SUNBATHING, TAKING THE BENEFITS

With the right precautions, whether it be to relax or to acquire a nice bronze complexion, sunbathing is a panacea for bodily health. It helps release serotonin, cortisol, and vitamin D.

Just over a week of sun exposure allows you to get a healthy, persistent and uniform tan, which can be maintained and possibly intensified with the help of products that promote melanin production.

Those doing drug therapy should be careful when sunbathing, as the combination of the two can cause phytotoxicity and other toxic or photoallergic reactions.

It is absolutely necessary to practice caution when sunbathing by avoiding prolonged exposure in the middle of summer days and working with the right protections to avoid the risk of health problems, such as sunburns and more serious pathologies like melanoma or other forms of skin cancer.

For fair-complexioned people, it is advised to use a very high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) level (50 or 50+). Experts recommend that you not go below 15, no matter your skin tone.

Furthermore, it is important to protect the eyes from damage by wearing sunglasses.

What benefits does the sun bring?

Sunbathing brings several benefits, namely vitamin D, which is produced by our body after adequate exposure to sunlight and is especially good for cholesterol.

Vitamin D produces calcitriol, which, in addition to promoting proper bone growth, affects cell growth, immune and neuromuscular functions, and the decrease of inflammation.

After sunbathing, you can feel greater mobility of the joints and muscle relaxation. Exposure to sunlight also helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, stimulates metabolism, increases muscle capacity, and promotes skin perspiration, which facilitates the expulsion of toxins.

The benefits aren’t just physical. Exposure to sunlight helps us avoid SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) or other seasonal mood disorders because it activates neurotransmitters like serotonin.

Hair benefits

It is thought that vitamin D is involved in follicle health and affects the emergence and growth of hair.

Bone benefits

Vitamin D is essential for the formation of bones and the skeletal structure since it promotes phosphorus and calcium absorption in the intestines and kidneys, promotes mineralization, and increases bone resorption, which is the replacement of old bone tissue with younger tissue. Read the article to learn more.

It is important to prevent osteomalacia, rickets in children, and osteoporosis, all of which are linked to lack of calcium and/or phosphorus.

To know how to protect skin and hair and fully enjoy the benefits of the sun, Palazzo Fiuggi and its team of experts can accompany you on your vacation through supervision of beauty products, along with providing the most suitable nutrition for different purposes such as tanning.

A healthy summer diet is essential as well as any other season throughout the year. With these tips, you can beat the heat.

SCOPRI PALAZZO FIUGGI

5 SUMMER EATING TIPS

A healthy summer diet is essential as well as any other season throughout the year. With these tips, you can beat the heat.

What helps ensure proper nutrition?

Hydration

Our body is made up of about 70% of water. We sweat in the summer, and when that happens, we lose a significant amount of fluids and minerals.

Adequate hydration promotes the general well-being of our body and the elimination of toxins. It also helps regulate body temperature and contributes to tissue elasticity.

A state of dehydration, on the other hand, can lead to negative effects such as illness and confusion, reducing the brain’s processing capacity.

The elderly and pregnant/lactating women should pay particular attention to their hydration levels.

It’s important to replenish lost elements by introducing more water into our body.

It is advisable to drink at least ten glasses of water a day in summer (two more than the rest of the year) until reaching a quantity of around two liters.

In addition to regular water consumption, to facilitate the intake of liquids, it is a good idea to choose foods rich in water, vitamins, and mineral salts such as dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables

There are countless benefits to eating fruits and vegetables. They prevent diseases, especially at the gastrointestinal level, and, since they are satiating, they are effective in slimming diet contexts.

Summer produces some of the best foods to choose from; both for their high water content and for the amount of fiber they contain. They also contain various vitamins and antioxidants, which promote the absorption of mineral salts and iron, essential for low-sodium diets.

It is best to consume seasonal vegetables and fruits, especially locally-sourced ones.

This reduces pollution caused by greenhouse production, fertilizers, pesticides and transport and preserves the product’s original freshness, guaranteeing a greater amount of nutritional properties.

During the summer, it is recommended that we eat vegetables and fruits with a high water content: watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, and cucumbers, all of which have a very high percentage of water (95%) and are low in calories, making them perfect for weight control.

Microbiota

Gut microbiota are the bacteria present in the intestines. Intestinal bacterial flora, very heterogeneous inside, are composed of bacteria that can have protective properties, but can also be harmful under certain conditions.

Avoiding the alteration of microbiota is important for proper intestinal function. Variations can bring several disadvantages, including intestinal disorders, digestive difficulties, lack of concentration, fatigue, weight gain, and food intolerance.

Maintaining balance is essential to proper nutrition based on plant foods, abundant hydration, physical activity, exposure to sunlight, and the intake of probiotics, which are live microorganisms that, when consumed in the right amount, promote general well-being.

The latter can be taken through supplements or foods rich in them, such as milk and yogurt.

Alcool

Alcohol consumption causes a lot of damage and affects various aspects of the body. It slows digestion and decreases blood supply to internal organs (especially the brain). It should be avoided when on a low-calorie diet because it is often high in calories and has no nutritional advantages.

