Tips for taking care of our digestive system

"Knowing how to read food labels should be a mandatory subject."

These are the words of Dr. Esmeralda Rubio, a digestive system specialist at the Juaneda Healthcare Network. Taking advantage of World Health Day, the doctor insists: "learning to read labels, filing taxes, and nutrition education should be mandatory subjects." In the opinion of healthcare professionals, dietary habits, and Spanish customs, such as a daily visit to the bathroom, can cause embarrassment and a host of health problems.

Neither "light" nor "00" is better for you

When someone knows how to read a label properly, they don't settle for "light," "whole grain," or "zero-zero." As Dr. Rubio explains, "the 00 label doesn't make the soda healthier; it contains sweeteners, carbonators... a lot of junk that doesn't do our health any favors. Maybe they don't make you gain as much weight as the alternatives, but they are harmful ingredients for health."

Nutritionists are the best allies in this regard; they can offer the most guidance and teach us how to read the labels on everything we consume.

Prevention is better than cure

Good nutrition is the foundation of health, both from a digestive and overall health perspective. Eating well prevents cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, diabetes, overweight and obesity, and digestive disorders such as constipation, reflux, or swallowing problems, among others.

Following a healthy diet can represent a qualitative leap: in addition to avoiding minor digestive discomfort, it can help prevent colon cancer, stomach cancer, and even cancers at other levels that are increasingly related to the foundation of good or poor nutrition.

We've heard it all before, but professionals won't tire of repeating it: you should drink at least two liters of water or infusions a day, except in special cases such as renal insufficiency, where less water is recommended.

Physical exercise is another key factor: you have to stay active and "it's not enough to walk around the house or go out to buy bread and come back," explains Esmeralda Rubio. "You have to exercise for thirty minutes to forty-five minutes a day, every day, going for a brisk walk without stopping, is a good example of staying active."

All of this is accompanied by recommendations we're familiar with: don't overuse fats or sugars or choose quality proteins.

Hygienic dietary measures to prevent and treat diseases

Also known as food hygiene, it is very useful for preventing and treating diseases. In the case of the digestive system, it is part of the treatment.

These are diseases that can be prevented and cured with proper nutrition. Reflux, gas, abdominal distension, and constipation or diarrhea, sometimes in the same person, at different periods, represent 90% of digestive consultations.

And according to Dr. Rubio, "you have to listen to your body because it often warns us that something isn't quite right." This is the case, for example, with fatty liver or slightly altered test results, with elevated cholesterol or high triglycerides. "The body warns us that it is "suffocating" in fat, the blood is thick and cannot transport it, so it parks it in the liver, but the problem doesn't stop there; it can affect other organs, causing a stroke or heart attack."

It is a systemic problem that not only affects one organ or is represented in abnormal blood tests. That is why it is necessary to correct dietary patterns not only to cure the liver but also to prevent all the diseases that may come after.

Regular check-ups, good nutrition, stress management

For Dr. Rubio, World Health Day is an opportunity to think about oneself, dietary habits, exercise, stress management…

She reminds us that our body also needs regular check-ups, such as gynecological and urological exams, prostate, and colonoscopies, to prevent rather than cure.

Juaneda Hospitals invites you to make an appointment with your specialist to get your body in shape.

Juaneda, close to you.

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