Diarrhoea. Bloating. Farts. How often are you pooing? What’s been going on with your gut lately? We love toilet talk — so much so that we have an entire series dedicated to poo: Regular.
Seriously, us Brits are a nation of poo-talk avoiders — according to digestive system charity Guts UK, 58% of people are embarrassed to talk about their digestive condition or symptoms and 51% delay seeking advice for their symptoms for over six months.
The result? Many of us are suffering in silence and even putting our health seriously at risk — all because of shame! That needs to change.
For example, diarrhoea might not be your favourite topic at the dinner table, but research by IMODIUM®, GB’s leading anti-diarrhoea brand, actually found that a whopping 1 in 3 of us suffer from diarrhoea… So why aren’t we talking about it?
By learning to dump your embarrassment and instead opting to listen to what your gut and poo are trying to let you know, not only could you end your discomfort, you could make a huge impact on your life.
If we’re too humiliated to talk about poo in our normal day-to-day lives or are taught that it’s an inappropriate topic to chat about, how can we normalise bringing up our gut problems to our GPs? Delaying seeking advice could lead to delayed diagnosis of gut conditions and diseases — and we could put a stop to all of it, just by flushing our shame and talking more freely.
Julie Harrington, CEO at Guts UK, agrees that we’ve got a serious problem on our hands in the shape of the poo taboo.
She says, “Our guts have been underfunded and misunderstood for decades. Because of this, we don’t know where to turn for help when something goes awry.”
“The research is clear; too many people suffer alone and in silence for too long. Your poop is an indication of your health, and shouldn’t be ignored. It’s time we started talking about our guts as a nation, and it’s time the UK got to grips with guts.”
- Julie Harrington
That’s why we’re here to normalise the dialogue around diarrhoea, the conversation about constipation and get to the bottom of all things bowel health. To help with our mission to end the shame around your stools, and to support your gut health and well-being, HuffPost UK is partnering with IMODIUM® and Guts UK to help end the stigma of our readers for good.
IMODIUM® and Guts UK have joined forces to support your gut health with 100 combined years of expertise. You can learn more about how they are working together here.
Dayna McAlpine, Senior Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor
- For claims verification please call 0808 238 9999. Source© NielsenIQ data, Value, Units, anti-diarrhoea category (client defined) 52 w/e 17.02.2024 (GB Total Coverage).For claims verification please call 0808 238 9999. Source© NielsenIQ data, Value, Units, anti-diarrhoea category (client defined) 52 w/e 17.02.2024 (GB Total Coverage).
- Digestive health Diarrhoea U&A & Segmentation, 2021. Nationally representative sample of 1,022 UK adults.
IMODIUM® Instants contain loperamide hydrochloride. For acute diarrhoea (aged 12+) and for medically diagnosed IBS diarrhoea (aged 18+). Always read the label.IMODIUM® Instants contain loperamide hydrochloride. For acute diarrhoea (aged 12+) and for medically diagnosed IBS diarrhoea (aged 18+). Always read the label.
IMODIUM® and Guts UK combined have 100 years of expertise. Johnson & Johnson Limited will donate £20,000 to Guts UK Charity (reg. charity no. 1137029) in relation to this 2024 charitable campaign and are working collaboratively with the charity to raise awareness, including creation of a media campaign and patient education materials.