Modern people eat everything, yet their stomachs have not become stronger as a result; instead, they have become increasingly fragile. Many people enjoy gathering friends for late-night snacks to reward their tired bodies. Little do they know that this is not a good time to replenish nutrients. "The better you eat, the more your stomach suffers."
I. Avoid Mental Stress
When a person is tense, worried, or angry, these negative emotions can spread from the cerebral cortex to the limbic system, affecting the autonomic nervous system. This directly leads to gastrointestinal dysfunction, causing the over-secretion of gastric acid and pepsin, which in turn causes stomach blood vessels to constrict, the pylorus to spasm, and delays gastric emptying. The protective layer of the gastric mucosa is damaged, leading to self-digestion and the formation of ulcers.
II. Avoid Overexertion
Whether it's physical or mental labor, excessive fatigue can cause insufficient blood supply to the stomach and disrupt secretory functions. This leads to excessive gastric acid and reduced mucus, damaging the mucosa. Modern people eat everything, yet their stomachs have not become stronger as a result; instead, they have become increasingly fragile. Many people enjoy gathering friends for late-night snacks to reward their tired bodies. Little do they know that this is not a good time to replenish nutrients. "The better you eat, the more your stomach suffers."
III. Avoid Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol itself can directly damage the gastric mucosa. It can also cause cirrhosis of the liver and chronic pancreatitis, which in turn aggravate the damage to the stomach.
IV. Avoid Compulsive Smoking
Smoking can cause the blood vessels of the gastric mucosa to constrict and reduce the synthesis of prostaglandins, which are protective factors for the mucosa. Smoking can also stimulate the secretion of gastric acid and pepsin, worsening the damage to the mucosa.
V. Avoid Irregular Eating Habits
When hungry, the high concentration of gastric acid and pepsin in the stomach, with no food to neutralize them, can easily lead to the self-digestion of the mucosa. Overeating, on the other hand, can damage the stomach's self-protection mechanisms. Excessive stretching of the stomach wall and prolonged food retention can also contribute to stomach damage.
VI. Avoid Unhygienic Food
Infection with *Helicobacter pylori* is a significant cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers. The detection rate of this bacterium in ulcer patients is as high as 70% to 90%, and it disappears after the ulcer is cured. Ulcer patients can transmit the infection through close contact such as tableware, utensils, and kissing. Contaminated food is also one of the causes of infection.
VII. Avoid Overeating at Dinner
Some people tend to concentrate all their daily nutritional intake at dinner, or they enjoy eating late-night snacks or something before bed. This not only leads to poor sleep and can cause obesity but can also stimulate the gastric mucosa to secrete excessive gastric acid, inducing the formation of ulcers.