bju23145 You finish a meal and suddenly realize you ate the entire thing in a few minutes. Then comes the familiar feeling: your stomach feels overly full, you are burping more than usual, or you feel bloated and uncomfortable. It’s easy to blame the food. But sometimes, how quickly you eat may matter too. Eating quickly … Read more
If you’re trying to eat more fiber, you don’t necessarily need a special food. In fact, one of the easiest ways to get more fiber is to look at the foods you already eat and make a few simple swaps. Add berries to breakfast. Choose oatmeal instead of a refined cereal. Keep the skin on … Read more
Fiber is one of those nutrients you hear about constantly. “Eat more fiber.” “Fiber is good for your gut.” But what does fiber actually do once it reaches your digestive system? The answer is more interesting than simply “it helps you poop.” Some types of fiber add bulk to stool and help it move through … Read more
Sometimes constipation isn’t about how often you poop. You may go to the bathroom regularly but still deal with small, hard stools that take a lot of effort to pass. You may feel like you need to push harder than usual, or like the stool is simply too dry to come out comfortably. So why … Read more
Constipation can be surprisingly confusing. You may be eating relatively well, drinking water, and still find yourself sitting on the toilet longer than usual. Sometimes the problem is simply hard stool. Other times, you may have a bowel movement but still feel like you haven’t completely emptied your bowels. So why does constipation happen? The … Read more
You finish eating and suddenly remember something on the floor. You bend over to pick it up—and a few seconds later, you feel that familiar burning sensation rising into your chest or throat. Can something as simple as bending over really trigger heartburn? It can for some people, particularly after a meal, but bending over … Read more
After a meal, lying on the couch can feel tempting—especially after a large dinner. But if you are prone to heartburn, what happens if you do the opposite and take a short walk? Walking after eating may be a useful habit for some people with reflux symptoms. Small clinical studies have found that staying upright … Read more
When heartburn starts, a glass of milk can seem like an obvious solution. Milk feels cool and soothing, so it is easy to assume that it must neutralize stomach acid. But there is another common experience: some people drink milk and notice that their heartburn comes back—or feels worse. So which is true? Milk is … Read more
When heartburn starts, reaching for a glass of water seems like the simplest thing to do. Maybe you’ve heard that water can “wash away” stomach acid or dilute it enough to stop the burning. But does drinking water actually help heartburn? Sometimes it may provide temporary relief, but water is not a proven treatment for … Read more
A squeeze of lemon on your salad. Tomato sauce with pasta. Orange juice with breakfast. These foods are often considered healthy. But if you frequently get heartburn, you may have heard that acidic foods can make reflux worse. So should you avoid tomatoes, citrus fruits, and other acidic foods? The answer is more complicated than … Read more