Illness on rise as temperature drops

Doctors said the abrupt fall in the temperature not only induces strokes and heart problems but may also stimulate hormones and cause internal bleeding in the intestinal and gastric tracts.

People suffering from gout should also pay special attention to their diet and stay away from spicy foods like the hot pot, they said.

Records show that the there has been a consistent increase in stroke and heart problem cases in Taiwan during the period from mid-December to the end of March mainly because of the cold weather.

The flu, which is also rampant in the winter season, will pose another serious medical problem, according to medical professionals.

The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) already forecasts a continuous decline in temperatures over the weekend.

Many people, especially the elderly, tend to faint when they take hot baths or visit spas then walk out into cold temperatures afterward.

The sudden changes in temperatures can be lethal to many people with a history of medical problems, medical experts said.

Winter in Taiwan is the high season for hot pots that are normally cooked with chicken, duck or mutton along with peppers, gingers and rice wine to ward off the cold weather. People also tend to take in more alcoholic drinks than usual. However, doctors said, people with gout should refrain from overindulging themselves with the popular and traditional dishes like hot pots and other dishes of meats and seafoods.

Overeating such spicy foods may either cause new medical problems or aggravate existing ones.

Medical doctors and CWB officials all urged the public to pay special attention to possible gas leaking at their water heaters and ensure the normal function of the ventilation systems at home.

People should always double check their gas stoves and water heaters whenever they go to bed or leave home.

The best practice is to turn off the stoves or the water heaters when they are not in use, they said.

Officials at the Cabinet-level Council of Agriculture said all farmers should better guard their farm crops, fruits, and fishery products to reduce possible losses to the minimum.

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