Got questions about gut health? Ask dietician Laura Tilt - £200 voucher to be won

[EllieSmumsnet]

Did you know your gut health can influence more than just digestion? From boosting your mood and energy levels to supporting your immune system, taking care of your gut is vital for overall well-being.

But how do you know if your gut needs some TLC? What are the best ways to support it? And what role do live and active bacteria play in maintaining a healthy gut?

To help answer all your burning questions, we’re joined by gut health expert Laura Tilt! Whether you’re curious about spotting the signs of poor gut health, incorporating live and active bacteria into your family’s routine, or just want simple tips for feeling your best, Laura’s here to help.

• Everyone who shares a questions on the thread below by 12/02/2025 will be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky Mumsnet user will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice
• Laura will be back soon to answer some of your questions

About Laura Tilt:
“Laura has been passionate about microbes and the gut for nearly 10 years, sparked by her focus on gastroenterology during her time in clinical practice. She is an experienced dietitian, health writer, and a regular columnist for Women’s Health Magazine. With over 15 years of experience in nutrition, Laura is passionate about helping people understand the connection between food and health, bridging the gap between what we eat and what happens in our bodies. You can find her on social media @nutritilty, where she shares practical tips for eating healthy amid the everyday challenges of parenting and sleep deprivation.”

About Symprove:
Symprove’s powerful liquid solution is the UK’s no.1 water-based live and active bacteria supplement and most recommended by health care professionals in the UK. It’s a firm favourite with our Mumsnet community. It's dairy free and water based, plus it's safe for children (always check dosage instructions) and those on antibiotics.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

At the moment, no. Firstly, we don’t yet know what a healthy microbiome looks like. There are likely many different types of healthy microbiomes, and they may not all look the same. Secondly, your microbiome is dynamic and changes with diet, exercise, seasons, location, and antibiotic use. When you test your poo, it’s like taking a snapshot—you’re only seeing what’s there at that moment. Thirdly, we don’t know if the bacteria in your poo reflect what’s happening in the rest of your gut. Microbiome tests often label bacteria as good or bad, but it’s not that simple. A microbe can be helpful or harmful depending on what other microbes are around and in what numbers. A microbiome test can tell you what bacteria are present, but not what that means or what you should eat. So, my advice is to save your money for now.

It’s fair to say that if your gut is functioning well you probably won’t be thinking about it much. When your gut is healthy and happy it’s able to do its job easily, digesting and absorbing food effectively. It also supports your immune function, which in turn influences your overall health.

Here are five signs of a healthy gut:

1. You don’t experience discomfort during or after eating
2. You poo regularly (anywhere from 3x a day to 3x a week)
3. Your poos are soft, well formed and not painful to pass
4. Your poo is a shade of brown
5. You’re not regularly bothered by symptoms like bloating, pain, or nausea

On the other hand, if there is something up with your gut it usually lets you know via uncomfortable symptoms like tummy pain or changes in your poo. If you’ve been experiencing symptoms or a change in your poo for more than a couple of weeks, chat to your G.P. so they can check for possible causes.

Increasing your fibre intake is a great goal as research shows that 91% of UK adults aren't meeting the recommended intake, which is 30 grams a day.

I'd recommend getting increasing fibre from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, peas lentils and whole-grains (like oats and wholemeal bread) instead of fibre tablets if you can.

That's because the majority of research we have linking high fibre diets with health benefits (like feeding your gut microbiome, helping prevent constipation and lowering the risk of health conditions like bowel cancer and heart disease) is based on the fibre from whole foods, rather than isolated fibres in supplements. Simple additions can make a big difference - adding a tablespoon of chia, flaxseed or mixed seeds onto yoghurt, oats, or into a smoothie will add an extra 3-4 grams of fibre. Swapping two slices of white bread (2 grams of fibre) for 2 slices of wholemeal (5 grams) or rye bread (7 grams) is another helpful change.

One last tip - if you’re adding more fibre to your diet, do it slowly over a week or two. A sudden jump from low to high fibre can cause temporary bloating or gas as your gut bacteria adapt to the extra fuel. And drink plenty of water too, as fibre absorbs water as it moves through the gut.

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Can improving gut health alleviate anxiety?
Also I’m on a cocktail of heart meds - will pre/ pro biotics be safe to take at the same time?

Great question! Five always add items for me are:

1- Oatcakes - these are high in fibre, great for snacks, I love them topped with peanut butter
2- Canned chickpeas. Super versatile and I add them to salads and curries, also whizzing up hummus to top toast or oatcakes!
3 - Frozen peas - again so versatile, they are high in fibre and protein and count as one of your five a day. I add them to frittata, mix into pasta or scrambled egg, or defrost and add to salads.
4 - frozen fruit, my go to for breakfast. I add to granola, or whizz into a smoothie. Means I always get my fruit even when the fruit bowl is empty!
5 - Eggs -poached, scrambled as shakshuka - always an easy meal with eggs.

In terms of your gut health, here are five signs of a heathy gut:

1. You don’t experience gut discomfort during or after eating
2. You poo regularly (anywhere from 3x a day to 3x a week)
3. Your poos are soft, well formed and not painful to pass
4. Your poo is a shade of brown
5. You’re not regularly bothered by symptoms like bloating, pain, or nausea

If you start experiencing gut symptoms, or poo which changes in terms of what’s normal for you then this is usually a sign that something is up.

