The digestive tract is "full of dangers". To save it, it depends on how you eat and drink every day.

Author: Cui Yihui, registered dietitian

Reviewer: Wang Junbo, Associate Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, Peking University Health Science Center

In today's world, cardiovascular disease ranks first on the list of diseases that challenge the bottom line of human life, followed by malignant tumors (cancer). Among malignant tumors, except for lung cancer, the most threatening to humans is digestive tract tumors. "Diseases come from the mouth, and disasters come from the mouth." Digestive tract malignant tumors are basically related to daily bad eating habits and behaviors. Eating and drinking water are things we have to do every day, but many people do not realize that their bad eating habits make the digestive tract "full of dangers and traps." The following bad eating habits and behaviors put the digestive tract in "dilemma" and "danger." Is it you? Please check the corresponding one.

1. The dangers of drinking water to the esophagus

Nitrite is the precursor of nitrosamine, a clear carcinogen. When you think of it, you may first think of leftovers and pickled food. Little do you know that drinking water in some places actually contains nitrite. If the nitrite content in drinking water is high, nitrite will remain on the esophageal wall, leading to esophageal cancer. You can choose not to eat leftovers and pickled vegetables, but you can't choose not to drink water!

In some places in my country, the whole village has a high incidence of esophageal cancer, and even three generations of a family have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. This is because the nitrite content in the local drinking water is high. Although the nitrite content in drinking water in most people's living areas does not exceed the standard, bad drinking habits can also lead to the proliferation of bacteria in the water, thereby producing nitrite. For example, drinking boiled water that has been left for too long. So what should we do? Here are three tips for you.

1. After boiling water, try to drink it within 16 hours. Please remember that boiling water once does not kill bacteria "once and for all", and boiled water also has a shelf life. If it is left for too long without a lid on, the bacteria content in the water will increase significantly, and nitrite will be produced in the water.

2. Boil tap water for 3 minutes after boiling to effectively remove chlorine, unless your drinking water is distilled water or water filtered by a high-quality water purifier.

3. It is best to drink up household bottled water within 3 to 7 days. Families with a small population should try to choose small-capacity bottled water or install a water purifier.

Figure 1 Copyright image, no permission to reprint

2. The dangers of hot food to the esophagus

In addition to ensuring the purity of water and staying away from carcinogens, the habit of eating "hot" food and drinking "hot tea" can easily damage the esophageal mucosa, laying hidden dangers for esophageal cancer. Excessively high food temperature can damage the inner wall of the esophagus, making the mucosa rough and uneven, and then induce inflammation, edema, hyperplasia and even precancerous lesions. Therefore, food with a temperature of around 40°C is relatively safe for the esophageal mucosa. If you are really anxious, you should practice your lung capacity well. Before putting the food into your mouth, you should lower the temperature of the food until your lips no longer feel hot.

3. The dangers of hard food to the esophagus

Someone vividly said that the human esophagus needs to be treated "gently". "Warm" here refers to the temperature, and "soft" refers to choosing soft food. Young people with good teeth should know that there are many cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed at a young age. Whether it is cumin and nuts used in barbecue, or dry and hard baked buns and sesame cakes, or even the crispy skin of roast duck, they may become "sharp and hard" foods due to incomplete chewing. When they "scratch" the esophageal mucosa, it can cause esophageal mucosal damage. If you really like to eat this kind of "sharp and hard" food, there is only one way to solve it: chew carefully, avoid swallowing it in a hurry, and try to chew each bite of food more than 20 times.

4. The dangers of oral medication to the esophagus

Taking medicine is to cure diseases, but if the method of taking medicine is wrong, it may cause disease and even lead to esophageal cancer. This situation is common in the elderly, who often need to take several medicines orally at the same time. After taking a handful of capsules or tablets of different sizes, many people have a habit of lying down immediately, but such a habit can also bring hidden dangers to the esophagus. On the one hand, the contraction function of the esophagus of the elderly decreases. Lying down after taking the medicine can easily cause the medicine (especially capsules) to remain in the esophagus, thereby corroding the esophageal wall. On the other hand, the contraction function of the cardia at the end of the esophagus of the elderly to prevent reflux decreases. After lying down, the medicine is easy to reflux into the esophagus, which can also cause corrosion to the esophageal wall. In short, when you need to take multiple medicines at one time, please take them separately with warm water. Do not lie down immediately after taking the medicine. Stand or sit for a while to allow the medicine to enter the stomach smoothly.