The dishes on the dining table are always the "same old three," which can make one lose their appetite. Many people can only wolf down their food to fill their stomachs, which can harm the stomach over time. Recently, according to a report on the U.S. "Daily Health News," a study shows that dining with elegant music not only increases appetite but also helps maintain the health of the spleen and stomach.
Professor Michael, a nutrition expert at Ohio State University who led the study, explained that music enhances appetite because the brain's limbic system and the reticular formation in the brainstem primarily regulate the functions of internal organs. Music can directly affect these neural structures. Beautiful music can promote saliva secretion and regulate stomach contractions.
"Music has various health benefits, such as aiding digestion and regulating mood, which people have long recognized. However, few have taken advantage of this. Now, with the popularity and convenience of music electronic devices like MP3 and MP4, listening to music while eating fast food is both healthy and fashionable for office workers," said Dr. Ouyang Qi from the Physical Therapy Department of the General Hospital of the Beijing Military Command. China's earliest medical classic, the "Huangdi Neijing" (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon), records that "the spleen corresponds to song." The "Rites of Zhou" also states: "Music is used in ceremonies to accompany feasts; this is because the spleen favors the sounds of string and wind instruments." Traditional Chinese medicine attributes the digestion and absorption of food to the transporting and transforming functions of the spleen and stomach. Since music helps enhance these functions, it naturally has a positive effect on digestion.
Of course, attention should be paid to the choice of music. It is best to listen to soothing piano pieces or light music, such as classical pieces like "The Blue Danube," "Clair de Lune," and "The Four Little Swans," as well as Chinese folk music like "Jasmine Flower" and "Butterfly Lovers."
Music like percussion and rock should be avoided. Their fast, strong, and powerful rhythms can increase heart rate and excite emotions, which can affect appetite and hinder digestion.