An endocrinologist gave Russians advice on preparing for and observing Lent

According to tradition, in spring people of faith begin a special time - religious rules prescribe the observance of fasting. It will last from March 3 to April 19. Daria Pronina, an endocrinologist at SberZdorovye medical company, told Izvestia on February 19 how to properly prepare for fasting and spend this time of spiritual renewal without harm to health.

The main rule of Orthodox Lent is the exclusion of all animal food: meat, fish, poultry, milk and dairy products, eggs. The basis of the fasting diet should be vegetable products - cereals, legumes, vegetables, fruits, nuts, mushrooms. Since fasting implies the restriction of such a wide range of products, according to the doctor, it is better to prepare for it: a few weeks before the beginning it is necessary to introduce changes in the habitual diet, gradually replacing the usual dishes with plant foods.

"Such preparation is necessary to help the body to reorganize and minimize the consequences of the transition to plant foods. The fact is that plant foods have a lot of fiber, and a sharp increase in their consumption can affect the gastrointestinal tract, for example, cause bloating," - explained Pronina.

It is desirable to exclude in advance and products containing fats of animal origin. The doctor advises to first limit fatty varieties of meat and fish, replacing them with chicken or lean fish, such as cod, perch, pikeperch. Then you can introduce vegetable proteins into the diet or increase their amount, if such products were present in it before. This will help to compensate for the lack of protein when giving up animal food.

"During Lent, it is important to diversify the diet, adding new foods from among those allowed and trying different ways of cooking. For example, the list of vegetables can be diversified with cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, leeks, celery. In stores and markets you can, in addition to apples and pears, you can take pomegranate, persimmons, citrus fruits, grapes. A selection of legumes is also available: peas, chickpeas, lentils, soybeans, beans. Do not forget about the variety of cereals: buckwheat, oatmeal, oatmeal, barley, millet, corn, quinoa, bulgur", - said the doctor.

The endocrinologist noted that the table during the fasting period should please with ease and variety of dishes. Products allowed for consumption can be boiled, steamed, stewed, baked in the oven. Among the hearty dishes: borscht with mushrooms, lean pasta with eggplant sauce, potato zrazy with mushroom stuffing, pizza on lean dough with vegetables. For breakfast you can serve oatmeal on water with fruit and nuts, and for dessert after the main meal - herbal tea with honey and halva from sunflower seeds.

During the restructuring of the body, especially at first, there may be a feeling of hunger, which entails the risk of overeating lean sweet and flour products, added the doctor. To avoid this, she recommended eating regularly, without large breaks, emphasizing foods rich in complex carbohydrates - for example, whole grains, legumes.

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In addition, it is important not to forget about drinking enough fluids. Also with prolonged fasting there is a high risk of exacerbation of chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, such as gallstone disease - because there is a decrease in the contractile activity of the gallbladder. This can lead to bile stagnation and stone formation. If there are already gallstones in the gallbladder, the thickening of bile can provoke their displacement and blockage of bile ducts, which is manifested by a painful attack in the right subcostal region, the expert specified.

"A healthy person does not need to undergo a special medical examination before starting fasting. If there are chronic diseases, such as diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, anemia or latent iron deficiency, it is better to consult a doctor, especially if the disease is in the stage of exacerbation. From the observance of fasting, as a rule, pregnant and lactating women are exempted. Soften fasting can also be softened to people who are engaged in heavy physical labor. They can, for example, eat fish every day," said the endocrinologist.

According to her, in order to fast without damaging the body, you should eat a variety of healthy food with the right ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, avoid salty, sweet, spicy, fried in the diet. The "plate method" can help to make up such a diet: a plate 22-23 cm in diameter is mentally divided into four parts: one second - vegetables, herbs, fruits, berries; one fourth - vegetable proteins, such as beans, mung beans, chickpeas; one fourth - complex carbohydrates, such as cereals, pasta. Eating this way will help you stay satiated longer.

Earlier, on January 29, doctor-gastroenterologist, endoscopist of Gastro Clinic Natia Chekhoeva told "Izvestia" that the systematic consumption of excessive calories inevitably overloads the body. This not only increases body weight, but also puts a strain on internal organs, including the heart, liver, and pancreas.