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On an ordinary day, Uncle Li, a 70-year-old retired worker, was enjoying his dinner.
The old man had always been physically tough in the past and never complained of any physical discomfort. However, on this seemingly ordinary night, he suddenly felt some pain in his throat and discomfort when swallowing. Uncle Li thought that it might just be ordinary laryngitis, and didn't take it to heart, after all, the "old tree" will also have times when the leaves fall, isn't it?
However, things are not as simple as Uncle Li imagined. Within three days, he was admitted to the emergency hospital with severe breathing difficulties and eventually died tragically. This sudden change left his family grief-stricken and full of doubts. They immediately went to the hospital for answers, hoping to find out what was going on and if there were any signs they had overlooked.
After learning more about Uncle Li's symptoms, the doctor told the family that in fact, in many cases, some minor illnesses for an elderly person of Uncle Li's age may be a precursor to more serious health problems.
Specifically, there are three types of discomfort that require special attention: persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and sudden hoarseness. These three symptoms may seem ordinary, but they can actually be early signs of a serious illness, such as laryngeal cancer or other types of head and neck cancer.
At this point, the doctor shared an idea that they may not have considered before. He said that while everyone knows that eating a healthy diet is very important for maintaining good health, what is less well known is that certain foods can produce chemicals that are harmful to the throat during processing or cooking.
For example, long-term intake of overcooked foods or certain additives in processed foods may cause minor damage to the throat and increase the risk of disease.
To support this, doctors provide a large amount of data. Long-term consumption of high-temperature cooked meats, such as barbecue, fried chicken, etc., will increase the risk of throat cancer. This is because carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines are produced during high-temperature cooking, which can enter the body through the esophagus and cause damage to the cells in the larynx.
In addition, certain additives, such as preservatives and artificial sweeteners, have also been shown to be potentially harmful to the throat. These chemicals can irritate the throat, cause inflammation, and over time may cause cell mutations and increase the risk of cancer.
The doctor went on to explain that for an elderly person like Uncle Li, the cumulative effect of this damage is especially significant because the body's ability to repair itself weakens with age. Therefore, he advises family members to try to choose foods that are light, easy to swallow, and less processed when preparing food for their elderly loved ones to reduce potential damage to the throat.
Finally, one of Uncle Li's family members asked, "So, how should we judge which foods are safe and which ones may be bad for health?"
The doctor replied that the best way to do this is to follow the principle of "the more natural, the better", try to choose fresh vegetables and fruits, and avoid processed foods and high-temperature cooked meats. At the same time, he also reminded that regular health check-ups are equally important, especially for the elderly, and once they are found to have persistent throat discomfort, they should seek medical attention immediately so that the problem can be detected and treated early.
What do you think about sore throat?