Love Local with The List: Sarah Gale Nutrition

Born and raised in Guernsey, qualified nutritionist and hormone expert Sarah Gale’s personal health journey sparked an obsession with food and the power it holds. Having first studied fashion in Milan, she struggled with the focus on body image in such a cut throat industry and this, tangled alongside her own health issues, led her on a path to help women heal from diet culture and unlock the power of their hormones. 

Sarah's journey to becoming a qualified nutritionist not only gave her her life back, it has also helped change the lives of many local women for the better.

But as a small business owner she is not immune to the pressures of ‘hustle culture’ so she decided to take a 9 month sabbatical last year. She shares how time away from the business she loves gave her a new sense of perspective, teaching her that the world isn’t going to implode if she’s not always in ‘doing’ mode and reinforcing her love of nature.

 

 

‘I often say that nutrition gave me my life back. And it did. But really, it shaped me into a whole new person and showed me my purpose in life.’ 

 

How It All Began.

I first got into nutrition in my late teens. I struggled with a long list of debilitating symptoms like nausea, bloating, acne, constant fatigue, PMS, heavy periods, difficulty losing weight and lots more! All my tests the doctors ran repeatedly came back normal and they prescribed lots of different medications. But in my gut it didn’t feel right. I was 18, living a pretty healthy lifestyle yet I had to rely on several medications to feel better.

I was fortunate that my Mum was friends with a Nutritional Therapist and booked me a visit. Within 2 or 3 visits I felt like a completely different person, which then sparked my obsession with food and how much power it holds. I started reading every nutrition book I could get my hands on and I decided to train as a Nutritionist. I didn’t have any intention of making this my career at the time, I was just fascinated by the subject and amazed at what it had done for my health. By the end of the four year course I knew I had to share this knowledge to help more people which sparked the birth of Sarah Gale Nutrition. 

 

My Health Journey.

Tangled alongside my health issues I had always been incredibly self conscious of my weight and started dieting or counting calories when I was 13. It wasn’t until I was a qualified Nutritionist that I could see and understand why restricting calories and killing myself with intense workouts wasn’t going to help me lose weight and heal my relationship with myself. I had a warped sense of what it meant to be healthy and also what I needed to do to be healthy. 

I later specialised in female hormones as I had been diagnosed with PCOS and Hashimotos along my health journey. Hormones are something that are often spoken about often in a negative sense, but I honestly believe they are our super power as women - when they are in balance!. Each phase of our cycle gives us a unique gift. When we start listening to our bodies and work with our hormones that is when the magic happens. 

My own journey taught me the power of small, consistent habits. You don't need huge changes or complicated plans to make a difference. I am really passionate about helping women understand that there is another way to lose weight and feel good in their bodies. It truly breaks my heart the number of women I see in my clinic that are chronically under-eating in an effort to lose weight or have such little self-esteem after being battered by the diet industry. 

So in a nutshell - my mission is to help women unlock the power of their hormones, heal from diet culture, and unleash their inner magic. I often say that nutrition gave me my life back. And it did. But really it shaped me into a whole new person and showed me my purpose in life. 

 

 

'There is A LOT of noise and information out there and, in my opinion, a lot of what I see on social media are passing trends that sound shiny and exciting but don’t necessarily get the desired results.'

 

Keeping It Personal.

Personalisation is a huge part of what I do. We are all unique and we deserve personalised advice, which is where I think a lot of people fall down. There is A LOT of noise and information out there and, in my opinion, a lot of what I see on social media are passing trends that sound shiny and exciting but don’t necessarily get the desired results. I have certainly witnessed that with my clients. They are doing lots of things ‘right’ to improve their health but they are missing out on the key foundations, and without these it can feel like you aren’t quite getting the levels of results you desire with the amount of effort you put in. 

I also love working 1-2-1 with clients to understand  why they have a certain symptom or condition. This is the big difference between conventional and functional medicine. Conventional medicine treats the condition. Whereas functional medicine works to understand why that condition came about in the first place, because when we understand the root cause of something, we understand exactly what we need to support to help resolve the symptom or improve the condition.

 

The Highlights So Far.

The most rewarding moments for me will always be when a client sees results. It is why I do what I do. There is nothing better than my clients telling me they are feeling better, or proud of themselves because they actioned something we spoke about. It is those moments that encourage me to keep doing what I am doing. 

One of the highlights was the free challenge I ran a few years back where close to 500 women joined me on a week to work on their health. There was so much positive energy in that week and making a difference to so many women I think will always remain a high point in my career. 

