Xevi Verdaguer, psychoneuroimmunologist, nutritionist and physiotherapist: “The consistency and frequency of our bowel movements can predict our health status”

“We have the same number of neurons in our gut as we do in our brain, so they influence each other,” he explains. Xavier Verdaguer (Olot, Girona, 1 February 1975), psychoneuroimmunologist (PNI), nutritionist, physiotherapist, director of the Master’s degree in Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinology (PNIE) and science communicator. He gives three examples: “When you are in a strange place, you get constipated. If you are nervous, you get diarrhea. And in times of stress, your abdomen may be more swollen and bloated.” The author of such headlines Transform your health and take care of yourself or the most recent Your health starts here. Learn to take care of yourself and enjoy a healthy life (Ed. Grijalbo) argues that just as the mind affects the gut, “there is also communication from the bottom up Sanggunya, Linfitica and affects the regulation of motivation, satiety, and irritability through the nervous system…”.

Looking at feces can help us understand this bidirectionality: Consistency and frequency The way we move our bellies can predict our health. Analyzing stool allows us to understand which microbes regulate the function of our nervous system, which in turn influences our behavior. Our lifestyle can either unbalance our microbiome or improve it, he said. “The three things that are most likely to cause inflammation in the body are chronic stress, poor rest, and Imbalance of intestinal flora“.

He went on to say that people with gastritis and reflux have been found to have a link with poor night’s rest, so Sleep Hygiene It’s essential for the gut. “Some people take omeprazole or benzodiazepines or more natural medicines like valerian before they notice the nighttime apnea. The normal thing is to take nothing and rest.”

The Importance of Sleep

at night Cleansing the brainput it in layman’s terms to understand it. “Inflammatory substances such as ammonia or lactic acid accumulate. Without deep sleep, the next morning you’ll experience symptoms such as headaches, back pain, difficulty concentrating, and mental fog.” One day nothing happens, but if this happens night after night, he said, “neuroinflammation is associated with irritable bowel syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases.” If the body temperature doesn’t drop at night, the immune system won’t activate. If stress hormones don’t drop, we can’t get to work the next morning. “Warm hands and feet at night indicate that everything is fine. If your immune system can’t repair inflammation at night, an anti-inflammatory diet won’t be of much use.”

Here he introduced a concept Cronotraxin. “It is more important to look at the clock than the calories. If you eat dinner at 8 o’clock, you should eat breakfast at 8 o’clock to give your intestines a rest for about 12 hours. If you skip a meal to comply with intermittent fasting, it is best to skip dinner.” Food has a thermoregulatory effect, so it is recommended to wait an hour and a half after exposure to light before eating breakfast. “First thing in the morning, stress makes us active Coffee is good for us Activate brown fat and generate temperature, but at night it’s the opposite, however, some people have dinner and eat a little chocolate with cold feet on the sofa, so they won’t rest well, not “When they get up, they will be consistent with the recommendations they made.”

Adverse reactions to food

More and more people have problems with dairy and gluten. Verdaguer insists on analyzing them. “Some people can’t have gluten because they have celiac disease, while others are simply sensitive and have to go without wheat, but If you don’t have a diagnosis, you shouldn’t listen to what they tell you Celiac disease or allergy to wheat. “Regarding intolerance to lactose, fructose and sorbitol, the intake of these sugars can lead to digestive and extra-digestive symptoms. “The low FODMAP diet reduces this intake. “

He said many people are also allergic to nickel. “People whose ears bleed from bad jewelry need to remember that there are many Foods containing nickel“Nickel has estrogenic activity, which is why it is taken from the hands of patients with endometriosis. Many people look bloated and give up gluten and eat oats instead, and as a result, the inflammation is even worse. I asked my patients if these dyes would affect their skin, because it is possible that their heads might become red because of the nickel. Or with some creams. The analysis confirmed this.”

Another common query is related to Salicylates (aspirin). “There are many people who are allergic to ibuprofen and many foods are high in salicylic acid, which is a strong anti-inflammatory, but if this makes them feel uncomfortable, they are doing themselves a disservice.” These are fruits such as strawberries, plums, grapes, watermelon, pineapple, dates or nuts, vegetables such as cucumbers, pickles and peppers, legumes such as lentils, many spices (ginger, organic…) and grains such as wheat.

How to Reduce Stress

Nutritionists say that for the general population without a specific diagnosed pathology, adequate hydration and rest can solve a large part of the problem. “To induce sleep, we must have a Extremely Dark“That’s why the last three hours before bed are best spent without screen time, as they signal to the brain to continue activating stress hormones while it’s still daytime.”

Stimulation such as a hot shower can help. “The soles of the feet, palms of the hands and lips are areas of the body that don’t have hair and have direct nervous system control that is responsible for lowering body temperature. If you get cold feet when you sleep, you know Stress hormones remain high You won’t rest well.” Being informed can help you make better decisions for your health, he concluded.