Alcohol consumption is particularly harmful during the summer because it accelerates dehydration by requiring a greater amount of water to be metabolized and by blocking the production of antidiuretic hormones, which, in turn, increases the loss of fluid through urination.

There is also the dangerous component of addiction. The excessive and continuous consumption of alcohol causes profound damage not only to physical well-being, but also mental health, which can affect several aspects of our social lives.

Between meals

During the summer, it is important to remember to drink throughout the day, not just while eating.

It is definitely wise to avoid drinks that are high in sugars and fats, but, if you want to vary from simple water, you can opt for fruit juices, smoothies, or sorbets, all of which are a tasty way to beat the summer heat.

Fruit is an excellent ally for reducing hunger. It can be eaten whole or in pieces as a snack. It is also a convenient grab-and-go food, making it easy to consume at any time.

At Palazzo Fiuggi, you will find a multidisciplinary team of experts who will guide you in nutritional programs where food is treated like real medicine. Moreover, we have seen first-hand how fundamental it is to keep the body hydrated.

That being said, the thermal springs of Fiuggi are a great way to ensure a complete reset of one’s health.

HEALTH STARTS FROM THE GUT: MICROBIOTA.

Microbiota are strongly related to health and the immune system. They consist of a set of bacterial cells, viruses and fungi present throughout the intestines and are influenced by several factors. First and foremost, by diet and lifestyle.

Occasionally, other factors that can alter the microbiota can be antibiotic or pharmacological therapies. Even before we’re born, the health of the mother during the first months of pregnancy can have a significant effect on our microbiota.

Also, the method of childbirth and nutrition of the baby (i.e. breast-feeding or formula milk).

The balance of intestinal flora should be a priority for our well-being, since they carry out a number of activities that affect the state of our health:

• Protective functions: flora are very useful because they protect the intestinal mucosa from harmful microorganisms, supporting the immune system and providing potentially antibiotic substances.

• Immunomodulatory functions: they are fundamental to the defense measurement of the activation level of the system itself.

• Structural functions: they are essential in preserving the integrity of the intestinal mucosa and in maintaining a healthy intestinal structure.

• Metabolic functions: including the production of vitamins and regulatory substances such as short-chain fatty acids.

How to support gut microbiota

To ensure balanced gut microbiota, one must consume plenty of probiotics. These are positive bacteria contained in certain foods and supplements that thrive in the intestines.

They are even more effective when taken with prebiotics, non-digestible organic substances capable of inducing the healthy proliferation of probiotic bacteria.

To ensure balanced gut microbiota, one must consume plenty of probiotics. These are positive bacteria contained in certain foods and supplements that thrive in the intestines.

They are even more effective when taken with prebiotics, non-digestible organic substances capable of inducing the healthy proliferation of probiotic bacteria.

Prebiotics, however, must survive the digestive processes of the first segment of the digestive tract (up to the small intestine).

They act as a fermentable nutrient substrate for the gut microflora, positively manipulate microbiotic flora to the advantage of symbiotic flora (i.e. bifidobacteria, lactobacilli) and, in general, stimulate positive health effects.

The most studied and known prebiotics are oligosaccharides, in particular inulin, which is industrially obtained mainly from chicory root and fructooligosaccharides (FOS).

Fermenting thanks to gut microflora, prebiotics create lactic acid and short-chain carboxylic acids, which, due to their acidity, produce an environment favorable to symbionts and hostile to pathogenic microorganisms; the latter if present in excessive quantities, facilitate inflammation of the mucosa, with negative consequences on the entire body.

Furthermore, prebiotics help to better absorb nutrients, water, and some minerals in ionized form, especially magnesium and calcium.

Studies have also shown that they are useful in decreasing the plasma concentration of cholesterol and triglycerides.

The recommended doses range from from 2 to 10 grams per day. They are recommended to those who follow a diet low in fruits and vegetables, suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, or are recovering from antibiotic therapy.

They can be found in live lactic ferments and in some vegetables. The fibers in these foods then become nourishment for probiotics, which encourage healthy digestion.

What foods support microbiota?

To promote the balance of microbiota and strengthen immune defenses, the most useful nutrients are:

1. Fiber

2. Whole grains

3. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (such as those of extra virgin olive oil or dried fruit)

4. Antioxidants in fruit

Since they possess oligosaccharides, it is recommended that you regularly consume the following:

• Garlic, asparagus, oats, bananas, artichokes, chicory, onions, wheat, leeks, soy, and lots of fruits, vegetables, and legumes, due to their prebiotic contents.

Foods that naturally contain probiotics include, among others:

• Unpasteurized yogurt and cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, and unpasteurized vegetables in oil. You can increase the amount of probiotics you consume by taking specific supplements, primarily live beneficial yeasts contained in pills, powders or liquids, of different types for different functions.

On the contrary, a diet rich in sugar and high in fat is harmful to gut microbiota.

At Palazzo Fiuggi, food is considered and treated as a real medicine. We provide the proper portions and help you find ways to consume the nutrients that are best for your body.

With Palazzo Fiuggi’s nutrition programs, you can discover what is the best diet for you.

SCOPRI PALAZZO FIUGGI