Holland & Barrett launches FREE 45-minute gut health consultations
New research out today reveals that the UK is having a gut health moment with more than half (55 per cent) of people now more actively aware of their gut health than last year.
Gut health and the gut microbiome have fast become hot topics – and not just in scientific health research – with #guttok content now attracting more than 7 billion views, and #gutmicrobiome clocking over 730k views every week on TikTok.
With gut health often approached reactively, over three quarters of people (76 per cent) now report to be confident on what to do to reduce signs of an unhappy gut such as constipation, excess gas, bloating and diarrhoea. Yet the general public are finding the concept of how to proactively look after their trillions of gut bacteria confusing.
There is a significant lack of knowledge of the potential effects of how looking after your gut microbiome proactively could also have a positive impact on other areas of health and wellbeing. 60 per cent of those surveyed did not know gut health could affect immunity, mental health (58 per cent). Over a third of people (34%) reported that they do not know what proactive measures they can take to look after their gut microbiome.
This New Year, Holland & Barrett has launched a national campaign with Dr Megan Rossi, The Gut Health Doctor, to simplify some of the science behind the gut. Titled ‘Find Your Gut Thing’, the campaign aims to help the public understand what small and simple changes can be made to support their gut health for long term benefits.
Dr Megan Rossi, The Gut Health Doctor explains, “The more you understand about your gut and the power it has, the more empowered you will be to look after your gut health. Gut health isn’t only about digestive symptoms, it’s the ability of your gut to support just about every facet, functioning and organ in your body. But it can only do that if it’s looked after in the right way. I’m excited to partner with Holland & Barrett who are taking the lead in the gut health space to help people prioritise their gut health. The new year is a great moment to be thinking more proactively about your health. It’s the small steps, and simple switches, that can make a big difference!”
To help people find their ‘gut thing’, Holland & Barrett is offering customers the opportunity to get free personalised advice from its team of qualified AfN-registered nutritionists who can create a tailored science-backed nutrition plan to suit each customers’ needs. The 45-minute appointments – free for the whole of January – will help increase accessible nutritional advice, and support customers to understand more about their gut health and overall wellness.
Alex Glover, Nutrition Development Lead, Holland & Barrett says, “It is great to see the gut health revolution underway, and that people are more open to talking about their gut and seeking help when it’s needed – gut grumbles are no longer a ‘poo taboo’! However, we still see a need to support people on their proactive gut journey and safeguard against common gut health signs before they occur as well as supporting your overall wellbeing. Talk to one of our team today, who can help you navigate the simple changes that you can add in, top up, or swap over to boost the diversity of your gut and its microbiome for longer-term health benefits.”
Bridget Benelam, Nutrition Communications Manager at the British Nutrition Foundation said: “Fibre is key for a healthy gut and high fibre diets are linked with lower risk of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer. The term fibre covers a whole range of different compounds that reach the large intestine intact. Some of these provide food for the ‘good bacteria’ in our gut and may help support a healthy gut flora. We’re recommended to consume 30g of fibre a day but, on average, adults are only getting 20g so we need to find ways to increase our intake. Getting at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, choosing wholegrains and including plenty of fibre-rich plant foods such as beans, lentils, nuts and seeds can all help us to meet fibre recommendations.”
