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
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
Peppermint feels cooling and refreshing. That is probably why many people reach for peppermint tea or a mint after a heavy meal. But if you are prone to heartburn, there is a surprising catch: Peppermint may actually make your symptoms worse. This can be especially confusing because peppermint is also commonly used for digestive discomfort, … Read more
You eat a few pieces of chocolate after dinner. At first, everything seems fine. Then the burning starts in your chest. Maybe you taste something sour coming back into your throat, or the discomfort gets worse when you lie down. So you start wondering: “Was it the chocolate?” For some people, the answer is yes. … Read more
You finish a greasy burger, fried chicken, or a heavy dinner. Then the burning starts. Your chest feels hot, something seems to rise toward your throat, and you may wonder: “Why does fatty food always give me heartburn?” There is a good reason why high-fat foods are often mentioned when people talk about acid reflux. … Read more
You eat a bowl of spicy noodles or a plate of spicy food, and a few minutes later, your chest starts burning. Was it the chili? If you often get heartburn after spicy food, you may have already decided that you need to avoid anything hot and spicy. But there is an important distinction here. … Read more