“Beep beep…” Late at night, the sound of an ambulance suddenly rang out, awakening many people from their dreams, only to see a middle-aged man being urgently taken to the hospital.
It is understood that this man’s surname is Wei, 43 years old this year, and after being taken to the hospital, he was diagnosed with acute gastritis. Although Mr. Wei himself had a stomach condition, he usually ate healthily, so how did his condition suddenly worsen?
It turns out that in order to help her husband’s stomach, Mr. Wei’s wife had him drink millet porridge for all three meals of the day. Initially, he could endure it, but after drinking for three consecutive weeks, he couldn’t take it anymore and refused to drink. Seeing her husband’s reaction, Mrs. Wei improved his diet by letting him eat some beef jerky and sausage.
However, just two days after the diet change, Mr. Wei was rushed to the hospital. This left him very puzzled because he had been eating very lightly, even consuming three meals of millet porridge a day. In theory, shouldn’t his stomach condition have improved instead of deteriorating?
Why is drinking millet porridge three times a day not good for the stomach?
Doctors say that many people believe that porridge, especially millet porridge, is good for the stomach. However, drinking millet porridge regularly does not necessarily nourish the stomach.
Because porridge is usually soft and mushy, it can be easily digested without the need for chewing or peristalsis processes in the gastrointestinal tract. If consumed frequently, the gastrointestinal tract may become “lazy,” gradually weakening its digestive function. When consuming harder and drier foods, it can lead to poor digestion and aggravate stomach injuries.
Moreover, not all patients with stomach conditions are suitable for drinking porridge, such as those with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Porridge is considered a liquid diet with high water content, so patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease are prone to reflux, causing acid regurgitation in the stomach and worsening the patient’s condition.
What are some unreliable methods for stomach health in daily life?
1. Eating mantou and soda biscuits to promote stomach health is okay, but overconsumption can lead to bloating;
2. Drinking ginger water to promote stomach health; however, ginger is a stimulating food and excessive consumption can increase gastric acid secretion, leading to stomach pain;
3. Drinking milk for stomach health can stimulate gastric acid secretion; people with lactose intolerance may experience diarrhea and bloating;
What harm can long-term unrecovered stomach diseases cause to the body?
1. In milder cases, it can induce persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and worsen gastrointestinal diseases;
2. Prolonged gastric diseases can also lead to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and other complications;
3. Severe gastric diseases can accelerate gastric mucosal damage, increasing the risk of gastric tumors;
4. Long-term unrecovered stomach diseases may increase the probability of reactive complications in the body due to prolonged gastrointestinal infections, such as arthritis, eye inflammations, etc.;
A “natural stomach-nourishing king” has been found, and it’s not millet porridge. Consistently incorporating this food in your diet will keep your stomach strong like steel.
Additionally, drinking a cup of honey water every morning is beneficial
For individuals with stomach diseases, drinking at least 100ml of honey water every morning upon waking up can help replenish fluids, cleanse the intestines and stomach, promote digestion, aid in preventing constipation, and provide some improvement for stomach diseases. However, it’s essential not to consume excessive amounts of honey water in one go to avoid excessive sugar intake.
Reference:
【1】Fan Zhihong. “Does drinking millet porridge really nourish the stomach?” Jiangsu Health. 2018
