It’s another busy day for John. After a day of classes and a tiring soccer practice, he now has half an hour of free time to grab some dinner before rehearsal. He orders a large pizza with extra cheese and gobbles (狼吞虎咽) it down with time to spare. As he walks into the theater for rehearsal, John starts to feel nauseated (恶心的) and he has a burning feeling in the back of his throat. John can’ t understand what’s going on— he felt fine just a few minutes ago.
Then, what on earth has happened to John? He has indigestion, a common digestive problem. Indigestion is just another name for an upset stomach. It usually happens when people eat too much or too fast, or certain food don’t agree with them. It might happen more often if you smoke, drink alcohol, or are stressed out, or don’t get enough sleep.
Sometimes indigestion can be accompanied by heart burn. Despite its name, heartburn actually has nothing to do with your heart. It’s caused by stomach acid splashing up from the stomach and into the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. In addition to heartburn, if you have indigestion, you’ll probably have one or more of these signs like pain or burning in your upper stomach, uncontrollable burping(打嗝), and so on.
Usually, indigestion only happens once in a while, like after eating certain foods that don’t agree with you. But you’ll want to see the doctor if you get indigestion even when the eating is just right or you’re exercising, and getting enough sleep. You may need to be examined or have stomach X- ray or other tests to make sure your indigestion is not a sign of another problem in your digestive system. Depending on what the doctor finds, you might need to make changes in your diet or take medicine.
Some people can eat anything and never get an upset stomach. But others are more easily affected or upset by certain foods. If you discover you have a problem with particular foods, it’s best to limit them or skip them entirely. Besides avoiding problem foods, try to eat a few smaller meals instead of one or two really big ones. Find ways to reduce stress. Give your body a chance to digest food. Eat slowly and don’t eat a huge meal and immediately go to sports practice. Try to eat at least an hour before physical exercise, or eat afterwards. Well, you might still get indigestion once in a while, even if you follow these tips. But as long as your indigestion doesn’t go on for a long time or is not excessively painful, it’s probably nothing out of ordinary.
Indigestion |
(76)________ | ● John eats a large meal quickly before rehearsal. ● He feels (77) ________ in his stomach and throat after entering the theater. |
Causes | ● Someone overeats or eats too fast. ● Someone eats certain foods that (78) ________ with him or her. ● Indigestion can be also caused by a (n) (79) ________ lifestyle. |
Potential signs | ● You sometimes suffer from heartburn meanwhile, which in fact has (80）________ to do with the heart. ● You burp or feel pain or have a (81) ________ feeling in your upper stomach. |
When to see a doctor | ● See a doctor if you get indigestion even when you have a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits. ● Then to identify your indigestion, you may need further (82) ________. |
Preventive measures | ● Stay away from foods that you are (83) ________ to. ● Eat less in more meals. ● Find ways to (84) ________. ● Eat slowly and ensure that your body has time to digest food. ● Don’t (85) ________ just before or after eating. |