“90% Of The Hormone Of Happiness Is Produced In The Intestine”

Working as a family doctor, Irina Matveikova, an endocrinologist and nutritionist trained in Minsk, Belarus, tested digestive cleansing as a treatment for various ailments among her patients . His surprise was to see that, after undergoing this type of cure, which combines conventional medicine with natural detoxification treatments, patients began to have less digestive discomfort, to be more animated, to lose weight and even to solve ailments that seemed not have a gastric origin.

Irina Matveikova: taking care of digestion to improve health

This fact led her to write her first book: Digestive Intelligence. A holistic view of your second brain (The Sphere of Books), in which it shows the role of the digestive system as the axis of the immune system and a nutritional, metabolic and emotional center.

Irina, who lives in Madrid, is passionate about her patients being aware and responsible for their health, knowing how to use medicinal plants and combine them with conventional medicine. That is why he also published Salud Pura with the same editorial. In this book he collects the keys to holistic medicine, applied both to achieve harmony in the digestive system and to purify the body. Irina is one of those doctors whose serene appearance and attitude of commitment seem to be part of her therapeutic power. More recently, focusing on the importance of the microbiota, he published Bacteria: The Digestive Revolution .

We talk with her about how to improve our digestive and general health through food and small purifications, which she invites us to do without obsessing, as a fun way to take care of ourselves.

The benefits of debugging

– What would be the keys to eating healthy in a world where pollution can also affect food?
– There is a lot of information lately about air pollution, food, additives, toxins … I think it is not advisable to obsess or become phobic with these data. We have to make it a point to eat well, to carry out good habits and, above all, to help the body process the food it eats well.

That is why I propose to do some breaks, some cleansing diets, such as a vegetarian period, a period of semi-liquid fasting, some supplements … But in a fun way, in a “meanwhile” plan; that is to say: while I live, I do something good for myself, something that makes me feel good. With this, many diseases can be prevented.

– Why do you recommend doing a three-day cleansing program once a month?
–In traditional medicines (Ayurveda, Chinese, naturopathic) the cleansing of the patient is a more or less long process, and it cleanses system by system : respiratory, lymphatic, urinary, cutaneous, digestive … It is ideal, but it is not easy interrupting obligations for several weeks, and it is not easy to control this type of practice. That is why I propose to start with small steps and move forward.

For example, you can dedicate one weekend a month – from Friday to Sunday – to eat only vegetables and fruit in order to rest from the digestion of proteins from heavier foods. The fruit and vegetables can be taken in the form of puree or smoothies. Eating foods rich in fiber and vitamins drains the digestive system. This three-day control makes the person feel good (lighter, more agile, with more energy and vitality) and is compatible with having to cook for the rest of the family.

Why do a bowel cleanse

– In his works he recommends colon hydrotherapy. Why is it so beneficial?
–The intestine is a land of many square meters where the outside world makes close contact with our interior. Its surface is very wide because nutrients are absorbed in it, defensive cells are produced, millions of bacteria live and it performs multiple functions.

As the intestine is a nutritional and immune powerhouse it can easily become a site of toxic overload. It is no wonder that, even going to the bathroom on a regular basis, many people feel bloated or full.

Cleaning that system from time to time can be very beneficial. Only with that you can avoid degenerative processes, slow down aging or even prevent colon cancer. The colon hydrotherapy allows, in a professional environment, the person relax and debugged in an hour. Of course, there are those to whom this seems inaccessible or objectionable. But there are natural supplements and procedures to cleanse at home.

– Are you referring to the classic options for cleansing the intestine, such as enema?
– It is advisable to be careful. When it comes to enemas, people don’t always know how to do it; enemas are applied at home, sometimes with pain, something that is not recommended.

I prefer to prescribe different fibers and medicinal plants, which allow cleaning the intestine from top to bottom: a celery shake plus ispagula ( Plantago ovata ), for example. Also, magnesium sulfate, also known as epson or epsolin salts, is an effective purifying tool.

–How are Epson salts administered?
–It takes a dessert teaspoon of magnesium sulfate diluted in water. On a purifying weekend, like the one we were talking about at the beginning, the morning of Saturday and Sunday are taken on an empty stomach. This causes him to go to the bathroom several times. If it is taken with a little olive oil, the effect is intensified, as it drains the liver and gallbladder.

How to do a healthy fast

– What do you think of the fast?
-I am not in favor of an absolute fast only based on pure water, because we have three liters of gastric juice, one liter of pancreatic juices, one liter of bile … a lot of liquid and millions of bacteria in the intestine, and all of that remains active in one or other way.

Sometimes we intuitively stop eating, because we are under great stress or sick, which seems appropriate to me. But after a few days of fasting, the disturbances in the excretory and digestive functions begin.

