When busyness becomes the norm, irregular eating and frequent socializing become an acceptable part of life, our stomach begins to silently bear the heavy pressure. Every year on April 9, the International Stomach Day reminds us to pay attention to the health of our stomach and protect our "stomach".
Stomach Health: Why Is It Important?
The stomach is an important part of our digestive system, it is not only responsible for storing food, but also for primary digestion. A healthy stomach ensures efficient digestion of food, absorption of nutrients, and is the cornerstone of avoiding discomfort and illness. Once the stomach is dysfunctional, it can lead to diseases such as hyperacidity, gastritis, indigestion, and even stomach ulcers. According to the statistics of the World Health Organization, the incidence of gastric diseases is as high as 80% of the population, and it shows a trend of younger people. Therefore, the establishment of the International Stomach Care Day aims to raise the public's awareness of stomach health and promote a healthy lifestyle.
What behaviors hurt the stomach?
1. High-fat food: Excessive intake of high-fat foods, especially fried foods and greasy foods, can easily lead to increased gastric acid secretion and increase the burden on the stomach.
2. Massive caffeine intake: Coffee, tea, cola and other caffeine-containing beverages are irritating, which can irritate the gastric mucosa and increase gastric acid secretion, which may lead to gastritis or gastric ulcers.
3. Irregular diet: Irregular eating, overeating or long-term fasting will interfere with the normal function of the stomach and easily cause problems such as gastroesophageal reflux and indigestion.
4. Prolonged fasting: Prolonged fasting can irritate the gastric mucosa, increase gastric acid secretion, and cause stomach pain or ulcers.
5. Excessive alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol consumption can cause direct damage to the gastric mucosa, leading to gastritis, gastric bleeding and other problems.
6. Smoking: Smoking can interfere with the normal function of the stomach, aggravate gastric acid secretion, and increase the risk of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer.
7. Junk food: Junk food with high salt, oil and sugar is highly irritating to the gastric mucosa and can easily cause gastrointestinal problems.
8. Long-term excessive stress: Long-term exposure to a high-stress environment can stimulate gastric acid secretion and affect gastrointestinal health.
The above are just some of the behaviors and habits that can have a negative impact on stomach health and do not apply to everyone. If you have symptoms of stomach upset or suspected stomach problems, please consult a doctor promptly for diagnosis and treatment.
What are the symptoms that may be something wrong with your stomach?
Digestive symptoms
- Stomach pain or discomfort: Stomach pain after a meal or on an empty stomach.
- Belching, hiccups: recurrent or persistent.
- Indigestion: postprandial fullness, early satiety, decreased appetite.
- Hyperacidity: heartburn, heartburn.
Changes in excretion
- Constipation or diarrhoea: a change in bowel habits.
- Melena: may be a manifestation of upper GI bleeding, such as a gastric ulcer.
Other symptoms
- Nausea and vomiting: Particularly coffee-colored vomit, which may be a sign of stomach bleeding.
- Weight loss: Weight loss for no apparent reason may be associated with digestive disorders.
- Anemia symptoms: such as paleness, fatigue, etc., may be caused by chronic stomach bleeding.
- Difficulty or pain in swallowing: may be associated with esophageal problems or may be caused by stomach disorders.
If one or more of these symptoms are present, and symptoms persist or worsen, it is advisable to see your doctor as soon as possible for a check-up. Certain symptoms can be a sign of a serious illness, such as stomach ulcers, gastritis, or stomach cancer. Early detection and treatment are key to protecting stomach health.
Stomach health: What can we do in our daily lives?
Eating habits
- Eat regularly and quantitatively: Eat on time and avoid overeating.
- Eat a balanced diet: Make sure you're getting enough protein, vitamins and minerals.
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals: Appropriately reduce the amount of each meal and increase the number of meals.
- Mild foods: Avoid foods that are too cold or too hot, which may irritate the stomach lining.
- Less oil and less salt: Control the intake of oil and salt to reduce the burden on the stomach.
- Chew slowly: Chewing slowly helps with food digestion and nutrient absorption.
lifestyle
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol: Both tobacco and alcohol are irritants of the stomach mucosa.
- Reasonable work and rest: Maintain enough rest to avoid excessive fatigue.
- Moderate exercise: Improves gastrointestinal motility and helps digestion.
- Stress reduction and relaxation: Mood swings can also affect stomach health, learn stress reduction methods such as deep breathing, yoga, etc.
Pay attention to medication
- Use painkillers with caution: Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may damage the gastric mucosa.
- Standardize medication: Use the drug under the guidance of a physician if necessary, and pay attention to the side effects of the drug.
Regular check-ups
Physical screening: Get regular stomach health checks, especially if you have a family history of stomach problems.
Cautionary symptoms
If you have symptoms such as persistent malaise, indigestion, stomach pain, and black stool, you should seek medical attention promptly.
Stomach Care Tips:
- Stomach warming tea: Mild teas such as ginger tea and chrysanthemum tea can warm the stomach and relieve discomfort.
- Soothing music: Listening to soothing music after a meal can help you relax.
- Reasonable combination of medicines: If you need to take medicines, it is best to choose drugs that are less irritating to the stomach under the guidance of a doctor.
Through these small changes in daily life, you can effectively protect your stomach health. If you have special diseases, such as chronic gastritis, gastric ulcer, etc., please follow your doctor's instructions for treatment and dietary conditioning.