MDL Doctor: Avoid this position during and after eating

A gastroenterologist advises against this and also explains why. Some people should pay attention to their nutritional status…

With a full stomach, it may be a good idea to lie on the couch for a while. But: “If you lie down after eating, there’s a chance the food you just ate—which made its way up your esophagus and into the entrance to your stomach—is going back up, now with some acid from your stomach. All the way down to your throat,” MDL doctor Peyton Berookim explains to ok + good† This is also known as bounce. In other words: you are working against the normal course of digesting your food in a lying down position. You may notice it with a burning sensation in your throat and/or chest, a sour taste in your mouth or burping, the expert explains. But also for coughing, because reflux can irritate the airway.

It can also be nice to lie on the couch with a board on your lap. But this also does not benefit your eating behavior, especially if you have a nice reclining sofa. Outside Research It shows that being upright while eating benefits your stomach, intestines, and overall digestion. Standing too, although of course this is not very convenient and practical. Your stomach empties faster and absorbs important nutrients from food faster and better.

In short: it is not a disaster, but it is better not to lie down during and immediately after eating. “It simply goes against the normal trend of healthy digestion,” Berokim said. He stresses that this is especially important for people who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or a condition such as a ruptured diaphragm.

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But how long is better to wait to lie on the couch? At least thirty minutes, an MDL doctor advises. Or put some pillows under your back, so that you remain sitting as straight as possible. But if you want to go to bed, wait at least two hours, according to the expert. Do you happen to have gastroesophageal reflux disease? Outside Research It turns out that it is best to wait three to four hours before going to bed after dinner.

source | ok + good

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Megan Vasquez

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