Gastrointestinal problems are a common issue, and many people experience stomach problems due to irregular and unhealthy eating habits. It is necessary to take care of our stomachs, so how can we do that? In this article, I will discuss the dietary methods for stomach care, foods that harm the stomach, and signs of poor stomach health.
Dietary methods for stomach care
Lotus Seed and Euryale Seed Congee
Wash the lotus seeds, euryale seeds, and rice. Put all the ingredients into a pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and cook over low heat. Once the pot boils, reduce the heat and continue to cook for a while. When making congee, add more water to prevent it from becoming too thick.
Benefits: Calms the nerves, nourishes the heart and soothes the mind, accelerates physical recovery, and helps overcome social anxiety. It strengthens the spleen, replenishes qi, nourishes the stomach, tonifies the kidneys, and is suitable for those with poor appetite, abdominal distension, cold limbs, and weak lower back and knees caused by spleen and kidney deficiency.
Sweet Potato Congee
Wash the sweet potato (preferably with red or purple skin and yellow flesh), cut it into small pieces with the skin on, and cook it with glutinous rice in water until it becomes a thin porridge. When the porridge is almost done, add an appropriate amount of sugar and continue to cook for another two to three boils.
Papaya and Tuna Tail Soup
Ingredients: 1 papaya, 100g tuna tail
Instructions: Peel and cut the papaya into chunks. Pan-fry the tuna tail for a moment, then add the papaya and a few slices of ginger. Add enough water and simmer for about 1 hour.
Benefits: Nourishes and aids digestion. Assists in treating indigestion, chest and abdominal distension.
Seaweed and Pumpkin Soup
Ingredients: 100g old pumpkin, 10g seaweed, 20g dried shrimp, 1 egg, soy sauce, lard, yellow wine, vinegar, monosodium glutamate, sesame oil (all in appropriate amounts)
Instructions: Soak the seaweed in water, wash it, beat the egg in a bowl, marinate the dried shrimp in yellow wine, peel and remove the seeds from the pumpkin, wash it, and cut it into chunks. Heat a pot, add lard, and when it is hot, add soy sauce to stir-fry. Add an appropriate amount of water, dried shrimp, and pumpkin, and cook for about 30 minutes. Then add the seaweed and cook for another 10 minutes. Finally, pour the beaten egg into the pot, add the seasonings, and stir well. This soup has the effect of protecting the liver, tonifying the kidneys, and strengthening the body.
Note: Pumpkin is warm in nature, so people with excessive stomach heat should eat it in moderation.
Foods that harm the stomach
1. Rice Soup
Some people like to mix rice and soup together, creating rice soup. This causes the food to slide into the stomach without being properly chewed in the mouth, adding burden to the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, eating rice soup reduces saliva secretion, which hinders food digestion and prevents complete nutrient absorption. Furthermore, when taste buds are not adequately stimulated, the secretion of digestive fluids in the gastrointestinal tract decreases, eventually leading to digestive disorders and malnutrition.
2. Eating excessively spicy food
Consuming a moderate amount of spicy food can benefit your health. However, eating too much spicy food can lead to excessive secretion of digestive fluids, causing congestion, edema, and increased gastrointestinal motility.
