The hospital’s not the destination for a good night’s sleep: lights are bright, sheets are scratchy and noise levels are high.

Plus, if you’re there, you’re likely not feeling in tip-top shape, and you may have pain or other symptoms that can get in the way of good sleep.

But while you likely won’t get the best rest of your life during an overnight hospital stay, all is not lost when it comes to catching decent zzzs.

Here, experts share how to sleep better while in the hospital — along with why it matters, anyway.

“We know that there’s a huge link between sleep and recovery in the hospital,” academic hospitalist Vineet Arora, MD, MAPP, dean of medical education at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, tells LIVESTRONG.com

After all, if you’re in the hospital because you’re ill, your body is under a lot of stress, says Thomas Kilkenny, DO, director of the Institute of Sleep Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital, Northwell Health. “Lack of sleep will just compound the problem,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

Here are a few of the ways getting good quality sleep helps aid your recovery, according to Dr. Kilkenny:

• ‌Decreased inflammation‌, so tissue can heal faster
• ‌Improved sugar metabolism:‌ Hyperglycemia (aka high levels of sugar) can get in the way of your recovery, Dr. Kilkenny says. Hyperglycemia is associated with hospital-acquired infections, per a February 2021 article in ‌Diabetes Care‌.
• ‌Reduced stress hormone levels‌ and increased energy and alertness
• ‌Eased depressive symptoms‌ — depression can be common after surgery or when you’re ill
• ‌Support of your immune function‌ — You’re more prone to illness when your sleep is less than optimal, Dr. Kilkenny notes. “But also the actual immune system is slowed, so the production of antibodies are reduced.”

All this is to say that sleep matters for your immune function, healing and also your mental wellbeing, says Alex Dimitriu, MD, who’s double board-certified in psychiatry and sleep medicine and is the founder of Menlo Park Psychiatry & Sleep Medicine.

And sleep during hospital stays is particularly important for older adults, because a lack of it contributes to delirium, Dr. Dimitriu notes. This occurs when you don’t get enough deep sleep, preventing your brain from clearing toxic metabolites, and leading to disorientation and being agitated, Dr. Dimitriu says. Delirium “prolongs hospital stays, results in falls and can take weeks to recover from,” he says.

There are near-endless reasons why hospitals are hard on sleep. Here are just a few:

• ‌It’s not familiar:‌ Sleeping while you travel can be hard due to the “first night effect” when you struggle to sleep due to unfamiliar surroundings, according to an April 2019 article in ‌Psychiatry Research‌. In the hospital, that experience is compounded — not only are you on guard due to an unfamiliar bedroom (and potentially a roommate who is a stranger), but unlike a hotel, no real effort has been made to supply you with a comfortable mattress and pillows and soft-to-the-touch bedding. Take the mattress: It’s designed for washing, Dr. Kilkenny notes, not for comfort. Plus, room temperatures may not suit your preferences.
• ‌Noise:‌ “Hospitals are noisy places full of beeping machines,” Dr. Dimitriu says.
• ‌Activity:‌ At home, when it’s time to go to bed, a restful atmosphere takes over. You get that “all through the house, not a creature was stirring” vibe. Not so in a hospital! “In a busy hospital, there is activity ongoing 24/7. There are people running about at all hours of the night. The night shift functions pretty much at the same intensity as the day shift,” Dr. Kilkenny says.
• ‌Interruptions:‌ In a hospital, it’s easy to get the sense people don’t really care about your sleep. “Staff will often come to check vital signs, drips and other devices, as well as drawing blood for lab work at odd hours of the night or morning,” Dr. Dimitriu says. Plus, you may have a roommate, which means double the interruptions, as staff enter to check your vitals, and then your roommate’s.
• ‌Lights:‌ “It is never truly dark in a hospital,” Dr. Kilkenny says — the lights are dimmed but not off in the hallways.
• ‌You’re in pain — or feeling distressed:‌ You may feel pain or anxiety or stress when you’re staying in the hospital, Dr. Kilkenny notes.

If you’re in the hospital overnight, you might be woken up several times — phlebotomists typically collect blood from patients at 4 a.m. so labs are ready for physicians’ morning rounds, Dr. Arora says. Nurses may stop by once or several times to check on your blood pressure and other vitals and deliver medications.

None of this is conducive to sleep, and frustratingly for anyone woken up several times, some of these actions may not even be necessary. For example, there’s no evidence to support taking vitals from every hospitalized patient every four hours, Dr. Arora says. She’s the co-author of a May 2020 article in the ‌Journal of Hospital Medicine‌ titled “Things We Do For No Reason: Routine Overnight Vital Sign Checks,” which posits a better strategy is forgoing overnight vitals with low-risk patients.

In a pilot study — which again involved Dr. Arora, who describes improving sleep in hospitals as “my forte” — researchers shared educational resources, a sleep kit (with earplugs and similar sleep-promoting items) and recommended three questions for patients to ask their care team:

1. Can I get my blood drawn during waking hours?
2. Do I need overnight vitals?
3. If I have to be woken up during the night, can I get everything done all at once?

