Heavy, spicy meat dishes may cause serious health threats

Rawalpindi: The consumption of heavy and spicy meat dishes regularly on Eid days and onwards may cause serious health threats including stomach related problems and other complications even in apparently healthy persons while causing severe complications among chronic patients particularly of hepatitis B, C and diabetes.

Health experts say that eating meat in moderate quantity on Eid days may not cause any problem in healthy persons but the patients of diabetes whose kidneys are compromised and not working properly should eat only a little quantity of meat to avoid complications.

Kidneys work to remove excess proteins from the body, so eating too much protein can stress them out, leading to kidney damage and even contributing to renal failure in some cases, said health experts.

Vice Chancellor at Rawalpindi Medical University Professor Muhammad Umar said the chronic patients of hepatitis B and C are medically advised to eat only a little quantity of meat. The chronic patients of hepatitis B and C with as cites, accumulation of fluid in abdomen, or having history of blood vomiting can eat only up to 40 grams of meat in 24 hours, he said.

He added that the chronic patients of hepatitis B and C may fall unconscious or have blood vomiting or fits if they consume a little heavier quantity of meat. If a patient of hepatitis B and C found to be having irrelevant talk after eating meat, he or she should be taken to the healthcare facility immediately, he said.

He, however, said the patients of hepatitis B and C with normal functioning of liver and kidneys can have moderate quantity of meat but they should also avoid regular use of meat on Eid days and afterwards.

The diabetics whose kidneys are working properly can eat meat dishes in moderate quantity like healthy persons because medically they are not advised not to eat meat dishes, said Professor Muhammad Mujeeb Khan while talking to ‘The News’.

He, however, added that regular use of meat dishes on the three days of Eidul Azha or for a whole week may cause problems even in healthy persons. The individuals should follow the true philosophy of sacrifice and distribute meat among deserving persons according to the teachings of Islam instead of consuming too much meat on and after Eid, he said.

Deputy Director at PIMS Dr. Waseem Ahmed Khawaja said people who have complaints of peptic or duodenal ulcer should restrict themselves to use of limited quantity of meat. He is of the view that use of heavy quantity of meat at one meal may cause health problems in all individuals including healthy ones and it should be avoided while consumption of meat regularly on Eid days or for a week may damage functions of the body organs.