🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Food, after chewing and salivary wetting, becomes chyme upon entering the stomach. Chyme’s gentle friction on the gastric mucosa is actually beneficial. The gastric mucosa has a thick layer of mucus, and surface cells renew every three days—no need to worry about abrasion or thinning. On the contrary, normal eating activates various gastric cells, aiding recovery from chronic gastritis.
After healing gastric diseases or when no acute gastric condition exists, long-term stomach "rest" is actually an unhealthy eating habit. The relationship between motion (exercise) and stillness (rest) is dialectical—every good thing has its limits; exceeding them leads to the opposite.
Regional and ethnic dietary cultures vary. People from Sichuan and Hunan eat spicy food at every meal, yet their gastric disease rates aren’t higher than those in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. This is because the stomach has remarkable adaptability. Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy tastes are all necessary. Over-restriction makes life dull. Some people, due to prolonged "stomach care" through rice-only diets or reduced intake, weaken their constitution—hardly worth it.
The gastric mucosa contains over ten cell types, each performing distinct roles in coordination. Seven endocrine cells regulate gastric activities through mutual inhibition. One such cell, the gastrin cell (G cell), located in the gastric antrum and duodenal mucosa, produces gastrin—a nutrient for the gastric mucosa. Gastrin has two functions: (1) Promotes secretion of gastric acid and pepsin, enhancing digestion. But when gastric acid increases excessively, G cells detect this and automatically stop secretion, as excess acid damages the stomach and duodenal mucosa, causing ulcers. This self-braking mechanism is miraculous, ensuring optimal secretion levels. (2) Nourishes the gastric mucosa, making it robust and resistant to damage. Gastric surgery patients, whose antrum is removed, lose G cells and thus develop gastric atrophy more easily.
Food Automatically Regulates
Gastrin production depends on food stimulation of the gastric antrum mucosa. In fasting states, blood gastrin levels are only 20–30 μg/L. After eating, food friction and stimulation trigger massive gastrin release, peaking at 200 μg/L within half to one hour. Gastrin quantity varies based on food quantity and quality. For example, easily digestible rice and noodles produce less gastrin; after a rich meal with hard-to-digest proteins, G cells secrete more gastrin to enhance digestion. This is just one endocrine cell’s role—seven endocrine cells together form a complex regulatory network, enabling the gastrointestinal tract to adapt powerfully to digestion and self-repair.
No Need for Long-Term Stomach Rest
Chewed and salivated food becomes chyme before reaching the stomach—its gentle friction on the mucosa is beneficial. The mucosa has a thick mucus layer, and surface cells renew every three days—no risk of damage. Normal eating activates various gastric cells, aiding chronic gastritis recovery. Gastrin’s effects may rival those of any digestive aid or mucosal protector. High gastrin levels correlate with thickened gastric body mucosa—proof of its efficacy. Scientists synthesized a fragment of artificial gastrin, creating pentagastrin, used to treat atrophic gastritis.
During acute gastric illness (e.g., gastric or duodenal ulcers, acute gastroenteritis, gastric bleeding), temporarily reduce stomach load—opt for small, frequent meals, semi-liquid, easily digestible foods. However, after healing or when no acute condition exists, long-term stomach "rest" is actually harmful. Motion (exercising the stomach) and stillness (resting it) are dialectically related—every action has its proper measure; exceeding it leads to reversal. Gastric patients should manage diet according to disease stages—reducing load should be temporary. Two conditions particularly don’t require dietary restriction in chronic phase: (1) Duodenal bulb ulcer—caused partly by excessive digestive power leading to self-digestion of the bulb mucosa. Eating during pain redirects excess digestive force, relieving symptoms and even having therapeutic effects. (2) Chronic gastritis—now clearly linked to *H. pylori* infection. Eradicating bacteria halts atrophy and intestinal metaplasia, with partial reversal possible. Believing that reducing stomach burden reverses it lacks basis. Patients can safely eat normally, allowing G cells to function properly—weighing pros and cons, there’s no loss.
Long-Term Rice Diet Weakens Constitution
Diet is also a joy. Regional and ethnic dietary habits vary. People from Sichuan and Hunan eat spicy food daily, yet their gastric disease incidence isn’t higher than in Jiangsu and Zhejiang—thanks to the stomach’s strong adaptability. Sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy tastes are all human needs. Over-restriction makes life bland. Some people, due to long-term "stomach care" through rice-only diets or reduced intake, weaken their constitution—hardly worthwhile. Especially for children with chronic gastritis, whose digestive organs are still developing, parents should not restrict food variety or cooking methods. Though foods vary in digestibility, all can be digested. Ensuring freshness, cleanliness, and diversity is most important. Cooking doesn’t need to be overly soft. Diverse diets stimulate appetite and provide exercise opportunities for digestive organs. Picky eaters inevitably become frail. Diet is the foundation of postnatal health; digestive capacity reflects constitution. Only strong bodies can confidently face future challenges.
How to Practice Dietary Health? How should gastric patients eat? How many foods should be avoided? Doctors have differing views—no need for uniformity. My view: Use the stomach—it won’t break, only spoil.