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"Doctor, lately, I always feel that I can't sleep well, my stomach is swollen, and I often have stomach pain, is there any serious illness?"
"Don't panic, you may have eaten something wrong for dinner!"
Friends, today we are going to talk about a link that has been overlooked by countless people, but is vital to health - dinner. Data shows that Chinese residents often consume more than 50% of the calories at dinner throughout the day, and if they don't eat dinner well, they will really quietly "plant" various health risks, such as stomach problems, obesity, diabetes, and even cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Today, let's talk about "6 precautions for dinner", especially for the elderly, you must pay attention!
1. Don't eat too late for dinner: your stomach is working overtime, and your body is suffering
Some people are used to eating at eight or nine o'clock in the evening, or even later. Drink porridge again, nibble on some meat, and collapse on the sofa to watch dramas after eating. Do you think your stomach can be on call like a 24-hour convenience store? Not really!
Science tells us that dinner and bedtime should be separated by at least 3 hours. Because it takes time for the stomach to digest, eating too late will not only cause the stomach to be overloaded, but also easily cause gastroesophageal reflux – simply put, stomach acid reflux, burning your throat and possibly affecting breathing. Many people think this disease is a minor problem, but if they ignore it for a long time, it will even increase the risk of esophageal cancer.
Doctor's reminder: Don't move chopsticks after 9 p.m. Really hungry? Drink some warm milk, or eat some graham crackers, but remember, don't eat too much!
2. Don't overeat dinner: your stomach is not a "spring stomach"
As the saying goes, "Eat like an emperor for breakfast, a commoner for lunch, and a beggar for dinner." But in reality, many people happen to be the opposite: breakfast is hastily coped, lunch is improvised, and dinner is frantically compensated, eager to fill the whole day's empty stomach.
The consequences of eating too much are terrible:
- Stomach bloating: The stomach is stretched like a balloon, and digestion slows down and becomes uncomfortably bloated.
- Obesity: Eating too much at dinner, calorie accumulation, less activity at night, accelerated fat storage.
- Three high risks: especially for the elderly, eating too much dinner will lead to a spike in blood sugar, blood lipids, and blood pressure, and increase the probability of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
The doctor's advice: Dinner is seven minutes full, don't patronize the "scanning disc" during dinner, remember to stop the chopsticks and ask yourself: "Am I really hungry?" ”
3. Don't be too greasy for dinner: cardiovascular is "shouting for help"
Fried chicken, braised pork, crayfish...... These high-fat, high-calorie foods, especially those that appear frequently at dinner, are really the "invisible killers" of the heart and blood vessels. Studies have shown that eating high-fat foods at dinner can lead to increased blood lipid concentrations at night and an increased risk of arteriosclerosis. The elderly should pay special attention to it, which is directly related to whether there will be a myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction.
Moreover, if you eat too greasy dinner, your digestive system will be overloaded, and your gastrointestinal tract will "work overtime" until late at night, resulting in indigestion and unstable sleep. What's even more interesting is that scientific studies have found that the more oily you eat dinner, the higher the probability of having nightmares - yes, eating too oily not only hurts your body, but also "scares" your brain!
Doctor's advice: Dinner should be as light as possible, eat more vegetables and fish, and less fried and red meat, especially for the elderly, the "greasy degree" of dinner will directly affect the quality of your health.
4. Don't eat too fast for dinner: gobble it up, and your stomach will strike
Some people eat like a war, swallowing it in three or two minutes, throwing their chopsticks away, and their faces are full of pride: "It's done!" But the stomach was silently weeping: Have you ever considered my feelings?
Eating too fast, a lot of problems:
- Indigestion: If the food is not chewed carefully enough, the stomach will have more difficulty digesting, and the result is flatulence and acid reflux.
- Soaring blood sugar: Eating too fast, the body has not had time to feel full, it is easy to overeat, and blood sugar fluctuations are more drastic.
- Obesity risk: Studies have shown that people who eat too quickly are more likely to gain weight because the body doesn't have time to signal "I'm full" that you've already eaten a bunch more.
Doctor's advice: Please "slow down" when eating, chew slowly, and chew 15-20 times per mouthful, which not only reduces the burden on the stomach, but also better controls the amount of food.
5. Don't be too salty for dinner: salt is a "chronic poison"
In the eating habits of Chinese, salt is the absolute "protagonist" - soy sauce, pickled vegetables, salted fish, which dinner is missing it? But did you know that the World Health Organization recommends no more than 5 grams of salt per day, and the average salt intake of Chinese residents is as high as 10 grams or more?
Dangers of eating too salty:
- High blood pressure: Excessive salt can lead to an increase in blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
- Burden on the kidneys: The kidneys are like a "filter", if you eat too much salt, the kidneys will be tired and panting, which will cause kidney disease over time.
- Edema: Too much salt will lead to water retention in the body, and when you wake up the next day, you will find that your face is swollen like steamed buns.
Doctor's advice: Eat less salt and use more natural seasonings, such as ginger, garlic, lemon, etc., which are healthy and flavorful.
6. Don't be greedy for cold dinner: the gastrointestinal tract is most afraid of "cold violence"
When summer arrives, many people can't do without cold beer, cold drinks, cold dishes, and even drink ice water after eating. The result? The gastrointestinal tract directly "strikes"!
Gastrointestinal hazards of cold irritation:
- Stomach cramps: Cold irritation causes the stomach muscles to contract suddenly, triggering painful sensations.
- Intestinal problems: Too much cold drink can lead to weakened bowel movements, indigestion or diarrhea.
- Decreased immunity: The gastrointestinal tract is an important immune organ in the human body, and immunity will decrease after being cold, and it is easy to be infected with germs.
Doctor's advice: Drink warm water and hot soup for dinner, drink less ice drinks, especially for the elderly and people with weak spleen and stomach, and stay away from "cold violence", the stomach will thank you for your gentle treatment.
Written at the end: dinner, the "helmsman" of health
Although dinner is only the "finale" of three meals a day, its impact on health is "affecting the whole body". gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, metabolic system...... are staring at how you eat. If you're still casually coping with your dinner, those "little bugs" will come to your door sooner or later.
So, remember these "6 Don'ts to Dinner": don't eat too late, don't eat too full, don't eat too greasy, don't eat too fast, don't eat too salty, don't be greedy. A healthy dinner is the secret to longevity, especially for the elderly, so don't take these reminders on deaf ears!
Bibliography:
World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations on eating a healthy diet
The Lancet on Dinner and Metabolic Disease
Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022 Edition)