The Lunar New Year is a festival for eating. An incredible amount of food is prepared for family and friends during this festive season with hope for wealth and abundance in the coming year. Over the last couple of days, you must have had a few feasts made up of chicken, and seafood dishes and Chinese New Year specialities, such as turnip cake, taro cake and nian gao (Chinese rice cake). And you probably have indulged yourself in the New Year candy tray overflowing with sweets, chocolate and nuts. Does your stomach feel bloated? Have you lost your appetite? Don't fret, there are simple ways to ease indigestion.
You could start by reducing your sugar intake. 'Candy, chocolate or sweet snacks makes you feel full because your body senses a quick blood sugar level surge which suppresses your appetite,' says dietitian Spencer Tong Tai-yin.
Eating citrus could also speed up digestion and soothe your stomach.
'The stomach may not produce enough gastric acid if you've eaten a lot. You will feel better if you eat citrus, which makes your stomach environment more favourable for digestion,' Mr Tong says.
But citrus is not suitable for those who have stomach ulcers, Mr Tong stresses.
Most Chinese New Year food is greasy, and snacks such as red melon seeds and nuts are high in salt and fat.