Recently, a 23-year-old office lady named Fangyan passed away from a stomach ulcer. While people are mourning her loss, it also serves as a serious reminder of the importance of health. At just 23, what led to her illness? We can find some clues in her Weibo posts, which also serve as a warning to others.
Fangyan's Weibo (Excerpts)
This kind of joy. I used to like being sick, thinking that when I was ill, someone would take care of me. Now I think being sick is miserable. I can't even get a day off. December 15, 13:58
What's wrong with me. My stomach didn't hurt just a moment ago. Now I have a fever... December 14, 22:44
Looking for stomach medicine... It hurts so much. December 14, 17:20
I thought I had an iron stomach, how could it hurt this much? December 14, 10:43
I have an avoidance disorder. December 14, 09:48
Washing my hair before bed for a long time has caused my migraines. Eating after 9 PM every night and then going to sleep has led to a stomach hemorrhage. At the tender age of 23, I've been left with a body full of ailments. December 14, 00:56
Today, I felt better and more beautiful because of someone else's help. Tomorrow, I will also help others. Offering my selflessness and gratitude. December 13, 21:18
Eating like this all day long. In my mom's words, this is called "eat and drink it all for good health." But I feel like my body has been having problems recently. It turns out that eating less is healthier. November 19, 23:44
I'm in a really bad mood. I heard that people who are always in a bad mood will not have a healthy body!!! October 30, 19:05
Starting from the morning of October 24, 2011, I began to lose weight. To not affect my quality of life and health, I eat breakfast and lunch, but skip dinner. I halve my lunch intake. I stop eating after 9 PM, with the goal of getting my weight back to two digits before the arrival of 2012. October 23, 23:08
From Fangyan's Weibo, it's clear that her irregular diet and stress led to her stomach ulcer. It's no exaggeration to say that almost all office workers are at risk of developing a stomach ulcer. So, how can we tell if we have one?
If you experience any of the following symptoms, it's highly likely you have a stomach ulcer.
1. Pain in the upper abdomen, below the xiphoid process, with acid reflux;
2. Getting very hungry easily, with stomach pain that is relieved by eating;
3. This stomachache is different from the past; it's more severe, even waking you up at night, but gets better after eating some crackers;
4. Black stools.
Generally, a stomach ulcer is not life-threatening, but in theory, it can be.
Hemorrhagic shock can occur, possibly because the ulcer is unfortunately located on a blood vessel, even a small artery. In this case, the bleeding can be massive in a short period of time, similar to a cerebral hemorrhage, and may be fatal before medical help arrives. If there are vascular malformations or the ulcer is cancerous, hemorrhagic shock can also occur. Experts note that since the specific details were not mentioned in her Weibo, it's hard to make a judgment.
Experts explain that besides bleeding, there are three other complications of a stomach ulcer that can be "fatal." One is perforation, a serious complication where the ulcer deepens continuously, penetrating the muscular and serosal layers, and finally perforating the wall of the stomach or duodenum.
Preventing stomach ulcers starts with "eating"
To prevent stomach ulcers, the most important thing is to maintain a good daily routine and eating habits. Diet-wise, you should eat smaller, more frequent meals and only eat until you are 70% full. Eat a good breakfast, a full lunch, and a light dinner. Avoid overeating. Eat on time, sitting down, not standing or squatting. Avoid spicy, fried, smoked foods like barbecue, as well as overly acidic, cold, or strongly stimulating foods. Do not drink alcohol, and drink less strong tea and coffee. Eat more vegetables and high-fiber foods like celery and mushrooms. Here are a few recipes recommended for stomach health.
1. Longan, Red Date, and Chinese Yam Soup
Ingredients: 12 red dates, 300g Chinese yam, 2 tablespoons of longan pulp, and an appropriate amount of sugar.
Method: First, peel the Chinese yam, wash it, and cut it into cubes. Then, put the yam and red dates into a pot with water and cook until they are soft. Next, add the longan pulp and sugar and continue cooking until the longan pulp has dissolved.
Chinese yam helps to nourish the spleen and stomach, while red dates and longan pulp can replenish blood and Qi, and also strengthen the spleen and stomach.
2. Lamb and Radish Soup
Ingredients: 750g lamb, 500g white radish, an appropriate amount of coriander, salt, chicken essence, cooking wine, pepper powder, green onions, and ginger.
Method: First, wash the lamb and cut it into thick strips. Then, wash the white radish and shred it. Wash and chop the ginger and green onions. Add an appropriate amount of oil to a wok, stir-fry the ginger until fragrant, then add the lamb. Add an appropriate amount of water, followed by salt, chicken essence, cooking wine, and pepper powder. Once the lamb is cooked, add the radish and simmer over low heat until the radish is tender. Finally, add coriander and green onions.
