To many that might seem a bit of a strange statement? Why on earth would my gut be thirsty? Surely it would be my whole body that I need to cool down or maybe its not hot enough yet to be thinking about hydration?

Well no. Hydration is of course important for the whole body, you need water to maintain enough blood and other fluids to function properly, and if the body starts to lose a substantial amount of water more quickly than it’s replaced then the body can start to become hydrated.

And how does this affect the digestive system? Well a common effect of dehydration on your digestive system is constipation. So while you may not feel that dehydrated, certainly in your day to day you may not be noticing it and this is because thirst is not a good indicator, you may notice it more when you go to make a bowel movement.

To prevent dehydration, aim to drink 6-8 glasses of water a day - more when the weather is warm - and increase the intake in warmer climates or when taking any form of exercise.

However, I do know some people who really struggle to get the right amount of water in a day so here are some top tips from Dr Tony Leeds as to how to make sure you’re keeping your fluid levels right.

• Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day - in warm weather you’ll need to drink more.
• Don’t rely on thirst as a sign that you need to take a drink.
• Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to help increase your fluid intake.
• Take water breaks rather than coffee breaks at regular intervals during the day.
• Keep a bottle of water on your desk at work to remind you to take a drink.
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after taking exercise - especially when the weather is warm.

So tomorrow make sure you have a water cooler break and not a coffee break. You may find your gut loves you for it!

According to the Met Office today is the first day of Spring and certainly the bright sunshine and spring air is certainly helping to make me feel that the cold winter is long behind us.

Well I don’t know about you but it’s making me want to spend more time outside and that can mean plenty of ways to start shedding those extra winter pounds and start getting more gut healthy.

You may find, if you’ve not been too active over the winter (apart from trudging through the snow!) that you’re not quite ready to tackle a marathon. But as our Love Your Gut fitness expert, Sophie Christy says, there are plenty of good ways to get yourself back in the swing of things - no matter what your age.

“Adults should do a minimum of 30 minutes moderate intensity physical activity, five days a week. As a general rule, this sort of exercise will make you a little warm or sweaty, and slightly out of breath but no more.

Practically anything that gets the heart pumping faster is useful - gardening, mowing the lawn and weeding, keep us and the garden in good shape. How much has started to spring up in the garden already? Have you cleared away the winter leaves? Get out in the sunshine and give you and your garden a good workout.”

A few of my colleagues at Love Your Gut have also started back on some lunchtime walks, amazing what a bit of sunshine can do to the soul! But if you drive to and from work, it might be too dark for a walk once you get home so why not embrace the lunchbreak!

Let us know your ideas for the start of Spring and how, if you’re still keeping your Lent promises, you may be able to embrace them both.

I have to admit that by now I was hoping to be able to start talking about getting ready for springtime, encouraging you to throw off the winter layers and start tackling some new health challenges to help improve our digestive health.

But sadly the winter weather seems to be very much here and no respite on the horizon this week. So much so that am seriously considering leaving my walking boots in the car and getting the shovel out of the shed! And not for the gardening.

But as we know, cold weather can tempt us to comfort eat and lack of good digestive fibre has been known to play havoc with our guts. So perhaps this recipe may help us stay warm and healthy at the same time! This soup, which contains broccoli and brussels sprouts has an added bonus as both vegetables are rich in anti cancer plant chemicals. Also the chick peas supply the body with fermentable carbohydrates, serve with a wholemeal roll and you’ll be well on the way to a happier you on the inside and out.

Cream of broccoli & brussels sprouts soup with almonds

Serves 4

Per serving

365 calories       28g fat

5g saturated fat 6.5g fibre

Ingredients

3tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion (chopped)

1 clove garlic

1.2 litres (2 pints) basic stock (see Sauces section below)

1 bouquet garni

2 medium head broccoli
(cut into florets)

350g (12oz) brussels sprouts (halved)

110g (4oz) ground almonds

150g canned chickpeas (drained)

100ml (10fl oz) single cream

4tbsp slivered almonds

Method

1. Heat the oil. Add the onion garlic, and sweat gently in the oil for 5 mins. Add the stock and bring to the boil.

2. Add the broccoli to the pan. Pick over the brussels sprouts and add to the pan. Add the bouquet garni and ground almonds.

