What healthy foods is never good to consume before bedtime. Can increase the risk of reflux and esophageal cancer
An apparently harmless gesture made before bed could have serious health consequences, warn nutritionists.
It is good for the last meal to be taken a few hours before bedtime. Photo: Shutterstock
According to nutritionist Kyle Crowley, acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes stimulate the stomach to produce acid, which favors the appearance of gastroesophageal reflux. It manifests itself through a burning sensation in the chest and is common during the night, says the Daily Mail.
Untreated reflux can hide the symptoms of serious conditions, such as stomach or esophagus cancer, whose signs can be confused with gastric burns – difficulty swallowing, nausea or persistent sore throat.
Specialists recommend that the last meal be taken a few hours before bedtime, to allow proper digestion and quiet sleep. Thus, even the choices of snacks considered healthy, such as an apple or an orange, can lead to gastric burns if they are eaten before bedtime. In the long term, this habit can lead to complications.
“Avoid consistent meals before sleep”, Kyle Crowley explained. “This habit can affect digestion and sleep quality.”
According to him, the state stretched immediately after a snack aggravates the reflux, because it allows gastric acid to climb more easily to the esophagus. He recommends that, if something is consumed by lying in bed, the person will stay upright.
In addition to acidic foods, the nutritionist advises the avoidance of fatty foods in the evening, as they relax the valve that separates the stomach esophagus, favoring the reflux.
Instead, if a need for a “Nocturnal snack”the nutritionist recommends nuts or milk, which are milder options for the digestive system.
The symptoms of reflux can sometimes go unnoticed-chronic cough, hoarse voice, sore throat or constant sensation to straighten their voice-which makes many aware of the problem until advanced stages.
The most serious consequence of prolonged exposure to gastric acid is esophageal cancer, which affects over 9,000 people in the UK annually. The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that any symptom that persist for more than three weeks be discussed with the family doctor.