Bacteria begin to compete for food scraps; Since you don’t deliver any food, just water, that encourages spoilage and bacterial overgrowth and creates an imbalance in the gut. Whoever does an absolute fast would have, in the first place, to learn how to take enemas, take minerals …

On the other hand, if broths, smoothies, juices or infusions are taken in small quantities, fiber, vitamins and minerals are incorporated, all of them necessary nutrients but in an easy to absorb form, with which the digestive system assimilates them without any additional effort.

Caring for the microbiota with probiotics and prebiotics

– Are probiotics or prebiotics more effective?
-They are two totally different groups. The probiotics are bacteria. If they are taken, they must be select strains resistant to gastric juices. By taking a concentrated probiotic some of these bacteria survive in the intestine and most likely create a transit microflora, but while passing through the digestive tract they also exert a beneficial effect on the pH and mucosa.

If digestive cleansing is complemented with taking probiotics, the resident microflora can be influenced and the response of the immune system can be modified or the development of many diseases can be avoided.

The prebiotics nourish probiotics. They are formed by certain carbohydrates that we barely digest and are an optimal food for the bacteria in the intestine. Bacteria digest these plant fibers and thereby produce beneficial molecules for the epithelium that increase the quality of the microflora and the strength of the good strains, protecting against diseases such as cancer.

In practice , prebiotics are just as effective as probiotics.

– Is there a more effective way to take probiotics?
–In the first place, the quantity of the strains must be assessed. A probiotic that can provide a beneficial effect must contain at least 10 billion bacteria per intake. It must be gastro-resistant, encapsulated or in a tablet, and with a sufficiently advanced technology so that it survives and can pass through the digestive tract in good condition. I was recently told about laboratories that produce probiotics that are being so well accepted in conventional medicine, especially in gastroenterology. They are already included in medicines, not only in supplements, they are also sold in the pharmacy and prescribed by the doctor. They are beginning to occupy a proper place in ordinary medicine.

Plants for the liver and to eliminate fluids

– What plants and supplements do you usually recommend?
–As purification begins in the digestive system and all metabolic processes and normal detoxification of the body involve the liver, I am almost always in favor of prescribing liver plants and draining plants, such as artichoke, milk thistle, black radish, celery extract, fumaria , dandelion (which is a magnificent plant), fennel …

– And how should they be taken?
Depends on the person. If someone travels, capsules are suitable. But it seems ideal to take liver plants in liquid extract, outside of meals and with a touch of sweetness ; for example with brown sugar. This increases the rate of absorption and ensures that they go directly to the liver. To take effect they must be taken for several weeks.

“Do you combine them?”
Yes, I really like combining plants. Now I use a lot for example turmeric combined with artichoke, since we have clinical studies that demonstrate the benefits of curcumin against migraine, apart from that it increases the immune response and defense against cancer.

The gut and mental health

– Could you explain what the so-called “intestinal brain” consists of?
–This concept comes from a new branch of science, neurogastroenterology. It arose twelve years ago, when it was confirmed that between two sheets of a muscle in the intestine there is an extensive network of neurons identical to the neurons of the upper brain in their shape and structure.

Neurons in the gut produce the same neurochemical molecules, which are crucial for cognitive function, memory, mood, and well-being.

Interestingly, 90% of the body’s serotonin, a hormone that has to do with our happiness, is produced and stored in the intestine. The serotonin in the digestive system is involved in our emotions, our intuitions and perceptions (feel “with the gut” is common); it also participates in muscle movements and digestive processes.

That is why eating well gives us pleasure. Now science is looking for ways to use this ability of our guts to have reserves of something so good.

– Would that be related to what in Japan is called hara or in Chinese medicine so Tien ? According to these concepts, there would be a seat of consciousness or energy below the navel closely linked to psychophysical balance …
-I don’t understand how many aspects of these energy medicines work, although I personally respect them because of their long tradition, but I do believe that in our belly and in our liver resides an energetic and well-being potential. And I observe that my patients, after doing a digestive cleansing or achieving a better digestive balance, do not usually tell me that they eat more or make digestion better, but they resort to expressions such as: what energy do I have; I am more positive; I am happier; I sleep better … That is, they refer to the energy they feel or their state of mind.

High protein diets

– What is your opinion of the Mediterranean diet?
–The Mediterranean diet is magnificent, but we have modified it a lot; in fact, we hardly eat Mediterranean-style anymore. Yes, we take oil, but with two large slices of bread and sausage, we abuse pasta … Originally, it is a moderate protein diet , largely derived from legumes, nuts and fresh cheeses.

But now that has been largely replaced by meat, fish, seafood, poultry … which are eaten at noon and at dinner. Red meat is harmful if it has a lot of fat, if it is fried and eaten in excess or if it is not eliminated well, because the process of putrefaction of the meat in the intestine is toxic.

