Hot pot is always a popular choice as temperatures drop. However doctors are telling those prone to heart issues to be wary after a 40 year old man was diagnosed with heart failure.
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As the weather turns increasingly cold, many love to seek the warmth of a satisfying hotpot. However those prone to heart issues should be wary.
A 40 year old man was diagnosed with heart failure and excess fluid in his lungs after he reported sudden difficulty breathing. Doctors linked this to the patient's excess consumption of salt and water from his love of hotpot.
Dr. Lee Chien-Chang (李建璋) says hotpot and its accompanying sauces contain a high amount of sodium. This leads to excess water retention in your body, which increases the burden on your heart.
If you have a history of heart failure, it is recommended to have less sauce with your hotpot and consume less of the soup base. Lee also suggests drinking hot tea with the dish.
The drop in temperatures have coincided with a 20-30% increase in emergency cases for cardiovascular diseases. The three most common are strokes, heart attacks and heart failure.
Lee says it is important to try keeping your body temperature stable, as drastic changes can negatively impact your cardiovascular system. Those prone to cardiovascular diseases should pay attention to temperature changes in the mornings and evenings and make sure to stay warm.