🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Every occupation brings some degree of harm to the body. If this harm exceeds a certain threshold, it can lead to occupational diseases. Choosing appropriate diets based on occupation can help reduce the risk of occupational diseases.
People frequently exposed to dust—such as teachers and steel foundry workers—should eat more pig blood. Pig blood has the ability to absorb “waste” materials in the body. After being broken down by gastric acid and digestive enzymes, the plasma protein in pig blood produces a substance that detoxifies and lubricates the intestines. This substance reacts with invading dust particles and harmful metal microparticles, transforming them into insoluble waste that is excreted via the digestive tract. Thus, regularly eating pig blood provides both nutrition and helps eliminate harmful substances, promoting health.
Workers frequently exposed to fibers—such as textile workers—should eat more black fungus to aid digestion of fibrous materials.
Workers exposed to benzene: Benzene-exposed personnel should ensure a balanced diet, with emphasis on increasing high-quality protein intake. Animal experiments show that animals fed low-protein diets grow significantly worse than those on high-protein diets when exposed to benzene vapor. The detoxification of benzene primarily occurs in the liver, partly through direct binding with reduced glutathione. Dietary proteins rich in sulfur-containing amino acids are the source of glutathione in the body. Therefore, workers in oil refining, dye manufacturing, and similar industries—frequently exposed to benzene—should consume more high-protein and vitamin C-rich foods to help prevent benzene poisoning.
Workers frequently exposed to lead—such as those in printing, casting, welding, glass, and enamel production—often face chronic lead poisoning. Early symptoms include fatigue, metallic taste in the mouth, muscle and joint pain, followed by abdominal pain and neurasthenia. As the condition progresses, slowed motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity, anemia, and kidney dysfunction may occur. Consuming calcium- and iron-rich foods—such as bone broth, shrimp, and soy products—can reduce lead accumulation in the body.
Workers frequently exposed to radiation—such as photographers, X-ray technicians, and computer operators—regularly encounter radiation. Radioactive substances enter the body via air and food, causing harm through internal or external irradiation. Radiation exposure can cause mild symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, and hair loss; severe cases may lead to leukemia or cancers of bones, lungs, and thyroid, even death. To counteract radiation damage, foods with antioxidant properties should be chosen, such as milk, eggs, liver, broccoli, cabbage, eggplants, green beans, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, bananas, apples, and yeast. Moderate tea consumption helps combat radiation. Scientific research shows that taurine effectively repairs radiation-induced damage. Most marine organisms are rich in taurine, so eating fish and shellfish is especially beneficial.
Intellectual workers: Since the brain’s primary component is phosphatidylcholine, mental fatigue depletes brain phospholipids. Egg yolks, the main component of eggs, are rich in phosphatidylcholine. Therefore, intellectual workers are advised to eat more eggs—1–2 per day—to replenish nutrients. Additionally, they should consume more foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, zinc, and vitamins, such as animal brains, poultry, milk, lotus seeds, apples, golden needle mushrooms, walnuts, sesame seeds, and soy products.
Outdoor workers: Outdoor workers should consume ample, high-quality food and drink diluted salt water to replace fluids lost through sweating. In cold weather, they may prefer high-fat, high-sugar, high-calorie diets—such as lamb, beef, dog meat, chili peppers, ginger, fish, shrimp, and glutinous rice—to resist cold and wind and replenish energy.
Workers in noisy and vibrating environments—such as power station staff and drivers—should consume more vitamin B-rich foods like bran and wheat bran to prevent auditory organ damage.
Night shift workers: Night shift workers often suffer impaired vision due to poor lighting conditions, and lack exposure to natural sunlight's ultraviolet rays during daytime sleep. Consequently, their needs for vitamins A and D are often higher than those of day shift workers. Meals should provide sufficient energy, along with adequate high-quality protein, inorganic salts, and vitamins. To achieve this, they should frequently consume dairy, eggs, fish, lean meats, pork liver, soy products, vegetables, and fruits, limit intake of pure sugar and high-fat foods, and control salt consumption.