In winter, Beijingers are most fond of eating hot pot. In the cold winter, a hot pot that is numbing, spicy, and scalding is indeed satisfying, but experts in gastroenterology remind that office workers who have just "escaped" from the office should enjoy the fragrant and spicy food in moderation. Overindulging can easily harm the stomach and intestines, and after eating, one should drink more hot water or strong tea; once feeling unwell, drink milk or congee immediately to protect the stomach and intestines.
Every winter, eating hot pot has become a sight in Beijing, but there are also many people who have problems and see a doctor. Director Guan Yupan of the gastroenterology department at the Red Cross Chaoyang Hospital believes that people under high work pressure and who are prone to tension have more sensitive digestive systems that cannot absorb too much moisture. The spicy taste of hot pot first stimulates the esophagus, then quickly passes through the stomach, small intestine, etc., severely irritating the gastrointestinal mucosa, causing stomach acid and bloating. Besides easily causing esophagitis and gastritis, diarrhea is also inevitable. Director Guan said that some people are under high work pressure and do not pay attention to a balanced diet, leading to overeating, which makes digestive tract diseases more likely to occur. For example, some reflux esophagitis is caused by acid reflux, which is because the lower esophageal sphincter relaxes, allowing stomach acid to flow back upwards. Recent medical discoveries have shown that acid reflux can also cause asthma, which is also related to mental stress.
The destructive power of spicy hot pot on the gastrointestinal tract is not hard to imagine. When doctors examine the digestive systems of such patients through endoscopy, scratches can be seen on the surface of the gastric mucosa. In severe cases, acute erosive gastritis may even occur. Such damage from spicy food can also appear on the inner wall of the large intestine, and over time, it may not be prevented from developing into malignant tumors. Office workers with a history of constipation or hemorrhoids should be more cautious when eating hot pot. Otherwise, hemorrhoid patients are prone to relapse due to excessive congestion of the sphincter around the anus from stimulation, and constipation patients will become even more "blocked." Therefore, office workers should consciously exercise more to increase gastrointestinal motility, and eating more coarse grains can also help. Director Guan introduced that constipation has become a very common and frequent problem, and more and more people are seeking medical treatment in outpatient clinics, especially office workers who are under high work pressure and sit still in the office. She suggests that those with this problem should first go to the hospital for a gastrointestinal motility test to find out the cause of constipation. After ruling out causes like intestinal stenosis or tumors, they can then determine if they need the help of prokinetic drugs.
Although everyone's tolerance for spiciness is different, for the sake of their gastrointestinal health, Director Guan believes it is best to eat less of the numbing and spicy hot pot. If you cannot refuse an invitation or resist the temptation, you must not eat too much at once and try not to make it too spicy. If your stomach has always been "uncooperative," even if you can't resist the urge to eat hot pot, try to make the seasoning only mildly spicy and drink less of the spicy hot pot soup. Also, after eating hot pot, drink more hot water or strong tea to dilute the spicy juice and reduce the stimulation to the gastrointestinal tract, which will make the stomach and intestines more comfortable. If you feel any discomfort, drink some light beverages like thin congee or milk immediately to protect the stomach lining.