In autumn and winter, the sudden drop in temperature not only makes the human body feel cold, but also quietly brings a lot of pressure to the gastrointestinal tract. bloating, abdominal pain, belching, indigestion...... These symptoms seem to remind us that it's time to pay attention to and take care of our stomachs. The stomach, the "transit station" of our daily diet, actually has its own "little emotions" and "taboos".
Today, Liu Xiaochuan, vice president of the Emergency General Hospital, director of the Department of Gastroenterology and chief physician, will take stock of the 8 things that the stomach is most afraid of you to do, and help you better protect your stomach health through cause analysis and daily maintenance strategies.
The stomach is afraid of cold
The stomach is an organ that likes temperature and cold, and cold will directly affect the blood circulation of the stomach, resulting in the constriction of blood vessels in the gastric mucosa and the reduction of blood flow, which in turn affects the digestive function and defense mechanism of the stomach. Long-term stomach cold may also cause chronic gastritis, gastric ulcers and other diseases. Patients often have a dull stomach ache as soon as they catch a cold, and in severe cases, diarrhea symptoms. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Keep warm first In autumn and winter, you should pay attention to adding clothes to keep warm, especially the abdomen should not be cold. You can choose to wear high-waisted pants or a tunic jacket to avoid the direct intrusion of the cold wind.
Warm Diet Drink plenty of warm water and eat less raw and cold foods and cold drinks. You can appropriately increase the intake of warm foods, such as ginger, green onions, garlic, mutton, etc., which can help warm the stomach and ward off cold.
Traditional Chinese medicine conditioning For people with spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, they can take warm and cold-dissipating traditional Chinese medicine under the guidance of a doctor for conditioning, such as Aconite Lizhong Pills, Wenjiashu Granules, etc.
The stomach is afraid of alcohol
Alcohol is the "number one enemy" of the gastric mucosa. It can not only directly damage the gastric mucosa, resulting in gastric mucosal congestion, edema, erosion and even bleeding, but also inhibit the protective mechanism of the gastric mucosa, making the gastric mucosa more susceptible to other factors. Long-term alcohol consumption can also cause serious diseases such as chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers. Some people experience stomach pain and discomfort after excessive drinking, and even have symptoms of black stool. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Drink alcohol in moderation Try to avoid excessive alcohol consumption, especially high liquor and strong liquor. If you must drink alcohol, you can choose low-alcohol alcohol and limit the amount you drink.
Aftercare After drinking, you can drink some warm water or light salt water to dilute the alcohol concentration in the stomach and reduce the irritation of the gastric mucosa. At the same time, you can also eat some easily digestible foods, such as porridge, noodles, etc., to protect the gastric mucosa.
Regular physical examination Long-term drinkers should have regular gastroscopy to understand the condition of the gastric mucosa and detect and treat potential gastric diseases in time.
The stomach is afraid of salt
A high-salt diet can destroy the protective layer of the gastric mucosa, causing damage to the cells of the gastric mucosa, which in turn can lead to gastritis, gastric ulcers and other diseases. In the long run, symptoms such as stomach bloating, acid reflux, and loss of appetite may occur. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Eat a light diet Reduce your salt intake to less than 6 grams a day, and you can use tools such as a salt limiting spoon to help control your salt intake.
Eat more fruits and vegetables Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits to replenish potassium and fiber, which can help lower blood pressure and reduce salt damage to the stomach.
Use natural condiments Some natural condiments such as vinegar, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, etc., can be used to increase the texture and flavor of food, thereby reducing the amount of salt used.
Fear of burning stomach
Hot food can damage the mucosal layer of the esophageal and gastric mucosa, resulting in mucosal congestion, edema, and even erosions, ulcers and other lesions. Long-term consumption of hot food can also increase the risk of malignant tumors such as esophageal cancer and stomach cancer. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Avoid hot food Try not to eat food that has just been taken out of the pan or heated in the microwave, and wait for the food to cool down a little before eating.
Chew slowly Chew the food well enough to mix the food with the saliva, thereby lowering the temperature of the food and reducing irritation of the esophageal and gastric mucosa.
Temperature Perception You can sense the temperature of food by gently touching it with your hands or lips before eating to avoid eating hot food.
The stomach is afraid of sugar
A high-sugar diet will lead to excessive gastric acid secretion, which will damage the gastric mucosa and cause gastritis, gastric ulcers and other diseases, and cause uncomfortable symptoms such as stomach distension and acid reflux. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Control sugar Reduce your intake of sweets and try to choose low- or sugar-free foods. If you really want to eat sweets, you can eat some natural fruits in moderation instead.
Eat a balanced diet Maintain a balanced and varied diet and eat more foods rich in protein, dietary fiber and vitamins to maintain the body's normal metabolism and immune function.
Regular monitoring For people with pre-existing chronic conditions such as stomach problems or diabetes, blood sugar and stomach health should be monitored regularly so that potential conditions can be detected and treated in a timely manner.
Stomach upset
Irregular eating and drinking can disrupt the normal physiological functions of the stomach, leading to disorders in gastric acid secretion and damage to the gastric mucosa. The habit of eating a hungry meal can easily cause stomach pain and indigestion. Long-term irregular diet can also lead to serious diseases such as chronic gastritis and gastric ulcers. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Regular and quantitative Maintain a regular eating habit, eat three meals a day, and avoid overeating or excessive dieting.
Arrange your time wisely Try to arrange your work and rest time reasonably to ensure that you have enough time for eating and resting.
Meal preparation plan Some healthy foods such as fruits, nuts, yogurt, etc., can be prepared in advance to keep in the office or bag so that you can eat them anytime when you are busy and avoid overeating when you are hungry.
Stomach fear medicine
Some drugs such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) and hormone drugs will irritate or damage the gastric mucosa, and taking these drugs in the wrong way for a long time can easily destroy the protective layer of the gastric mucosa and cause serious diseases such as drug-induced gastritis and even gastric bleeding. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Take your medication as directed by your doctor Take your medication exactly as your doctor prescribes, and do not increase or decrease the dose or stop taking the medicine on your own. If you need to take drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa for a long time, you should consult your doctor about whether you can adjust the medication regimen or use gastric mucosal protectors to reduce the damage to the gastric mucosa.
If the drug has an irritating effect on the gastric mucosa, you can try to take it after meals to reduce the irritation of the gastric mucosa.
Regular check-ups People who have been taking drugs that irritate the gastric mucosa for a long time should undergo regular gastroscopy to understand the condition of the gastric mucosa and detect and treat potential diseases in time.
The stomach is afraid of fast
Eating too quickly can cause food to enter the stomach without being chewed enough, increasing the burden on the stomach and affecting the digestive function of the stomach. At the same time, eating too quickly can also swallow a lot of air, causing uncomfortable symptoms such as stomach bloating and belching. Here are the daily maintenance strategies:
Chew slowly Chew each bite of food thoroughly, at least 20 times, making sure the food is well mixed with saliva to reduce the burden on the stomach.
Concentrate on eating Don't be distracted by other things like looking at your phone, working, etc., while eating, so as not to eat too quickly or too much. You can find a quiet and comfortable environment to concentrate on your food.
Adjust your mindset Maintain a calm mind and avoid rushing to eat because of the urgency of time. It can be planned in advance to allow enough time to enjoy a meal and rest.
Text: Mo Peng (Emergency General Hospital)