To ensure you have this important information at your fingertips, we're providing eco-friendly online resources from our Women Connect gut health event.
Paying close attention to your poop can provide valuable information for your health!
Medical providers use the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) to classify stools into seven categories based on shape and texture.
Using this scale helps eliminate the guesswork and awkwardness of finding the right words when talking to your provider.
Constipation affects an overwhelming number of people – more than 4 million Americans, with women being three times more likely to have stubborn bowels than men.
Researchers say this may have to do with the slower movement of food through a woman’s intestines and the effects of female hormones on the GI tract.
So, how often should you be going? And what can you do to help relieve your constipation?
Your mind and gut are closely connected.
Stress and anxiety can show up physically as bloating, cramping, and changes in digestion. Understanding this connection is an important step toward feeling better.
Read on to learn how stress affects your health—and what you can do about it.
Bacteria often get a bad rap as harbingers of disease in humans, so many people are surprised to hear that there may be such a thing as “good bacteria," known as probiotics.
Lately there has been an explosion in the probiotic market. Are these probiotic products the cure to all that ails you? Is the hype worth it?
Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Unfortunately, the rates of colorectal cancer are rising dramatically in younger adults, which has prompted a change in screening recommendations.
The American College of Gastroenterology now recommends that colorectal cancer screenings begin at age 45 for individuals at average risk—five years earlier than the previous recommendation. When caught early, the 5-year survival rate is about 90%.
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Now is the perfect time to consider when and how you should screen for this preventable and curable disease.
If you received a Cologuard colorectal cancer screening kit at Women Connect, you can get step-by-step instructions for how to use it — including how to collect your sample, return your kit and access results — directly from the Cologuard support page.
As always, when it comes to you and any concerns you might have about your health, including gut health and colorectal cancer, speak with your doctor.
Cheer each other on, make healthy changes together, and see who gets “BINGO” first!
ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS - 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, cooking liquid reserved if possible
½ cup tahini
1 zest of lemon & its juice
6 cloves of roasted garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt (add more to taste if needed)
1 tsp. white ground pepper
1 Tbs. ground cumin or paprika, or to taste, plus a sprinkle for garnish
Preparation:
1. Combine chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, zest, garlic, spices, white pepper and salt in a food processor.
2. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Adding more oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt as needed.
4. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with parsley or a nice sea salt
If you do not have a food processor, a blender would work.
To roast garlic, place garlic cloves in a small saucepan and just barely cover with olive oil.
Place on stove on medium heat, and cook until the cloves become tender and golden in color.
Strain garlic and use the oil to give the hummus a more intense garlic flavor.
Health Benefits:
Chickpeas have folate, which supports collagen production. Studies have shown that folate supplementation can reduce the risk of squamous cell carcinoma by up to 50%. This is the second most common type of skin cancer of the head and neck.
Cumin includes anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
BEET HUMMUS - 8 servings
Ingredients:
2 beets cleaned and roasted
2/3cup tahini
2-3 zest of lemons & their juice
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp, kosher salt (add more to taste if needed)
1 handful of fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, etc.)
Preparation:
1. Combine beets, tahini, lemon juice, zest, garlic, herbs and salt in a food processor.
2. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Adding more oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt as needed.
4. Serve in a bowl and sprinkle with parsley, pine nuts or a nice sea salt.
If you don’t have a food processor, a blender would work.
To roast beets, wash and coat with oil and salt, wrap in foil, and place in a 400-degree oven for an hour (until they are fork tender). Wait for them to cool then peel the skin off.
Health Benefits:
Beets help fight skin pigmentation and dark circles. They also aid with a healthy complexion.
Tahini is high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which can help reduce inflammation and improve hydration.
BLUEBERRY BANANA OVERNIGHT OATS - 1 Serving
Ingredients:
½ cup sweetened almond milk
½ cup old-fashioned oats
½ tbs. chia seeds
½ banana, mashed
1 tsp. maple syrup
Pinch of salt
½ cup fresh blueberries
Preparation:
Combine almond milk, oats, chia seeds, banana, maple syrup and salt in a pint-sized jar and stir. Top with blueberries. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Health Benefits:
Almond milk contains vitamin D, which helps reduce inflammation and protect the skin against sun damage.
Old-fashioned oats and chia seeds are a great source of fiber, which supports the body’s gastrointestinal health. When our gut is healthy, our skin can function at its best.
Help bring support, comfort and continued healing for survivors of cancer.
Your gift will strengthen Harper’s Hope, a comprehensive cancer survivorship program at Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center.
Harper’s Hope services—from physical wellness classes to nutrition consults and social services—are available to all cancer survivors at any stage of their journey, regardless of where they received treatment.
Every gift you make – any size – will help cancer survivors.
Please forward this link so they can learn more: MethodistHospitalFoundation.org/WomenConnect
