Gastritis, Colitis, Stress, and Poor Diet: A Dreaded Combo Can Take Its Damage

Surely you’ve been there too, now more often you hear someone who would rather not eat because they wake up with gastritis, or they talk about how badly they’ve eaten the last few days due to reflux, or they ate What causes colitis.

But it’s also common to hear people say they can’t eat lunch because they’re working too much, or don’t have time to eat breakfast before heading out. On the other hand, there are also those who choose “fast food” to carry on with their daily routine, or want to eat all they can find because of the anxiety that everyday life brings.

There is no doubt that the daily hustle and bustle has become one of the most powerful enemies of people’s gastrointestinal health, and people inevitably have to adapt to new lifestyles due to eating habits that have passed the bill. As a result, diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic gastritis, and reflux are becoming more and more common in the population.

“Now, because of the pace of our lives, these GI issues are becoming much more common. People experience sheer stress, running, running, a lot of times they don’t eat well, obviously the effects of stress, if they take any medications… Everything affects.Most people these days, when they talk about their pace of life, what they say to you is, “I’m under a lot of stress, and I don’t have time to eat,” which is not true.

“It’s important that people try to eat their meals on time and eat as healthy as possible, because all of this affects not only GI health, but the overall reality of the patient.” Alajuela, Costa Rica Gastroenterology President of the Association of Specialists in Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

The problem, according to experts, is that diets have “changed a lot” in recent years compared to decades ago.

For example, he details the situation in Costa Rica, where meals have been increasingly influenced by American diets over time; that is, people are consuming more and more fast food, accompanied by soft drinks.

“In fact, high-calorie fatty foods may cause patients to have more gastrointestinal problems. This affects the whole metabolic part and whether the patient is overweight or obese. Besides that, there are other effects, such as the liver aspect, because People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop a fatty liver, which can lead to cirrhosis in the long run.

“Therefore, this has important implications for diet, because if we consume processed and fast food, it can affect not only gastrointestinal health, but also metabolic and even cardiovascular health,” the expert explained.

pay more attention

Dr. Alvarado confirms that in Costa Rica, the most common diseases are chronic gastritis, reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome, in which patients suffer from abdominal pain as well as other aspects of the disease, such as constipation, diarrhea or both . In addition, many patients suffer from gastrointestinal ulcers, which are caused by poor diet, use of anti-inflammatory drugs and smoking.

So, here comes the question: How do you avoid these situations in a busy world?

As corny as it may seem, the key is eating healthy.

“The ideal is a balanced diet where people eat foods that increase the gut flora in an appropriate way. You can also eat dairy products that contain probiotics, and include vegetables and fruits in your diet, as well as high-fiber foods or fiber supplements, high-fat meats food, and of course avoiding processed foods,” he elaborates.

However, experts stress that if people feel that the food is not suitable for them, or start noticing symptoms of gastrointestinal diseases, it is best to consult a gastroenterologist, who is an expert in the field, so that he can give him professional advice so that the Man can eat what is really good for his health.

“This is very important because, for example, the Costa Rican diet is rice, beans, protein, ripe plantains, and very little salad or snail salad… that is, pure carbohydrates. What happens is that sometimes people’s The diet does not contain many of the foods they need, and it is important to take care of yourself to avoid long-term chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, fatty liver, metabolic diseases,” he commented.

Likewise, adds Dr. Alvarado: “Everything in our body is interconnected, so it’s important to look at health in a holistic way.”

Of course, she stresses that it is important to seek out an expert and not be led by information on social networks, where much of the information circulating is not always true: magic smoothies, bowel cleanses and high doses, for example. food. Some foods that aren’t always recommended by experts for quick weight loss.

“Bowel cleansing, that’s not done yet. There’s a trend on social networks and even in some ads that it’s supposed to cleanse the bowels, but in reality it’s not good for gut health because, for example, what this enema or bowel cleanse does is cleanse thoroughly Gut. Gut flora.

“We have to remember that we have a lot of microbes to allow us to have adequate GI health and avoid dysbiosis due to insufficient diet when patients have practices like bowel enemas,” Al Varado explained.

For this reason, experts recommend eating high-fiber foods along with vegetables, fruit and yoghurt, along with low-fat meals.

“You have to control portions, which is what nutritionists teach you, because if I eat the right portions many times, I don’t even need to eat bland products. That is, if I know how to control fat well, then In my favor, because fat is the cause of problems in many patients,” he details.

new trend

However, not everything is so negative, Costa Ricans seem to be more aware and want to avoid getting gastritis, colitis, reflux and all that comes with it.

This is reflected in Taste of Tomorrow, an international study on global behaviour, attitudes, choices and future consumption trends. According to their 2023 findings, people are more concerned about eating foods that promote gastrointestinal health.

The study was conducted in 50 countries around the world, 7 of which are in Latin America.

The results of this study show that 85% of Latin American consumers want to eat foods that improve their gut health, and 83% of Latin American consumers recognize the positive impact of improving gut health on mental health.

“Latinos care about health, but not just from a physical and well-being point of view, but also from the immune system and the whole mental part, because of everything we go through constantly. That is, we look for how to make me feel Answers that are better and how to help me adjust my thinking.

“The most striking thing is that if we compare this year’s data with previous data, we see a very accelerated growth, and the most valuable thing is that people look at it from the perspective of immunological benefits,” said Baker, who was in charge of conducting the study. Evelyn González, Vice President of Marketing for Central America, South America and the Caribbean, explains.

Costa Rica was the only country in Central America to participate in the survey for the second year in a row. In this context, research shows that 78% of Costa Ricans surveyed agree that they make careful food choices.

“People are saying ‘I am what I eat’ and there has been a trend where diets are less about appearance and more about your gut and your immune system. Costa Rica and Latin America become part of the world,” added Gonzalez, who was directly involved in the development of the survey.

Another interesting fact is that 85% of Ticos are aware of the importance of fiber for digestion.

The survey was conducted between February and May 2023 among approximately 800 Costa Ricans, aged 25 to 50, from the middle and upper middle class in the metropolitan area.

a promise

Gonzalez said Taste of Tomorrow’s results should help the company develop products that benefit the masses.

“It’s forcing us to redefine where we’re going; that said, I think companies should try to provide products and places to promote tasty but healthy meals because I know we don’t want the taste to be compromised, so we have to bet on meeting the demand” Affirmatively: “We are committed to meeting the needs of our customers while also focusing on the quality of our products”.

For experts, despite research showing good health outcomes, companies should also focus more on developing products with more health-friendly ingredients, because from there they can help educate consumers.

“I think it’s everyone’s responsibility whether it’s a company, an organization or a government, because I think it’s a matter of education. Sometimes we forget to educate consumers and once the habit is formed, it’s bound to repeat itself. So if one understands the government With a lot of information on the same topic from companies, organizations, and organizations, he can develop the habit faster,” Gonzalez said.

In fact, marketers stress that the condition is more common in children, who consume plant-derived products without issue. So, “if the younger generation is already doing it, why can’t the older generation?”

The truth is, today’s stressful daily routines, easy-to-find processed foods, and multiple careers are taking their toll, and health ultimately suffers.

In the end, this decision is personal, and it seems the Ticos are aware of it.