3. Perilla, Ginger, and Red Date Soup
Ingredients: 15g red dates, 10g perilla leaves, 3 slices of ginger.
Method: First, wash all the ingredients. Remove the pits from the red dates. Shred the ginger and perilla leaves. Place the ginger and red dates in a clay pot, add an appropriate amount of water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for half an hour. Remove the ginger and perilla leaves, then continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.
This soup can warm the stomach and dispel cold, and it also aids digestion and promotes Qi circulation.
4. Pepper and Pork Stomach Soup
Ingredients: 30-50 white peppercorns, 1 pork stomach, an appropriate amount of salt, cooking wine, MSG, and other seasonings.
Method: First, clean the pork stomach. You can scald it with boiling water and wash it with salt and vinegar. After cleaning, cut it into pieces and place it in a pot with an appropriate amount of water and white peppercorns. Simmer for about 2 hours, or until the pork stomach is tender and the soup is thick. Add an appropriate amount of salt and other seasonings.
This soup can be consumed before a meal. White pepper is warm in nature and can warm the middle burner and dispel cold, which is beneficial for stomach health.
Massage Techniques for Stomach Health
Method 1: Use your right thumb and index finger to press on the Neiguan and Waiguan acupoints, which are located two finger-widths above the wrist crease on the inner and outer sides of your left arm. Rub and knead in both directions 36 times each. Then, repeat the same process on your right arm. The Neiguan acupoint is on the Pericardium Meridian and can help relieve chest tightness, regulate Qi, calm the mind, and harmonize the stomach. It can be used to treat heart palpitations, insomnia, chest and rib pain, coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, and functional gastrointestinal disorders. The Waiguan acupoint is on the Triple Burner Meridian and can treat heat-related colds, migraines, chest and rib pain, tinnitus, deafness, upper limb paralysis, and shoulder and arm pain. For patients with cardiovascular diseases, regularly rubbing these points can help alleviate symptoms and prevent angina attacks.
Method 2: Place the palm of one hand on your navel and place the other hand on top. Gently press and rub in a clockwise motion, drawing a spiral from the navel out to the entire abdomen, about 80-100 times. Then, rub back to the navel and massage another 80-100 times. You can switch hands and repeat the process in a counter-clockwise direction. Abdominal massage can improve gastrointestinal function and reduce the load on your stomach and intestines. If done persistently, it can also improve bowel regularity. It is recommended to do this massage before bed at night, when you are neither hungry nor overly full.
Method 3: After meals or before bed, rub your hands together until they are warm, then massage your abdomen in a clockwise circle centered on the navel, 64 times. Afterward, rub your warm hands over your lower abdomen.
Method 4: From a meridian perspective, the Stomach Meridian passes between the second and third toes of the foot. People with good gastrointestinal function often have a firm grip with their toes when standing. Therefore, frequently moving your toes can help strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach. Especially as the year-end approaches, many people have more social engagements and uncontrolled diets, which can easily damage the spleen and stomach. Moving your toes can help reduce the burden on these organs. You can do this exercise while standing or sitting. Place your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and continuously perform the action of gripping and releasing the ground 60 to 90 times to create a stimulating, alternating tension on the foot meridians. You can do this exercise barefoot or in soft, flat-soled shoes, and it can be repeated multiple times daily. When washing your feet, you can also add some appropriately sized oval river pebbles to the foot basin. Soak your feet in warm water while practicing repeatedly hooking and grabbing these pebbles with your toes. Warm water soaks help to unblock the meridians, and toe-grabbing stimulates local Stomach Meridian acupoints. Consistent practice will gradually enhance gastrointestinal function. However, diabetic patients should ensure the surface of the objects they use is smooth to avoid scratching the skin and causing infection.
Method 5: Additionally, when sitting or lying down, you can massage your lower legs from the bottom up. The lower legs contain many acupoints for the digestive system. The Spleen and Liver Meridians (the Three Yin Meridians of the Foot) are on the inner side of the lower leg, while the Stomach and Gallbladder Meridians (the Three Yang Meridians of the Foot) are on the outer side. The Zusanli acupoint, which strengthens the spleen, is located on the outer side, three finger-widths below the knee. Massaging these acupoints regularly can also help strengthen the spleen and nourish the stomach. There is no need to be strict about the massage technique; the pressure should be tolerable and feel comfortable afterward. Do not massage when you are overly full or very hungry. It should be noted that children's acupoints are different from adults', so this massage method is not suitable for children.