3. Simmer gently for 10 mins, add the chickpeas, remove bouquet garni and simmer for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool a little before liquidising, in a food processor and return to pan.

4. Stir in the cream and heat through. Serve with the slivered almonds floating on top.

For a creamier but higher fat version of this recipe, add more cream (up to 300ml)

Today is commonly known as Pancake Day throughout the country, and while many people may be eagerly looking forward to pancakes at teatime, the actual day, Shrove Tuesday, has more religious significance.

Before the period of Lent, a period of fasting, many people with religious beliefs would say their confessions and use up food stuffs. Using foods such as sugar, fat and eggs was limited during Lent so these would be used up and have a last big feast.

Traditions have changed somewhat over the years, but interestingly while many people may not fast, the concept of ‘giving up’ in Lent seems to ring true with many people - regardless of religion.

And this idea mainly sees people give up some of the naughtier treats, things which predominantly aren’t always good for your gut. A few colleagues and I at Love Your Gut have made a chocolate pact and have decided that we will not eat chocolate or sweets during the next six weeks. It was a little tough, after having been given a fabulous chocolate recipe book for my birthday last week, but the book will still be there come April. Perhaps though, a little bit of the winter excess around my midriff may have reduced by the time we reach Easter Sunday. I’ll just have to be careful not to undo all the hard work with lots of Easter eggs!

For some people they may decide than rather giving up, they take up in Lent. For instance, have you been thinking about starting a new exercise programme? Did you get a fitness DVD for Christmas that is still in its wrapper? Is your Wii Fit wondering if you’ve disappeared off the planet? Or have you got a juicer collecting dust in the kitchen? Could you start the day with your own fruit smoothie?

Whatever it might be you’ve been putting off, how about making a concerted effort for the next six weeks? You may find your gut health improves as a result. And if you need some extra motivation, then share your goals here and we can support each other.

Driving into work today I heard about a National Swap Day and didn’t know if this was a made up cause or had some substance behind it.

Some people are very anti awareness days and weeks, but not us at Love Your Gut as we of course celebrate Gut Week each year! And we are very proud of the week as we want to encourage people to take time out and consider the impacts they make on their digestive health, understand what warning signs they should look out for and seek medical help where necessary. Sometimes you have to stop being embarrassed and take action. It could have long term benefits.

While the 12th annual Gut Week is still a few months away (don’t worry we’ll be posting details here!) I’ve been thinking a little more about a swap day and how we could incorporate into better digestive health.

For instance - what did you have for breakfast this morning? Did you grab something as you were rushing out the door or a quick coffee en route to the office? Or did you go for muesli or porridge at home?

How many of us get the right sort of fibre in our diets? Are we eating pasta, bread and rice? And are we getting the healthiest versions? Perhaps swap for a wholemeal or wholegrain variety.  Perhaps if you go to a deli or sandwich bar at lunchtime choose a different bread product for your sandwich?

I made a swap already today and went for an apple juice instead of a coffee. I know it’s not enough on its own, and don’t worry I’ll be thinking of some more along the way. But what things can you swap today? And will it be too much of an effort? I think you may be surprised.

How has your gut health been so far this year? Have you managed to shift those extra pounds you put on over Christmas or are you still feeling a little extra weight around your midriff?

If you haven’t managed to get the New Year off to the perfect start then you might be heartened to know you’re not alone. A recent Yakult survey has shown that 73% of Brits have planned a new year health kick but the poor weather in January - the coldest for 20 years - has meant that about a third of people delayed their plans until they were sure the snow and ice had passed whereas one in five have said they would wait until February.

And there’s nothing wrong in waiting if your new digestive health plan is set to be a long term plan. Because the long term benefits will still be achieved. But make sure that you make your goals realistic and achievable. The same way that you may look at setting realistic and achievable goals at work, aim to set the same goals when looking at your health plan.

To get you started, we’ve got some top gut health nutrition tips from one of our Love Your Gut specialists:

•1.     Nourish with nutrients & top up your good bacteria - The gut processes and absorbs nutrients from food so eating a healthy, varied diet, rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals is crucial. The good bacteria in your gut help your body to break down nutrients and reduce or neutralise the bad. Probiotic products contain billions of good bacteria which top up your natural supply.

