As the Spring Festival holiday approaches, bringing joy alongside various health concerns, how should we respond? Today, we'll delve into this topic.
Pre-holiday health check-ups: Don't overlook your teeth!
During the Spring Festival, feasting takes center stage in every household. Gatherings with family and friends inevitably involve indulgent eating and drinking, which not only burdens the digestive system but also strains teeth. Dental issues arising during the holiday can dampen the festive mood.Dr. Tan Hui, Associate Chief Physician of the Periodontal and Mucosal Department at Changsha Stomatological Hospital's Youyi Road Branch, advises that as the Spring Festival approaches, it's wise to conduct a dental health check-up to ensure you can enjoy the festive feasts without worry.
First, Dr. Tan recommends a pre-holiday dental checkup and professional teeth cleaning to detect and locate tartar buildup. Tartar forms from accumulated dental plaque, harbors large amounts of bacteria, and irritates gums and alveolar bone, leading to inflammation of gum and periodontal tissues. The increased eating and drinking during the Spring Festival may exacerbate tartar symptoms.For tartar removal, visit a reputable dental hospital or clinic where professionals use specialized instruments and scientific methods—commonly known as professional teeth cleaning.
Second, prevent and treat cavities through early detection and intervention. Cavities, often dismissed as minor issues, are frequently neglected.In reality, early intervention minimizes damage to tooth structure, reduces patient discomfort, and effectively halts progression—preventing the agony of pulpitis and apical periodontitis. Maintain daily oral hygiene by brushing morning and night, and develop the habit of rinsing after meals. Seek prompt treatment upon detecting cavities.
Additionally, seek prompt dental care for bleeding gums during brushing. The primary cause is gingivitis, where plaque, tartar, and soft deposits irritate the gums, causing swelling and sensitivity. This makes the gums prone to bleeding when brushing.Early treatment is relatively straightforward: professional periodontal cleaning combined with consistent oral hygiene can resolve bleeding gums. Seek prompt medical attention at the first sign of symptoms for diagnosis. If caused by poor oral hygiene, gingivitis, or periodontitis, simple scaling or deep root planing can effectively treat the condition.
Children Should Also Be Vigilant Against These Conditions Before Spring Festival
Experts caution that although the number of pediatric flu cases has recently decreased, prevention efforts must not be relaxed. This year has seen an increase in children with lobar pneumonia compared to previous years. If a child experiences a persistent high fever lasting three to four days, accompanied by coughing and lethargy, prompt medical attention is essential.
Simultaneously, experts from the Jinan Center for Disease Control and Prevention remind the public that winter remains a high-incidence season for chickenpox, measles, and norovirus, necessitating continued prevention measures.
"Chickenpox primarily spreads through contact with fluid from blisters or via aerosols in the upper respiratory tract.Most children may experience symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and loss of appetite before the rash appears. The rash first appears on the trunk and head, gradually spreading to the face, and finally reaching the limbs."
Liu Xiaoxue, Deputy Director of the Immunoprevention Department at the Jinan CDC, advises that during chickenpox outbreaks, ventilation should be enhanced, and susceptible children should avoid crowded public places.
Coping with the "Pre-New Year Syndrome" with Composure
The so-called "Pre-New Year Syndrome" fundamentally stems from the overwhelming number and complexity of tasks we must handle as the holiday approaches, causing psychological and emotional fluctuations. For instance, while eagerly anticipating returning home for the New Year, the persistent difficulty in securing train tickets inevitably leads to frustration and anxiety.Even after securing those tickets, the thought of the considerable expenses involved in welcoming and entertaining guests back home can be equally distressing.
While most people's "pre-holiday syndrome" doesn't severely disrupt work or daily life—nor requires specialized medical treatment—its presence does impose varying degrees of mental strain. This pressure can inevitably affect our pre-holiday work and personal routines.Therefore, it's worth discussing how to overcome this "pre-holiday syndrome."
In my view, there are two main approaches: First, find ways to resolve existing problems. Second, for issues beyond personal control or those where solutions seem elusive, actively adjust your mindset to transcend the syndrome.
For instance, many people who wish to return home but cannot secure train tickets may fall into "ticket-grabbing anxiety." Beyond persistently trying to book tickets on the 12306 website, could they consider flying home instead? Or perhaps carpooling with fellow travelers driving back? Solving the travel problem through alternative means will naturally alleviate the "ticket-grabbing anxiety."As for post-homecoming challenges like "gift-selection paralysis," "empty-pocket syndrome," or "holiday boredom," these can be addressed by shifting traditional mindsets. Let go of concerns about face and vanity, and be more open and honest with family and friends.
We should all understand that the primary purpose of returning home for the Spring Festival is to reunite with loved ones, to comfort our parents' longing for us, and to ease our own homesickness. Therefore, getting home and being with our parents is what truly matters. As for the various challenges that arise, we can choose to approach them with a tolerant mindset. When we do, these so-called syndromes naturally cease to exist.
How Individuals with "Four Highs" Can Enjoy the Holidays
As the Spring Festival approaches, how can those with "four highs" (high uric acid, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar) savor festive meals without compromising their health? Experts offer guidance.
Professor Liu Youzhang from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical University explains that "watching what you eat" doesn't mean complete abstinence. For instance: - Those with high uric acid should limit organ meats, seafood, legumes, and mushrooms. - Hypertensive individuals should avoid fried and overly spicy foods. - Those with high blood lipids should minimize greasy and excessively sweet foods (as sugar easily converts to fat).Those with high blood sugar should limit pumpkin (Professor Liu emphasizes that pumpkin does not lower blood sugar), sweet potatoes, flour-based foods, congee, fruits, desserts, and beverages.Alcohol should be minimized by all four high-risk groups. Scientific ingredient selection and balanced food pairing are also crucial. For instance, melon, pork ribs, and soybean soup or conch soup make excellent choices for those with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or hyperglycemia.
However, these so-called forbidden foods aren't "poison." If you really crave them, enjoying small portions is acceptable.
Finally, Professor Liu Youzhang recommends a spleen-tonifying, digestion-promoting, and lipid-lowering formula that individuals with the four highs can simmer as a tea during the holiday season. Ingredients: 30g fermented malt, 15g hawthorn, 30g barley malt, 15g gallbladder membrane, 30g grain sprouts, 10g dried tangerine peel, 5g mint.Barley malt aids digestion of starchy foods, grain sprouts relieve grain-induced indigestion, hawthorn fruit eases meat-related digestion issues, and fermented rice aids digestion. Adding dried tangerine peel and mint five minutes before completion enhances qi circulation, spleen function, and toxin elimination, doubling the digestive benefits. Lemon green tea is also an excellent digestive beverage.