Artsy Portaloo Tours 50 South Island New World And PAK’nSAVE Stores Encouraging Kiwis To Talk More About Gut Health

It’s never the most comfortable of
conversations but piping up a bit more about your poo could
just save your life. From now until the 22 December, more
than 50 New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four Square stores
throughout the South Island will host a portaloo-turned-art
piece designed by Christchurch-based artist Jacob
Yikes.

The portaloo is part of the Review your Poo
campaign by New Zealand Gut Foundation, with the tour
supported by Foodstuffs (South Island) Community Trust. The
project aims to encourage more New Zealanders to get
educated about gut health and The Gut Foundation, General
Manager Margaret Fitzgerald says it’s important that Kiwis
remove their hesitancy around discussing
poo.

“Research shows that improving gut health
impacts our wellbeing particularly during times of stress.
Good gut health can be the key to a happy life and knowing
more about what a normal bowel movement can be
lifesaving.”

Foodstuffs (South Island) Community
Trust has been a proud supporter of The Gut Foundation since
2020 and is committed to helping South Islanders, and
beyond, improve their gut health through education
campaigns, health hubs and research projects.

Finding
out more information about your poo, probably isn’t
something you’d normally expect when you visit your local
New World, PAK’SAVE or Four Square, explains Justin Smith,
Chairperson of the Foodstuffs (South Island) Trust. But, it
could help save your life.

“This is such an
important conversation and one we are pleased to get behind.
Across the South Island, our owner-operators want their
valued customers to get to know their poo a little better.
Together, our goal is to help normalise the poo chat because
knowing your normal is a major step towards improved gut
health.

“After all, if you know your normal, you can
quickly identify changes that could help save your life. We
encourage anyone that sees the portaloo, to stop have a chat
and take the information on offer.”

New Zealand has
one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world and
every day, nine people are diagnosed with bowel
cancer.

Ms Fitzgerald says the most heart-breaking
aspect of these statistics is that bowel cancer can be very
treatable if detected early, which is why being more aware
of what your normal bowel movements are so critical not just
for bowel cancer but for many illnesses connected to the
gut.

“With around 70,000 people in New Zealand
living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease and approximately one
in 100 New Zealanders affected by Coeliac Disease,
understanding what is normal can help people identify any
changes and seek early medical treatment if
needed.”

Know your normal

Kiwis can download
a Review Your Poo chart to track your bowel movements for a
month and get an understanding of what is normal. Find the
form here: https://www.thegut.org.nz/reviewyourpoo/

Understanding
what is normal in terms of frequency, texture, shape and
consistency are important, so that if things change you can
seek help and advice.

The Know your Poo Campaign will
be visiting the following New World, PAK’nSAVE and Four
Square stores across the South Island.

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