Launching an educational and fun space where making friends with your bowel and poo is normal!
In June 2023, we launched ‘The Gut Hut’ at The EveryWoman Festival in Cardiff.
The Gut Hut is aimed to bring more awareness and education about making friends with your bowels and poo with a collaborative effort from healthcare professionals, experts, influencers, businesses and charities.
We were super fortunate to be joined by some fantastic guests in The Gut Hut on the day who shared lots of information with our audience; here are just some of the key things we took away:
1. Dr. Emma Short, Consultant Pathologist:
We learnt about the fascinating world of gut microbiome and the importance of diversity in our diet.
Did you know there are more gut bacteria than stars in the sky? And that we should aim for 30 plant-based foods per week, including different coloured fruits and vegetables, for a healthy gut!
2. Gillian McCabe, Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist:
3. Jessica Kydd-Coutts, Specialist Pelvic Health Physiotherapist:
Jessica helped us all gain practical guidance on restoring and maintaining a healthy and happy bowel.
She was even showing us the best toilet positioning, which can significantly affect your bowel movements.
4. Kim Gorrisen, Consultant of Emergency and Colorectal Surgery:
Dived into an engaging Q&A session focused on bowels and bowel function. Explore the topic of constipation and its underlying causes. Some of the questions asked included:
What are some common causes of constipation?
What are the common symptoms of haemorrhoids?
What are the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
What can I do to relieve constipation?
Can stress affect bowel movements?
How much fibre should I eat?
Will exercise improve my constipation?
Is it safe to take laxatives?
I have heard that porridge or linseeds can help with my IBS – is this true?
5. Anna Clements, Events/Education and Support Service Manager at The MASIC Foundation:
Anna joined us to share information about the vital support available for mums with OASI (obstetric anal sphincter injuries) through The MASIC Foundation.
We took away that open communication is vital and seeking assistance is essential!
Brigitte and Michelle from our Clinical Team also shared bowel-related insights, demonstrated the length of intestines with a pink rope, and even offered tips on monitoring gut transit time through eating sweetcorn!
