Gut Health
Information about coping with common conditions that affect the gut and keeping your gut healthy
Gut symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn and bloating are very common. They can usually be treated with lifestyle changes or medicines from your local pharmacist.
These symptoms are usually harmless, however, if they don’t go away after a couple of weeks, especially if you are aged over 50, you have bleeding from your bottom, difficulty swallowing or are losing weight without trying, you should contact your GP straight away as it could be a sign of something more serious.
If you have a change in your bowel habits or think you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you should ask your GP to test if you have Coeliac disease, which is a common condition caused by the immune system reacting to a protein called gluten.
It is very important that you do not make any changes to your diet before you have a test for Coeliac disease, as this may affect the result.
Information on making diet and lifestyle changes to help improve gut health, IBS and common gut symptoms is available in the short videos below:
Also in this section
Useful links and resources
- Information on probiotics – Clinical Guide chart
- Probiotics: Food Fact Sheet
- Information on IBS
- Patient Webinars on IBS and the low FODMAP diet (NHS)
- The IBS Network
- Crohn’s and colitis UK
- Coeliac UK – Details of the local branch of the Coeliac Society are also available from this website
- Food and Symptom diary
- Fibre and Eating 5 a day
- Food Fact Sheet: Fibre
What does Cardiff and Vale offer?
If you have been diagnosed with a condition that affects your gut such as Crohn’s disease, pancreatic insufficiency or coeliac disease and need some dietary advice , please ask your consultant or GP to refer you to a dietitian.
Unfortunately, we are not currently able to offer the low FODMAP diet for IBS. However, you can find more information in the “useful links and resources” section.
If you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or struggling to cope please contact your GP who may refer you to the relevant healthcare professional.
Contact details
University Hospital of Wales
Tel: 029 2074 4294
E-mail: dietetic.admin.uhw@wales.nhs.uk
University Hospital Llandough
Dietetic Services at Barry Hospital and Rookwood Hospital
Tel: 029 2071 5281
E-mail: Dietetics.Llandough@wales.nhs.uk
The Community Adult Dietetic and Paediatric Service, based at Riverside Health Centre
Tel: 029 2090 7681
E-mail: dietitians.cav@wales.nhs.uk
