Gastrointestinal cold often occurs in the summer and autumn seasons, and symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea may occur. Therefore, diet is very important for patients. Eating well can protect the stomach and intestines and speed up recovery, while eating poorly can increase the burden on the stomach and intestines and damage their function. So what should you eat when treating gastrointestinal cold? Let's take a look at the dietary options for gastrointestinal cold.
Dietary Do's and Don'ts for Gastrointestinal Cold
Do's:
For gastrointestinal cold, it is advisable to eat light and easily digestible foods, such as rice porridge, noodles, etc., and avoid fried and greasy foods. Some people even propose a "fasting therapy," which means stopping eating after catching a cold and only drinking soup. Sometimes this method can have unexpected results. Of course, this method is not suitable for everyone. It can be tried for patients who are usually strong and have a mild cold. Don't forget to have enough energy reserves, otherwise, it may backfire.
Eat foods rich in calcium, zinc, and vitamins, which have a certain inhibitory effect on viruses. People know that easily digestible liquid diets such as vegetable soup, porridge, egg soup, egg custard, milk, etc. are recommended. They also know that foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin E should be consumed. However, what people don't know is that red foods rich in carotene, such as tomatoes, apples, grapes, dates, strawberries, etc., are also very helpful for recovering from a cold.
Don'ts:
In the early stages of gastrointestinal cold, if it is caused by wind-cold evil, and you are taking medicine to relieve external symptoms, you should avoid eating raw and cold foods, and greasy foods. If it is caused by warm-heat evil and is in the early stages of clearing, you should also avoid eating raw and cold foods. Once the heat evil persists, causing thirst, irritability, and constipation, fruits should be consumed to assist. You can frequently consume pear juice, orange juice, watermelon, rice soup, mung bean soup, etc., but avoid overeating raw, cold, and greasy foods.
Dietary Therapy for Gastrointestinal Cold
1. Eating raw onions
When eating raw onions, you can pour hot oil on finely chopped onion strips and mix them with tofu or other ingredients. It is not only delicious but also prevents colds.
2. Coke and ginger
Take 20 to 30 grams of fresh ginger, peel and chop it, put it in a large bottle of cola, and boil it in an aluminum pot. When it cools slightly, drink it while hot. It has a good effect on preventing and treating the flu.
3. Pears
Pears are cool in nature, sweet in taste, and can generate body fluids, clear heat, and dissolve phlegm. They are suitable for wind-heat cold, fever, dry mouth, thirst, and cough with yellow phlegm. They can be eaten at will. It is a common practice to use 1 raw pear, washed and cut into small pieces with the skin, stewed with rock sugar, and consumed as a drink.
4. Radishes
Radishes have the functions of clearing heat, detoxification, stopping cough, and resolving phlegm. They are particularly suitable for cough with excessive phlegm caused by wind-heat cold. It is a common practice to wash a radish (preferably red-skinned spicy radish), cut it into thin slices, put it in a bowl, and add 2-3 tablespoons of rock sugar. Leave it overnight, and the radish will dissolve into a syrup-like liquid. Drink it frequently for a good effect in stopping cough and resolving phlegm.
5. Aloe vera
Aloe vera has strong vitality and its main functions include clearing heat and detoxification, relieving diarrhea, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects, enhancing immune function, protecting the stomach and liver, and skin care and beauty.
The main focus of treating gastrointestinal cold is the stomach and intestines, which means dietary choices. Avoid eating fried, pickled, raw, cold, stimulating, and spicy foods. Meals should be regular and in moderate amounts. Pay attention to keeping warm and supplementing vitamin C. It is best not to eat fruits for the dietary choices of gastrointestinal cold, as fruits are raw and cold and can easily harm the stomach and intestines.
