Gastroenteritis

　　Acute gastroenteritis is caused by the intake of food containing pathogenic bacteria and their toxins, or by improper diet, such as excessive intake of刺激性, indigestible food, which can cause acute inflammatory changes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. In China, the incidence rate is higher in summer and autumn, with no gender difference, and the incubation period is generally 12 to 36 hours. The causes of gastroenteritis include bacteria, viruses, pesticides, toxins in food itself, chemical reactions between food and food, or contamination by other inorganic substances.

　　One, bacterial infection: the most common cause of bacterial infection is food contaminated by bacteria, and food that is not cooked or half-cooked is particularly susceptible to bacterial contamination. Flies and unhygienic cooking utensils. Food stored at room temperature is likely to be seriously contaminated by bacteria. The refrigerator should be kept below four degrees, and the hot cabinet should be above sixty degrees to stop the growth and reproduction of bacteria (in fact, not dead). Staphylococcus and Salmonella usually come from food handlers, especially those handling dairy products, processed meats, sashimi, etc.

　　1. Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella are the most common pathogens.

　　2. Campylobacter can often be found in contaminated poultry, meat, and fish. This bacterium often causes diarrhea and severe abdominal pain.

　　3. Salmonella is the main pathogen causing acute gastroenteritis, among which Salmonella typhi, Salmonella enteritidis, Salmonella choleraesuis, Salmonella gallinarum, and Salmonella anatis are more common.

　　One, viral infections often also cause gastroenteritis and enteritis. Rotavirus is the most common pathogen causing childhood diarrhea. In addition, other viruses that can cause gastroenteritis include adenovirus, enterovirus, hand, foot, and mouth virus, etc. This infection can cause symptoms within two days.

　　Two, toxins produced by plants: such as yew, solanaceous plants with blue leaves, morning glory, and Hamamelidaceae plants, all contain toxins, and the sprouts of potato tubers are also toxic and can cause gastroenteritis.

　　Four, toxic chemicals such as arsenic, lead, and various pesticides. If these chemicals are ingested, symptoms can occur within a few hours.

　　Amoebiasis, trichomoniasis, and other diseases can also cause symptoms of gastroenteritis.

　　In addition, gastrointestinal mucosal damage caused by poor living habits, such as alcoholism, smoking, and overeating, can also cause gastroenteritis. Many people abuse amoxicillin, ceftriaxone, and other antibiotics when they encounter diseases, which can directly stimulate the intestines and also cause gastroenteritis.

　　Dehydration caused by diarrhea and vomiting is a serious complication of gastroenteritis, especially in young infants and the elderly who are very likely to experience dehydration.

　　Chronic gastroenteritis has a long course and a slow progression, with symptoms similar to acute gastroenteritis and can lead to cachexia.

　　Other concurrent diseases such as electrolyte imbalance, intestinal perforation, sepsis, etc.

　　To prevent gastroenteritis, it is necessary to prevent food contamination, prevent infection by pathogenic bacteria, and avoid刺激性 foods that affect gastrointestinal function. Specific measures include:

　　1. Do not eat unclean fruits and vegetables

　　Fruits and vegetables should be watered, fertilized, and sprayed with pesticides during their growth period. During the collection, transportation, and sale process, they are prone to bacterial infection, so many fruits and vegetables have bacteria, eggs, and chemical pesticides on their surfaces. Therefore, fruits and vegetables must be washed repeatedly with clean water before eating. Fruits and vegetables that can be peeled should be peeled before eating, otherwise, it is easy to accumulate pesticides and cause poisoning.

　　2. Avoid eating刺激性 foods

　　Stimulating foods such as cold and spicy foods should be chosen according to individual conditions, existing dietary habits, and the season to avoid overeating, especially not to overindulge in alcohol.

　　3. Wash hands frequently, pay attention to the hygiene of tableware, and keep raw and cooked foods separate.

　　Gastroenteritis requires laboratory tests to clarify the cause, and common methods of examination include:

　　1. Routine blood examination: The white blood cell count can be normal or abnormal, and can be accompanied by anemia (hemoglobin below normal);

　　2. Stool examination: Routine stool examination and stool culture, checking for eggs in the stool;

　　3. Gastric juice analysis: The gastric acid of patients with chronic superficial gastritis is often normal or slightly low, while that of patients with chronic atrophic gastritis is significantly reduced.

