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Yes, chronic inflammation exists, but this scary word is not synonymous with lifelong, "because it can be reversed through an anti-inflammatory diet." This is what dietician and nutritionist

Sandra Moñino,

author of the channel @nutricionat and one of the

greatest experts

on inflammation of the moment,

states bluntly .

And it is just what she talks about in her book

From her 'Goodbye to inflammation. How to prevent diseases, delay aging and lose weight'

(HarperCollins Ibérica), a manual that includes the keys to improving daily life through a natural anti-inflammatory diet and some simple changes in habits that pursue the same objective. And it is also accompanied by a free three-day challenge to start trying this type of diet in a guided way. Because, as the author insists, "the vast majority of people are inflamed and don't know it, but it is a problem that can be reversed."

Inflammation is one of the hot topics of the moment. We refer to the evidence: as if it were a best seller, Moñino's book is now in its fifth edition, although it has only been in bookstores for a couple of weeks. It is not surprising, beyond what seems obvious - feeling a

bloated belly

, heaviness in the body or annoying

gas

- inflammation is a process that can also be behind such disparate problems, for example, as

headache

, different

dermatitis

and skin conditions,

bad mood

or tiredness. Symptoms that are not associated, but that are inseparably linked to a bad diet. Or one that, even though it is good, is not the right one, warns the

expert

, because "there is a lot of difference between a menu established as healthy and an anti-inflammatory one."

As a preview, Moñino recommends changing the order of our meals and also some other customs. And pay attention to the menu to eliminate or at least reduce

pro-inflammatory foods

from the diet and include anti-inflammatory foods more frequently, "only with that will glucose peaks be stabilized, vitamin D levels will increase and many more things will improve," Add.

The dietitian and nutritionist Sandra Moñino.JAVIER BARBANCHO

Among others, the famous fluid retention, which according to Sandra Moñino is nothing more than a myth. "

Fluid retention

really

doesn't exist. In quotes. I mean, you can have fluid retention if you go on a 16-hour plane trip; obviously, you will suffer from it at that time, and also inflammation. But it is something that is constantly repeated and, for example, every summer you need a shoe size larger because your ankles swell, it's not fluid retention, it's

inflammation

. And it shouldn't be normalized."

Solving it happens, like almost everything, through food. And for following an anti-inflammatory diet, which, although not intended, "is perfect for

losing weight.

Not because it is a restrictive

diet

, but because it is very balanced and promotes improvements in lifestyle that make it easier to mobilize

fat

and thus reduce its size "explains Sandra Moñino.

We talked

to her about how to achieve all this, and the objective she pursues in her book, how to prevent diseases and delay aging

.

Sandra Moñino with her book 'Goodbye to inflammation. How to prevent diseases, delay aging and lose weight'JAVIER BARBANCHO

