Acute and chronic gastritis, along with peptic ulcers, peak during winter. As temperatures drop, cold air stimulates increased gastric acid secretion. For those prone to gastric issues, irregular eating habits often trigger ulcer flare-ups when temperatures fall.Generally, acute gastritis is an acute inflammation of the gastric mucosa caused by various factors. Among these, gastritis caused by acute Helicobacter pylori infection and acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis are relatively common. Chronic gastritis, on the other hand, includes chronic superficial gastritis, chronic atrophic gastritis, and special types of gastritis, with chronic superficial gastritis being the most prevalent.
Additionally, peptic ulcers refer to lesions formed when the gastrointestinal mucosa is digested by gastric acid and pepsin. The well-known gastric and duodenal ulcers are the most common types of peptic ulcers. Among the complications of peptic ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation are particularly prevalent during winter."Gastrointestinal bleeding may present as black stools, bloody stools, or vomiting coffee-ground material. Severe cases can lead to hemorrhagic shock. Gastrointestinal perforation typically manifests as sudden, unbearable upper abdominal pain and restricted movement," Zhang Shinen cautions. He notes that many peptic ulcer patients lack typical symptoms like abdominal pain, instead presenting with gastrointestinal bleeding symptoms like black stools as their initial complaint, necessitating prompt medical attention.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Tips for Stomach Care
1. Keep Your Stomach Warm
The stomach thrives on warmth and fears cold, preferring moisture over dryness. During the cold autumn and winter months, exposure to cold can impair stomach function, so maintaining warmth is crucial. Individuals with chronic gastritis may benefit from wearing a belly warmer for added comfort.With significant day-night temperature fluctuations in autumn and winter, applying a hot water bottle or warm heating pad to the navel area at night helps warm the yang and dispel cold. Ensure you are well-covered with blankets while sleeping to prevent abdominal exposure and subsequent stomach pain.
2. Opt for Warm, Mild, Soft, and Fresh Foods
Individuals with yang deficiency, qi deficiency, or gastric conditions should prioritize warm, mild, soft, and fresh foods during autumn and winter. Consuming warm meals is advisable. Additionally, meals should be light, finely textured, and fresh, eaten at regular intervals and in moderate portions. Avoid excessively cold, hard, spicy, or sticky foods, and strictly avoid overeating.
3. Appropriate tonic supplementation
Traditional Chinese medicine recommends consuming warming and cold-dispelling foods in autumn and winter. Warm foods like lamb and dog meat nourish the stomach. Sweet foods and herbs such as codonopsis, astragalus, atractylodes, Chinese yam, millet, and pumpkin tonify the spleen and stomach while boosting immunity.Cold-dispelling ingredients like dried ginger, perilla leaves, fresh ginger, and pepper are excellent for strengthening and warming the stomach, effectively treating cold stomach conditions. 4. Abdominal Massage Using the palm of your right hand, massage in a clockwise direction around the navel, starting with small circles and gradually expanding to larger circles for 36 times. Then, use the palm of your left hand to massage the abdomen counterclockwise for 36 times. This promotes digestive and absorptive functions of the spleen and stomach.
5. Avoid Overeating
Hot pot is popular in winter, but its abundance can easily lead to overeating without notice, often triggering stomach issues afterward. Therefore, balanced portion sizes at each meal are crucial—neither overeating nor going hungry, aiming for about 70% fullness. Additionally, ensure a balanced mix of vegetables, fruits, grains, and meats.
6. Quit smoking and drinking
Tobacco increases gastric acid secretion while weakening the pyloric sphincter, causing bile reflux and damaging the gastric mucosal barrier. Thus, long-term heavy smoking often leads to peptic ulcers and hinders their healing. Alcohol directly damages the gastric mucosal barrier, causing acute erosive hemorrhagic gastritis.