STAFF from a Blackburn firm appeared on a Channel 4 show to talk all about gut health and bowel habits.
Tissue paper maker Accrol Group was live on Steph’s Packed Lunch earlier this week, from its production site on Roman Road.
Workers asked a leading gut health expert, Dr Sarah Berry, their toilet-related questions live on the show and one colleague even opened up about her own gut-health issues that caused pain and weight loss.
The segment was to raise awareness of the Big Poo Review, the UK’s largest nationwide study on gut health and bowel habits.
A spokesperson for the group said: “Openly asking questions about our bowel movements and gut health isn’t something we’re used to doing as a nation, but the show’s host, Steph, is keen to help change all of that after experiencing her own gut-health issues - something Accrol colleagues could relate to.”
Grace Hartley, from Accrol’s engineering team, opened up about her own gut-health problems which caused her to be “severely underweight”.
On the show she said: “I experienced significant gut-health problems when I was younger and spent many years trying to figure out what was wrong with me.
“The doctors were no help at all. I had blood tests and asked what I was eating, but they all repeatedly said I was fine despite being severely underweight, in considerable pain, losing hours on the toilet every day and being scared to go anywhere in fear of a flare up.”
Grace later self-diagnosed herself with wheat, gluten and lactose intolerance.
She said: “I ended up self-diagnosing with the help of the herbalist in Burnley as at the time there were little to no alternatives and I discovered I’m intolerant to wheat, gluten and lactose.
“My problems were due to my body just not being able to handle the food I was eating and was going straight through me.
“Over the past 12 years I’ve gained weight and feel the most settled I’ve ever felt with my digestive health.”
The Big Poo Review has been launched by health science company, Zoe Health Study, who carry out leading scientific research into understanding gut-health and the microbiome.
By taking part in the study and completing the online survey, you’ll be contributing to important scientific research on bowel habits and help the nation understand what ‘normal’ looks like and provide advice about what might be cause for concern.
Anyone can complete the survey on the Zoe Health Study website Accrol colleagues really valued the opportunity to take part in the launch of the study.
Abdul Majid, line operative, said, “It was great to see what happens ‘behind the scenes’ of a major daytime TV programme, something I’ve never had the opportunity to do before. The presenter on site, Luke Kempner, helped put us at ease and we had a lot of fun.
“I was a bit nervous talking about poo on TV, but I did it for the nation. We really do need to break the poo taboo! It’s something we all do but don’t talk about, we shouldn’t be ashamed of something that’s so important in understanding health.”
Grace said: “For me, I think it’s brilliant that bowel and toilet habits is getting the publicity it needs. I wish there’d been more information available to me when I started to realise something wasn’t right with my body.
“It’s great that I’ve been able to contribute in a small way to such an important study. It’s not something I ever thought I’d have the opportunity to do in my role here at Accrol, so it was just fantastic to be asked.”
Complete the Big Poo Review You can watch Accrol supporting the launch of The Big Poo Review on Steph’s Packed Lunch on Channel 4 On Demand Steph’s Packed Lunch airs Monday to Friday at 12.30pm.
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