I hear the word inflammation and my hair stands on end. Is it as bad as I think? It can really be something very positive as long as it occurs punctually, what we call acute inflammation, which is the body's response to an attack. For example, a broken bone or muscle damage. The problem is chronic inflammation and it occurs when our body considers as an attack some foods that can be pro-inflammatory, such as sugar, refined flour, vegetable oils... And then our defense is intestinal inflammation? Not only, If it is not stopped and the origin is not treated, other organs can also become inflamed. For example, the liver, which causes fatty liver, or the arteries and raise triglyceride or cholesterol levels. It can also cause dermatitis or cause us to be tired and even have muscle contractures. Can we rest easy if we have a flat stomach? Inflammation is not something as simple as having a swollen belly, it is other things; You can have a perfectly flat stomach and suffer from inflammation. On a psychological level, there is a fairly close connection between the intestine and the brain, which is why when we are nervous about a job interview or a special event we notice how our digestive system complains, our belly growls, we have 'butterflies in the stomach' or We need to go to the bathroom because the body breaks down. This also happens on a psychological level when we are, that is, our intestine is inflamed. Because of this intestine-brain connection, inflammation can predispose us to depression? Yes, because negative signals will be sent to the brain that will activate stress neurotransmitters, such as For example, cortisol, which will make us feel more tired and weak. Many psychological diseases, including depression and anxiety about food, are highly determined by inflammation in our intestine. What are the foods that harm us the most? Sugar is what inflames us the most, because it is a perfect substance for the bacteria we have in the intestine and, also, because taking it increases blood glucose peaks, which forces The pancreas has to work twice as hard and can cause insulin resistance, which in turn causes more inflammation. I understand that sweeteners don't help either...No, not at all. Sweeteners sweeten the same way or more, because some sweeten up to 300 times more than sugar. This is like a bomb in our body, and very inflammatory. Taking cotton candy or something with sweetener at a specific time will not affect us, but constantly exposing ourselves to these substances can cause chronic inflammation. What are the other enemies? Vegetable oils, because they are very rich in omega 6 and alter the necessary balance with omega 3. I am referring to sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil..., especially when we consume them in processed products, which are also hydrogenated. Of course we exclude extra virgin olive oil from that group, which is a great antioxidant and very healthy at a cardiovascular and physiological level. Even if we consume them raw? Yes, because they are quite inflammatory. I do not recommend them even occasionally, they must be discarded completely. Well, let's see how we make cakes now without using sunflower oil... It is true that sunflower oil is used a lot in baking, but there is a great substitute: coconut oil. It is a healthy, quality fat that also provides wonderful sweetness. But always cold pressed. What other things should I remove from my shopping list? Refined flours, which act just like sugar. And on the contrary, what should I include in the pantry? All those foods that are in our daily lives and that do not have labels. For example, good quality proteins, those from fish, meat, eggs..., especially oily fish, very rich in omega 3. As I said, we must have a balance with omega 6 and we consume many foods rich in omega 3. this acid, so you have to increase the other one. We have not yet talked about fruits and vegetables, should we dedicate a separate chapter to them? Of course, it is the other large group. We must take them in different colors to obtain the different nutrients that each one of them can provide us. And always try to make them seasonal and local, so that they are not altered by substances that try to keep them fresh for longer. Fruits rich in vitamin C are highly recommended, such as red fruits and citrus fruits, which help us regulate the immune system. Also avocado, olives, nuts and dairy fats such as cheese or yogurt. As with potato omelette, the world is divided between those who defend drinking milk and those who reject it. Are dairy products so bad? No, I advocate drinking milk, as long as it feels good. Although we should prioritize goat and sheep dairy products over cow dairy products, because they are more similar to breast milk, they do not inflame us as much and provide healthier and more satiating fats. It is true that many people do not tolerate cow's milk, and it is also important that they are raised outdoors; That makes a lot of difference in terms of the inflammation that can cause us. It's not just what you eat, but how you eat it, what are we doing wrong? That's right. For example, the order of meals has a lot of influence, it is decisive. And, on the other hand, that we should not mix proteins with carbohydrates, nor animal protein with vegetables, is just a myth. You have to follow an order, that is, eat a main dish, always with a good amount of fiber and a variety of vegetables. Fat and protein must always be present in that dish and, finally, if we want to introduce carbohydrates they have to be last, due to glucose peaks,and make sure they are complex, whole grain. Continuing with the order, how many meals a day should we eat to avoid inflammation? Few. Today we have the ease of opening the refrigerator and eating whatever we want at that very moment; But originally to eat food you needed to go hunting. Our digestive system is prepared for that, but now we have it going all day, digesting, and we don't leave it time to perform its other functions, detoxification, anti-inflammatory... Allow that metabolic rest, with a minimum of 12 hours -for example, not eating from dinner at 9 at night until the next day at 10 in the morning- will help our body to rest from those digestion and perform other functions. We must also wait about 4 hours between meals, it is essential. Any other anti-inflammatory habits that we should know about? Three very important ones: sun exposure, exercise and rest. The first is essential to have vitamin D, necessary for any anti-inflammatory process and to activate our immune system. We need 15 minutes a day and without protection. Physical rest is also important, sleeping 7 or 8 hours every day, but we do not give it the importance it deserves. Along with sports, they are very anti-inflammatory habits; I know people who couldn't lose weight and by improving their rest they achieved that goal.

JAVIER BARBANCHO

3-day challenge to end inflammation

As a culmination of her book, Sandra Moñino includes a free three-day plan to approach this type of diet in a simple and

guided

way . "It's not about doing it now and repeating it in a month, it would be of no use. It's three days of initiation, and even if the

improvement

begins to be noticed afterward , you have to maintain the habit over time. Thus, in addition to

losing weight

"You will feel better and you will even avoid taking many pills, for example for headaches. But there are so many

benefits of an

anti-inflammatory

diet

that when you try it you will not want to go back to what you were before," he concludes.

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