Discover practical, evidence-informed ways to build healthier eating habits, from meal timing and food preparation to everyday food choices.
You finish lunch, sit back down at your desk, and suddenly your eyes feel heavy. You were fine an hour ago. Now you’re fighting the urge to close your eyes. So you start wondering: “Did that meal make me sleepy?” Sometimes, yes. Feeling somewhat drowsy after eating is a real and well-documented phenomenon called postprandial … Read more
Is there actually a best time of day to poop? You may have heard that morning is the ideal time, especially after breakfast. But your digestive system doesn’t follow a strict clock, and there is no single hour that everyone needs to use the bathroom. That said, morning can be a particularly natural time for … Read more
You feel the urge to poop. But you’re busy. So you tell yourself, “I’ll go later.” Maybe you’re at work. Maybe you’re driving. Maybe you’re traveling. Or perhaps you simply don’t want to use a public restroom. Once in a while, this is normal. But what happens if you regularly ignore the urge to have … Read more
You sit at your desk for hours. Then you sit in the car. Then you sit on the couch. By the end of the day, you may realize that you have barely moved. If you also struggle with constipation, you may wonder whether these two things are connected. Can sitting too much actually make constipation … Read more
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
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
You finish a meal feeling completely stuffed. A few minutes later, you notice a burning sensation in your chest—or a sour taste coming back into your throat. You might wonder: “Did I eat too much?” Yes, eating a large meal can make heartburn more likely or make existing reflux symptoms worse. The reason isn’t simply … Read more
You finish dinner and suddenly feel like lying down. Maybe you’re tired after a long day. Maybe you want to watch TV on the couch. Or perhaps you ate late and bedtime is getting closer. Then you remember: “Am I supposed to wait before lying down after eating?” If you experience heartburn or acid reflux, … Read more
You finish dinner, sit down on the couch, and suddenly your stomach feels huge. You feel full, tight, or uncomfortable. Maybe you have some gas, or your abdomen simply feels heavier than it did before the meal. Before reaching for a digestive supplement, there is one surprisingly simple thing you can try: Take a short … Read more