A monthly series exploring a different aspect of women's health each month
Supporting Women's Health is a regular gathering designed to explore the many aspects of women's health and wellbeing in an open, practical and supportive way. Each session combines conversation, evidence-informed guidance and simple techniques you can apply in everyday life, helping you better understand your health and discover realistic ways to support yourself.
Topics change throughout the year.
This month's session: Digestive Health
Our digestive system is central to our health — and both Eastern and Western medicine increasingly recognise just how much it influences the rest of the body.
In Chinese medicine, digestion has long been understood as a foundation of health: the digestive system is responsible for transforming food into Qi and nourishment, providing the energy the body needs to function. In Western medicine, we're learning more and more about the relationship between the gut and other systems, including the immune system, nervous system and mood.
In this session, we'll look at digestive health from both perspectives and explore some of the common issues that many women experience, from bloating and IBS to digestive symptoms that change or flare at different stages of the menstrual cycle.
We'll look at:
Why digestive health is considered a foundation of health in Chinese medicine
What we're learning about the gut, immune system, nervous system and mood
Common digestive issues including bloating and IBS
Why digestive symptoms can change throughout the menstrual cycle
The role of stress and the nervous system in digestion
How diet and lifestyle can support healthy digestion
The Chinese medicine approach to digestive health
A brief look at inflammatory conditions such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
Simple, realistic things you can do to support your digestive health
This isn't about following a perfect diet or finding another list of foods you're “supposed” to avoid. It's an opportunity to understand your digestion a little better, explore the connections between different aspects of your health, and think about what might genuinely support you.
As with all the Supporting Women's Health sessions, there will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and learn from each other in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
Future sessions will explore different topics throughout the year, giving us the opportunity to look at women's health from a range of physical, emotional and mental perspectives.
Whether you have ongoing digestive symptoms or simply want to understand more about how your digestive system influences your wider health, you're very welcome.