I be dehydrated?

Here are some signs you’re dehydrated (and don’t even know it)

You’re always hungry — but it’s actually thirst in disguise

You’re exhausted for no reason — low fluid = low energy and brain fog

You can’t focus — even mild dehydration dulls your concentration

Your digestion is sluggish — things just aren’t moving the way they should

You’re bloated and constipated — your gut needs water to function

Your lips and skin are dry — your body’s most visible cry for water

You’re breaking out — skin can’t detox properly without hydration

You’re getting boils or recurring skin infections — toxins building up with nowhere to go

Your eyes look yellow or dull — your liver and kidneys are struggling to flush waste

Your p*e is dark yellow — the most obvious sign most people ignore

You drink heaps of water, but it goes straight through you

Save this for the future snacker in you, and go grab some water - right now 😉

31/03/2026

What you’ve all been waiting for 🤭 another edition of Tam’s Two Cents

Minced meat meals are a great way to hide a heap of goodness. Finely chopped vegetables, chicken liver, lentils, herbs and spices. Got fussy kids or adults in your house? Make this up and watch them devour it. They’ll be none the wiser but oh so much healthier. Mwa ha ha

What do you add to your minced meat dishes? 👇

27/03/2026

A simple cheek swab can tell us so much about how you’re wired. By looking at your genetic variation we can come up with a plan unique to you and therefore fast track your results 💪

If you’re curious to learn more, comment below or send me a DM.

Address

Sydney, NSW
2101

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