3 easy habits to help you gut health

• Try to make at least half the grains you eat wholegrain - so that means picking wholemeal bread, oats, and wholemeal pasta. Theses are a brilliant source of fibre which helps nourish your gut microbes.
• Prioritise some feel good movement every day. Regular exercise has a positive impact on gut health and gut microbes - walking, dancing, jogging, biking all count - choose something you enjoy!
• Practice rest - stress and a lack of sleep has been associated with less favourable changes in gut microbes, so finding ways you can rest and destress is important. This looks different for everyone, but pausing for a 5 minute meditation, developing a relaxing wind down routine before bed or trying 10 minutes of at home yoga are a few ideas.

My best advice is to seek help from an experienced FODMAP trained dietitian - they can help you adapt the diet so that it works for you whilst cooking for a family. So for example, you don’t need to avoid all dairy on a Low FODMAP diet - it’s usually just milk and yoghurt. And for some people, avoiding it isn’t necessary at all.

You can also choose naturally gluten free carbs like rice and potatoes which might work better for family meals.

There are also other options like a lite version of the FODMAP diet where we just look at limiting a handful of foods, or seeking other forms of therapy like CBT or gut directed hypnotherapy alongside diet changes. Whatever you choose has to work for you and your lifestyle and not cause added stress.

@EllieSmumsnet is there a way for MN to highlight Laura Tilt's posts and to be able to scroll to them as we do with op posts?

If you are eating 30 plants a week as recommended by Zoe, do you really need a supplement as well?

why does stomach acid not kill probiotics?

Is there any current research around gut bacteria/ improving gut bacteria, and effect on allergies such as asthma?

Can you tell us more about psychobiome, how gut microbiome impacts moods and mental health?
"growing evidence from epidemiological and animal studies that link gut bacteria to conditions as diverse as autism, anxiety, and Alzheimer's disease" from Meet the ‘psychobiome': the gut bacteria that may alter how you think, feel, and act | Science | AAAS

Is yogurt good for gut health.

Is the time of day you take the supplement important, does it have to be on an empty stomach ?

Is it worth regularly testing your gut health?

Is it true that eating “junk” foods can change the gut biome and cause us to become addicted to these types of fatty/sugary foods?

Have you ever referred for FMT? If so, how effective was it?

Is regular flax seed benefitial to children's gut health or is it too harsh for them?

My IBS has got worse since the menopause. Would your product help, and how?

Is there specific gut support you would recommend for peri menopause/ menopause?

Foods rich in fibre would be top of my list, because fibre helps to prevent constipation, supports a healthy gut environment and feeds your gut microbes. So that means eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, making at least half your grains wholegrain choices so things like oats and wholemeal bread. You can then include pulses (beans peas and lentils) a few times a week too, and nuts too. The key is going slow when adding fibre, to give your gut and microbes time to adjust. So don’t try everything at once, layer on the changes.

In terms of the worst? I’d say those low in fibre and high in added sugar, fat, and salt. These offer little benefit to your gut, so should make up the smallest part of our diets. So for example chocolate, cakes, biscuits, crisps and sugary drinks

Eating live yoghurt daily is a great habit! It can be a source of probiotics if it contains proven strains in high enough amounts. Check the label for a list of specific strains and phrases like "live and active cultures."

If you're trying to manage a specific gut symptom, a targeted probiotic with research backing would be my advice. Otherwise, focus on overall diet—especially fibre and a variety of plant foods—for better gut health.

Most of the sugar we eat is absorbed in the small intestine, so it doesn’t directly affect gut bacteria. However, a diet high in sugary processed foods is often low in fibre and other nutrients that support gut health. Too much sugar can push out more nutritious choices, which means your gut microbes and gut lining suffer.

It’s recommended that added sugar makes up no more than 5% of daily calories—about 30g. To put that in perspective, a standard chocolate bar has around 25g, and a 330ml can of cola contains 35g. Keeping sugar in check leaves more room for gut-friendly foods like fruit, veg, grains, and pulses.

Runner’s trots can be a common problem, especially for long-distance runners. Exercise speeds up gut motility, and the jostling of the gut that happens in running can also play a role.

To help, watch what you eat and drink before your run (or the night before if running in the morning). Avoid caffeine, as it can trigger an urge to poo, and opt for lower-fibre foods so for example cornflakes over bran flakes or a simple pasta dish. Take note of what you’re consuming on your run too - gels and drinks that contain fructose can be a trigger for some people.

Great question! It can be hard to know where to go for trusted advice. Here are a few of my recommendations:

Symprove has a jam packed gut blog with articles on gut health, nutrition and gut health and recipes (some of which i’ve written). You can find it here: https://www.symprove.com/blogs/the-gut-hub

The Gut Stuff has a great website with lots of gut related nutrition tips https://thegutstuff.com/gut-tips/

Lastly ISAPP (a non profit organisation that provides science based information) has lots of great fact sheets and infographics on the topic of probiotics and prebiotics and gut health.