•2.     Sleep well but keep moving - Sleepless nights and stressful days can affect our bowel function, appetite and body weight so sleep is essential for re-charging our system. ‘Going regularly’ keeps our bowels moving and our digestive system on track. Exercising regularly and not smoking are also big contributors in improving gut health.

•3.     Drink plenty of fluids  - Drink 8-10 glasses a day. Drinking sufficient fluid keeps us hydrated and helps to prevent constipation.

If you’re committing to start again in 2010 why not share your stories with other Love Your Gut followers? We’d love to hear how you’re doing and also any advice you may have for others.

At ‘Love Your Gut’ it will probably come as no surprise that we’re more than a little interested in gut health. And of course through our annual Gut Week campaign we try and share the knowledge and aim to get more people talking about their digestive health and seeking steps to improve it.

What I didn’t realise until very recently was perhaps how intuitive the digestive system is. Did you know that the gut is the only organ in the body to use all of the five senses to communicate with you? Some maybe obvious - you can feel the pain of a upset tummy or perhaps if you’re constipated, sometimes you can smell the gut or hear some of the sounds it makes. But do you always know what it means? Could you be sure that a sign from the gut is negative or positive and what you need to do to ‘digest’ and act on the information?

Fortunately there is a new book from Love Your Gut partner Yakult to help! The Gut Translator, is a colourful publication packed with insider information to help you decipher the complex ‘language’ of your digestive system, and understand exactly what the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings connected with your gut might indicate.

 The free booklet also outlines some of the most common digestive disorders, dispels some common gut ‘myths’, and offers advice on maintaining good digestive health. And it’s available for free by clicking the link here.

So isn’t it time you tuned in to what your gut is telling you? It might be one of the most useful conversations you’ve had!

How are those New Year resolutions going? If you’re struggling you’re not alone as I can profess from my own slight weaknesses and those around me. I have to admit that the recent bout of bad weather didn’t help things at all. Couldn’t get to the gym, struggled with the balance of not having too many comfort foods, its not been easy.

But one thing I did get into when the weather was cold was porridge. When you know you’ve got to go and face the wintery weather, it was nice to get warm food inside you and certainly one that was also good to get your digestive system stimulated in the morning.

Why is porridge so good? Well it has protein, B vitamins and slow released energy which is ideal to try and keep from snacking mid morning. But of course it is also full of gut friendly oats and the recipe below also includes some anti-oxidant rich dried fruit.

I know some visitors to the blog may have problems with lactose and therefore using milk with porridge might be a problem. But chatting to gastroenterologist Dr Naila Arebi last week suggested substituting milk for apple juice and then adding a range of fruits. I haven’t given it a try yet but I certainly will. And if you’ve got any great healthy breakfast recipes then please share them with us. But if you need to get some more healthy recipes then order your free digestive health pack today and we’ll send one out to you!

Porridge with prunes and apricots

Serves 2

Per serving

614 calories

12g fat

7g saturated fat

19g fibre

Ingredients

2 cups semi-skimmed milk

2 cups water

2 cups porridge oats

8 ready-to-eat prunes (snipped)

8 ready-to-eat apricots (snipped)

2 tsp brown granulated sugar

Extra milk for drizzling

Method

1. Put the milk and water into a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the oats and cook for 5 mins or as directed on the packer.

2. Add the prunes and the apricots to the porridge. Cover and leave for 1 min.

3. Pour into two bowls, sprinkle over the sugar and leave to melt - about 1 min. Serve with extra milk poured on top.

On Tuesday and Thursday evening, I answer calls on the Gut Trust’s telephone helpline.  The topics are extremely variable.  All human life is there.  Many callers are desperate and so often it can seem that their IBS is associated with what has been happening in their lives.  Larry was a case in point.

It was a quiet night on the helpline. Just two calls to begin with. Then at just gone 8,  Larry rang up.

‘Is confusion a symptom of IBS?’

I was hesitant.  ‘It can be’.

‘Oh good. That makes me feel better. My doctor said it’s impossible.’      

I didn’t respond. Instead I said, ‘Well, tell me what happens?’

‘Every time I eat something, I can’t think properly, I can’t focus, I can’t even drive my car.  All foods seem to affect it, but recently I have found that if I mash up some potato with a bit of water, it is not so bad.’   .  

