Tips to prevent gastric problems in monsoon: Doctors share dos and don'ts | Health - Hindustan Times
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Tips to prevent gastric problems in monsoon: Doctors share dos and don'ts

ByZarafshan Shiraz, Delhi
Jul 28, 2022 08:10 AM IST

The highly humid monsoon weather tends to cause our digestion process to slow down, which can cause problems like bloating, gastric, acidity and indigestion. It is important to keep digestive system and gut healthy by following these dos and don’ts during monsoon season

During monsoon, the humid weather can make the entire digestive system sluggish and many digestive issues such as bloating, gas, acidity and indigestion can crop up. The rainy season is responsible for letting the entire digestion process become inert due to the humid conditions and with a host of bacteria causing severe stomach infections, the digestion process slows down raising the risk of gastric issues.

Tips to prevent gastric problems in monsoon: Doctors share dos and don'ts (Image by Raman Oza from Pixabay )
Tips to prevent gastric problems in monsoon: Doctors share dos and don'ts (Image by Raman Oza from Pixabay )

About 30-40% of cases in a gastro out patients department are usually due to bloating gas and loose stools in monsoon. Poor sanitation and contaminated water are the main sources of diarrhoea, especially during monsoon, which is the reason why drinking clean and purified water is a must during monsoon since many a times the water used, especially in street foods can be contaminated with bacteria and viruses that can cause severe stomach infection.

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The digestive organs like pancreas, small intestine and stomach can be affected due to gastric issues. Hence, it is important to keep digestive system and gut healthy and keep all the digestive issues at bay by following certain dos and don’ts during monsoon season.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr ST Gopal, Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Transplant Hepatologist at Bangalore's Apollo Hospitals, shared the following tips to avoid gastric problems in monsoon:

1. Use water purifier or boil the water used for drinking and cooking.

2. To keep the toilets clean with disinfectants regularly.

3. Wash your hands with soap after using the toilet and before touching any food items.

4. Infants should be breastfed for the first six months of life to prevent diarrhoea in them.

5. Wash hands with soap after changing diapers in children/elderly

6. Avoid water stagnation near your house after rains.

7. Avoid eating street food especially during monsoon

8. Vegetables and fruits must be washed with water dilute and if cut, keep refrigerated before cooking.

9. Meat and fish should be purchased from hygienically maintained stalls and refrigerate them after bringing home. Avoid raw meat like sushi.

10. When eating out consume only piping hot food. Also, should be freshly prepared.

11. Timely food intake is very important. Avoid frequent munching and /or too long gaps between meals (ideally 4-6hours). Take lighter diet at night. If consuming meat or very oily foods, the quantity should be reduced as it takes longer to digest such food. Means don't eat full stomach, if you think you can have one more serving, it’s the right time to stop.

Making a list of dos and don'ts, Dr Brunda MS, Consultant - Internal Medicine at Aster CMI Hospital, suggested:

Dos -

1. Drink an adequate amount of water to help flush the toxins from the body

2. Eating probiotics that have good bacteria help.

3. Eat light. Consume light food so that it reduces the pressure on the digestion process and intestines.

4. Have properly washed and fresh home-cooked food.

Don’ts -

1. Do not eat raw and Unhygienic food

2. Avoid street food as it could have high levels of contamination

3. Do not eat heavy and Oily food

4. Do not drink water from various sources other than bottled or filtered water

5. Avoid seafood and leafy vegetables as the moistness in them may aggravate stomach and intestine issues.

Dr Veerendra Sandur, Lead Consultant - Med. Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Aster RV Hospital, asserted, “The highly humid monsoon weather tends to cause our digestion process to slow down, which can cause problems like bloating, gastric, acidity and indigestion. Consumption of contaminated food with bacteria, toxins, and parasites is unpalatable for the digestive system which leads to gastric issues.” Adding to the list of dos and don'ts, he recommended:

Don’ts -

Avoid street food like golas, pani puri as the water used can be a host to bacteria that can cause severe stomach infection. For that matter, avoid drinking water from any source other than sealed bottles and water purifiers. Avoid sea food as the water tends to get contaminated during the monsoon and the fish you consume could possibly cause cholera or diarrhea. The moistness in the leaves can be a breeding ground for germs. Consuming foods with excessive oil and spices which are not to your tolerance or is inappropriate in the concoction could aggravate gastric condition.

Dos -

Consume light, home-cooked hot meals in moderation. Keep yourself well hydrated to flush out the toxins. Drink herbal teas like chamomile tea, green tea, or even ginger lemon tea that can help improve digestion and also boost immunity. Consumption of probiotics such as yogurt or buttermilk is recommended as the good bacteria in these improve the immunity system.

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