Nutrition and Digestive Health: a personalised approach to gastrointestinal diseases and symptoms

Digestive health has a significant impact on well-being and quality of life. Symptoms such as abdominal bloating, reflux, constipation, diarrhoea or discomfort after meals can interfere with your daily routine and, in some cases, be associated with specific conditions of the digestive system.

Diet can play an important role in the management of these symptoms. However, there is no single dietary strategy that suits everyone. Nutritional support should be based on an individual assessment, taking into account each person's clinical condition, symptoms, dietary habits, lifestyle and needs.

In Integrativa, this is the basis of Nutrition consultation dedicated to digestive health.

In which situations can nutritional counselling be useful?

The Nutrition consultation can integrate the approach to various gastrointestinal symptoms and conditions, including:

• irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); 
• SIBO; 
• gastro-oesophageal reflux; 
• gastritis; 
• constipation; 
• diarrhoea; 
• bloating and abdominal distension; 
• intolerances and digestive difficulties; 
• malabsorption syndromes; 
• inflammatory bowel diseases; 
• diverticulosis; 
• hepatic, pancreatic or biliary tract disorders. 

Each of these situations presents different characteristics. Even among people with the same diagnosis, symptoms, food tolerances and nutritional needs can vary considerably.

For this reason, nutritional intervention must always be tailored to each case.

Much more than removing food

When digestive symptoms are present, the idea that it will be necessary to eliminate various foods from the diet often arises. But an appropriate nutritional approach should not automatically start with restriction.

Before any changes, it is important to realise what is happening, what the symptoms are, when they appear and how they relate to the person's diet and routine.

In some cases, it may be necessary to temporarily adjust certain foods or food groups. In others, the focus may be on the quantity, frequency, preparation of the food, distribution of meals or the overall balance of the diet.

Whenever a restriction is deemed necessary, there must be a clear reason for its use and an appropriate strategy to avoid unnecessary nutritional limitations.

The aim is not to make eating progressively more restrictive, but to find a way of eating that is simultaneously nutritionally adequate, well tolerated and sustainable in daily life.

A consultation tailored to each person's reality

During the initial consultation, a detailed assessment of the individual context is carried out. In addition to dietary habits, digestive symptoms, health history, existing diagnosis, medication or supplementation, routine, preferences and goals are all taken into account.

Previous examinations and tests may also be important for a better understanding of the clinical context.

An individualised nutritional strategy is defined from this assessment.

This means that two people with similar symptoms do not necessarily receive the same recommendations. Diet must be adjusted not only to the clinical condition, but also to what each person can realistically apply in their life.

Digestive health and irritable bowel syndrome

A irritable bowel syndrome, for example, can present in very different ways. Some people predominantly have constipation, others diarrhoea, and others alternate between the two. Bloating, gas and abdominal pain are also frequent.

In these cases, a detailed dietary assessment makes it possible to identify potential patterns and establish a strategy appropriate to the symptoms.

Depending on the situation, aspects such as fibre intake, hydration, meal distribution, tolerance to certain foods, or other specific nutritional interventions can be addressed.

More restrictive dietary protocols, when indicated, should be used judiciously and with supervision, avoiding prolonged eliminations without necessity.

And in the case of SIBO?

O SIBO — Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth, or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, is another situation where questions related to diet frequently arise.

Bloating, gas, changes in bowel habits and abdominal discomfort may be present, but these symptoms can also occur in other digestive conditions.

Therefore, it is not advisable to start highly restrictive diets based on symptoms alone. Medical evaluation and diagnosis, when necessary, should accompany the nutritional intervention.

The role of nutrition is to adapt the diet to the individual situation, seeking to improve digestive tolerance while simultaneously ensuring an adequate nutritional intake.

Reflux and gastritis: the diet must also be personalised

In gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastritis, it is common to find long lists of foods considered “forbidden”. In practice, not everyone reacts to the same foods in the same way.

Beyond food choices, factors such as meal sizes, timing, consuming certain foods together, and habits related to meals can influence symptoms.

Once again, the strategy must start from individual experience and symptomatology rather than imposing generalised restrictions.

Specialist digestive health care at Integrativa

At Integrativa, consultations Nutrition are carried out by Nutritionist Joana André, whose training includes MSc in Nutrition and Digestive Diseases, by the ICNS – Institute of Nutrition and Health Science.

The monitoring is based on an individualised approach to nutrition, seeking to understand not only the symptoms, but also the person, their habits and their reality.

The goal is to build balanced and sustainable dietary strategies, suited to the clinical condition and nutritional needs of each person.

When there is a diagnosed gastrointestinal disease or symptoms that require investigation, nutritional support must complement rather than replace medical evaluation and guidance.

A diet appropriate for your condition

Living with digestive symptoms doesn't necessarily mean living on a diet full of restrictions.

A careful nutritional assessment can help to understand which changes really make sense and to build a more comfortable, balanced diet suited to each person's needs.

At Integrativa, you can book an in-person or online Nutrition consultation and undergo an individualised assessment of your digestive health.