My Why.
Gutsy for Life exists because I believe that viewing your family’s well-being through the lens of microbes is one of the most inspiring and empowering ways to approach health. It’s science-based, rooted in getting back to basics, and it’s not going anywhere. This isn’t a food fad or craze. Gut Health is here to stay.
The best part? It’s not complicated, it’s not expensive, and it can impact not just your family’s health, but generations to come.
My mission is to educate and empower parents and schools to spread the word about microbes because microbial diversity is one of the most fascinating and scientifically groundbreaking areas of health today.
My concern is that the health sector is full of misinformation and product-driven agendas, and children deserve better. My aim is to simplify the truth about gut health and equip early years communities with the tools they need to engage, understand, and take meaningful action, straight from the people who know how.
Children
& Microbes
When I first started exploring gut health, I was working as a private chef in London. One day, a client asked me to make Water Kefir for their children. Honestly, I thought it was just another food fad—I was so over those! But when they handed me a jar of Water Kefir Grains, these magical, crystal-like clusters sparked my curiosity.
Naturally, I turned to Google: “What is Water Kefir?” “What’s a SCOBY?” “What are microbes?” “What’s the human microbiome?” The questions kept coming, and I was hooked. The idea that we have an entire ecosystem inside us, working to keep us healthy and happy, completely blew my mind.
That curiosity led me to create Gutsy: The Gut Health Guide, where I shared everything I was learning—hosting events, retreats, and workshops with expert fermenters, nutritionists, and yogis.
Then I became a mother, and my focus shifted. Suddenly, I wasn’t just learning about gut health—I was diving deep into the children’s microbiome: how it’s formed, how to nurture it, and, of course, how to feed my own kids (which was a whole adventure in itself!).
The most magical moment came in 2023 when I started talking to my kids about microbes. Just like me, they were fascinated. The idea that trillions of tiny, helpful creatures live in their tummies, working to make them strong and happy, was like superhero-level cool to them. And when they learned they could “feed” these microbes certain foods to make them even more powerful? Game changer. Suddenly, healthy eating became fun and exciting.
Microbes have this incredible ability to engage children in building healthy habits, and that’s why my mission is to get this message out to as many children as possible.
Who is Flora?
Flora is a Ballymaloe-trained chef with 10 years of experience
working as a family chef all over the world.
Flora is an educator and a Certified IIN Health Coach.
Passionate about fermentation, its ability to transform food flavours,
and loves nothing more than the magic of microbes bubbling on the counter.
Founder of two previous enterprises: "Gutsy The Gut Health Guide" and
"Get Gutsy: 10 Week Online Course," which she co-created with dietitian Laura Tilt.
Mother of two (who are just a little beyond the early years stage themselves).
World traveler, currently living with her family in Japan.
Gut Health Experts
As part of my mission to educate, empower and give early years famiiies the tools to get gut healthy.
I strive to only share scientifically-backed information.
So I only work with the very best experts in this field.
This means you can trust that the information you receive is solid, and worth your time, no hidden agendas or product pushing here.