After feasting on food and snacks that are high in oil, salt and sugar during the long Lunar New Year holiday, many people are still feeling the effects of excessive eating, ranging from bloating and constipation to a fluctuating appetite and even fatigue, nutritionist Hsieh Hsin-yi (謝欣頤) said.
People have gone back to their normal routine after the holiday, but they are discovering that their bodies, especially the digestive system, have yet to return to normal, said Hsieh, who works at Tainan Municipal Hospital.
“The key to restoring the body’s digestive and metabolic functions is to follow a balanced, high-fiber and regular diet,” Hsieh said.
Photo: Huang Mei-chu, Taipei Times
“We have patients coming in complaining of bloating, constipation, loss of appetite or other digestive problems. Some said they gained weight during the holiday, so they have been eating less or skipping meals, but that could lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels and trigger binge eating,” she said.
“We advise people to eat at regular times, and each meal should include protein, carbohydrates and vegetables to restore the body’s energy,” she said.
Food that is high in fiber is highly recommended as it promotes satiety, improves bowel movement and makes up for the oily dishes and refined food consumed during the holiday, she said.
“Vegetables should make up half of the portion of each meal. Choose dark green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, legumes and other natural high-fiber foods,” she added.
“Some people would only eat vegetables and avoid food staples after the holiday, but this could lead to muscle loss and a slower metabolism. Each meal should include protein, such as fish, chicken, eggs, tofu or sugar-free soy milk,” Hsieh said.
“Sufficient water intake should boost the effects of eating a high-fiber diet to prevent constipation or fatigue,” she said.
“Cook food via steaming, stewing or braising, and minimize frying in oil. Cut down on starches and heavy spices to help your digestive system recover,” she added.
Hsieh recommended a dish called “braised tofu with tomatoes and seasonal vegetables,” which is easy to make.
Stir fry the tomatoes to release their juices, then add tofu and seasonal vegetables, using little oil and spices, she said.
“Tomatoes can be filling, while tofu is a good source of protein and vegetables are high in fiber, so this [dish] is a good option for people to fine-tune their digestive system,” Hsieh said.
“This is a period to ‘adjust,’ not ‘punish’ your digestive system,” she added.
People should not look for rapid changes or quick results, but should instead focus on eating regular meals, high-fiber foods and light dishes to allow their digestive system to return to its natural rhythm and feel healthy again, Hsieh said.
The Grand Hotel Taipei on Saturday confirmed that its information system had been illegally accessed and expressed its deepest apologies for the concern it has caused its customers, adding that the issue is being investigated by the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau. The hotel said that on Tuesday last week, it had discovered an external illegal intrusion into its information system. An initial digital forensic investigation confirmed that parts of the system had been accessed, it said, adding that the possibility that some customer data were stolen and leaked could not be ruled out. The actual scope and content of the affected data
DO THEY BITE IT? Cats have better memories than people might think, but their motivation is based entirely around the chance of getting fed Cats can remember the identity of the people who fed them the day before, Taipei-based veterinarians said on Friday, debunking a popular myth that cats have a short memory. If a stray does not recognize the person who fed them the previous day, it is likely because they are not carrying food and the cat has no reason to recognize them, said Wu Chou Animal Hospital head Chen Chen-huan (陳震寰). “When cats come to a human bearing food, it is coming for the food, not the person,” he said. “The food is the key.” Since the cat’s attention is on the food, it
‘LIKE-MINDED PARTNER’: Tako van Popta said it would be inappropriate to delay signing the deal with Taiwan because of China, adding he would promote the issue Canadian senators have stressed Taiwan’s importance for international trade and expressed enthusiasm for ensuring the Taiwan-Canada trade cooperation framework agreement is implemented this year. Representative to Canada Harry Tseng (曾厚仁) in an interview with the Central News Agency (CNA) said he was increasingly uneasy about Ottawa’s delays in signing the agreement, especially as Ottawa has warmed toward Beijing. There are “no negotiations left. Not only [is it] initialed, we have three versions of the text ready: English, French and Mandarin,” Tseng said. “That tells you how close we are to the final signature.” Tseng said that he hoped Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday bestowed one of Taiwan’s highest honors on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Ambassador Andrea Clare Bowman in recognition of her contributions to bilateral ties. “By conferring the Order of Brilliant Star with Grand Cordon on Ambassador Bowman today, I want to sincerely thank her, on behalf of the Taiwanese people, for her outstanding contribution to deepening diplomatic ties between Taiwan and SVG,” Lai said at a ceremony held at the Presidential Office in Taipei. He noted that Bowman became SVG’s first ambassador to Taiwan in 2019 and
RSS