World Intestinal Health Day | Pay attention to your health, let's start with the "intestines"

May 29th this year is the 18th World Gut Health Day. Gut health is an important guarantee for good health. Today, Ren Hongbo, deputy director of the Department of Gastroenterology at Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, tells you how to protect our health from the perspective of the "gut".

Be careful! Young people’s intestines are not necessarily “young”

The intestine is an important organ in the human body responsible for digestion, absorption and excretion, so it is vividly called the "mother river of the human body." Ren Hongbo introduced, "With the progress of scientific research, people have found that the intestine is not only involved in the digestion, absorption and excretion of the human body, but also closely related to other systems and organs of the human body."

Regarding the high incidence of colorectal cancer in recent years, Ren Hongbo said: "With the changes in people's lifestyles and eating habits, high-fat and high-protein eating behaviors have become more and more common, leading to a significant increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer. In addition, the high incidence is also related to environmental and emotional factors. In our research, we also found that the incidence of colorectal cancer is tending to be younger."

Take notes! Early screening for colorectal cancer is important

"The country attaches great importance to the early screening of colorectal cancer and has launched a number of special plans. In the 'Healthy China 2030 Plan', early prevention and treatment of tumors are listed as the most important content, and colorectal cancer is a particularly important point among them," Ren Hongbo emphasized.

Regarding how to screen for colorectal cancer, Ren Hongbo gave the following suggestions: First, screen for colorectal cancer in healthy people, and it is recommended to use the "high-sensitivity fecal quantitative occult blood test" for examination; second, perform a colonoscopy, which should be done in people over 40 years old, and must be done in people over 50 years old.

In addition, Ren Hongbo emphasized that if there is a change in bowel habits, irregular bowel movements, or changes in bowel characteristics, you must go to a regular hospital for a colonoscopy. Especially when there is blood in the stool, do not take it for granted that it is hemorrhoids. Because the early symptoms of colorectal cancer are not painful, many people always think that they have hemorrhoids when they have blood in the stool, relax their vigilance, and miss the opportunity for treatment.

Don’t be nervous! Take care of your intestines with a “normal mind”

When talking about how to properly maintain the intestines in daily life, Ren Hongbo said that now people's living standards have improved, they not only want to eat enough, but also want to eat well.

"In fact, if we want to ensure the health of our intestines, we only need a normal diet and a healthy lifestyle. We can refer to the 'Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents' and try to add high-quality protein, multiple vitamins, and appropriate amounts of carbohydrates. In addition, it is enough to maintain regular sleep, quit smoking, control alcohol, and reduce the intake of irritating foods." Ren Hongbo said.

Source: CNR