Patients who asked those questions “were significantly more likely to experience nights with fewer disruptions due to nighttime vitals,” according to the 2021 pilot results published in ‌BMC‌‌.‌

While you’re not part of this pilot study, you too can ask these straightforward questions — and doing so may lead to far superior sleep! “Speak with your doctor and nursing staff to ask how much all nightly interruptions could be reduced within reason,” Dr. Dimitriu recommends.

“The same sleep hygiene steps that one should use at home should be replicated in the hospital; as best as possible,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

That means avoiding big meals close to bed, and skipping alcohol and caffeinated beverages near bedtime too. If you usually dim the lights at 9 p.m., then read for another hour before turning the lights off completely and drifting off, see if you can do so in the hospital.

“Try to stay on your consistent sleep schedule and stick with your relaxing pre-bedtime routine even while in the hospital,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

By the way, sticking to your usual sleep schedule means you’ll want to wake up at your usual time, too.

At night, you’ll want darkness for better sleep (more on that in a moment). But during the day, you want bright, natural light, Dr. Dimitriu says. So, “open the blinds by day,” he says.

Again, this may or may not be possible, depending on your hospital room setup.

Being bed-bound by day leads to poor sleep, Dr. Dimitriu says. “You have to be ‘vertical,’ by day, to sleep better ‘horizontally,’ by night,” he explains.

Getting out of bed may not be possible during your hospital stay. But aim to “move around as much as possible during the day,” Dr. Dimitriu says.

Maybe that means changing the incline of your bed so you’re more seated, or going for a walk down the hospital corridor. You can try doing exercises in your bed or chair, too, according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Check in with your health care team about what’s doable, and what’s off-limits.

And, do your best to avoid napping. That can be tricky, because a long boring day stuck in bed can make a nap tempting. But ultimately, napping during the day can make it harder to fall asleep at nighttime. If you need to nap, do so earlier in the day.

You’ll want to avoid over-the-counter sleeping pills (think: Benadryl), says Dr. Dimitriu. Also best avoided are many prescription sleeping aids such as zolpidem or alprazolam (aka, Xanax).

“Such medications are frowned upon in the hospital because of their propensity to cause confusion or unsteadiness, especially in the elderly,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

But you’re not without options: Typically, if you need a sleep aid in the hospital, you’ll be given melatonin, Dr. Kilkenny says.

Pain can also get in the way of sleep. In fact, along with middle-of-the-night vital signs, it’s one of the top causes for disrupting sleep, according to a February 2017 study in the ‌Journal of Sleep Medicine‌, which surveyed both patients and nurses.

Dr. Arora was one of the researchers of this study. Along with issuing surveys, the researchers also had patients wear an actigraph device (which measures activity during sleep) to measure patients’ sleep time, and found that “pain was associated with the greatest objective sleep loss.”

Obscure the brightness and noise of the hospital with sleep masks to cover your eyes and ear plugs, suggests Dr. Dimitriu. Or, use an app on your phone for white noise, or bring your white noise machine from home.

Once it gets dark outside, dim the lights in the room, Dr. Kilkenny suggests. And follow the same best practices as you would at home: “Avoid any bright lights even from computers or iPads especially for the hour or so before sleep,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

If you can’t go without your device in the pre-sleep hours, turn down the intensity of the light, he says.

You may want to consider bringing items from home, such as pillows or blankets, or a framed photo to make your hospital room more homey.

Other items you might want to bring from home to feel more comfortable and stick to your at-home routine are a bathrobe, slippers and headphones, according to MSKCC.

But check first!

“Many physicians would suggest not bringing these items to the hospital in an effort to avoid bringing home possible contaminants or infections that are common in busy hospitals,” Dr. Kilkenny says.

While you may not be able to bring a pillow from home (your own pillow is the best pillow, obviously), you can ask for an extra one, Dr. Kilkenny says.

Other things you can request: an extra blanket, or moving to a room without a roommate if yours is disruptive.

When you have it, the feeling of being short of breath can be scary. Especially if you’re not sure what’s causing it.

“Shortness of breath is a subjective feeling of having very uncomfortable breathing,” Sana Quddus, MD, a pulmonologist at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

Of course, if you head out to run intervals or do a sweaty HIIT workout in your basement, you might expect to be short of breath. But we’re talking about when you’re simply walking up the stairs in your home, doing the dishes or even sitting down eating. Those are times when you wouldn’t expect to be out of breath — and some of them are real emergencies.

Here’s what might be going on:

“People who have anxiety can have a sensation of uncomfortable breathing. This is a behavioral response,” Dr. Quddus says. “In a stressful situation, the normal response of the body is ‘fight or flight,’ which means your heart and respiratory rate goes up, which can give you the sensation that you’re short of breath.”

When anxiety is the cause, shortness of breath typically lasts between 10 and 30 minutes at a time, according to Hackensack Meridian Health. Episodes usually come on quickly and stem from a feeling of fear or discomfort.

One of the many symptoms to be on the lookout for after exposure to the virus that causes a COVID-19 infection is shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, as well as fever or chills, cough, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headaches and new loss of taste or smell, per the CDC.

