New survey reveals impact of ‘age of superwoman’ on bowel health

The vast majority of UK women are currently suffering from at least one common bowel problem, indicating 21st century ‘rush-hour’ lifestyles may be having a detrimental effect on their bowel health, according to a new survey by DulcoEase®.

In days gone by, women’s lifestyles centred on routine and family; sitting down at the table for regular meals and only occasionally drinking alcohol and travelling abroad. But celebrities such as Victoria Beckham and Angelina Jolie, who are increasingly juggling their family, careers, and a busy international social life, have spearheaded a lifestyle shift dubbed the ‘age of the super woman’ that has significantly impacted the way everyday women live and the time they spend focusing on their own health and wellbeing.

According to the DulcoEasesurvey, over half (51%) of women do not exercise regularly, 47% of women do not drink two litres of water a day, 41% drink coffee everyday and over a third (37%) of women feel stressed and don’t have enough time for themselves.1 With the addition of one-fifth (20%) of women regularly travelling abroad, it is perhaps not surprising that more women are experiencing bowel problems such as constipation (64%) and difficulty or straining when going to the loo (46%).

GP, author and star of Embarrassing Illnesses, Dr Dawn Harper says, “Our bowels are often the most neglected parts of our body – but they deserve our attention! People know to ask for help if they have difficulty breathing but many suffer in silence when they have a bowel problem, despite there being simple lifestyle or treatment solutions. We shouldn’t let embarrassment stop us from keeping our bowels healthy.”

Neglecting bowel health can leave people feeling sluggish, bunged up and bloated, and as a result feeling unattractive, less confident and tired. Women can visit www.passitonnow.co.uk to take the ‘What’s Your Type?’ lifestyle quiz to find out which bowel typology character they are most like - Calm & Collected Cathy, Busy Belinda, Jet-setter Julie, or Party girl Phoebe – to find out the bottom line on taking better care of their bowels.