Big turnout for Carrick-on-Suir Lions Club talk raising awareness of gut health and diabetes

Caption for picture above: Ann Ellis of Carrick Lions Club, guest speaker Dr Ann Marie Eustace-Ryan, Carrick Lions Club members Maria Madden, Stephanie Keating and Angela Watson at the Carrick Lions Club talk on gut health and disabetes at the Carraig Hotel on November 8. Picture Anne Marie Magorrian

Tipperary University Hospital Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Ann Marie Eustace-Ryan gave an informative talk on Gut Health and Tips on Living With and Reversing Type 2 Diabetes at Carrick-on-Suir’s Carraig Hotel last week.

The fully booked out event on Wednesday, November 8 was organised by Carrick-on-Suir & District Lions Club to mark National Diabetes Awareness Month.

Diabetes is one of the International Lions Clubs’ global causes with this year’s focus on taking action to help prevent diabetes health problems. Gut health influences our physical, mental and physiological health.

Dr Eustace-Ryan, who is a gut health expert, outlined at the talk the importance of a healthy balanced diet to include wholefoods and a plant based diet to improve and sustain the microbiome in the gut which helps control the immune system and promote gut health. The microbiome is a collection of all microbes that live on and inside us.

Dr Eustace-Ryan explained this colony of bacteria basically run your life from the large bowel, maintaining your mental and physical health by manufacturing most of our hormones, neurotransmitters and vitamins from the food we eat. For this reason, the food we eat is of the utmost importance.

The talk was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who attended and many had time to meet and talk with Dr Eustace- Ryan and ask her questions.

Dr Eustace-Ryan is also passionate about promoting information on the microbiome to children and has written a beautifully illustrated book for them entitled; “Bug of War - What you eat can help you win!”.

Her talks can be viewed on Instagram and also YouTube. Carrick Lions Club, meanwhile, thanks Dr Eustace-Ryan for sharing her wisdom and knowledge and to all who supported the talk including the Carraig Hotel staff for their hospitality and very professional arrangements