In addition to COVID, other pulmonary infections — such as those caused by certain viruses, bacteria and fungi — could be responsible for labored or difficult breathing (aka dyspnea), while not necessarily causing other alarming symptoms, as explained in this review published in the January 2022 review ‌Respiratory Investigation‌.

If you’ve been out of breath lately or have a known COVID exposure, ask your doctor if you should be tested for infection.

So many things can trigger an allergic response that constricts your airways, including exposure to dust, pollen, pet dander or strong odors and fumes, Dr. Quddus says. This constriction is a bronchospasm, which is when your airways narrow, giving a sensation of being out of breath.

Exposure to allergens or irritants in the air can trigger asthma symptoms, as can strong emotions and hormonal changes during pregnancy, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. With asthma, shortness of breath is often accompanied by wheezing (a squeaky or whistling sound when you breathe).

See an allergist to evaluate wheezing and breathing problems.

Nearly 3 million are diagnosed with anemia annually, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Anemia is a condition where you have low levels of red blood cells, and it’s often caused by not getting enough iron or having a heavy period.

When you lack these red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your tissues, you might feel tired, dizzy and have shortness of breath.

Talk to your doctor — a simple blood test can evaluate the iron levels in your blood.

Cold air exposure can cause a response similar to asthma, Dr. Quddus says, in that it can trigger bronchospasms.

Frigid temps can cause wheezing and coughing, too, according to Harvard Health Publishing. This can happen in healthy people but it’s often worse in people with respiratory issues like asthma or COPD.

Cover your nose and mouth with a scarf or mask when you’re outside to warm the air you’re breathing and reduce these symptoms.

If your heart isn’t able to effectively pump blood (and thus oxygen) around your body, you could feel short of breath just doing everyday activities, like climbing stairs. Shortness of breath is a symptom of mitral valve disease and cardiomyopathy, among other heart problems. Here are six other signs your heart needs a checkup.

Being short of breath is also a warning sign of a heart attack, according to the American Heart Association, and it can happen with or without chest pain. Other symptoms include nausea, lightheadedness, back or jaw pain and breaking out in a cold sweat.

Call 911 if you think you could be having a heart attack.

This should not be the first thing you think about if you’re short of breath, but it’s something to have on your radar, especially as December 2020 research in ‌JAMA Oncology‌ reveals that more than 12 percent of lung cancer patients have never smoked.

“Shortness of breath is a common symptom. It’s seen in about 30 to 40 percent of patients who have lung cancer,” Dr. Quddus says.

Cancerous tumors themselves can cause an obstruction in the lungs; the cancer may also affect the function of respiratory muscles. Unfortunately, this symptom often shows up late and is an indication that the cancer has advanced.

If you (or a loved one) are between ages 55 and 80 and have a history of heavy smoking, ask your doctor if you’re a candidate for lung cancer screening. As noted in the December 2020 issue of ‌Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine‌, poor air quality is a risk factor for both impaired lung function and COPD, even for lifelong nonsmokers; cigarette smoke is just one of many types of air pollution that can result in dyspnea. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns.

If you are exerting yourself when it happens, Dr. Quddus recommends slowing down and sitting down. Try to calm yourself with slow, deep breaths where you inhale through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. (You can try this breathing technique when you’re hit with anxiety. Slow breathing triggers your body’s parasympathetic nervous system, which counters the fight or flight response to help you calm down.)

If you’re out of breath for a few minutes to hours, you should still see your doctor. Even if you can chalk it up to cold temperatures or exposure to dust or fumes, this is not a normal reaction. “There are breathing tests we can do to see if you have undiagnosed asthma,” Dr. Quddus says.

Right now, in winter, it’s likely that your physical fitness has declined if you’re not getting out as much.

“Deconditioning is really common right now given the time of year and being in lockdown,” Dr. Quddus says.

However, you can’t just assume that’s the case. If there’s a change in your perceived fitness level from your baseline — as in, yesterday you could walk up a few flights of stairs just fine and now you huff and puff after the first set — see your doctor.

And remember, call 911 immediately if you think you’re having a heart attack.

It’d be pretty strange to invite anyone to look at your poop in the toilet bowl (unless you’re a 5-year-old), but if someone ‌did‌ do that today, they might be able to tell what you ate recently. Yep, sometimes a piece of undigested broccoli, asparagus or corn can reveal itself in all its glory in your poop.

What’s up with that? And is it something to be worried about?

“There are a lot of foods we eat that are not completely digestible by the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract,” Carolyn Newberry, MD, a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, tells LIVESTRONG.com. “It’s very normal to see small pieces of food in the stool.”

Occasionally, though, it might be a sign that something’s not quite right.

Here are three no-big-deal reasons for undigested food in your poop, and one that might be cause for concern.

A random broccoli piece in your poop could actually mean you’re including the right foods in your diet, so maybe pat yourself on the back?

Veggies pack a lot of good fiber, and your digestive enzymes can’t break down all of it.