– Would you advise a diet based on proteins and without starches?
– Yes, I do prescribe and apply the protein diet. Many people, more than we imagine, have intolerance to gluten or certain cereals. In general, we are overcharged with white flour : cookies, pastries, toast, bread … When you eat a protein diet, the person withdraws cereals from their life for a while and they feel less bloated, with less fluid retention. Then, by reintroducing cereals, it is much clearer what tolerates or what does not tolerate and assesses whether or not you can live on less bread.

The protein diet is an educational diet, but it is essential that it is under medical supervision, it has to have a specific dose of proteins, which does not happen in the Dukan.

I always combine protein with vegetables (only vegetables, no potatoes). As there are certain nutritional deficiencies in this regimen, it is essential to supplement with potassium, magnesium, calcium, control intestinal transit, because protein diets are very constipating.

They are specific diets that especially help to regain the desire to lose weight; Maybe you can lose 8 kg in two or three weeks, and that is a great motivation. But then it is absolutely necessary, as I said, a re-education, reintroducing all foods and learning to eat.

Why does gluten intolerance increase

– Why is there so much alert today about wheat?
-It is a very hot topic in medicine. Modern wheat is a cereal that has undergone at least 200 genetic modifications, without any control by health systems over how this affects our body.

Under the banner of saving the world from hunger, real wheat went through laboratories with one purpose: to create a form of cereal that does not make you sick and yields as high a harvest as possible.

But by modifying wheat we have modified the gluten molecule, which now has more chromosomes than traditional wheat.

Dwarf wheat is a mutant, a very short plant, with a fat stem and a large spike, which is very resistant. But our body does not recognize this form of gluten, it is not used to this greater weight of the gluten molecule and it is difficult for us to tolerate it.

Sometimes this gluten intolerance manifests itself in adulthood. We used to think that celiac disease was diagnosed when children were young; now celiac disease or something similar occurs in many adults, even the elderly.

Less handled cereals, such as spelled, rye or kamut, have molecules that our body recognizes better. I propose to take a temporary break from wheat and take the opportunity to learn about other seeds: buckwheat, spelled, rye … and to be able to be of local or organic production.

The dairy problem

–How do dairy products influence health?
–It is a fact that with age all adults find it difficult to digest lactose. Also, many people are intolerant to casein, a milk protein. A more or less healthy person with mild disorders can withdraw milk or take lactose-free products for a period and see the difference.

If it is an autoimmune or degenerative disorder, you can remove all dairy products for a while and see what happens. I prefer to recommend kefir, but it is a personal choice.

– Do you sympathize with vegetarian-type diets?
– The decision to go vegetarian is a matter of the future and I would like us to come to this. Now, there are many young people who become vegetarians but do not know how to compensate for the foods they have given up and end up with nutritional deficiencies.

Being a strict vegetarian (vegan) requires looking for your cereals, your legumes, having a variety of lentils, seeds, seitan, tofu, millet, quinoa … Eating well requires effort and regularity.

Gastric ulcer and irritable bowel

– Before a patient with a gastric ulcer, what do you propose?
–If you have a gastric ulcer caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria , you would undoubtedly prescribe antibiotics. And then, purify the body, heal the stomach and design a diet to eliminate gastritis and repair the mucosa of the duodenum or stomach. I am not in favor of the extremes that only bet on natural medicine. With the antibiotic treatment of Helicobacter we saved many lives, because before, people bled to death from ulcers.

– And in case of irritable colon?
–It is a diagnosis by exclusion: if the tests do not detect abnormalities, it is said to be irritable bowel. Controlling, anxious, perfectionist people usually suffer from it … they are usually effective young people who somatize with the gut.

But irritable bowel means rather “irritated bowel.” This reaction of spitting, pain, cramping-colic-diarrhea, means that within the lumen of the intestine there is irritation, acidity, an imbalance of bacteria, a conflict with food …

But this is not a stamp for life: it can be treated. I would start by changing the diet, giving mucilage, probiotics, massages, learning to relax so as not to somatize so much and to reduce irritation within the intestine.

“Do you have any advice on how to drink water?”
–Cold water should be avoided because it slows digestion. It can be drunk during meals in moderation. Drinking a liter of water at the table dilutes the gastric juices, but if it is a glass, nothing happens. You don’t have to go to extremes.

–What do you think of the Tibetan or Ayurvedic guideline of drinking hot water on an empty stomach?
–I really like this practice when the patient adds a few drops of artichoke, a few drops of lemon, or pennyroyal. It serves to clear the mucous membranes, it is a good measure.

– Does holistic medicine provide things that are not within the reach of conventional medicine?
–Holistic medicine allows us to dedicate an entire hour to the patient, find the root of the problem, personalize… It encourages the experience that we are all one or interconnected. Conventional medicine enables the patient to know what his disease means, what exactly the therapy consists of, what the prognosis is.

In my query I try to combine them. In Spain, people are very afraid to go to the doctor, to ask, the patient here is usually very obedient. But the patient who takes 20 pills without knowing what they are for, when he begins to learn he becomes like a child, follows you with great curiosity, wants to improve, listens to you.