6 Things You Shouldn't Do On An Empty Stomach

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Food is the ‘be all and end all’ of our lives; to an extent where cooking or eating is a passion for some of us. Despite its importance, most of us are ignorant about a few food facts. The entire attention is mostly on ‘What’ we eat rather than ‘When’. As a result, there comes a time when our bad food-eating habits cost us our health. One such bad habit is performing certain actions on an empty stomach. Here, we list 6 things you should never do on an empty stomach.

In This Article

1. Consume Anti-Inflammatory Medications

There might be times when you wake up with a fever or a headache in the middle of the night. However, as much as you are tempted to down that paracetamol or aspirin, do not do so on an empty stomach. Agreed, the pain and fever may dissuade you from eating. But, taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like paracetamol on an empty stomach can reduce the effectiveness of the medication. It can also cause serious health issues like gastric bleeding. The best thing to do is to have a glass of milk before taking the NSAIDs or drink plenty of water to negate the side effects (1).

2. Drink Black Coffee

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You may love your cup of black coffee without which it may be difficult for you to kick-start your day. But if you’ve been having it on an empty stomach, chances are you may become prone to heartburns (the medical kind, of course) and digestive tract problems, even with the decaffeinated version. The best way to reverse the harmful effects of black coffee is to either add milk or cream to it.

3. Hit The (Alcohol) Bottle

If you’ve been starving for a few hours and are also thirsty, do not hit that bottle of chilled beer. When you consume alcohol on an empty stomach, the absorption rate soars by a factor of 2. This is almost equivalent to getting an IV shot of alcohol that could trigger a severe hangover, or worse, affect your liver, kidneys, and heart. So avoid it at all costs. But, if the situation demands that you drink, then go for the noncarbonated ones. You can also try to have buttered sandwich before you do.

4. Chew Gum For Longer Hours

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The innocent-looking chewing gum that you pop in your mouth every now and then, is not as innocent as it looks. The ingredients in a chewing gum can stimulate the cells present in the stomach wall lining and produce hydrochloric acid, which is necessary to initiate the digestive process. However, in the absence of food inside the stomach, the acid produced increases substantially leading to several digestive tract diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is important to practice moderation in the use of chewing gum, for only 10 minutes approximately. Also, use a variation, which contains natural sweeteners like xylitol or sorbitol instead of ones consisting of aspartame, sugar, or cyclamate.

5. Sleep Without Dinner

Remember those times when your mother would drag you out of bed to put a morsel of food in your mouth? She had a good reason to. Sleeping on an empty stomach may cause low glucose levels and increased hunger pangs. This, in turn, results in superficial sleep and early awakening. And, the lack of sleep will only increase your hunger hormones (2). Dairy products are the best solution to this problem. If you are in no mood for a dinner, just take a glass of milk. The magnesium and calcium in dairy products help you sleep better.

6. Intense Work-Outs

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There is a common misconception that working out on an empty stomach helps reduce weight, which isn’t true. Although there may be some muscle loss, intense exercises on an empty stomach also reduce the body’s energy levels. Try having a light snack or a glass of milk before you exercise. Opt for light-intensity aerobics or 10-20 minutes-walk instead.

Avoiding the above-mentioned activities on an empty stomach will help you keep diseases at bay. Follow this path and it is sure to lead you to a healthy life. Amen!

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