“That’s why fiber is so helpful,” Dr. Newberry says. “It bulks up the stool, makes it easier to pass and decreases the risk of constipation, diarrhea and cancer.”

Did someone eat corn on the cob recently?

When it comes to pooping undigested food, “corn is probably the number-one culprit,” gastroenterologist Cecilia Kelly, MD, a clinical associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, tells LIVESTRONG.com.

That’s because corn has a tough, fibrous outer shell that makes it resistant to breaking down. Plus, the way you eat corn and the kernels’ size and shape make them more likely to show up on the other end — if you’re taking a scoop or a big bite, you might not chew every piece and instead you’ll swallow a kernel whole or half-eaten.

Eating quickly or while distracted may mean you’re not chewing your food fully, Dr. Kelly says. Digestion begins in your mouth as you chew, so make sure you’re adequately munching to make things easier on the digestive process.

Plus, if weight loss is a goal of yours, know that chewing more increases the release of gut hormones that decrease appetite and help you eat less, according to a November 2015 study in ‌Physiology & Behavior.‌

The appearance of food fragments themselves isn’t a big worry, unless you’re also experiencing other symptoms.

“Nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain after eating or unexpected weight loss indicates a nutrient absorption problem,” Dr. Newberry says.

While 95 percent of your calories and nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine, if there’s inflammation, blockage or disease there, you may not get the carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals you need from food.

“This can lead to weight loss, gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as skin and vision changes from deficiencies,” she says.

GI diseases including Crohn’s, celiac and pancreatic cancer can cause malabsorption, and you may particularly notice the appearance of fat in your stools. If you’re seeing this, make an appointment with your doctor to be assessed.

Going to the bathroom is one of the most natural human behaviors and something we do multiple times a day. Most of us are taught to use the bathroom to empty our bladder from such a young age that we can’t even recall learning. But not all of us go about the process the right way.

“Because this activity literally happens behind closed doors, we don’t have many opportunities to talk about the best practices associated with peeing,” says Lindsey Vestal, occupational therapist, pelvic floor specialist and founder of The Functional Pelvis and Leader for Thinx, Inc. “When we do follow optimal practices, our pelvic floor muscles benefit so much.”

Good toileting habits are also important for keeping your bladder healthy.

“Taking time to fully relax your pelvic floor muscles while you’re going to the bathroom will allow you to completely empty your bladder, significantly decreasing your risk of bladder infections and/or pelvic floor muscle dysfunction,” adds Liz Simons, PT, DPT, pelvic floor rehabilitation expert and owner of Terra Wellness Physical Therapy on Long Island.

Wondering whether your bathroom habits are up to par — or potentially putting your down-there region at risk? Here are some of the biggest mistakes you could make when you pee that lead to pelvic issues, according to experts.

If we’re being honest, many of us will admit to having done this form of multitasking at least once in our lives. But it’s not a good idea — and not because of the whole “peeing on your feet” thing.

In a now viral video on TikTok, pelvic floor physical therapist Alicia Jeffrey-Thomas, DPT, says there are two reasons to nix this habit. First, peeing in the shower often could lead to an association between the sound of running water and the urge to pee, which could set you up for a bathroom dash (or worse, leakage) every time you turn on the sink.

Second, Jeffrey-Thomas says that people assigned female at birth simply aren’t designed to pee standing up. This position doesn’t allow your pelvic floor to relax, she notes, which means you probably won’t be able to empty your bladder well, and you might end up pushing out your pee. Which leads us straight into the next mistake.

Holding your breath while urinating or pushing with your abdominal muscles to speed up the process won’t hurt you if you do it once in a while, but if this is an everyday habit, it may weaken your bladder, says Jenny Archer, PT, DPT, a pelvic floor therapist based in Nashville, Tennessee.

“Doing this daily or even several times a day can cause the bladder to weaken while also putting increased strain on your pelvic organs,” she says. “This can cause multiple issues, including pelvic organ prolapse, difficulty emptying your bladder, and even contribute to hemorrhoids.”

Instead, Archer suggests relaxing as much as you can and allowing your urine stream to flow out at its own natural pace.

You were probably instructed not to do this when you were potty-trained, but you may not be following the rule every time you go to the bathroom.

“Wiping back to front can introduce feces and fluids forward near the urethra or urine hole, which can lead to a urinary tract infection,” warns Aaron B. Grotas, MD, urologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

Whenever you go to the bathroom, whether it’s number one or number two, Dr. Grotas recommends always making a concerted effort to wipe front to back.

When you go to the bathroom, it’s best to be in a seated, relaxed position. If you, instead, squat or “hover” over the toilet, you are tightening your pelvic floor, which limits how strongly your bladder can contract to empty, Archer explains.

“Over time, this forces you to use your abdominals to empty, and the bladder becomes sluggish and may have difficulty emptying on its own even when you sit,” she says.

Even if you’re short on time, it’s not wise to be in a hurry while using the toilet. Rushing through peeing means you might not empty your bladder fully, which can lead to leaking or accidents, warns Dr. Grotas.

Instead, he recommends giving yourself the time you need on the loo to fully empty your bladder. “This way, your bladder can fill up from scratch rather than tipping over an hour later when it was only emptied halfway,” he says.

