Do you have questions about nutrition? Send them to us at comer@lavanguardia.es, our nutritionist Aitor Sánchez will answer all your questions.
What foods should I eliminate from my diet to avoid heartburn? Thank you very much (Laura Rodríguez, reader)
Hello Laura, first of all we are going to take advantage of your question to differentiate some terms that are often confused, such as burning, acidity or reflux.
Burning and acidity are often used synonymously. Burning refers to that burning sensation that can occur at different heights of the esophagus, which tends to appear after meals or when lying down. The acidity itself would be the cause of this burning, a reason that usually occurs when there is gastroesophageal reflux.
The esophagus has two sphincters, when there is a problem with these valves, the rise of gastric juices can occur, generating an “upward” transit, towards the esophagus, which generates that sensation of burning or acidity.
This sensation is due to the fact that the esophagus is not prepared to receive gastric acids; it is not protected like the stomach, which does have a mucosal lining. Hence, most dietary strategies are based on avoiding foods that can promote this reflux.
Among the dietary advice we find the typical ones for healthy eating, especially trying to prioritize those culinary techniques that are not very heavy or very greasy so that digestion is faster and lighter and the food spends less time in the stomach, thus reducing the possibility of reflux.
In this same sense, it is also important that we control the volumes of food, it is not a good idea to have large meals or binge meals, and this condition is one that normally benefits from several meals throughout the day with small meals.
Some stimulating drinks such as coffee and tea can facilitate this return to the esophagus, as well as alcoholic beverages, which should be limited as much as possible.
Dairy products, especially fatty ones, are not usually tolerated very well because, on the one hand, lactose delays gastric emptying and because whole foods are harder to digest.
It is also very important to be in a healthy nutritional state, especially avoiding excess visceral fat and severe obesity, as they can facilitate the appearance of hiatal hernia and reflux.
Good afternoon, due to the hustle and bustle of everyday life, I always end up skipping breakfast. Does something happen if I never have breakfast? Thanks for your help. (Pedro García, reader)
Hello Pedro, there is no problem if you decide not to have breakfast since it is a completely optional meal, despite the fact that for many years great emphasis has been placed on it being the most important meal of the day. We must clarify that this is not entirely the case, and it is much more rigorous and precise to refer to breakfast as a very good opportunity to start the day with a healthy intake if we choose, but not mandatory.
When we analyze it carefully, we realize that the majority of breakfasts in our context are usually full of unhealthy food and superfluous foods: cookies, pastries, sugary cocoas... For this same reason it does not make much sense to promote breakfast if it is not accompanies the message of good alternatives and healthy ideas.
I would recommend that you do whatever you feel like most at that time, but it is important to note that if the reason that makes you skip breakfast every morning is hustle, stress and lack of time, you might consider changing your routine. Not so much the breakfast itself, but the preparation you have in the morning before leaving the house.
Being subjected to continuous stress and the feeling of rushing, to the point that it means you almost always skip a meal, can be even more harmful than unhealthy food. Consider whether what you would like to do is be able to eat a more relaxed breakfast. You don't even need to make a big change in your routine and suddenly consider preparing something very elaborate as if it were a brunch. You can start with something simple like yogurt with nuts or even a quick toast, if those are preparations that you like.
If you feel better with this routine and you think it gives you a different way to start the day, you can consider getting up those 10 minutes beforehand and taking your mornings at a different pace. There it would make sense to have breakfast for your specific context.
