Laura Tilt
“I am passionate about helping people understand how the food they eat affects health and wellbeing. I want to bridge the gap between what goes on your plate – and what happens in your body, by making nutrition science easy to understand.”
ABOUT LAURA TILT:
Laura is a dietician, health writer and has her own nutrition consultancy. Since her journey into nutrition started more than ten years ago, Laura has completed three further degrees in nutrition and now has many areas in which she specialises in including digestive health, weight loss, IBS and sports nutrition. Laura has a monthly column for Women’s Health Magazine where she explains nutritional science and she often delivers extremely informative and easy to follow nutritional workshops and talks on topics including immunity, sports nutrition, weight loss, eating for digestive health and energy management. She is passionate about exposing the importance of gut health.
RESOURCES
What is your earliest memory?
Ooh a tough one. I had an asthma attack at a very young age (3) so this is my earliest memory. Next is probably the birth of my younger sister, which was incredibly exciting.
Where or when are you the happiest?
I was lucky enough to spend 8 months in Central America and Mexico about 3 years ago and experienced many moments of feeling blissfully happy and grateful – be it sat atop a mountain, floating in the lakes or watching people dancing banda in the square. I do however, think that happiness is a state of mind, and you can experience great happiness in all kinds of situations.
What is the gutsiest thing you have ever done?
Probably jumping out of a plane, over the pacific coast of Mexico on Christmas Day. I was absolutely petrified, and have never felt fear like it before or since.
I did it with a friend who later died when he was surfing, so it’s a really poignant memory for me.
What is your current life philosophy?
I’m really learning the benefits of living more presently. Part of that is learning to not believe everything you think, or take yourself so seriously. The mind is our greatest critic – it sells us all sorts of stories and can send us down worry holes that take us away from living in the now. Learning to observe but not become attached to our thoughts is a lifelong mastery!
I’m also a big believer in controlling what you can – and letting go of what you can’t.
What 3 things do you treasure the most?
My family, my friends and my health.
How would your greatest friend describe you in three words?
I messaged the lady in question and she pinged me back – funny, beautiful, intelligent. I didn’t even have to bribe her [Symbol] She then added patient and kind.
How did you first become interested in Gut Health?
I was working in UCLH hospital in London, and ended up specialising in gastroenterology, which absolutely fascinated me. The gut seemed the gateway to health – a problem with the digestive system has huge knock on effects on the rest of the body – but it’s also incredible how it can adapt. I also loved how integral nutrition was to digestive health.
Where do you see the future for Gut Health awareness in the UK?
It’s an exciting time as Gut Health is arriving onto the general population’s radar, and I’m sure we’re going to see more and more people prioritise food and lifestyle habits that benefit their gut health. With that will no doubt come lots of products and foods which promise gut health benefits so we’ll need to navigate those with a pinch of salt.
I feel like we’re only just at the tip of the iceberg of understanding gut health, and there is so much we still don’t know. Hopefully the science will develop enough to enable us to personalise nutrition advice based on the gut microbiome.
Who inspires you most?
Probably my Mum! She’s one if not the kindest person I know, and has a very balanced approach to life.
What tune gets you going?
Prince’s Kiss or Raspberry Beret