Ignoring the urge to urinate can compromise your bladder health and upset its normal functioning, warns Dr. Simons.

“If you have the urge to urinate, but are holding it in for long periods of time (five or more hours), you could dampen your brain’s ability to perceive bladder fullness, as well as potentially strain the stretch receptors in the bladder wall, making them less sensitive,” she says. “This confusion of the bladder could lead to urine leakage or bladder infections, among other issues.”

She recommends peeing every two to four hours to avoid this issue.

Trying to empty your bladder often just in case you have to go at an inconvenient time might sound sensible, but it’s not good for your bladder health.

“If you go to the bathroom without waiting for an appropriate urge, you will train your bladder to be more sensitive to filling and have more frequent urges to urinate,” says Dr. Simons.

If this is one of your bathroom habits, she recommends retraining your bladder with the help of a pelvic floor physical therapist.

Just like hovering, slouching while peeing can place unnecessary pressure on your bladder and may even make it difficult for you to urinate.

“If you don’t allow for the natural bladder contraction to happen, you may not fully empty your bladder or find that as you straighten up to stand, more pee comes out,” Archer says. “It’s best to either sit upright or slightly lean forward with your arms relaxed on your legs.”

Doing kegels — an exercise where you alternate tightening and relaxing your pelvic floor muscles — has many benefits, but it can actually cause issues if you’re doing it while urinating.

“The bladder and the pelvic floor have a reflex loop to each other that encourages relaxation of the other while one is contracted,” Archer says. “So if you kegel during urination, this causes your bladder to stop contracting, and once you release, you’ve disrupted the flow.”

She warns that doing kegels frequently while urinating can actually teach your bladder to empty partially, leading to a start/stop urine stream that’s out of your control.

We’ve all been in the middle of a public bathroom standoff at some point or another. You know, that moment where both you and your neighbor need to poop but neither wants to make the first move.

Whether you’re in public, at the office or around a significant other, pooping stage fright is a real thing, and totally common. But just what are the effects of preventing your body from doing its natural doody — ‌ahem‌, duty?

While it’s best to use the bathroom as soon as you feel the urge, holding your stool every now and then won’t cause any kind of downward spiral in your digestive system, even though it may feel a bit uncomfortable, says Niket Sonpal, MD, a New York-based internist and gastroenterologist.

But doing it too often can be problematic. One of the main functions of the colon is to absorb water from the stool. But the longer you hold in your poop, the longer your colon works to drain it of fluid, which can cause your stool to become hard, rough and dry.

“[Holding it often] can cause all sorts of issues, starting with the discomfort of exiting stool that is harsh in texture,” Dr. Sonpal tells LIVESTRONG.com. Plus, you “risk developing several bothersome and sometimes precarious conditions, such as constipation.”

Constipation isn’t the same thing as holding your poop, though. Constipation occurs when you struggle to use the bathroom or pass less than three stools per week, according to the Mayo Clinic. So although holding your poop can cause constipation, the two conditions aren’t quite the same.

Each person’s digestive system is unique, which means everyone reacts differently to delaying bathroom business. But the amount of time you hold your stool can make a pretty big difference for everyone.

For the average person, holding your stool for an hour or two will likely cause some discomfort in the abdominal region and maybe even some gas buildup, but nothing too severe, Dr. Sonpal says. However, holding for longer periods of time can be problematic.

Holding your poop for four or five hours may give your colon enough time to completely drain your stool of fluid, he explains. So, when you actually do sit down to poop, it’ll feel uncomfortable and difficult to pass.

Once 10 hours or more have gone by, you’ll probably struggle to pass your stool, Dr. Sonpal says. At this point, you’ve probably experienced some uncomfortable pressure in the lower abdomen and your sphincter (the muscle around your anus) may tighten up (not a pleasant experience) as it struggles to pass the stool.

When you hold your poop, there’s an increase in pressure, which isn’t healthy for the anus, Dr. Sonpal says. In some cases, this buildup can cause hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoids are swollen veins in the anus and rectum, which generally develop inside your body or under the skin in the anal area, according to the Mayo Clinic. Although there are a number of effective treatment methods for this condition, it can cause some pretty severe discomfort. Sometimes hemorrhoids can also cause bleeding when you poop, too.

Holding your poop may also cause you to strain when you finally go, and anal fissures can form. Anal fissures are small tears in the lining of your anus, which can make it hard or painful to pass stool, per the Mayo Clinic. Sometimes anal fissures can also cause spasms in the muscles around the anus, too.

Holding your poop frequently or for long periods of time can also cause some longer-term damage. Increased fecal load (aka more poop in your colon) can cause the amount of bacteria in your gut to increase, according to a March 2015 study published in the ‌Danish Medical Journal‌.

Although bacteria diversity is usually a good thing for your gut, there’s a limit. Highly increased levels of bacteria can cause a chronic inflammation of the mucus in your colon, which can cause bowel disorders down the road, per the above-mentioned study.

