Every single human being poos and farts. But very few of us talk openly about it. Heck, we even resort to euphemisms like ‘Number 2’ to avoid saying the word ‘poo’. So, it’s no surprise that there’s a stigma around discussing our gut health. We tend to keep it a private matter, confined to the four walls of our bathroom.
I began my gut health journey by documenting it all here on my food blog. I hope my openness inspires you to start your own conversations about gut health – whether with a health professional, your family, or your best mate! You’ll be surprised at how healing the process can be, though it will all make perfect sense once you learn about the fascinating gut-brain axis.
Thanks to Symprove, who have sponsored the creation of this article, I can address the stigma surrounding gut health and the growing importance of talking about our guts, before sharing my top tips for starting these important conversations.
The stigma around gut health
Did you know that pre-18th century people would have pooped side-by-side whilst socialising amongst each other? This is what I learnt whilst listening to Dr Jen Gunter’s Poop episode on the TED Audio Collective podcast. It wasn’t until the Victorian Era that toilets made their way indoors. The Victorians were also obsessed with hygiene and those who defecated in outhouses were subsequently seen as inferior and dirty.
On the flip side, those with toilets inside were seen as clean and well-kept. With indoor toilets being a status symbol among the more well-off citizens, who were deemed more ‘proper’, it became the norm for normal bodily functions like pooing to remain private topics.
Fast forward to today and the very thought of pooing in front of your friends and family members probably makes your face turn bright beetroot red.
But by being ashamed of our poo and avoiding ‘gross’ topics like flatulence, we could be worsening our gut health (and worse gut health = worse poo that you may end up being even more ashamed of). Not only could avoiding talking about your gut health stop you from getting the help you need, but any related stress and shame could be making it worse. Read on to find out why!
Why should we be talking about our guts?
Despite having different functions and living in different areas of the body, the gut and brain are in constant communication – this fascinating connection is called the gut-brain axis. Basically, it means that our gut can influence our mood, stress levels, and even mental health. If we’re feeling stressed or anxious, it can affect our digestion, and vice versa.
Since openly talking about my gut health with family members and health professionals, I have reduced the internal stress of stigma and shame, learnt a lot about my body, and ultimately improved how I feel both physically and mentally. When you realise just how connected everything is, talking about it suddenly makes a lot of sense.
Open conversations have helped me to identify commonalities and spot potential issues early. For example, by talking about the bloating I experience when eating out in public with a family member, we both figured out that we feel nervous eating out in public and this could be causing or worsening the bloat. Discovering patterns like these that others share can help you to address these issues sooner and prevent bigger problems.
And it’s not just about you! By starting conversations about our guts we are also making it easier for others to share, in turn, creating a supportive space where poo chat is no longer a taboo! Empowering everyone to make well-informed decisions about their gut.
How to start conversations about gut health
Starting a conversation about gut health can feel awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. The more I speak about my gut health the more it has become an everyday subject matter. Here are some tips that I recommend to get started:
1. Talk to the right people
When you first start opening up about your gut health you will want to make sure you aren’t getting shut down. Therefore, pick the people you have these conversations with wisely. For example, if you have a jokey friend who has on occasion made you feel slightly uncomfortable, maybe don’t start with them. Try a friend or family member who is considerate of your feelings, particularly if you are quite sensitive to these sorts of topics.
When it comes to talking with health professionals, you may want to request a specific doctor that you feel the most comfortable with. Most GPs will let you do this, particularly when it comes to sensitive topics.
2. Keep it general
A simple way to introduce gut health into your conversations is by framing it as part of a broader health discussion. For example, you could mention changes you’ve noticed in your digestion after trying a new food or diet. Light humour can also help! Joking about the size of your bloat after eating a meal can make the conversation a lot more lighthearted. As long as the jokes don’t enter into the realm of mockery.
With friends or family, try starting with something general like, “Has anyone else noticed how certain foods mess with digestion?” This way, you’re easing into the topic without making anyone feel put on the spot.
However, when speaking to your doctor, I find it is best to be direct. They’ve heard it all before and won’t be shocked by what you have to say! You could say something like, “I’ve been paying more attention to my gut health lately and noticed some changes I’d like to talk about.” Being upfront takes the awkwardness out of the situation and gives your doctor the chance to frame the conversation effectively.
3. Find common ground within your comfort zone
If diving straight into the topic of gut health feels a little too much, you can ease into it by starting with less sensitive areas, such as your diet or wellness routine. I would recommend starting by talking about food.
Try mentioning any foods you are interested in eating more of, like fruit and vegetables to increase your fibre intake, or fermented foods to introduce probiotics to your gut. This can naturally lead your conversation to gut health without getting into the more intimate details. This helps create common ground, as almost everyone has an opinion on diet, making it a much more comfortable starting point.
You could also say something like, “I’ve been learning how much gut health affects my energy levels and mood. It’s really interesting how connected everything is.”
4. Chat about supplements
I find supplements to be a great conversation starter. For example, you could talk about Symprove, a very popular and well-known gut health supplement. It allows you to talk about the issue without having to get into the nitty-gritty.
You could use it as a way to explore proactive approaches to improving gut health. You could ask people, “I’ve heard some great things about Symprove, have you tried it and if so, has it helped improve your gut issues?”
This keeps the conversation positive and informative, allowing others to chime in about their experiences or curiosity about gut health without needing to get too personal right away.
Discover: Read my in-depth Symprove review.
5. Share resources
Education also plays a big role in reducing the stigma. Sharing reliable resources, such as podcasts, articles, or even personal experiences, can help make gut health less of a taboo.
You could share something you’ve read or listened to about gut health and say, “I came across this great article about how gut health impacts overall health – it’s fascinating!” By providing factual, relatable information, you can help shift the conversation from something awkward to something everyone sees as normal and important.
Get started!
Acknowledging the importance of a healthy gut is just the first step in this journey! Once you’ve learnt how to talk about it with others you can reduce stigma and any resulting stress, and take back control.
Every conversation you start can lead to better awareness, stronger support systems, and a healthier, more empowered version of yourself. So I urge you to go ahead and get started today!
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