Over Sixty Winter 2022 Digital

13 LIVEWELL OVERSIXTY.COM.AU | WINTER 2022 LIVE WELL The exact length of your transit time relies onmany factors. Diet, particularly howmuch fibre you consume, is a big one, but generally women’s bowels are slower than men’s, stress speeds everything up and health issues like diabetes or thyroid imbalances can make a bowel sluggish. Taking the Blue Poop Challenge can reveal where in the 14-58 hour range your transit time falls, giving you the choice to optimise things further if you fall on the outer range – or should definitely make some changes if you’re well outside it. A bowel that regularly moves too quickly (defined as a transit time of less than 14 hours, or where poo is regularly liquid) needs to be checked by a doctor as there might be a medical cause – for example, allergy, intolerance, IBS, inflammatory bowel disease or long-term infection. A sluggish bowel though, can usually be tackled at home. ‘Write down everything you’ve eaten in the last 24 hours and the amount of water you’ve drunk –and you’ll probably notice it’s mostly white carbohydrates like bread, pasta and pies and few wholegrains, fruits or vegetables and not enough water. Changing these three things will probably help a lot – and if it doesn’t see your doctor to check there’s not another reason why things are sluggish.’ And that’s where this challenge CAN help us all; “it’s openingup the conversationabout gut health in a fun, informative way,” says Dr Berry. The more willing we are to talk about our bowels the more likely we are to seek help for uncomfortable symptoms affecting our quality of life, or unusual ones that might be an early warning of bowel cancer. HOW TO TAKE THE CHALLENGE Head to joinzoe.com/bluepoop to find the recipe for baking your blue muffins and to learn how to share your results to aid the researchers. Relief from leg cramps Drug-free therapies can help ease pain The more willing we are to talk about our bowels, the more likely we are to seek help for our symptoms Photo: Getty Images  THE IMPORTANCE OF FIBRE One of the most well-proven connections between lifestyle and gut health is that eating more fibre creates a better microbiome. Fibre is the main food source for the most important gut bacteria, so not getting enough starves them. That means they may produce fewer short-chain fatty acids and other important components of your diet, and begin consuming your gut’s mucus lining. Unfortunately, most people in Western countries don’t get enough fibre. It is recommended that you eat 25-30 grams of fibre each day, but the average person eats only 19 grams. To get your 30 grams, focus on eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, as well as a wholegrain carbohydrate at every meal. – Vanessa Milne LOUISE WATERSON LIVE WELL T wenty per cent of Australians live with poor circulation that causes painful muscular cramps. The ongoing discomfort can play havoc on their enjoyment of life, interrupting exercise and daily activities, and disrupting sleep. “Muscle cramps are painful tightening of the muscles which happens suddenly and uncontrollably, usually in the legs,” says Dr Martha Mackay, scientific officer at Actegy Health. As we age, our weaker circulatory system, plus the effects of certain medications, can cause cramping. “I was being woken by violent calf cramps at night, which was preventing me from getting a good night’s sleep,” says 61-year-old Patti Bee, from Dudley Park, South Australia. “I tried takingmagnesium, but it only helped a little bit.” Common risk factors of cramping caused by poor circulation, also known as peripheral arterial disease (PAD), include inactivity, having a sedentary lifestyle, smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. “People with these risk factors are advised to consult their doctor to understand more about PAD and how to help prevent or manage their condition,” says Dr Mackay. Your doctor may also suggest drug-free therapy options. Bee found relief with a circulation booster, which is a small electrical device that uses electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) to help get circulation moving in the legs.* “I started using it almost every day for 30 minutes and experienced a reduction in the amount of cramps and pain,” says Bee. “It has made a big difference tomy quality of life. It’s amazing what a proper night’s sleep can do.” * Not suitable for people with a heart pacemaker, AICD, DVT or during pregnancy. Win a Revitive Medic Coach Circulation Booster valued at $549! To enter, visit www.o60.me/contests WIN!