By Zoe Harrison
Photos by Tindall Stephens
Laura Leike-Speed, 54, is a holistic health coach helping women in perimenopause and menopause navigate nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle and have more constructive conversations with their doctors.
Laura grew up in Germantown and always loved being active, riding horses outdoors, and playing sports. However, during college and early adulthood, Laura found that she had put her health on the back burner and was no longer taking care of herself. Eventually, Laura decided it was time to make a change and began dieting and exercising, but nothing was working well for her. “I realized I was completely disconnected from how my body worked,” she remembers. Despite exercising and dieting, Laura continued to feel bad physically, experiencing symptoms like joint pain, brain fog, sleep disruption, stomach issues, depression, and anxiety. She eventually came to realize that overtraining was part of her problem and decided to focus more on nutrition. “Trying a paleo diet made me awake to the difference in how you feel based on that kind of fuel you put into your body,” Laura says. She then decided to learn more about nutrition and dedicate her career to coaching others on feeling their best.
“I teach my clients how to
gradually make better
choices with food, as well as
recommending supplements
that may help their goals.”
Laura first enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she became trained in all types of nutrition pathways
(veganism, paleo, etc.) and learned the benefits of each. She then became certified by The Primal Health Coach Institute, where she expanded her knowledge of nutrition, exercise, and coaching. Most recently, Laura became certified as a Christian health practitioner through The School for Christian Health and Nutrition, where she was able to tie her coaching career to her Christian faith and learn how the Bible relates to the science of healthy living.
As a health coach, Laura primarily works with women and helps them learn how to create the energy to feel their best. “I teach my clients how to gradually make better choices with food, as well as recommending supplements that may help their goals,” Laura says. Her goal is to provide her clients with as much knowledge as possible to take to their doctors to ask the right questions and feel in more control of their health. Overall, Laura’s best advice for her female patients is to eat adequate amounts of protein, cut out seed oils, get outside, and walk and strength train throughout each week.
When Laura consults with a prospective client, they first make an appointment on her website for a 20-minute discovery call to determine if they are a good match. Next, the client completes a detailed questionnaire about their history and goals. Laura then works to develop a plan with more detailed protocols and lessons.
Learn more about Laura on her Instagram account @coachlauraleike, where you can find links to her website to book a consultation.
