The doctor dispelled the myth of stress for digestion due to fatty foods

There is a widespread belief that the digestive system experiences severe stress during overeating during the holidays or during an abrupt transition from a plant-based diet to animal food, for example, at the end of a fast. Gastroenterologist Ekaterina Kashukh, an expert doctor at the Hemotest Laboratory, told Izvestia on January 17 what really happens to the digestive tract during these periods.

"The digestive organs of a healthy person have a significant adaptive resource. If the liver is functioning normally (there is no cirrhosis), the pancreas (there is no pancreatitis with atrophy or necrosis of the gland) and the intestines (there is no celiac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, severe dysbiosis), then the gastrointestinal tract does not strain from dietary changes and does not require long-term habituation," she said.

Beetroot vs goji: how to replace exotic superfood

Experts have told us which foods slow down aging and strengthen the immune system.

The digestive system is a complex multilevel mechanism closely related to the brain. Her work is regulated by the nervous system and a number of biologically active substances, including hormones, and she produces some of them herself. This allows not only to successfully digest food, but also to react quickly to its composition, releasing the necessary enzymes and bile in optimal quantities. When unusually fatty or high-protein foods enter the stomach, a peculiar signal is given that triggers the production of the necessary enzymes. The process has been adjusted by evolution and does not lead to stress: if there is a shortage of enzymes and bile when changing the diet, the body quickly corrects this by adapting to new conditions.

Only the intestinal microbiota needs time to adapt. It also adapts to the diet, but changes do not occur as quickly as with respect to the release of enzymes. Although, according to some reports, when switching from plant food to animal food, the first changes are noted after a few days.

In healthy people, heaviness and bloating may occur when changing the diet or overeating. As a rule, this is a short-term discomfort. It can be associated with the same short-term lack of enzymes or bile, but much more often such symptoms are caused by a simple violation of motor skills. For example, when excess fat and protein inhibit the digestive tract, food takes longer to digest, and this causes a feeling of heaviness and fullness. During the New Year holidays, people overeat mostly fatty foods, and they eat little vegetables and fruits. This leads to constipation and worsens the feeling of heaviness and bloating. The main reason is not a lack of enzymes, but an imbalance in the diet.

"Thus, for a person without chronic diseases, a single or short—term change in diet — whether it's a festive dinner or fasting, as well as quitting it - is not considered a critical burden. Problems can arise only with background pathology. Therefore, the main attention should be paid not to periodic "shakes", but to maintaining a balanced diet throughout the year," the doctor concluded.

On December 26, DDX Fitness personal trainer and nutritionist Alyona Averyanova said that restoring nutrition after the New Year holidays requires not a strict diet, but a systematic approach and a refusal to drastically reduce the caloric intake. Averyanova recommended returning to the usual diet gradually, maintaining regular meals and paying attention to sufficient protein intake. In addition, she urged to consume food consciously.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.