Another huge positive is partnering with Emily Chadwick-Vint and supporting her in The Goddess Movement. Working alongside someone who is truly inspiring, passionate about the same things as you, on a similar mission and you can also call a friend is truly special. 

 

Challenges Along The Way.

The most challenging part for me is being a one man band. I have had to learn many new skills including marketing, bookkeeping and understanding more about software. And I love to talk things through and sometimes miss being part of a team. My poor husband has been an absolute rock listening to my many ideas and problems over the years. 

It’s also challenging at times to balance my value of health with my value of drive and success. Up until I took time out in my sabbatical I felt like I had to be ‘on’ all the time, continually driving the business forward as it is just me which meant I didn’t always have the time to look after myself as much as I wanted to and my nervous system definitely took a battering. I am slowly learning though - slow down to speed up!

 

 

 ‘Travelling has allowed me to take a step back, know that ‘doing nothing’ or being is important and the world isn’t going to implode if I am not always in ‘doing’ mode.’

 

Taking Time Out.

My husband and I had the opportunity to go travelling for 9 months in 2023 which led me to take a step back away from my business for a while. I was reluctant to let go as it had been pretty much my main focus for 6 years and I genuinely love what I do. I planned to work whilst I was away but it soon became apparent that I didn’t have enough hours in the day to work and see all the places we had planned. So I decided to take a complete sabbatical.

I am so glad I did. Because I am so passionate about what I do I had definitely gotten wrapped up in ‘hustle culture’, working long hours, exhausting myself, saying no to social plans so I could get more work done.

I remember having the conversation with my husband towards the end of our trip that I didn't feel any different, or the cliche go travelling to find yourself. But coming back into my old life I did notice a big shift in how I wanted to live. Travelling has allowed me to take a step back, know that ‘doing nothing’ or being is important and the world isn’t going to implode if I am not always in ‘doing’ mode. I had to work on this everyday, not stepping back into old familiar patterns of working non-stop, but my nervous system is definitely thanking me for slowing down. 

It also reinforced my love for nature. We did a lot of hiking in our travels, which I never knew I enjoyed, but this world is breathtakingly beautiful. I feel at home in nature, it truly feels like coming home to what it means to be human for me - dipping in the sea, hiking up the steps on the cliffs or walking through the lanes seeing nothing but green fields and blue sky. 

 

Celebrating Local Life.

It has taken me some time to settle back into island life and Guernsey seemed very small, but the more I immerse myself in its natural beauty the more I am reminded why I love to call Guernsey home. I am quite a solitary person, love my own company, and I love a quiet still morning either going for a swim or a walk where there is no-one else around. You really wouldn’t get that anywhere else in the world which to me makes Guernsey extra special. Also having the beautiful Fermain or horseshoe just on my doorstep helps too! 

I do struggle with access to food over here though. I love nothing better than wandering around local food markets, eating like a local and eating fresh, local produce. I have pictures of my Gran going to the local markets in town when she was my age and would love it if that style of food shopping came back again.

 

 

'I hate avocado or avocado hates me…not sure which! Not very Nutritionist like, I know!'

 

It Might Surprise You To Know…

I first studied fashion design in Milan and whilst I loved the design and creative aspect of it, I struggled with the focus on body image and such a cut throat industry. I remember being backstage at Milan’s fashion week and these tiny models being berated for being ‘a bit chubby’…it was at that moment that I decided it wasn’t for me.  

It’s also a little known fact that a portion of my profits go to dog rescue charities every year. Both of our dogs have been rescue dogs and I truly don’t think there is another love like it. We have helped out at various different shelters and my husband and I want to do as much as we can to help. I would love to retire, get a big plot of land and adopt as many dogs as we can and give them the best life possible. 

Oh, and I hate avocado or avocado hates me…not sure which! Not very Nutritionist like, I know!

 

Why The List Loves Sarah Gale Nutrition.

Having worked with Sarah over several years we can testify to her knowledge, integrity and professionalism. Put simply, she just knows stuff, and is undoubtedly an expert in her field.

There's no doubt that having suffered with symptoms that affected her day to day life, Sarah brings a layer of compassion to the table that has shaped her as a nutritionist and hormone expert. She doesn't subscribe to the one-size-fits all approach, knowing that you need to delve deeper and understand the root cause of your symptoms, but with the right diet, lifestyle and support, you can change your life. We're onboard with that!