Introduction: For people, it can be said that the stomach is a “trumpet organ,” it is particularly vulnerable, and any problems will be promptly reflected in our bodies.
In recent years, the incidence of stomach cancer has been increasing, and this issue is gradually becoming younger, with the incidence and mortality rates ranking second only to lung cancer.
According to the relevant data statistics from the World Health Organization, the number of patients with gastrointestinal diseases in our country can reach as high as 120 million, and the problem of stomach discomfort has become a common ailment for many people. Almost everyone has experienced symptoms of stomach discomfort to varying degrees. Although the symptoms vary in severity, almost the vast majority of people have experienced them.
Due to long-term unhealthy lifestyle habits and dietary habits, many people experience stomach discomfort. Although the digestive system is often uncomfortable, it still cannot be stopped. Due to people’s enthusiasm for unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits, gastrointestinal problems will reappear after a few days.
After some people experience stomach problems, they really want to maintain their gastrointestinal health. There are various ways to maintain gastrointestinal health. Some people believe that when the stomach is not feeling well, they should avoid steamed buns and drink more porridge. But is this stomach health method really scientific?
Step 1: Superficial Gastritis
At this point, it indicates that the gastric mucosa has inflammation, but it has not progressed to cancerous changes, yet further treatment is necessary.
Step 2: Atrophic Gastritis
When it comes to atrophic gastritis, it means that it is on the brink of gastric cancer. At this point, the gastric mucosa becomes thinner and will atrophy, requiring regular follow-up examinations.
Step 3: Intestinal Metaplasia
Intestinal metaplasia refers to the normal gastric epithelium being replaced by intestinal-type epithelium, with the probability of cancer transformation being less than 5%. Therefore, close gastric endoscopy should be conducted.
Step 4: Dysplasia
Dysplasia can generally be classified as low-grade and high-grade. The cancer transformation rate of low-grade dysplasia is approximately 0% to 23.1%, while high-grade dysplasia can reach 60% to 85%.
Step 5: Gastric Cancer
If any of the above four steps are largely overlooked, your stomach will eventually succumb to the erosion of malignant cells, leading to the development of gastric cancer. Many gastrointestinal experts believe that the vast majority of patients lack a scientific concept of gastrointestinal health, and their understanding of gastric diseases is limited to the concept of pain.
If one encounters stomach discomfort, they may choose to endure it, but only seek medical help when the pain becomes unbearable. By then, the stomach disease may have deteriorated significantly.
Many people believe that when they have stomach problems, drinking more porridge can help. This is considered a very good practice for gastric health, as porridge is easily digested by the body.
Actually, for people with stomach issues, it is not scientifically sound to rely on drinking porridge for gastric health because each person’s gastric disease is different, and the causes of gastric diseases vary. Without distinguishing in advance, relying on porridge for gastric health not only does not help the stomach but may also harm gastrointestinal health.
Firstly, when encountering gastrointestinal problems, one should chew food thoroughly and swallow slowly. When chewing food, saliva is mixed in, making it easier for the food to be digested in the stomach.
When drinking porridge, there is no thorough chewing and swallowing involved, hence the food does not mix with digestive fluids, making it less favorable for digestion.
Additionally, the water content in porridge is very high. The digestive juices secreted by the stomach and mouth are diluted, making it difficult for the food to be digested immediately. For individuals with poor gastrointestinal function, the movement of the stomach will gradually slow down, increasing the digestive burden on the gastrointestinal tract.
Moreover, if one eats excessively or indulges in rich foods, the stomach will secrete a large amount of gastric acid. Patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease will have increased gastric acid production, making it unsuitable for them to drink porridge as it is acidic. Drinking porridge in such cases may increase gastric acid secretion, potentially affecting one’s health negatively.
Many patients with superficial gastritis believe that drinking porridge can help with gastric health, so they engage in long-term porridge consumption to maintain their health, eventually leading to gastroesophageal reflux disease, and even possibly causing esophageal erosion.
Amylase in saliva is an important substance that promotes food digestion. If one does not chew food while eating, the salivary glands in the mouth do not secrete enough saliva, resulting in inadequate amylase secretion and reducing digestion and absorption. Drinking porridge regularly can inhibit salivary gland secretion, which is unfavorable for digestion and absorption.
Compared to drinking porridge, thoroughly chewing and swallowing food can better promote digestion and protect gastrointestinal functions.
For patients with gastric diseases, it is not that they cannot eat steamed buns. Steamed buns convert into an alkaline substance in the body, which can help balance stomach acidity and reduce the probability of developing stomach diseases. Therefore, for patients with gastric diseases, not only can they eat steamed buns regularly, but they can also nurture their stomach by eating them.
Fried Foods
After food is fried, it becomes colorful, crispy, and delicious, loved and welcomed by many. However, during the frying process, a large amount of fats enter the food. At high temperatures, essential trace elements and vitamins in the food will be damaged, leading to the production of harmful substances.
Frequent consumption of fried foods can easily lead to fat accumulation in the body, raising cholesterol levels and potentially harming gastrointestinal health.
Cold Foods
Even in cold winter, many people still enjoy eating cold foods for the refreshing taste and enjoyment. However, such foods are not suitable for individuals with gastrointestinal issues. Cold foods can damage the gastric mucosa and, over time, may lead to gastritis, gastric ulcers, or even perforation of the stomach.
Sweets
For female friends, they often indulge in sweets, as consuming sweets can promote dopamine secretion in the body, leading to a joyful state.
However, if your gastrointestinal function is not good, it is not advisable to consume sweets regularly. Sweets entering the gastrointestinal tract can promote gastric acid secretion, excessive gastric acid can irritate the gastric mucosa, posing risks to the stomach’s health.
Legumes
Legumes are commonly seen in everyday life and have high nutritional value. However, for individuals with poor gastrointestinal function, they are not suitable for eating legumes. Legumes contain many oligosaccharides, such as raffinose and stachyose.
These components are difficult to digest and absorb. After fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract, they produce gas, which can cause abdominal pain, bloating, and irritate stomach lesions.
Zusanli Acupoint
The Zusanli acupoint is located on the outer side of the lower leg, about 4 inches below the knee. Proper massage of this acupoint can cause some pain, even extending to the toes. Regular massage of Zusanli can effectively alleviate postprandial stomach discomfort, regulate the intestines, and help improve gastrointestinal diseases.
Zhongwan Acupoint
The Zhongwan acupoint is located 4 inches above the navel in the midline of the body. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhongwan is a key acupoint of the stomach meridian and is believed to have abundant Qi and blood flow, with the ability to treat various spleen and stomach disorders.
Neiguan Acupoint
The Neiguan acupoint is located in the middle of the forearm, about three horizontal finger-widths from the wrist towards the elbow. Neiguan acupoint has the functions of calming the mind, dispelling water dampness, stabilizing, regulating Qi, and alleviating pain. Regular friction and massage of this acupoint can help alleviate gastric distention, nausea, and vomiting.
Conclusion: To better maintain gastrointestinal health, in addition to understanding proper diet, it is essential to pay attention to good lifestyle habits, exercise appropriately, reduce staying up late, which can effectively nourish gastrointestinal health.
