Outside broadcasts used to be particularly tricky for TV presenter Steph McGovern, a long-standing sufferer of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But a chance interview with a guest on her lunchtime Channel 4 show triggered a personal health revolution 鈥 and could now also bring wide health benefits to the North East and other parts of the nation.
The North Tyneside based broadcaster, who fronts multi-award-nominated Steph鈥檚 Packed Lunch, has invested in Dr Julia Jones鈥 Kent-based start-up company, Neuron Wellness, which aims to create wellness hubs and live bacteria bars all across the country. The first launched to a packed house in Folkestone this week, and more will hopefully follow soon.
Steph, 40, told how her debilitating gut problems once dominated her life.
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She said: 鈥淚鈥檝e had IBS all my life and I鈥檝e always assumed it鈥檚 just something I have and there鈥檚 nothing you can do about it. For me, it manifests as really bad crippling cramps in my stomach and then having to run to a loo and being in pain with it.
鈥淲henever I was out and about broadcasting I would have to work out where the loos are, and make sure I hadn鈥檛 eaten stuff beforehand, especially when I was doing breakfast telly. If I鈥檇 had smoothies, eggs or fruit stuff it seemed to make it worse. I had kind of accepted it, and been to check to see if had intolerances or if I was coeliac, and I wasn鈥檛. I thought maybe it was just the way stress manifests itself in me.
鈥淚 did a TV show with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall called Easy Ways to Live Well and I had my gut analysed 鈥 I knew nothing about gut health at the time 鈥 which basically involves a stool sample and they look at the bacteria in your gut, and it turns out I was in the worst third of the population for my gut health. It was really embarrasing because this was all announced on telly, so I was mortified.
鈥淚 thought: 鈥業鈥檓 a woman who鈥檚 got a good job and a good career but I鈥檝e obviously totally neglected my guts鈥. Soon after all of this I got pregnant, and all that exacerbated my IBS with my hormones. I could barely eat anyway because I had terrible pregnancy sickness. After I had my little girl I thought 鈥業 need to sort this out鈥.鈥
That鈥檚 when Dr Julia Jones 鈥 otherwise known as Dr Rock 鈥 appeared as a guest on her Channel 4 lunchtime show Steph鈥檚 Packed Lunch, to talk about her work and her book, Neuron: Smart Wellness Made Easy.
The neuroscientist and entrepreneur regularly works with companies and individuals to help them improve their health and wellbeing. She told viewers how she carried out a year-long programme on her own health that combined simple habits, the latest tech devices and lab tests of gut health and biological ageing speed. At the end of it, she said, she felt renewed, with her sleep, focus and energy all boosted.
Her experiences resonated strongly with Steph.
Steph said: 鈥淚 stayed in contact with her and got my guts analysed again. They were still terrible, so I went through her programme. It鈥檚 all about making small changes in your daily routine and it鈥檚 made such a huge difference to the point where my IBS is completely under control. I very rarely now have stomach cramps, and I used to have them three times a week. It鈥檚 completely transformed my life.鈥
She now feels like a new woman 鈥 she has more energy, her concentration has improved and as a consequence she has also lost weight. Dropping two dress sizes certainly wasn鈥檛 the aim, but it has proved to be a bonus.
The biggest change she has made has been the introduction of intermittent fasting to her routine, on weekdays, where she will only eat between 11am and 7pm.
She said: 鈥淛ulia explained all the science behind it but essentially it鈥檚 about how your body and all the things doing the digestive work need a break to do the 鈥榟ousekeeping鈥. At the weekends I go back to normal, otherwise it wouldn鈥檛 be sustainable, but I鈥檓 never hungry before 11 when I fast.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like never having time to do the hoovering because you鈥檙e always putting new food in, and constantly having to deal with that food and not getting time to keep the rest of the house in check. It鈥檚 made such a difference.
鈥淚 also have cold showers. That might sound horrendous but I started off with just having a hot shower and then turning it cold for a bit, then putting it back to hot. It鈥檚 all about your breathing when you do it, and it鈥檚 great for your metabolism, and loads of other sciency stuff she can explain better than me!
鈥淒iversity of food is also important. My issue wasn鈥檛 that I was unhealthy - I went to the gym, ate fish and veg, but I was eating the same fish and veg and not mixing it up. It鈥檚 not good for your gut to eat the same thing all the time.鈥
Having seen the changes and 鈥減ut her money where her mouth is鈥 to invest in Neuron Wellness, she and Dr Jones hosted the launch of the first smart wellness hub together in Folkestone, Kent, last week, opening the 海角视频鈥檚 first live bacteria bar, serving kombucha and kefir drinks that boost gut health and improve your chance of a longer, healthy lifespan.
The new company also offers a 鈥30 Diversity鈥 home delivery food box subscription service, a 鈥楽mart Gut鈥 health analysis and online wellness tips and webinars. The duo now want to roll out the hubs, with the North East top of the list for the next destination.
Earlier this year a report by Little Village and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation also revealed that almost half of North East families with children under the age of five are living in poverty, with the region having significantly the highest rate in the country.
With rising inflation and cost-of-living issues bearing down on all corners of society and industry, Steph said that healthy changes can be made in an affordable way. Neuron Wellness is also working with the National Innovation Centre for Ageing at Newcastle University on a possible collaboration.
Steph said: 鈥淲e鈥檝e launched in Folkestone but at the same time we鈥檝e been working with the National Innovation Centre for Ageing in Newcastle. I鈥檝e got a big North Eastern love of this 鈥 I want to bring this there. Julia has met with the centre as well, to talk about whether this is something we can bring to the North East as a concept.
鈥淲e鈥檙e always getting slagged off in the North East for being unhealthy, and I think this is stuff you can do that is affordable. I鈥檓 not saying get a gym membership - in fact Julia tells everyone to cancel your gym memberships because it鈥檚 not about exercise, and training at the gym all the time.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not saying pay loads of money - it鈥檚 more about the concept that you could bring things into your life that are sustainable. We鈥檙e talking to the National Innovation Centre for Ageing about doing the same thing in Newcastle - we want to create a hub, but you can do a lot of these things virtually too.
鈥淚 want to do it in the North East because I know there鈥檚 a focus on trying to make people healthier in the North East. A big part of this is collaboration, working out the needs of the nation and regional problems, and working with other researchers.
鈥淛ulia only found out about the NICA through me, so I said she had to come up to Newcastle and see what鈥檚 happening 鈥 and she realised there鈥檚 so much synergy there. What would be great about working with the Centre for Ageing is bringing it all together and being able to help people with their own wellness.鈥
Nic Palmarini, director of 海角视频鈥檚 National Innovation Centre for Ageing, agreed a similar concept in the North East could be a success.
He added: 鈥淲e are in discussion to host Julia鈥檚 initiative with us at The Catalyst and explore together how we can better promote healthier lifestyles in day-to-day touch points and interactions.
鈥淗er project fits well with NICA鈥檚 Longevicity approach and ongoing research, which sees Newcastle as a pioneer city. This programme wants to democratise access to healthier lifestyles and introduce evidence-based advice and educational tips on the high street, following the flow of life instead of trying to divert it. We aim to make Newcastle, together with a network of founding partner cities, the leader of a proactive way of promoting health and longevity not only for the citizens but for visitors too, sustaining healthy behaviours as a touristic attraction.鈥