In severe cases, holding your poop for too long can demand a trip to the hospital, Dr. Sonpal says. When you hold too long, the stool can be backed up into the intestines, causing nausea or vomiting.

Although these symptoms are rare, they’re pretty serious. If you experience vomiting or nausea after holding your stool for a while, you should seek medical attention immediately.

Before you begin to panic, remember these symptoms (although serious) don’t happen too often. Nevertheless, it’s best to let your body relieve itself as needed, Dr. Sonpal says. Plus, pooping in public gets easier and easier with every trip!

“Holding your poop in once in a while will not cause catastrophic problems,” Dr. Sonpal says. “But the important thing is to not make a habit of it because you can compromise the comfort and ease with which your body relieves itself.”

Don’t get us wrong: Switching to a vegan diet has its benefits. We know it’s better for the environment, it can be less expensive (plant-based proteins tend to be cheaper than animal proteins) and, if done properly, a vegan diet does a body good.

The downside, though? It may also require a big shift from the way you were eating before, which can have a big affect on your digestive system. That’s why a common complaint people have when starting a vegan diet is constipation.

Here’s why your bathroom habits may suddenly change on this plant-based eating plan and what you can do about it.

Adopting a vegan diet can alter your fiber intake pretty drastically, which can lead to pretty noticeable changes in your poop.

Fiber is the part of a (typically plant-based) food that, for the most part, is not digested in the GI tract. There are two main types of dietary fiber — soluble and insoluble. They’re both important for digestion but they do not behave the same way in your body, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

• ‌Soluble fiber:‌ This type of fiber
  dissolves in water, so once in the GI tract, it soaks up water and turns into a
  gel. This slows down digestion, making you feel full longer. Food sources
  include oat bran, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, peas and some fruits and veggies.

• ‌Insoluble fiber:‌ This type of
  fiber does not dissolve in water so it adds bulk to stool and appears to speed
  up the passage of foods through the stomach and intestines. It also helps to “sweep” the GI tract clean of carcinogens and other toxins. Food
  sources include wheat bran, vegetables and whole grains.

Here, we’ll break down two of the most likely reasons you’re constipated on a vegan diet and how to remedy your situation.

Healthy vegan diets tend to be higher in fiber. Indeed, a March 2014 paper published in ‌Nutrients‌ compared the nutritional quality of a vegan diet to vegetarian, semi-vegetarian, pescatarian and omnivore diets. The researchers found that the vegan dieters consumed the most fiber — about 41 grams each day — while the omnivore diet consumed the least with 27 grams a day on average.

This builds on older research showing vegan diets tend to be higher in fiber, even compared to vegetarian diets.

Getting enough fiber is crucial for keeping you regular, but it only works if you’re also getting enough water. (This is why it’s always recommended to drink plenty of fluids when taking fiber supplements.) Water makes stools softer and easier to pass, and getting too much fiber without enough water can actually make you constipated.

‌The fix:‌ To prevent this, make sure you’re getting enough fluids. The Institute of Medicine recommends women consume 2.7 liters (or nearly 11.5 cups) of total water per day (includes food, beverages and drinking water) and men drink 3.7 liters per day (about 15.5 cups).

These are general guidelines, but every person is different and various factors like exercise, illness and your environment can all affect your hydration.

OK, we just said vegan diets tend to be higher in fiber, but hear us out: Over the past few years, the plant-based foods category has exploded in supermarkets, from meat alternatives to frozen dinners, to yogurts, cheese and jerky, and the list goes on. Sales in this category topped $5 billion in 2019, according to the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association.

This innovation and growth offers options and flexibility for vegans, vegetarians and plant-based eaters, but these new foods are not always the healthiest. They are predominately highly processed, which means they typically don’t offer the same level of nutrition as whole foods (and keep in mind that much of the research done on the benefits of a vegan diet has been based on whole foods).

These newer plant-based products may decrease the amount of fiber (and other nutrients) you’re consuming for two reasons:

• They lack fiber
  themselves
• They’re replacing fiber-filled foods from your diet

‌The fix:‌ If you’re new to a vegan diet or if you’ve been on a vegan diet and begin to incorporate some of these more processed plant-based foods, keep a handle on how much you’re including and how it balances with the other whole foods in your diet.

If you’re experiencing constipation, keep track of how much fiber you’re consuming and try cutting back on these more processed foods.

Your diet affects every part of your health — and sexual health is no exception. For people with vaginas, diet, hydration and nutrient intake are key in supporting sexual wellness and even help prevent conditions like urinary tract infections (UTIs) and yeast infections.

“Sexual health is directly connected to physical wellbeing with lifestyle measures such as diet, exercise, stress and sleep playing integral roles,” says Shannon M. DeVore, MD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU Langone Fertility Center and a reproductive endocrinologist with the fitness brand Pvolve.

Of course, no one food will improve sexual health all on its own, Dr. DeVore says. But by incorporating certain food groups, vitamins and nutrients, you can improve your diet and better support your body.

Below, find the top foods that support vaginal sexual health.

