Cómo prevenir obstrucciones intestinales durante el Año Nuevo Lunar

Title: How to Prevent Intestinal Obstruction During the Lunar New Year Profile: During the Spring Festival, changes in diet and rest can lead to acute intestinal obstruction. Recommendations are offered to maintain intestinal health. Keywords: ['Intestinal Health', 'Diet Management', 'Acute Intestinal Acidosis.']

The Chinese New Year is a peak time for acute intestinal obstruction. The intestine acts like a one-way road transporting nutrients in the body, and an intestinal obstruction is a severe collapse on this "road," preventing contents from passing properly. This can lead to symptoms ranging from abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloating to severe complications such as necrosis or intestinal perforation, which can be life-threatening. Drastic changes in diet and habits during the festivities are the main triggers. Follow this prevention guide to protect your intestinal health and celebrate the New Year healthily.

Diet Management: Lighten the intestines and maintain regularity.

Key Principles: Easy to digest, low irritation, and prevent lump formation.

1. Main Food: Prefer soft foods, and be cautious with hard and sticky ones.

Recommended: Soft rice, overcooked noodles, millet porridge/yam porridge, steamed buns, and sponge cakes.

Careful selection: Glutinous rice products like rice cakes, rice balls, and zongzi, as well as hard non-fermented breads and corn cobs.

2. Dishes: Select by color zones, eating properly is safer.

Green light zone (eat with confidence): Steamed fish, steamed eggs with minced meat, boiled pumpkin or winter melon until tender, peeled and seedless tomatoes, and tender leaf vegetables boiled until soft.

Yellow zone (be cautious when consuming): Coarse-fiber vegetables like celery, scallions, and bamboo shoots (make sure to chop finely and cook well, chewing properly); coarse-fiber fruits like dates, persimmons, and apple spines (do not eat persimmons on an empty stomach as they can form stones in the stomach); whole nuts like peanuts and sunflower seeds (chew well and do not swallow whole).

Red zone (do not eat): Fried foods, fatty meats, spicy chiles, large amounts of raw and cold foods.

3. Habits: Chew well and slowly, reject excessive food.

Chew each bite 20-30 times until the food is mushy.

Eat smaller meals more frequently, changing from three meals to five or six meals, to avoid consuming too much at once.

Focus on eating, do not talk or laugh while eating, to avoid swallowing too much air.

Beverage selection: Adequate hydration while avoiding intestinal irritants.

Fundamental principles: Hydrate and soften the intestines, avoid irritating beverages.

1. Drink more: Warm water (drink at fixed times, ensuring daily water intake), light vegetable soups, and in small amounts, strained apple/orange juice.

2. Do not drink or maintain low consumption: Alcohol (irritates the intestines and aggravates inflammation and edema), carbonated drinks (produce a lot of gas, worsening abdominal bloating), strong tea, and coffee.

Schedule adjustment: Stabilize the intestinal biological clock to promote normal motility.

Fundamental principle: Maintain a regular schedule, do not lie down or engage in intense exercise after eating.

1. Activities after eating: Sit calmly or take a quiet walk for 15-20 minutes to facilitate digestion; avoid lying down or bending immediately after meals, as well as engaging in intense physical activities like playing ball or running, to prevent twists in the intestines.

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule: Do not stay up late and ensure sufficient sleep helps maintain the stability of the autonomic nervous system and ensures normal intestinal function.

3. Set a bathroom schedule: Even with changing times, it is important to maintain a regular schedule to prevent constipation (constipation is a direct trigger for intestinal obstruction due to fecal impaction).

Special population: individuals at high risk of intestinal "obstruction," priority preventive attention.

This population is at high risk for intestinal obstruction, and special attention is needed during the holidays:

1. Those with a history of abdominal surgery (maximum risk): Peritoneal adhesions can reduce intestinal motility, facilitating the occurrence of intestinal obstruction due to adhesions. It is crucial to follow all protective recommendations and avoid overeating.

2. Middle-aged and elderly individuals: Intestinal motility is reduced, so foods should be prepared as soft and mushy as possible. It is recommended to consume bananas, ripe kiwis, and other sources of easily digestible dietary fiber. It is important for family members to pay attention to abdominal bloating and gas expulsion.

3. Small children: Excessive food intake or accidentally swallowing fruit pits or small pieces can lead to mechanical intestinal obstruction. Parents should supervise feeding and food handling.

4. Individuals who are bedridden for long periods or have reduced mobility: Intestinal transit is slow, a light diet is recommended, increasing liquid intake and supplementing with abdominal massages and passive activities.

Urgent alert: If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately!

If the body shows the following signs, it may indicate that the intestine is "paralyzed." You must immediately abstain from eating and drinking, seek medical attention right away, and not self-administer laxatives or painkillers to avoid exacerbating the situation.

1. Abdominal pain: Intermittent colicky pain that intensifies or persistent abdominal pain.

2. Vomiting: Initially gastric contents, and in later stages, may produce fecal-smelling vomit.

3. Abdominal distention: Swollen and asymmetrical abdomen.

4. Stopping gas and stool expulsion: This is the most typical sign of intestinal obstruction.

5. A mass may be observed in the abdomen or a bulge in the area of a previous surgical scar.

The Spring Festival gathering is wonderful, and although the food is delicious, intestinal health is even more important. Maintain the principle of "easy digestion, drink plenty of water, and keep regular activity", take good care of your intestines and enjoy this new year with joy and peace.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Contributor: Hu Meide, General Surgery, Xiangdong Hospital Affiliated to Hunan Normal University

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