Doctor: During the transition from autumn to winter, coughing, gastrointestinal bleeding, and stroke are common emergencies in the emergency department.
As deep autumn sets in, the frequent cold fronts remind people that winter is approaching. Liu Nan, director of the Emergency Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, based on recent emergency room cases, warns that when cold air arrives, you shouldn't eat spicy hot pot every day, because the digestive tract can easily "protest" under the stimulation of spicy food. For patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, they need to be a "weather station" during this period, pay attention to weather changes, keep warm, and prevent stroke. As for preventing dry cough and sore throat caused by autumn dryness, it is recommended that citizens can relieve symptoms by drinking a cup of salt water in the morning and a cup of honey water in the evening. "Salt water in the morning, honey soup at night" to relieve autumn dryness.
Once autumn arrives, many people find that their throats feel as dry and uncomfortable as being cut with a knife upon waking or after talking a lot, and the sound of "hack-hack" dry coughs becomes more common.
Liu Nan explains that autumn weather is dry, the water content in the air decreases, and the human body is also prone to lose water. From the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine, people are particularly susceptible to pathogenic dryness in autumn, leading to autumn dryness, which manifests as dryness of the nose and throat, dry cough with little phlegm, and dry skin. "This type of cough is different from a summer cold; it is often just a dry cough without fever."
To relieve body dehydration, drinking more water is one method, but plain water alone is not enough. You can try two simple methods: "one salty, one sweet." "Plain water is easily lost in the body. If a small amount of salt is added to the water and consumed in small, frequent amounts, it will reduce water loss. In addition, honey has the effect of moistening and nourishing the lungs, and it is also a 'treasure' for fighting autumn dryness. The saying 'salt water in the morning, honey soup at night' speaks of the way of health preservation in autumn." [China Food] Spicy hot pot lovers should avoid certain foods in autumn and winter.
As winter approaches, Director Liu has also seen many patients with gastrointestinal bleeding in the emergency room. "Winter is naturally a high season for stomach diseases, and the beloved hot pot, especially the spicy kind, often contains food that is too greasy and spicy. Moreover, people always like to put food in their mouths while it's 'hot'... These habits can irritate the digestive tract. Coupled with the fact that people's appetites are particularly good in autumn and winter, it's easier to overeat, so the stomach can easily not cope."
He also pointed out that in the past, the "main force" of stomach diseases was mostly office workers who smoked and drank alcohol and had irregular diets, but recently, the incidence of stomach diseases is trending younger. "A few days ago, we admitted a 16-year-old boy who was vomiting blood and passing black stools due to gastrointestinal bleeding. His hemoglobin was only 3 grams, and his condition was quite serious. He told us that he usually had no stomach discomfort, but when we examined him, we found severe gastric and duodenal ulcers. Logically, a student's schedule should be very regular. The trend of younger stomach diseases is believed to be closely related to academic pressure."
To prevent the digestive tract from being "injured" in winter, Director Liu suggests that food should mainly focus on nourishing yin and essence, avoiding overly irritating the stomach and intestines. "For example, cook porridge with shashen, yuzhu, and fresh lily, or make a sugar water soup with fresh lily. However, diabetic patients should be cautious about drinking sugar water." [China Food]
It is also worth reminding those who have recently moved from other places. They are used to eating spicy food in their hometowns like Hunan and Sichuan and continue to do so in Guangdong. However, due to the hot and humid climate in Guangdong, coupled with the dry weather in autumn and winter, excessive consumption of spicy food can easily lead to "internal heat." Therefore, many people from other places who do not quit spicy food in Guangdong often experience swollen gums and a sore throat.
Hypertensive patients should not drink cold water early in the cold weather.
Winter has always been a peak season for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. During the period leading up to winter, the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine receives twice as many patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases as before. Director Liu revealed: "In fact, among the patients who have a stroke in winter, a large proportion do not take their blood pressure control medication on time and in the right amount. This is like a building whose foundation has not been laid well, and it is easy to collapse when a strong wind blows. If blood pressure is not controlled normally, cold air can easily take advantage of the situation, causing blood vessels to constrict and blood pressure to rise, leading to a stroke. Therefore, for people with basic risk factors for stroke such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia, controlling these risk factors is fundamental to reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases."
Director Liu also said that the threat of continuous cold weather to patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is actually not as great as the threat of a sudden "change in weather." "According to my experience, there is always a small peak in the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases after each cold front arrives. But when the temperature stabilizes, even though it is still cold, the body has adapted to this temperature and is less likely to get sick. Therefore, people with risk factors for stroke should pay special attention to weather changes and keep warm during the autumn-winter transition. In this weather now, if you gulp down a glass of cold water upon waking, it can easily cause blood vessels to suddenly constrict. Therefore, you should switch to drinking warm water. Another is to 'quit smoking and limit alcohol'; don't drink excessively to warm up just because it's cold."
In the dry autumn season, drink more soups and eat less ginger.
Director Liu reminds that during the dry autumn season, one should avoid eating too many irritating foods, such as chili, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, ginger, and scallions. These foods are considered "heaty" and lose a lot of moisture during cooking, making it easy to get "internal heat" after eating. "Some people like to eat ginger to warm up, but Traditional Chinese Medicine has a saying, 'Don't eat ginger in autumn for a year, and don't eat ginger at night for a day,' so it is not advisable to eat too much ginger." [China Food]
In addition, barbecue food is originally an "accomplice" to autumn dryness, but the crisp autumn weather is a good time for picnics and barbecues. If you really can't resist and eat a little extra, you can eat some seasonal fruits to balance it out, such as snow pears, persimmons, grapes, and sugarcane.