You may already know probiotics — a type of live, good-for-you bacteria in your gut — are part of a healthy diet. Probiotics can help maintain the balance of bacteria in your body, which can support your immune system, tamp down inflammation and keep your digestive system running smoothly, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

But probiotics can also play a role in supporting sexual health.

“Greek yogurt and other probiotic-rich foods can be helpful not only to support a healthy gut microbiome, but to maintain diverse and stable vaginal flora, which may prevent yeast infections and bacterial vaginosis,” says Emily Maus, RD, a registered dietitian specializing in women’s health.

Keep in mind not all yogurt has live probiotics. Look for active culture yogurts — like Greek yogurt — and options that aren’t overly sweetened. Other probiotic-rich foods include kefir, a fermented milk drink, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi.

Sunflower seeds, almonds and avocado are among the many foods rich in vitamin E, a nutrient with antioxidant properties — meaning it can help protect your body against disease.

Getting enough vitamin E from your diet is also thought to play a role in maintaining normal function of the reproductive system, according to a March 2022 article in ‌Molecules‌, which reported vitamin E’s antioxidant properties have been linked to lower rates of complications during pregnancy. (It’s worth repeating these findings are about dietary vitamin E only. Taking vitamin E supplements during pregnancy is not recommended, according to the World Health Organization.)

Vitamin E has also been tied to improved endometrial response in women with unexplained infertility in a small February 2018 study in ‌Antioxidants‌.

Plus, vitamin E increases blood and oxygen flow to tissue, Dr. DeVore says. “There is some thought that it is helpful for vaginal dryness, including vaginal atrophy, which occurs in postmenopausal women, though data is mixed.”

If vaginal lubrication is a particular concern, some research suggests fruit — particularly apples, which are high in antioxidants and phytoestrogens — can support lubrication and vaginal function when eaten daily, per a July 2021 article in the ‌American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine‌.

Salmon (and other fatty fish) is a rich source of omega-3s, healthy fats that support your heart and hormonal health. Getting enough omega-3s is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, blood clots, dementia and certain kinds of cancer, including breast cancer, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Omega-3s have been associated with improvements in a host of sexual health concerns, including infertility, premature birth, menopausal symptoms and postpartum depression, per older but frequently cited October 2004 data in ‌Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey‌. The fatty acids are thought to help by improving blood flow to the uterus (and the placenta, in the case of pregnancy).

“Similarly, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon and flaxseeds, help to decrease inflammation and support blood flow to the vaginal tissue,” Dr. DeVore says.

In more recent research, omega-3 supplements were linked to lower anxiety among pregnant women, which in turn improved sexual function, according to a small July 2022 ‌International Journal of Impotence Research‌ study.

Maus recommends chia seeds, flaxseeds and fatty fish like salmon to boost your omega-3 intake.

Almonds, bananas, black beans, brown rice and spinach are all good sources of magnesium, a mineral involved in muscle and nerve function, blood pressure regulation and bone development, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.

It’s is also associated with mood stability. “A diet high in magnesium supports the balance of progesterone and estrogen, which supports a stable mood throughout the menstrual cycle,” Maus says.

Some studies have shown people with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those who experience certain pregnancy complications, like preterm labor and preeclampsia, are more likely to have lower levels of magnesium, according to June 2021 research in the ‌Journal of the Society of Nutrition and Food Science‌, but more studies are needed to fully understand this association.

Aim for 310 to 320 milligrams of magnesium a day from your diet, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

In addition to diet, there are other steps you can take to support your sexual wellness and a healthy sex life:

• ‌Manage stress:‌ “Stress is a killer for libido,” Maus says. “It is important to manage your stress to support a healthy menstrual cycle, lower PMS and create space for intimacy.” You can help manage stress with plenty of sleep, exercise, quality time with friends and family and professional mental health support like therapy.
• ‌Exercise:‌ “I always recommend incorporating exercise into your daily routine, not only because it improves overall life quality, but it actually benefits sexual wellness,” says Monique Gary, DO, a women’s health specialist and medical director of the Grand View Health/Penn Cancer Network. Regular physical activity may also support a healthy libido and your ability to orgasm, she says.
• ‌Stay hydrated:‌ Getting enough water everyday is important for vaginal lubrication and preventing UTIs. To stay properly hydrated, aim for 11.5 to 15.5 cups of fluids per day (water, tea, coffee and other sugar-free beverages all count), according to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
• ‌Quit smoking:‌ Smoking comes with a number of sexual health risks, including reduced fertility and increased risk of pregnancy complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you are experiencing any sexual health issues — including irregular periods, severe PMS symptoms, pain during sex, vaginal dryness, fertility issues or low libido — you should consult with your health care provider on how best to address your concerns.

“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to diet and sexual wellness,” Dr. Gary says. “You need to consider your personal circumstances — including any chronic illnesses, your current lifestyle habits and what foods you have access to — to help tailor a plan to meet your needs.”

A healthy diet is a must when you’re trying to lose weight. But what if your eating plan is giving you a headache?

Common weight-loss tactics can sometimes leave your head throbbing, particularly if you’re not eating or drinking enough.

