There are seven things to avoid regarding the stomach – which of them have you done?

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Many diseases are closely related to lifestyle habits, and stomach disorders are a typical example of such lifestyle-related diseases. Gastroenterologists have specifically identified some habits that cause stomach problems, determining the 7 things that are most harmful to the stomach. Take a look – how many of these habits do you have? 1. Cold: Consuming cold foods for a long time, or allowing the stomach to get chilled, can be very harmful to it. After consuming cold foods and drinks, the capillaries in the stomach contract sharply due to the cold, leading to reduced secretion of gastric juice. This disrupts digestive function and can easily cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and stomach discomfort. Especially for those who already suffer from stomach pain or abdominal discomfort, eating raw or cold foods can trigger or worsen these symptoms. Solution: Avoid eating cold foods regularly, and limit the consumption of raw and cold foods when experiencing stomach discomfort. If you are using air conditioning or going outside in cold weather, be sure to cover your stomach with clothing to avoid catching a chill. 2. At night, many office workers do not eat at regular times; sometimes they work overtime and don’t eat until very late, then go to bed right after. Failing to eat on time means that stomach acid is not neutralized by food in a timely manner, and this high acid level can easily lead to peptic ulcers. It takes about two hours for food to empty from the stomach and enter the small intestine for digestion. Going to sleep right after eating leaves no time for the gastrointestinal tract to digest, which can lead to digestive disorders. Solution: It is recommended to wait at least two hours after dinner before going to bed. Considering that one should go to bed by 23:00, dinner should be finished no later than 8 o’clock ； Meals should also be taken at regular times throughout the day, so as to create consistent peaks in the secretion of digestive juices. 3. Hurry up and eat quickly; gobbling down food seems to be a common problem among office workers. Chewing food inadequately can cause strong mechanical irritation to the digestive tract, easily damaging its mucosa and leading to chronic inflammation. It can also reduce gastric motility, and over time this may result in damage to the digestive tract or even cancer. Solution: It’s an old cliché, but it still needs to be emphasized: chew slowly! 4. Hot food: Many patients with esophageal cancer and stomach cancer share one common trait – they like to eat very hot food; they prefer to consume food that has just been cooked. Some of them also enjoy spicy hot pot and drinking freshly brewed hot tea. When hot food enters the stomach in this way, it can damage the mucosa, and over time this may lead to cancer. Solution: To avoid burns to the oral and esophageal mucosa and reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, do not eat hot soup or rice. Let the food that has just been cooked cool down before eating it, and let the tea that has just been brewed rest for a while before drinking it. Generally, it is best to eat food at a temperature that is not too hot. 5. Overeating can lead to an increased secretion of digestive juices such as stomach acid, pancreatic juice, and bile, exceeding the body’s capacity for secretion. This may result in narrowing or obstruction of structures such as the bile ducts and pancreatic ducts, thereby causing disorders in digestive function. Solution: Again, it’s enough to eat until you’re 70% full. What is it like to be 70% full? It’s probably when you think you can still eat half a bowl of rice that you put down the chopsticks. 6. Sitting exercises help promote peristalsis in the stomach and intestines, thereby aiding digestion. It’s not suitable to dive into work right after eating, as the digestion process in the stomach and intestines requires an adequate supply of blood. If one starts working immediately after eating, the blood is directed to the brain, leaving the stomach and intestines without enough blood flow for digestion, which greatly hinders digestive processes. Solution: It is recommended to take a walk within two hours after eating, as this can aid in the digestion of food. However, strenuous sports such as basketball and table tennis are not recommended, as they can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. 7. Endure: Many people suffer from stomach problems these days; when they have stomach pain, they just take some medicine and endure it. This may cause minor illnesses to develop into serious ones. In fact, discomfort in the stomach is the body’s way of signaling a problem, and it’s time to see a doctor at such times. Solution: If stomach discomfort persists for 1 to 2 weeks without improvement, it is necessary to seek medical attention promptly. This is especially true for those who are already aware of having stomach problems; they should pay even more attention. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the spleen and stomach are the foundation of health in later life; we must take good care of our stomachs if we want to remain healthy. Therefore, everyone should always keep these 7 words in mind, so as not to harm our delicate stomachs!