In recent times, the increase in the number of gastric cancer cases is closely related to unhealthy dietary habits. Consuming hot beverages, not using public chopsticks during communal meals, inadvertently raises the risk of illness. These habits may lead to physical damage to the stomach, thereby increasing the incidence of gastric cancer. For instance, hot tea, soup, and white congee eaten with pickled foods are all potential health threats. Popular in Guangzhou, slow-cooked soups and boat congee, though delicious, when consumed hot along with pickled vegetables high in nitrosamines, collectively increase the risk of gastric cancer. Furthermore, frequent consumption of hot tea, especially before and after meals, also poses a potential threat to the stomach.
Dietary hygiene habits, such as not using public chopsticks, may facilitate the transmission of oral bacteria to food, increasing the risk of cross-infection. Although gastric acid can eliminate most invading bacteria, Helicobacter pylori can survive in stomach acid due to its unique protective mechanism, attaching to the stomach lining cells, posing a hidden risk for gastritis, gastric ulcers, and even gastric cancer.
On the other side of modern life, activities like dining out at night, frequent late-night snacks, especially oily foods like barbecues, may pose significant threats to gastric health due to the repeated use of blended oil containing carcinogens, combined with smoking after meals leading to increased intake of carcinogens.
However, by adjusting one’s diet, it is possible to effectively maintain gastric health. Papaya, with its papain enzymes aiding in protein digestion, is very beneficial for alleviating indigestion and gastritis. Papaya mackerel tail soup is an example of a gastric health diet, combining the various digestive enzymes in papaya with the warming effects of mackerel on the stomach, providing significant benefits for gastric health. Additionally, ingredients like ginger, Chinese yam, and lily, each with their unique characteristics of nourishing the spleen, stomach, and promoting digestion and absorption, are excellent choices for gastric protection. For example, Chinese yam, lily and red date porridge is not only easy to digest but also nourishes the yin and stomach, particularly suitable for those with deficient stomach yin.
In summary, maintaining gastric health starts with daily dietary habits, avoiding overheated foods, enhancing personal hygiene, reducing late-night snacks and unhealthy eating, and incorporating gastric-nourishing foods in a balanced manner to effectively prevent gastric illnesses and promote overall health.
