As you may already know, your digestive system is especially primed to soak up whatever you feed it when it’s empty. This is why you hear about people drinking lemon water or apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning to jumpstart their gut.
Following suit, there are actually some pretty surprising things that you shouldn’t do when you have an empty stomach, since they may lead to some unwanted results. For example, satisfying your donut craving first thing in the morning is easily a recipe for a stomach ache.
If you’re looking to improve your bright and early routine or your health in general, we’re here to help. Here are ten things you should never do on an empty stomach.
#10 – Take anti-inflammatories
It is highly recommended that you don’t take anti-inflammatory pills such as aspirin on an empty stomach. In addition to reducing their effectiveness, doing this can also result in serious health concerns, such as gastric bleeding. Follow the general rule of always taking medicine after a full meal.
#9 – Drink alcohol
This one should be a bit more obvious, but it’s not a good idea to drink alcohol on an empty stomach. For starters, it will cause you to feel drunk much quicker than if you had food in your stomach. Furthermore, this alcohol will be absorbed much more by the body, which can harm your kidney, liver, and heart.
#8 – Drink citrus juices
Especially if you’re someone who suffers from digestive disorders such as gastritis, drinking acidic citrus juice first thing in the morning can cause even more digestive discomfort. While a teaspoon of lemon juice mixed with water is okay, a cup of citrus juice isn’t the best thing to have on an empty stomach.
#7 – Argue
Surely you’ve heard of people being ‘hangry’. You might even be one of these people. Did you know that research actually confirms this phenomenon to be real? When we’re hungry––such as when we have an empty stomach––our feel-good hormones are not at optimal levels, making us feel more agitated and sour. Add that with feeling low-energy, and it’s a recipe for bad arguments.
#6 – Exercise intensely
There is a very popular opinion that if you exercise first thing in the morning––aka on an empty stomach––your body will burn fat more quickly. However, this simply isn’t the truth. In fact, working out on an empty stomach can lead to muscle loss, which is the opposite of what most people want to happen.
#5 – Chew gum
When you chew gum on an empty stomach, your digestive system produces digestive acid. Since there’s no food in your stomach, this acid ends up destroying the lining of your stomach, which can lead to gastritis.
#4 – Shop
When you’re hungry, you’re tired. When you’re tired, your brain is foggy. When your brain is foggy, it’s much easier to make impulsive decisions. One of the most impulsive decisions we can make, of course, is buying things we don’t need (especially if we’re hungry and going shopping for groceries). Don’t go shopping until you’ve eaten a nice meal.
3 – Eat spicy food
Eating spicy food is already a known way to send you running to the toilet. But if you eat spicy food on an empty stomach, this can lead to more serious problems, such as the breaking down of your stomach lining. If you have to eat spicy food, mix it with some other foods to avoid irritation.
#2 – Drink coffee
We all love our morning cup of joe. However, if you drink coffee first thing in the morning (on an empty stomach), this can lead to an overproduction of acid in the body that results in heartburn and digestive issues. While coffee in the morning is great––recommended even––it should only be enjoyed after you’ve eaten a healthy meal.
#1 – Go to bed
While it’s true that you shouldn’t go to sleep right after eating a hefty meal, it is also true that you should never go to bed on an excessively empty stomach. Your body needs some nutrition and energy to carry it through the night. Instead of eating a huge meal, try drinking a glass of juice or eating an apple before bed.
