Watch out for "flatulence" when eating Zongzi

        Dragon Boat Festival is coming. In addition to a happy holiday, Zongzi is indispensable. However, many people feel bloated and have a bad bowel movement after eating Zongzi and other high fat foods. This issue of 'Health Column' takes you to understand what bloating is and how to alleviate discomfort.

        What is bloating?

                As the name implies, flatulence is caused by the fact that the gastrointestinal tract is full of air, and 99% of these gases are composed of nitrogen dioxide, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane (CH4), while the other 1% are Noble gas with odor.

        Causes of bloating

        Generally speaking, bloating is often caused by diet, and in addition to the food itself, it is also influenced by dietary habits and daily routines. For example, rapid swallowing or ingesting carbonated beverages, beer, etc. containing gases can easily lead to chemical reactions and fermentation between intestinal bacteria and food. In addition, high greasy foods can also slow down gastric emptying, causing gas volume to accumulate in the intestine.

        On the other hand, problems such as inflammatory intestinal diseases, irritability, diabetes, intestinal tumors, and even intestinal obstruction will also cause excessive gas accumulation in the intestinal tract.

        The intestinal tract is filled with too much gas, which not only makes people feel uncomfortable, but also increases the pressure in the abdomen and affects the coordination of Thoracic diaphragm muscles. Under normal circumstances, the human body will have physiological mechanisms to expel some of the gas by burping or venting.

        How to solve bloating?

        The problem of bloating can be approached from two aspects: using medication and adjusting dietary habits. In the part of drugs, doctors usually prescribe drugs such as Gascon to change the surface tension effect of bubbles and make them coagulate together, so that the gas adsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract can be discharged through burping or exhaust. As for diet, it is recommended to consume small amounts and multiple meals, and avoid consuming excessive amounts of carbonated beverages, high fat, high fiber, carbohydrates, and other non digestible foods. In addition, exercising after meals, walking, or massaging the abdomen (pressing clockwise) can improve the problem of intestinal gas retention.

        When should I seek medical attention? What actions should be taken?

                If none of the above methods can improve bloating, the root cause must be identified. You can first observe whether there are other symptoms besides abdominal distention, including edema, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool, weight loss, fever, diabetes, taking specific drugs or surgery, etc. If you have symptoms of the front row, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

        Generally speaking, it is necessary to first determine whether there is water or air in the abdomen for bloating. The way of outpatient Physical examination is to tap the stomach through the fingers. High frequency sounds represent air and low frequency sounds represent water. However, water is not in the intestines, but outside the intestines.

        In addition, "blood drawing" and further "endoscopic examination" can also help doctors diagnose; Abdominal X-ray photography can assist in determining the distribution of gas in the abdomen; As for "abdominal ultrasound", although limited by air and unable to accurately diagnose, it can still be used to identify whether there are other problems in the abdominal cavity.

        summary

        The composition of the air in the intestine is too changeable. The most basic thing is to control the diet. After all, most of the air is caused by the fermentation of food and intestinal bacteria, so Healthy diet is very important.

        Zongzi is a kind of food with high calorie, high fat and high starch, which reminds people to taste it in moderation. If you have repeated flatulence, please consult your doctor and Dietitian.

        Reference: sleisenger and forttran's gastrointestinal and liver disease 11th

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