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“You are what you eat.” You have surely heard this well-known saying. However, what we do before eating itself also has a big impact on our health.
There are 9 things you should not do especially if you have an empty stomach, or if at least 2 hours have passed since your last meal. And we will tell you more about those in today’s article.
As a bonus, at the end we will also reveal what you should do instead when you feel hungry.
1. Do not take anti-inflammatory drugs
Common pain and anti-inflammatory medications, for example aspirin, paracetamol or ibuprofen, should not be taken on an empty stomach.
Not only does this reduce their effect, but they can cause serious health problems, such as bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
Milk tends to reduce the adverse effects of these drugs. If you do not have it at hand, at least drink plenty of plain water when taking them.
2. Do not drink coffee
Even decaffeinated coffee stimulates the production of stomach acids, which on an empty stomach can cause heartburn or other digestive problems.
If you skip breakfast after having coffee on an empty stomach, the result may be a lack of serotonin and a bad mood for the rest of the day.
If you cannot give up the habit of drinking coffee first thing in the morning, at least add milk or cream to it. As in the previous case, milk can also dampen its adverse effects on the stomach.
It is also better to drink natural coffee than instant.
3. Do not drink alcohol
Without food, the rate of alcohol absorption into the blood doubles and approaches the effect of direct injection into a vein.
At the same time, the breakdown of alcohol’s metabolic products is weakened, resulting in a strong hangover. The rapid effect of alcohol on the body has harmful consequences for your liver, heart and kidneys.
If you find yourself in a situation where an alcoholic drink is offered to you and you have not eaten, choose a chilled, non-carbonated alcoholic drink. This type is absorbed more slowly.
Also try to eat at least one small sandwich, ideally one with butter (fat binds alcohol).
4. Do not chew gum
Stomach acids that are secreted while chewing gum damage the stomach lining. Frequent chewing on an empty stomach can lead to gastritis.
It is scientifically proven that people who chew gum prefer fast food such as fries or various sweets over fruit and vegetables.
If you do chew gum, at least choose those that contain natural sweeteners like xylitol and sorbitol rather than sugar, sodium cyclamate or aspartame.
It is also not recommended to chew gum for more than 10 minutes, not even on a full stomach.
5. Do not go to bed
Hunger and low blood sugar prevent us from falling asleep, cause shallow sleep and trigger premature awakening.
It is also interesting that lack of sleep increases levels of hunger hormones. That is why the next day after skipping dinner we eat more.
However, eating before sleep is also not a good idea. The best thing is to have a glass of warm milk with honey.
Milk contains calcium and magnesium — minerals that support sleep. Honey will raise blood glucose levels and allow us to fall asleep more easily.
6. Do not exercise intensively
There is an opinion that exercising on an empty stomach burns more calories. The truth, however, is that it does not affect fat loss, but it does affect loss of muscle mass.
In addition, it is more difficult to exercise on an empty stomach because you lack energy.
Instead of intensive exercise, do aerobics. However, have a small snack beforehand, because any exercise increases the production of stomach acids, which is harmful to the stomach.
7. Do not shop or make shopping lists
We all know that hunger makes us buy more food at the supermarket than we actually need.
According to research, the internal signal “I need food” turns into “I want more” and the person then listens to this internal voice and buys more.
Therefore, prepare shopping lists in advance and always only when you are fed. Saving money in stores also helps if you pay with cash instead of a payment card.
8. Do not drink citrus fruit juices
The acids and coarse fiber in citrus fruits irritate an empty stomach, which is especially dangerous for people with gastritis or stomach ulcers, or with an increased risk of these conditions.
The only exception is drinking lukewarm water mixed with a little fresh lemon juice drunk in the morning after waking. Even here, breakfast should follow.
Freshly squeezed juice from oranges or grapefruits is also good to dilute with water in a ratio of 1:1 for people with stomach problems or 2:1 for others (2 parts juice, 1 part water).
9. Do not argue
Research has shown that when we are hungry, we are more likely to argue. This is because self-control also requires energy, which we have little of during hunger.
If you do not have time to eat before a more serious discussion, at least drink a warm beverage and offer it to the other person as well.
Your discussion will then be much more productive and pleasant.
What to do instead when you are hungry
You are probably thinking now that we will tell you to eat.
You can do that, but there are also things you will do even better during hunger than when you are full.
A. Problem solving
When hungry, attention and concentration are higher than during satiety. This stems from ancient instincts, when our hungry ancestors had to focus on catching food.
The hunger hormone ghrelin also helps with various other tasks requiring brain activity.
B. Making decisions
If you cannot decide what you want, for example whether a red skirt or a blue jacket (or anything else), try making this decision on an empty stomach.
Research confirms that hunger leads people to more successful, albeit more impulsive decisions.
Of course, do not use this method when it comes to serious decisions about finances, relationships or other important matters.
