Stubborn Health: An Old Man's Ten-Year "Bland" Journey

Stubborn Health: An Old Man's Ten-Year "Bland" JourneyMr. Sun is 69 years old this year

Stubborn Health: An Old Man's Ten-Year "Bland" Journey

Mr. Sun is 69 years old this year. Ten years ago, he decided to give up MSG and soy sauce. A conversation with his neighbor, Mrs. Li, made him determined: "Old Sun, do you know that too much MSG and soy sauce is bad for your health? Especially for our age, excess sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure and even heart disease!" Mr. Sun, who always paid attention to health preservation, immediately decided to change this bad habit.

From that day on, there was no more MSG or soy sauce on Mr. Sun's dining table. It was replaced by bland and watery food. At first, his family didn't understand, especially his son, Sun Qiang, who thought his father was too extreme. He tried to persuade him many times: "Dad, you can't completely avoid MSG and soy sauce. It's fine to consume them in moderation. Didn't the doctor say that the key is a balanced diet?" But Mr. Sun stubbornly believed that a bland diet was the secret to longevity.

Ten years passed, and Mr. Sun continued to stick to his bland diet. Every time he cooked, Sun Qiang's wife, Zhang Li, would habitually ask, "Dad, are you going to put some soy sauce for seasoning today?" Mr. Sun would always reply coldly, "No! We should eat blandly at home, it's good for our health."

However, recently, Mr. Sun started to feel something was wrong with his body. He felt a dull pain in his knees every time he climbed stairs, his legs felt numb and sore at night, and he even almost fell a few times when he got up to use the toilet at night. Zhang Li couldn't help but say, "Dad, do you think something is wrong with your body lately? You should go to the hospital."

Mr. Sun said it was nothing, but he started to feel a bit uneasy. One day, he suddenly felt dizzy and almost dropped the kitchen knife in his hand. He quickly sat down, thinking, "What is going on? Am I really getting old?"

Sun Qiang saw this and immediately took Mr. Sun to the hospital, insisting on a comprehensive physical examination. Mr. Sun was reluctant, but he couldn't resist his son's insistence and had to agree.

While waiting for the results, Mr. Sun felt anxious, vaguely worried, "What if something is wrong with this examination? What will I do?"

After a few hours, the results came back. The doctor looked at the report and frowned, "Mr. Sun, your sodium levels are severely deficient, and some trace elements are also out of balance. Your bone density is significantly lower than normal, which may be related to your long-term avoidance of soy sauce and MSG..."

Mr. Sun was stunned. He never imagined that his ten years of dietary habits could lead to such consequences. Sun Qiang was even more furious, frowning and saying, "Dad, I've told you before, eating a little soy sauce and MSG is fine. You're so stubborn, now your body has problems!"

Mr. Sun's face turned pale, but he still stubbornly thought, "Could it really be all because I didn't eat MSG and soy sauce?"

The doctor's diagnosis shocked Mr. Sun. He couldn't believe that his diet of ten years was deemed "unreasonable" by the doctor. Mr. Sun looked at the various indicators on the physical examination report, feeling a mix of emotions. Although he agreed with the doctor's words, he still stubbornly believed deep down that the problem couldn't be his fault.

The doctor saw Mr. Sun's doubts and patiently explained, "Mr. Sun, your long-term avoidance of sodium has led to an imbalance of electrolytes in your body, which will have a negative impact on your bones and nervous system. Eating soy sauce and MSG in moderation will not cause much harm to your health. The key is to maintain a diverse and balanced diet."

Sun Qiang also agreed, "Dad, the doctor is right. Your diet is too monotonous. We should listen more to professional advice, don't just rely on your own feelings."

Mr. Sun frowned, looking impatient, "I don't doubt the doctor's words, but hospitals always need to make money, don't you think they're saying this to sell medicine?"

The doctor smiled and shook his head, "Mr. Sun, you really think too much. We just want you to take better care of your health. It has nothing to do with selling medicine."

