TCM Gastric Protection Against Binge Eating
For individuals without prior gastric issues who overeat during holidays and feel overly full, the best advice is to resume regular, light meals. If post-meal bloating persists, TCM terms this “food stagnation,” meaning indigestion. Short-term use of digestive aids like hawthorn, malt, and sprouted barley can relieve symptoms—about 6g each, steeped in hot water or taken directly. However, discontinue once symptoms resolve.
If one already suffers from gastric discomfort and eats excessively during the Spring Festival, leading to recurrence or worsening of symptoms—such as gastric fullness and pain, frequent belching or flatulence, chest tightness, acid reflux, burning sensation or pain in the chest—then dietary restraint remains paramount, and appropriate medication is necessary.
Herbs like hawthorn, malt, sprouted barley, chicken gizzard lining, and radish seed (for food stagnation) are not recommended. Instead, consider formulas such as Xiangsha Liujunzi Tang, Banxia Xie Xin Tang, Zuo Jin Wan, Pingwei San, Xiao Yao San, or Xuanfu Dai Zhe Shi Tang, adding single herbs like Fritillaria, oyster shell, or dried ginger as needed. Tailor treatment based on individual constitution—adjusting gastric acid secretion, intestinal motility, promoting gastric mucus secretion, protecting gastric mucosa, and aiding tissue repair—for better results than relying solely on antacids.
Besides medication, certain dietary precautions are essential to avoid aggravating gastric burden: avoid large amounts of meat and hard-to-digest foods in one meal; limit glutinous rice products, sweets, caffeine-containing beverages, pickled vegetables, bamboo shoots, chocolate, citrus fruits, and strong alcohol.
Patients prone to gastric pain or acid reflux should eat less congee and consume some soda crackers between meals and before bedtime to alleviate symptoms. Nutrition experts also recommend that gastric patients eat more cabbage family vegetables and use olive oil, sunflower oil, and fish oil. Drinking small amounts of fresh milk is acceptable, but large quantities are discouraged. Sweetened milk is unsuitable.