　　4. The endoscopic examination combined with the pathological examination of gastric living tissue can determine whether it is superficial or atrophic gastritis; during the endoscopic examination, gastric living tissue can also be taken for a detection to see if there is an infection of Helicobacter pylori.

　　Diet for patients with acute gastroenteritis

　　Fatty foods such as lard, butter, and fried foods are not suitable for consumption during the treatment of acute gastroenteritis. Spicy and刺激性 foods such as chili, alcohol, onions, curry, pepper, mustard powder, strong coffee, hard and high-fiber foods are not suitable for consumption, and acidic foods and carbonated drinks are also not suitable for consumption. These foods are prone to block digestion, stimulate the gastric mucosa, and are not conducive to the recovery of gastric mucosal inflammation.

　　During the inflammatory period, the digestive function of the gastrointestinal tract is weakened, and light, low-fat foods should be consumed, preferably in the form of liquid and soft foods, which is beneficial for digestion and absorption and reduces the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. To compensate for the reduced nutritional intake due to food control, porridge made from five grains can be cooked. The main dishes should be tender green vegetables, and the green vegetables should not have too much fiber. Meat should be eaten in small quantities, and meat should be cooked as simply as possible without adding spices such as ginger, garlic, and star anise. Although liquid foods should be the mainstay, it is also advisable to drink less thick soups and to drink in moderation light soups, and to avoid drinking milk and other rich beverages as much as possible.

　　During the treatment of acute gastroenteritis, soft and liquid foods should be consumed until the symptoms are completely relieved. The digestive function is still weak during the recovery period, and it is recommended to maintain a diet mainly of liquid and soft foods for another three months. During this period, other foods can be gradually and appropriately supplemented to meet nutritional needs, but the amount should be controlled, and spicy and刺激性 foods should still be avoided; overeating and overdrinking are absolutely not allowed.

　　Diet for patients with chronic gastroenteritis

　　1. Chronic gastroenteritis, in addition to medication, depends on daily care. Chronic gastroenteritis does not need to avoid as many foods as acute gastroenteritis, but it also needs to pay attention to avoid spicy and stimulating foods, do not overeat or eat irregularly, eat less and more frequently, and eat on time and in the right amount to reduce the burden on the gastrointestinal tract. Abstain from smoking, alcohol, and carbonated drinks.

　　2. If gastric acid secretion decreases, eat rich and delicious foods such as thick meat broth, fish broth, and chicken broth to stimulate gastric acid secretion and promote appetite. Eat a few hawthorns in each meal, preferably fresh hawthorns, to stimulate the secretion of gastric juice. Acidic fruits or fruit juices can be eaten, or yogurt can be drunk.

　　3. For those with excessive gastric acid secretion, avoid meat broth, fish broth, chicken broth, and excessive umami foods. Cook the meat and remove the broth before cooking. Foods should be made thin,碎, soft, and tender. Cooking methods should be minimized using frying and other methods, and steaming, boiling, braising, stewing, and braising should be used as much as possible. Milk, soy milk, steamed buns, noodles, and bread can be consumed to neutralize gastric acid.

　　4. During the maintenance period of chronic gastroenteritis, pay attention to consume more high-protein foods and high-vitamin foods to ensure that various nutrients in the body are sufficient, prevent anemia and malnutrition. For those with anemia and malnutrition, increase the intake of foods rich in protein and heme iron in the diet, such as lean meat, chicken, fish, and animal organs such as liver, kidneys, and gallbladder. Dark-colored foods are generally fresh vegetables and fruits rich in vitamins, such as green leafy vegetables, green beans, tomatoes, eggplants, jujubes, okra, purple okra, carrots, purple potatoes, purple cabbage, and purple flower chlorella.

　　The Western medical treatment methods for gastroenteritis include:

　　(1) General treatment: Patients with severe symptoms should rest in bed, take oral glucose-electrolyte solution to supplement the loss of body fluids. If there is persistent vomiting or obvious dehydration, intravenous glucose and saline should be supplemented with other relevant electrolytes. Light and fluid or semi-liquid foods can be consumed to prevent dehydration or treat mild dehydration.

　　(2) Symptomatic treatment: Antiemetic drugs can be injected, such as chlorpromazine for intramuscular injection; antispasmodic drugs such as belladonna, antidiarrheal drugs such as Simeticon.

　　(3) Antimicrobial therapy: For infectious diarrhea, appropriate targeted antibiotics such as berberine or gentamicin can be taken orally. However, it should be prevented from the misuse of antibiotics and should be used under the guidance of a physician or pharmacist.