Saturday, November 20, 2010

Chinese Postpartum Care. 2-Diet Taboo (Don'ts)

1. Avoid drinking water, vinegar or anything sour, rice porridge or congee, including milk, as these are said to easily bring about the sagging of the breasts, skin and internal organs, including protruding tummy, etc.
*In lieu of drinking water, intake of chinese herbal drinks such as sheng-hua soup (生化湯), sesame pork liver soup, etc. during the 1st week is adviced. By the 2nd week, monitored volume of water intake is suggested: weigh body weight daily, such that drink only 10-16cc of water for every kilogram (kg) of body weight, taking small sips. 

2. Avoid salt or salty food. Light diet void of saltiness is strongly recommended because it slows down blood flow and is unfavorable to lochia discharge (means post-partum vaginal discharge which contains blood, mucus and placenta tissue. This is very similar to the bleeding experienced during menstrual period, but much heavier.) Salty food may result in thirstiness thereby increasing unnecessary water intake which could cause excess water retention inside the body. This is said to hinder the recovery of the body or physical figure, or cause the tummy to look bloated.

3. Avoid oily food. Postpartum diet is supposed to observe light diet, avoiding oily and fatty food intake. This is said to slow down physical metabolism, causes arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries, neuralgia.

4. Avoid raw, cold and spicy food.  Breast feeding mothers should avoid these food as they are said to easily cause infant diarrhea.  The maternal physique veers toward to a cold nature, causing the hands and feet to easily feel cold during fall winter.

5. Avoid fried, stir-fry or barbeque food, including solid food such as peanuts, (melon) seeds, beans, beef tendon, beef, etc., because they easily result in thirstiness and constipation.

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