Autumn is the season for eating crabs. Although crabs are delicious, there are still some taboos when it comes to what to eat. Especially in autumn, the weather is dry and there are large temperature differences between day and night, making people more susceptible to viral infections, fever, cough, and other symptoms. At this time, it is even more important to pay attention to dietary taboos. So, can you eat crabs when you have a cough?
Can you eat crabs when you have a cough?
Coughing is often caused by the invasion of wind cold into the lungs, often accompanied by airway hyperresponsiveness. Crabs are cold-natured food, and eating them can easily cause hyperresponsiveness or worsen the condition for people with a cough. If you have bronchitis, you should be even more careful. Bronchitis patients should avoid eating meat and fish, and if crabs are not thoroughly cleaned, bacteria can easily remain in the body. The trachea of bronchitis patients is already fragile, and if invaded by bacteria, it can easily lead to aggravation of the condition. In fact, regardless of the cause of the cough, it is not advisable to consume raw and cold food, as well as spicy and irritating food, including crabs, to avoid gastrointestinal disorders.
The hazards of eating too many crabs
Since every 100 grams of crabs contain about 135 milligrams of cholesterol, it is important to eat them in moderation. Eating too many crabs can easily increase the burden on the digestive system. Mild symptoms include feeling full, while severe cases can lead to diarrhea and vomiting. In addition, crabs are cold-natured, and people with weak spleen and stomach function may have difficulty absorbing them. If consumed excessively by people with colds and fever, it can easily cause abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Who should not eat crabs?
Crabs are cold-natured, rich in protein, and high in cholesterol and purines. Gout patients should eat them in moderation. People with weak spleen and stomach, as well as those suffering from cold, chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcers, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones, hepatitis, and other chronic diseases, should not eat crabs. Women in their menstrual period should also be cautious when eating crabs because during this time, there is compensation of blood and Qi circulation, and the uterus is cold and stagnant. Excessive consumption can cause further coldness in the uterus, worsening dysmenorrhea and blood stasis, and leading to deteriorating health.
How to eat crabs safely
When eating crabs, choose ones with larger size, intact limbs, and strong mobility. Do not buy dead crabs, as the protein decomposes rapidly and bacteria multiply quickly, which can harm the body. It is best to cook and eat fresh crabs immediately, and avoid keeping them overnight. When boiling crabs, steam them thoroughly and use high temperature to disinfect them before consumption. When eating, pay attention to avoiding the crab stomach, intestines, heart, and gills, as these parts not only contain the most bacteria but also have no nutritional value. Consuming them can easily cause food poisoning.
Dietary adjustments during cough
Avoid cold-natured foods
Coughing is often caused by lung diseases, which result in the failure of lung Qi to circulate and lung Qi counterflow. If dietary adjustments are not made properly, it can easily lead to lung Qi obstruction and worsening symptoms. Coughing is often accompanied by phlegm, and the amount of phlegm is related to the spleen. The spleen is the foundation of the acquired constitution and is responsible for the digestion and absorption of food. Excessive consumption of cold-natured foods can easily damage the spleen and stomach. Therefore, during a cough, cold-natured foods should be avoided.
Consume certain foods
People with long-term unhealed cough can drink water boiled with pear and rock sugar, which can help moisturize the lungs and stop the cough. Fresh lily cooked in porridge is also very effective for people with long-term cough and weak lung Qi. Patients with spleen deficiency can eat more Chinese yam or cook porridge with lotus seeds, coix seed, and jujubes.
