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"Let me tell you, I love spicy food the most in my life, I can't live without it!"
Zhang Damin stretched out his hand to a plate of spicy chicken that had just been served as he spoke, and several old friends gathered in front of him laughed. Zhang Damin is 48 years old this year, and such dinners have long been commonplace for him, but today's occasion is a little different.
Not long ago, Zhang Damin was diagnosed with esophageal cancer because he felt some difficulty swallowing and retrosternal discomfort. Faced with Dr. Chen Fenfang's suggestion, he looked incredulous: "I love spicy food the most in my life, how can I get sick because of spicy food?"
Dr. Chen explained, "Mr. Zhang, many people think that only irritants such as tobacco and alcohol can cause esophageal cancer, but excessive chili peppers, overheated food and alcohol are all high-risk factors for esophageal cancer. ”
"The capsaicin in cayenne pepper irritates the esophageal mucosa for a long time, especially if the food is too hot, which greatly increases the risk of esophageal cancer. ”
"So, what should I do in the future? Can't I eat spicy food for the rest of my life?" Zhang Damin asked. Dr. Chen Fenfang replied: "It's not completely unavoidable, but it needs to be drastically reduced. ”
"And there are three kinds of food, even if you're hungry, you should try to eat as little as possible. This includes excessive amounts of meat, cured foods, and foods high in salt. These are all factors that contribute to the development of esophageal cancer. ”
Dr. Chen's words made Zhang Damin realize that long-term eating habits may really need to be changed. He began to think carefully about his eating habits, high-salt and high-oil dishes every day, often working overtime until late at night to eat, plus almost every meal must be spicy, these seemingly ordinary little things, actually hurt his body invisibly.
On the night of the dinner, Zhang Damin's friends were a little surprised when they saw him push away the spicy chicken. "What, Damin, why did you change your vegetarian diet today?" quipped a friend.
"Ha, I'm a 'reborn' person now, I need to be careful. Zhang Damin responded with a smile, although he still couldn't hide his loss. Over the next few months, Mr. Zhang began to adjust his eating habits. He tried to eat more vegetables and fruits, cut back on chili peppers and high-salt foods, and try to avoid overheated foods.
As time passed, Zhang Damin's health gradually improved. In the latest medical report, Dr. Chen told him that the condition of the esophagus has improved, and although regular check-ups are still needed in the future, at least the worst has been controlled.
After Zhang Damin began to think seriously about his health, he read a lot of articles about esophageal cancer online. He was surprised to find that among esophageal cancer patients, not only chili peppers, tobacco and alcohol increase the risk of esophageal cancer, but also some seemingly healthy foods are also quietly affecting people's esophageal health.
What is most novel to Zhang Damin is that extreme vitamin C deficiency can increase the risk of esophageal cancer. This idea is almost unknown to the general population, as most people believe that vitamin C is only used to prevent colds and improve immunity.
However, the antioxidant properties of vitamin C can help reduce damage to the cells of the esophageal mucosa, which in turn reduces the risk of cancer. Dr. Chen Fenfang also explained this to Zhang Damin during the follow-up examination: "Damin, you may not know that vitamin C not only prevents colds, it is also a powerful antioxidant. ”
"A simple change, such as increasing the intake of vitamin C-rich foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, can help reduce your esophageal cancer risk to some extent. ”
After hearing this, Zhang began to include more fruits and vegetables in his daily diet, such as oranges, strawberries and broccoli. He has also come to realize that these changes cannot be accomplished overnight, but require continuous efforts and adjustments.
After a physical examination, Zhang Damin had a question: "Doctor Chen Fenfang, I am now eating a lot of foods rich in vitamin C every day, can this completely prevent the recurrence of esophageal cancer?"
Dr. Chen replied, "Damin, your dietary changes are indeed very helpful, but you must know that there is no single food or habit that can 'completely prevent' cancer from returning. ”
"A healthy lifestyle can greatly reduce risk, but it's important to maintain it consistently and get regular medical check-ups. You're doing a great job and continuing this good habit while keeping regular check-ups is the most sensible way to do it. ”
What do you think about esophageal cancer?