There was no time to go into detail, so I told him that his symptoms reminded me of dumping. He knew what I was talking about. ‘When I had a barium meal a few years ago, they said they had never seen a stomach empty so quickly.’ 

‘So if a proper meal emptied that quickly, the rapid distension of the small intestine and the surge of insulin caused by rapid arrival of food could both result in faintness and confusion.’ 

‘But what can I do about it?’ he asked. 

‘Try something to slow stomach emptying; a viscous polysaccharide like Guar Gum can make the food contents sticky and slow the rate at which they leave the stomach and are  absorbed.  Some drugs such as  the anticholinergic,  ProBanthine can also slow gastric emptying’ 

I felt satisfied, but he was cautious.

‘But my doctor doesn’t think it’s dumping.’

‘And you’re confused.’

‘Yes’.

‘Well, how long have you had the IBS?’

‘About 10 years.’

‘And it came on about the same time as the confusion?’

‘So was there anything that happened 10 years ago.’

‘The only thing was that my son got ME?  He’s still living at home.’

‘I wonder if there’s a connection.’   

I am  Dr Nick Read and I am a gastroenterologist and a psychotherapist and use both sets of skills to try to get behind the symptom to find out what is going on.  I recall the old adage, ‘It is as important to understand the patient with the illness as it is to understand the illness in the patient.  Irritable Bowel Syndrome is an illness that does not have a specific cause or a definitive cure.  Diet, lifestyle, infection, gut bacteria and stress, particularly stress, may all play a role in generating the symptoms. IBS is a holistic condition that requires a holistic remedy.  Only by understanding both the patient and the illness can my caller and I find the most appropriate way of dealing with it.      

The Gut Trust is the National Charity for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It works alongside the health service to inform, support and advise patients with IBS, their family and carers.  The helpline is open every Tuesday and Thursday night from 7.30pm to 9.30pm on 0872 300 4537. 

In addition to a free consultation on the helpline, members of The Gut Trust  advice the helpline, members have access to our unique, fully comprehensive self management programme, a telephone helpline, free medical consultation, our magazine ‘Gut Reaction’, What’s New, our national network of self help groups, a can’t wait card and much more. To join The Gut Trust, visit our website (www.theguttrust.org) or call 0114 2723253 during office hours (9.30am to 4.30pm weekdays). 

The Gut Trust is a partner of ‘Love your Gut’.

First of all, a very Happy New Year to all Love Your Gut followers. Hopefully the festive season was happy and restful and back into the new year - and new decade - with a bang.

Did you make any resolutions? Have you broken any yet? Well if you have it’s not a massive surprise as according to Yakult research carried out last year, 5 million Brits broke their New Year resolutions. Are we being unrealistic or are we starting too early?

Well a bit of both is the answer. Physically and mentally our bodies need time to recover from the festive activities and also going back to work can be a bit of a struggle. Experts actually estimate that the best time to start is a couple of weeks into the New Year.

According to the research, 52% of people confess to eating more than they do normally over the Christmas period, resulting in almost a third of us suffering from a digestive complaint.

Love Your Gut supporter and gastroenterologist Dr Simon Gabe says: “Digestive problems over Christmas are very common and can occur for a variety of reasons such as dietary changes, stress and gastroenteritis. Infections such as salmonella can and do occur from undercooked turkey, but it is more likely that symptoms suffered are due to a combination of dietary changes and stress.

So if our bodies have taken a battering over the Christmas period we need to ease them gently into the new diet and exercise plans we may have. Rushing into overdrive is only likely to force us into quitting, so we need to think about ways of making changes, small steps, bit by bit.

If you’re faced with a massive task, at work or college, looking at it as one massive task can be depressing and make you want to put things off. The same can be said with weight loss. You may want to lose a stone, but setting small, realistic stepping stones can help with that achievement. And don’t forget to reward yourself. If you’re getting up early to do extra exercise, allow yourself a lie in once a week too. You’ll know you’ve deserved it.

So what targets have you set yourself for 2010? I’ve set some health and lifestyle challenges and would be interested to hear what you’re doing and how you’re getting along. We’ve got about eight months until Gut Week so lets see what we can do between now and then! Good luck!