These Four Types of People Should Not Eat Garlic with Their Vegetables
1. Patients with Eye Diseases
People suffering from eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, conjunctivitis, styes, or dry eye syndrome should avoid eating garlic. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that long-term and excessive consumption of garlic can "damage the liver and harm the eyes." Therefore, patients with eye diseases should try to avoid garlic altogether. This is especially important for those who are in poor health or have weak qi and blood, as prolonged consumption can lead to a decline in vision, tinnitus, a feeling of heaviness in the head and lightness in the feet, and memory loss.
Life Tip
In addition to reducing garlic intake, it is advisable for those with eye diseases to consume more eye-nourishing foods. The occurrence of dry eye is related to a vitamin A deficiency, so it's recommended to eat more foods rich in vitamin A, such as animal liver, eggs, and dairy products. Furthermore, carotene or carotenoids found in foods like carrots, tomatoes, and spinach can be converted into vitamin A in the body. For symptoms such as light sensitivity, excessive tearing, blurred vision, and eye fatigue, which are linked to a deficiency of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B1, one should consume more pork heart, lean meat, green vegetables, eggs, dairy, legumes, fish, and brown rice to supplement these nutrients. If you have conjunctivitis or a sty, it is recommended to eat more cooling fruits and vegetables like mung beans, cucumbers, bananas, and winter melon.
2. Patients with Liver Diseases
Many people eat garlic to prevent hepatitis, and some continue to eat it daily even after being diagnosed. This practice is extremely detrimental to hepatitis patients. Not only is garlic ineffective against the hepatitis virus, but some of its components can irritate the stomach and intestines, inhibit the secretion of digestive juices, and thereby worsen symptoms like nausea in hepatitis patients.
Furthermore, the volatile components in garlic can reduce the levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood, potentially causing anemia, which is not conducive to the treatment of hepatitis.
3. Some Patients with Diarrhea
When suffering from non-bacterial enteritis or diarrhea, it is not advisable to eat raw garlic. The pungent allicin in raw garlic can further irritate the intestines, causing the intestinal mucosa to become more congested and swollen, increase exudation, and worsen the condition. Caution is especially important if you are already experiencing diarrhea.
4. Severe Patients with Other Diseases
While eating spicy foods like garlic and chili can help healthy people maintain their well-being, they have significant side effects for severely ill patients or those on medication. Spicy foods can not only render medications ineffective but may also trigger adverse reactions with the drugs, putting the patient in danger. Other spicy foods that may have such interactions include ginger and fennel.