ISLAMABAD: The health expert on Sunday underlined the need to avoid taking substandard food items during the month of August (ongoing Monsoon) leading to stomach diseases particularly 'Gastritis' causing serious illness.

Talking to APP, health expert Dr Azhar Mehmood said gastritis directly affects the stomach and may cause nausea or vomiting, while gastroenteritis affects both the stomach and the intestines due to poor quality meal disturbing the digestive system.

He informed that gastroenteritis symptoms may include diarrhoea in addition to nausea or vomiting which rapidly caused water and mineral loss from the body resulting weakness and drastic health deterioration.

He said acute gastritis occurred when the lining of a stomach is damaged or weak this allows digestive acids to irritate the stomach.

During outdoor visits people tend to buy various local delights and venture into multiple foodies offering unhygienic and poor quality food and there was no check on the food standards in such places which at times was perilous, Dr Mehmood noted. He urged the masses to avoid taking food items from outdoors and unverified food outlets for at least two months, adding, "acute gastritis comes suddenly, and could be caused by bacteria, viruses, stress, or spicy food."