The doctor's tone was sincere, making it hard to doubt his motives. But Mr. Sun still felt unconvinced, secretly muttering to himself, "These young people just believe everything they hear. They know nothing about the health preservation experience our elders have accumulated."

After returning home, Sun Qiang told Mrs. Li about the results and the doctor's advice. Mrs. Li sighed, "Your dad is just too stubborn. How can we persuade him?"

Sun Qiang said helplessly, "Mom, the doctor said it all. We can't let him continue to be reckless. Otherwise, his body will eventually have serious problems."

Mrs. Li pondered for a moment and said, "Then we need to find a way to make him accept it gradually. Forcing him to change won't work. The more we do that, the more he'll resist."

Sun Qiang nodded and suggested, "Maybe we can gradually change his diet. Start by adding a small amount of soy sauce and MSG to his food without him noticing a major change. Once he adapts, we can gradually increase the amount."

Mrs. Li thought this plan was feasible, so they discussed the plan and decided to secretly implement it.

However, things didn't go as smoothly as they expected. A few days later, Mr. Sun noticed that the food tasted different from before. While he didn't say anything, he was already suspicious. One night after dinner, he deliberately asked Mrs. Li, "Why is the food a little salty today? Did you add any other seasonings?"

Mrs. Li was startled, but she tried to stay calm and said, "No, it's just the usual way of cooking. Maybe your taste has changed recently."

Mr. Sun didn't ask further, but his face darkened. In the following days, Mr. Sun's attitude became increasingly cold. He began to suspect that his family was secretly changing his dietary habits behind his back. Sun Qiang and Mrs. Li felt frustrated. They thought they were doing it for Mr. Sun's good, but instead, they had angered him.

One night, Sun Qiang couldn't help but complain to his mother, "Mom, it's so hard. Dad is so obstinate, it's exhausting. We're going to be worn out."

Mrs. Li sighed, "Yes, but he's your dad. No matter how difficult it is, we have to find a way to make him better."

As the days went by, the atmosphere at home became increasingly tense. Mr. Sun continued to stick to his bland diet, while Sun Qiang and Mrs. Li were secretly anxious. The relationship between father and son also began to crack, and the once harmonious family became dull and indifferent.

As the tension at home escalated, Sun Qiang and Mrs. Li realized that they had to find the right time to have a serious conversation with Mr. Sun. Finally, before a family dinner, Mrs. Li decided to make a final attempt.

Before dinner that day, Mrs. Li prepared a sumptuous table with all of Mr. Sun's favorite home-cooked dishes. She added a small amount of soy sauce and MSG to each dish, but she carefully controlled the amount to avoid making Mr. Sun notice a significant difference.

Sun Qiang also sat at the table, nervously watching his father. Mr. Sun sat at the head of the table as usual, picked up his chopsticks and started eating. After a few bites, he didn't speak immediately, but silently continued eating. The atmosphere at the dinner table was a little dull, everyone was waiting for him to speak.

After a while, Mr. Sun finally put down his chopsticks, looked at Mrs. Li, then at Sun Qiang, and slowly said, "The food tastes good today."

These words made both Mrs. Li and Sun Qiang breathe a sigh of relief. After all, it was the first time Mr. Sun hadn't criticized the food at the dinner table.

Mrs. Li tentatively asked, "Old Sun, do you want to add some more food? These are all your favorites."

Mr. Sun nodded and picked up another piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth. This dish was specially made by Sun Qiang for his father, because he knew that his father used to love this dish, but it hadn't appeared on the dinner table since he gave up soy sauce.

After finishing the meal, Mr. Sun put down his chopsticks and sighed a long breath, saying, "Actually, I know that a bland diet is good, but it can't be pursued blindly. This meal reminded me of those delicious flavors from the past. Maybe I should reconsider my eating habits."

Seeing this, Sun Qiang immediately chimed in, "Dad, you're right. We can control the amount and add some seasonings appropriately. This way