【Disclaimer】The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical treatment offline.
The early morning sun poured into the bedroom through the curtains, and Li Fang opened her sleepy eyes. She stretched, habitually picking up the glass on the bedside table and taking a few sips. Suddenly, a sharp abdominal pain hit, and she bent down to cover her stomach, and her face instantly turned pale.
Li Fang is a veteran nurse who has been working for more than 20 years and is accustomed to seeing various diseases. But this inexplicable abdominal pain still made her panic. She endured the pain and dialed her colleague Xiao Wang's phone with trembling hands.
"Xiao Wang, my stomach hurts so badly, can you come and take me to the hospital?" Li Fang's voice was full of pain and anxiety.
Half an hour later, Li Fang was wheeled into the emergency room. The doctor on duty carefully inquired about her symptoms and lifestyle habits, and then showed a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Nurse Li, do you usually drink water as soon as you wake up in the morning?" The doctor asked.
Li Fang nodded: "Yes, I do it every day." I heard that drinking water on an empty stomach is good for the body and can detoxify and nourish the skin. "
The doctor shook his head, sighed, and said, "Many people have this misunderstanding. In fact, drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning may cause harm to the body. "
Li Fang was stunned. As a nurse, she has always thought she was very knowledgeable about health and wellness. I didn't expect this seemingly healthy habit to turn out to be wrong.
The doctor went on to explain: "Our stomachs are in a fragile state after a night's rest. At this time, drinking a lot of water will dilute stomach acid and affect digestive function. To make matters worse, cold water can irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause stomach cramps, as you do now. "
Li Fang suddenly realized. No wonder she always felt sick to her stomach during this time, and it turned out that the culprit was this seemingly healthy habit.
"So what should we do?" Li Fang humbly asked.
The doctor smiled and said, "It's actually very simple, just remember three things after waking up in the morning."
Li Fang pricked up her ears and listened carefully to the doctor's advice.
The first thing is to rinse your mouth. When you sleep at night, bacteria in your mouth multiply. Rinsing your mouth in time after waking up can remove these bacteria and prevent oral diseases. A study by the Chinese Institute of Stomatology showed that people who rinsed their mouths in the morning and evening had a 40% lower risk of dental caries and periodontitis than those who did not.
The second thing is to drink warm water. Doctors recommend that you can put a thermos cup at the head of the bed and fill it with a small amount of warm water. Take a few small sips when you wake up, which will replenish water without irritating the stomach. The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" released by the Chinese Nutrition Society also mentions that drinking 200-300ml of warm boiled water after waking up in the morning can help promote gastrointestinal peristalsis and improve constipation.
The third thing is to do some simple exercises. For example, stretch your limbs, take a few deep breaths, or gently massage your abdomen. This stimulates blood circulation and wakes up the body after a night of sleep. Experts from the Sports Medicine Research Center of Beijing Sport University pointed out that 5-10 minutes of light exercise in the morning can significantly increase the body's basal metabolic rate, which is conducive to maintaining a healthy weight.
After listening to the doctor's advice, Li Fang suddenly realized. She recalled the misguided "health regimen" on weekdays, and couldn't help but laugh dumbly.
After being discharged from the hospital, Li Fang decided to share her experience with those around her. Her friend Zhang Hua, an elementary school teacher, was surprised to hear what happened to Li Fang.
"I always thought it was healthy to drink water on an empty stomach!" Zhang Hua said, "No wonder I always feel sick to my stomach lately. "
Li Fang patiently relayed the doctor's advice to Zhang Hua. The two agreed to supervise each other and develop healthy morning habits together.
A few weeks later, Li Fang and Zhang Hua were reunited. Both of them feel much better mentally than before. Li Fang's stomach discomfort disappeared, and Zhang Hua also said that her constipation problem had improved.
Inspired by this, Zhang Hua organized a "Healthy Morning" theme activity in the class. She invited Li Fang as a special guest to explain the correct morning habits to the children. The children listened with relish and said that they wanted to go home and tell their parents.
This event caused a lot of repercussions in the school. Many parents said that they did not know that drinking water on an empty stomach was harmful before, but now that they know the right way to do it, the quality of life of the whole family has improved.
After hearing about it, Liu Dali, a physical education teacher at the school, also joined the propaganda team. He added instructions on proper drinking water to his morning run, which was well received by the students.
Gradually, this little healthy habit spread throughout the community. Doctors at the community health centers were pleased to find that the number of residents seeking medical treatment for gastrointestinal discomfort has decreased significantly.
Li Fang's deeds even attracted the attention of the local media. A TV station invited her to participate in a health program to educate more viewers about the correct morning habits.
After the show was broadcast, Li Fang received many letters of thanks from the audience. Some people say that because they got rid of the habit of drinking water on an empty stomach, they have been relieved of their stomach problems for many years. It is also said that by waking up early to exercise, not only is the body healthier, but the work efficiency is also improved.
Li Fang was deeply encouraged by this feedback. She realized that a small habit change could have such a wide range of positive effects. She decided to continue her research on healthy lifestyles and contribute to the health of more people.
Under Li Fang's influence, her hospital began posting healthy living tips in the outpatient lobby. Updated weekly, it covers all aspects of diet, exercise, work and rest. This initiative has been well received by patients.
Qian Duoduo, director of the hospital's nutrition department, was full of praise for Li Fang's approach. She said that the occurrence of many chronic diseases is closely related to poor lifestyle habits. Starting small and cultivating healthy habits like Li Fang is of great significance to preventing disease.
Director Qian also deliberately consulted relevant literature to provide a scientific basis for Li Fang's views. She cited a research article in the Chinese Medical Journal that followed 3,000 adults for five years. The results showed that those who adhered to a healthy morning routine had a 30% lower risk of metabolic syndrome than the control group.
Encouraged, Li Fang decided to go one step further. Together with several like-minded colleagues, she curated a series of community health talks. The content of the lecture not only covers the correct morning habits, but also covers many aspects such as reasonable diet, moderate exercise, quitting smoking and limiting alcohol.
These lectures have generated an enthusiastic response in the community. Lao Zhang, a retired worker, said that since attending the lecture, he has not only broken his habit of drinking water on an empty stomach for many years, but also learned the correct diet combination. Before he knew it, the high blood pressure that had plagued him for years had improved significantly.
Xiao Li, a young white-collar worker, said that the early exercise method she learned through the lecture made her bid farewell to her long-term sub-health state. Now she is full of energy and her work efficiency has improved dramatically.
Seeing that her efforts bore fruitful fruits, Li Fang felt extremely gratified. She deeply understands that a healthy lifestyle can not only improve one's physical condition, but also motivate those around her, and ultimately benefit the whole society.
Li Fang's story teaches us that seemingly insignificant habits in life can have a significant impact on health. The three things you do when you wake up in the morning – gargle, drink plenty of water, and exercise lightly – may seem simple, but they contain profound health wisdom. Not only does it wake up the body, but it also lays the foundation for a full day of healthy living.
Through Li Fang's experience, we also see the importance of popularizing science. Many people develop bad habits because of a lack of proper health knowledge. And medical workers like Li Fang, through the combination of their own experience and professional knowledge, can more effectively communicate the concept of health to the public.
This story also reminds us that health is not only a personal matter, but also a social issue. When more and more people realize the importance of healthy living and put it into practice, the health level of the whole society will be improved. This will not only reduce the pressure on the healthcare system, but also improve the quality of life and happiness of the people.
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(The story in the article is purely fictional, if there is any similarity is purely coincidental, if the body is not well, seek medical help in time)