Have you ever observed that the elderly in your family always burp after meals, regardless of whether they eat a lot or a little? It seems like a habitual action, and we may mistakenly think that it is because they are full. But after observing for a long time, we realize that this is not the case. So, what is the reason for the elderly to burp after meals? Let's find out together!
The Elderly Should Do the Following After Meals
1. Rinse the mouth after meals
Ancient medical practitioner Zhang Zhongjing pointed out that "after eating, rinse the mouth to keep the teeth healthy and the mouth fresh."
2. Massage the abdomen after meals
During the Tang Dynasty, the great medical practitioner Sun Simiao suggested, "After each meal, use your hands to massage your face and abdomen to promote the flow of saliva and body fluids. After eating, take a walk." He also recommended "massaging the abdomen hundreds of times, tapping the teeth thirty-six times, and filling the mouth with saliva." As long as one can achieve this, "one can eat without any illness."
3. Take a gentle walk after meals
The book "Shè Yǎng Zhěn Zhōng Fāng" records, "After eating, walk a few hundred steps, which is greatly beneficial to the body." It means that walking slowly after meals can promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, help the secretion of digestive fluids, and aid in the digestion and absorption of food. However, it is important not to walk too fast or engage in vigorous exercise.
4. Listen to music after meals
The book "Shòu Shì Bǎo Yuán" states, "The spleen loves music, and hearing the sound makes one move and chew their food." Taoism also has the saying, "The spleen grinds when it hears music." Listening to soft and refreshing music while eating can stimulate appetite and aid in digestion. And enjoying music after meals can cultivate one's temperament, bring one's vitality back, and bring joy and forgetfulness of worries.
Reasons for Burping after Meals
1. Eating too quickly and becoming overly full
Eating too quickly and becoming overly full is one of the reasons for the elderly to burp, but the duration of burping will not be too long.
2. Consuming spicy food
Spicy food can stimulate the stomach and cause burping. Therefore, the elderly should avoid or reduce the consumption of spicy and frozen foods and take proper care of their digestive system.
3. Other reasons
There are various reasons that can cause burping, such as changes in gastric and esophageal functions or organic changes. It can also be caused by external substances. If it is caused by overeating or eating too quickly, it can resolve on its own within a few minutes. For those caused by chronic diseases, there is no major problem after spasm relief and strengthening gastric motility treatment.
Be Alert to Repeated Burping in the Elderly
1. It may be due to stomach problems
Burping is mostly caused by an enlarged stomach, so it is a normal phenomenon when people eat quickly or talk while eating and swallow more air. However, if it occurs frequently, or even without eating, it may indicate that the stomach is infected with Helicobacter pylori, which means gastritis.
2. It may be hiccup syndrome
If burping persists, it may be a condition called hiccup syndrome. Hiccup syndrome is characterized by spasms of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, with the closure of the glottis during inhalation, resulting in the rapid flow of air into the trachea and producing a specific sound.
3. It may be a sign of cancer
If frequent burping or periodic discomfort in the stomach occurs, it should be taken seriously. When the symptoms of burping are severe, it is necessary to immediately go to the hospital for diagnosis through gastroscopy, blood tests, and other examinations. Early detection leads to early treatment.
Dietary Therapy to Stop Burping
1. Chew on a piece of ginger.
2. Wash fresh Chinese chives, extract the juice, and drink it.
3. Take 10 persimmon stalks and 10 grams of ginger. Boil them in 1 bowl of water and drink the soup. This remedy is suitable for persistent burping.
4. Take equal amounts of fresh pear, water chestnut, fresh lotus root, reed root, and dwarf lilyturf root. Chop them and extract the juice. Drink it multiple times for 7 days. This remedy is suitable for burping caused by stomach heat.
5. Take 100 grams of fresh dwarf lilyturf root and 30 grams of bamboo shoots. Boil them together with an appropriate amount of honey. Take it warm, twice a day. This remedy is suitable for burping, but not suitable for burping caused by stomach coldness.
6. Take 20 persimmon stalks (from fresh persimmons or persimmon cakes) and boil them in water to make 100 ml. Take it in two doses, 50 ml each time. You can also add Chinese chive seeds as needed and boil them together.
