Don't drink milk when you have a stomach ache.

 

Gastrointestinal patients... Avoid spicy foods and limit milk intake

 

If you have a burning sensation due to gastrointestinal conditions such as acid reflux, indigestion, gastritis, or stomach ulcers, avoid excessively salty or spicy foods and eat regularly.

 

In particular, patients with reflux esophagitis should avoid caffeine, alcohol, high-fat foods (fried foods, margarine, butter, etc.), and carbonated beverages. Citrus fruits and juices, tomato products, chocolate, and spicy seasonings can also worsen symptoms. Dried fruits, dried seafood, ramen, Jajangmyeon, and nuts are also foods to avoid.

 

It is also better to avoid milk. Hwang Ha-young, a clinical nutritionist from the Nutrition Team at Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital, said, "Many people drink milk when they have a stomach ache, but milk can actually stimulate stomach acid secretion due to calcium and protein, which may make the pain worse."

 

Patients with peptic ulcers should consume white rice prepared in a soft form instead of foods that promote gastric acid secretion or directly irritate the gastric mucosa. To aid in the recovery of the gastric mucosa, they should eat 1 to 2 types of meat, fish, tofu, or eggs at each meal, removing high-fat skins and fatty parts before eating.

 

Clinical nutritionist Hwang Ha-young advised, "Avoid alcohol, carbonated drinks, and caffeine as they can directly irritate the stomach lining, and it is recommended not to eat foods that are too hot or cold."

 

■People with irregular lifestyles... Regular meals are the most important

 

If you experience heartburn due to spicy foods, stress, indigestion, or irregular lifestyle habits, it is most important to eat three proper-sized meals at regular times. Avoid overeating, and if symptoms are severe, reduce the amount per meal and increase the number of meals to 4-5 times a day.

 

Vegetables are peeled and stems removed before being thoroughly cooked. Soft foods such as steamed, braised, or boiled dishes are more soothing to the stomach than fried or stir-fried foods. In particular, omega-3 fatty acids found in bluefish like mackerel and Spanish mackerel, as well as in plant oils, are rich in prostaglandins (biologically active hormones involved in inflammatory responses) and help protect the stomach lining.

 

If fasting continues, the stomach contracts and pain occurs, and a burning sensation in the stomach develops due to gastric acid. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid long periods of fasting and to eat meals that are not irritating but rich in protein, such as braised fish, grilled fish, steamed eggs, and tofu stew, at each meal.