HYDERABAD: Boxing Day is the day after Christmas, and it's also the day doctors say many of their patients aged 40-plus come in complaining of heartburn.
“Christmas is a merry season and that is an excuse to drink too much wine. The excuse that red wine or home-made wine is healthy, is baseless. Excessive drinking of wine, which also has traces of alcohol, is not healthy,” cautions Dr Hari Charan, a general physician. Those with a history of liver disorders and those suffering from gout should exercise greater restraint, he says.
Dr Indra Mohan is concerned about diabetic patients. “Indians tend to overeat during festivals and Christmas is a time for people with a sweet tooth. It is okay if they eat red meat moderately, but the cakes and cookies can cause sugar levels to shoot up,” he says.
While the Christmas day feast can’t do much harm, the feasting often begins much in advance and too much of meat and baked goodies can cause cholesterol levels to rise, says Dr Mohan.
The culprit is continuous eating, says Dr T Unnikrishnan. “The aroma of baked goods ensures that people keep munching even between meals without knowing how many cookies they have devoured. Since it is winter season, these calories will be difficult to burn. Try to not indulge in eating ‘empty calories’ and stick to eating meals,” he advised.
“Heartburn or other gastric problems are caused due to continuous eating without a proper schedule, or eating too heavily before bed. With just a little bit of regulation of the amount of food on one's plate, one can enjoy the Christmas week better,” says Dr Hari Charan.
