“15 to 20 farts a day is considered normal”

Angela Quintas He talks in a completely natural way about topics that are taboo for many: farts, farts and poop. While it’s difficult for us to talk about this topic in public, they clearly reflect our health. The popular nutritionist, a member of the European Institute of Diet and Micronutrients (IEDM), combines her consultations with nutritional advice under directors such as Almodovar, Amenabar or Sánchez Arevalo Directed in a very successful movie.Click below after publishing lose weight forever (2017) or Why does my stomach hurt? (2022), now aimed at young children Super fart.A story about understanding the little bug in our belly (Timumas, 2023).

—A story about the microbiome. Maybe even adults don’t quite understand what this is.

—The microbiota are living bacteria and viruses that are good for us and live in symbiosis with us. They are not only found in the digestive system, but also in the mouth, vagina, or skin. If you keep the balance, everything will be fine. But if it is suddenly lost due to certain circumstances, different symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation will start to appear. There are other problems that have nothing to do with changes in our microbiome, such as headaches, skin spots, and itching. This is what people used to prefer as gut flora, but the name had to change because we don’t actually have flowers in our guts, but bacteria.

—Do we all have the same microbiome?

—The microbiome is like ours barcode. Everyone has their own situation, which depends on many circumstances. Your microbiome is very similar to your mother’s microbiome because you first receive it in the birth canal, when you give birth vaginally. If you had a C-section, your microbiome does come more from the environment, from the skin. But if your mother breastfed you, these microbiomes were also passed on to you. When we grow up, it depends on whether we have pets, where we live, what we eat, whether we were sick as children, whether we took lots of antibiotics, etc. Even if they let me get dirty in the park and enrich it. It is more similar to the mother’s situation, but then great life circumstances happen to diversify it and everyone has their own situation.

—What symptoms can alert us to a poor microbiome?

—An altered microbiome is what’s called dysbiosis. There can be very obvious symptoms that make a person realize that something is not quite normal, such as diarrhea, very severe constipation, pain, gas, bloating… However, there is another type that is often not relevant at first: skin spots on the skin, headaches or joint pain. None of this would make you think my problem is with my gut. Most importantly, when we talk about the gut microbiome. But it is true because our intestines are permeable. That is, molecules pass through it so that I can get nutrients, get iron and vitamins. But if the microbiome changes, this process no longer occurs correctly.Or even when it becomes intestinal High permeability, which allows molecules to pass through that shouldn’t. With it, my immune system can defend against them. That’s why when all of these symptoms appear, we never initially think they are related to the microbiome.

—What could cause these changes in the microbiota?

—Most commonly, certain medications are taken continuously, such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, and anti-inflammatories. Long term, it’s not because I took ibuprofen one day.One of the biggest factors found to alter the microbiome is pressure. There’s also the consumption of overly processed foods and being overweight.

—The title of the story is “Super Fart.” Is farting normal?

——Yes, considered Usually 15 to 20 farts per day. These farts are gases produced by our bacteria during eating. Some foods provide more food for these bacteria because they contain fiber. For example, if you eat beans, you can expect to produce more gas. This is not pathological, this is normal. Because these foods contain fiber, the bacteria produce more gas. Just like when you eat a head of cabbage or a head of cabbage. We already know very well that some foods produce more gas. However, many people do not have the ability to do this and may develop colic. It is also not good to leave them indoors as this can cause more discomfort.

——What signs are not within the normal range?

—If there is a strong smell or is accompanied by pain. There we have to see what’s going on.

– Are there factors that cause us to produce more gas?

– Clear. For example, if we drink carbonated drinks, we eat quickly or chew poorly. It must be taken into account that air can be introduced from outside by chewing or eating these foods. If a person has a lot of gas in their body, we recommend avoiding drinks that already contain gas. Also, chew well and don’t eat gum.

——How should gastroenteritis be treated?

-It is important that the person does not become dehydrated. This is very important. Hydration levels are correct. Pediatrician advice is to eliminate overly processed foods such as sweets and fats. We offer small amounts of food to the child when he or she feels like it. These are the recommendations that currently exist at the pediatric level, and this is what I express in the book. Finally, the body is very smart and if it craves food it is because it is recovering. Really should cut back on my intake because if I have a bad stomach I shouldn’t overeat. My chances of recovery are even lower.

——Aquarius is not included in the recommendation?

– They gave it to all of us as children. But it is true that saline solutions are now available even in pharmacies. The problem when you have diarrhea is that you pass a lot of fluid, especially in children, and you have to be very careful so that they don’t become dehydrated. But there is physiological saline, Aquarius is not the most suitable.

—What information does feces provide about our health?

– People, when they come to the office and you ask them what their poop looks like, they don’t know. They become very uncomfortable. That’s why in consultations we have these forms, because it’s easier for patients to determine what their stool looks like. They gave us a lot of information. A few years ago, there were no tests, nor were stools examined as they provide us with information about a patient’s condition. This is why we use the Bristol scale.At the end of the book I also mentioned a situation that I often consult: after diarrhea or gastroenteritis, continue Three-day no-use-toilet rule. Nothing happens for sure. The only thing is, I don’t want to go to the bathroom again until my bowels fill up with feces again. And this sometimes makes parents very worried. Even adults. But that’s okay, you have to let your body breathe a little and calm down.

— Are bowel disorders more common in children than in adults?

——No need. Also to comment, if we always make stools at a good scale and suddenly one day they become more mushy, then absolutely nothing will happen. What we eat has a great impact, whether we eat greasy meals. The problem is, if we go to the toilet five or six times a day, our poop becomes liquid and remains liquid over time. There you have to see what’s going on.

——Is defecation posture important?

-This is important. This is a physical thing. When you have small children, you will notice that they are always squatting down to poop, even if they are wearing diapers. Because we have a muscle, the puborectalis, which is located at the end of the colon. When I sit in a normal toilet position, with my legs forming a 90-degree angle, this muscle pulls back in a curve. However, if I lift and lift those feet or squat, that muscle stops pulling and I reach vertical. Feces falls more easily through perfectly vertical pipes than through curved pipes. In fact, I’ve had kids who have normal bowel movements and you take the diaper off and put it in the potty (and they continue to stay in that position), and it’s amazing; but then, all of a sudden, they put the kid on the toilet with their little legs in the air, Children cannot. But because it’s physiological. We squatted before there was a hole in the bathroom. That’s normal.

——How to practice this posture in daily life?

– We can put our feet up.I always jokingly tell my patients that if they would give charm At this point, have them put on high heels. That said, it is important to elevate the leg so that the puborectalis muscle stops pulling.

—Finally, you’d like to offer some advice for gut health.

——The most important thing is that we should pay attention to our diet. We eat adequate amounts of fiber, we drink water, and we eliminate all those unhealthy ultra-processed products that are not good for us and are full of sugar and fat. I think those are going to be the most important guidelines.

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