“Headaches can be a side effect of trying to lose weight, especially during crash weight-loss methods,” says David Nazarian, MD, medical director of My Concierge MD, a weight-loss clinic in Beverly Hills, California. And it’s hard to stick with healthy habits (like exercising and cooking wholesome meals) when your head hearts.

One bright spot: It’s usually easy to figure out what dietary changes might be triggering your headaches. Here are five of the most common culprits and what you can do to feel better while still staying on track with your weight-loss goal.

Not eating enough or skipping meals deprives your body of the fuel it needs to function properly, which can leave you feeling lousy. “If we don’t have adequate food intake, we can develop hypoglycemia, or blood sugar lower than the standard range,” Dr. Nazarian says. A hunger headache may also come with feeling dizzy, weak or irritable, he adds.

Limiting your fluid intake, using diuretics to lose water weight or exercising vigorously and not replenishing the water you lost through sweat might make you dehydrated, which can easily trigger a headache. You’ll also likely feel thirsty, dizzy, fatigued and might have a dry mouth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Recently started a low-carb diet? Drastically cutting carbs can send you into ketosis, when your body transitions to burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. Though experts don’t fully understand the cause, the change “is often associated with brain fog as well as headaches,” Dr. Nazarian says. You might also feel nauseated, tired, faint, dizzy or have an upset stomach.

Limiting your calorie intake can sometimes make it harder to meet your nutrition needs, which could contribute to headaches.

Falling short on magnesium (found in magnesium-rich foods like avocados, bananas and spinach) for instance, “makes our response system less equipped to deal with stress, which can result in headaches,” Dr. Nazarian says.

Magnesium is a type of mineral called an electrolyte, which is involved in balancing the fluids in your body. Your new diet could have resulted in lower levels of other electrolytes, too — like sodium and potassium — which could contribute to headaches, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Low iron can lead to headaches, too, because it’s needed to produce red blood cells that transport oxygen to the brain. “If iron levels are low, not enough oxygen will be delivered to tissues including the brain, which may contribute to headaches,” he adds. (Iron is found in red meat and leafy greens.)

For some people, certain foods can trigger migraines, so you could be reacting to a food you recently added to your diet as part of your healthy eating plan. Per the Association of Migraine Disorders, possible culprits include:

• Aged cheeses
• Alcohol
• Artificial sweeteners
• Caffeine
• Chocolate
• Chickpeas
• Cured meats
• Dried fruits
• Fermented or pickled foods
• Lentils
• Licorice
• Meat tenderizers
• Peanuts and peanut butter
• Smoked fish
• Soy sauce

If you’re struggling with a throbbing or pulsing head that you suspect is related to your weight-loss plan, there are a few things you can do to help keep the discomfort at bay. Here’s what Dr. Nazarian recommends:

• ‌Make sure you’re eating enough calories.‌ Here’s how to figure out what you need.
• ‌Avoid skipping meals.‌ Healthy snacks can help you keep your energy and blood sugar up, too.
• ‌Drink plenty of water.‌ Your urine color is always a good guide to see whether you’re getting enough. Or check this handy guide to how much water to drink.
• ‌Consult with a registered dietitian.‌ They can help you develop an eating plan to meet your weight-loss goals without unpleasant side effects like a headache.

Talk to your doctor if your headaches are severe or if they’re making it harder for you to go about your normal activities.

“Occasional headaches may not be unusual during weight loss, but if they become persistent or severe or are associated with symptoms of dizziness, changes in vision, nausea, vomiting or other neurological symptoms, it is advisable to seek medical attention promptly,” Dr. Nazarian says.

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience, but it’s not without challenges. While many parents end up chest or breastfeeding or pumping for several months or more, others only breastfeed for a few weeks because of breastfeeding difficulties, having to go back to work or simply feeling breastfeeding wasn’t the best choice after all.

Here’s the good news: There are advantages to breastfeeding for just a few weeks. Yes, even two weeks of breastfeeding has benefits. Remember, breastfeeding is all about what works for you and your baby, and everyone’s breastfeeding journey is different.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of breastfeeding for a few weeks, a few months and longer.

Between the 12th and 16th weeks of pregnancy, your breasts start to produce a sticky, yellowish substance called colostrum, which will be the first milk your baby receives during the first few days of life, before your mature milk comes in, according to ‌StatPearls‌.

Colostrum has more protein and less fat and carbohydrates than your mature milk will have, according to ‌StatPearls‌. While colostrum is lower in volume than mature milk, it’s just what your baby needs nutritionally, and it’s easy for babies to digest.

Colostrum isn’t just a great source of nutrition, it’s also supportive for your baby’s gut health. It’s full of vitamins (particularly A, B12 and K, according to May 2018 research in ‌Nutrients‌) and a substance called called human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), says Andrea Braden, MD, IBCLC, an ob-gyn, breastfeeding medicine specialist and CEO and co-founder of breastfeeding brand Lybbie.

Together, the vitamins and HMOs “teach the baby’s gut how to populate with bacteria to fight infections,” Dr. Braden says. “Giving the baby breastmilk early on is like giving a prebiotic.”

Colostrum also helps protect babies from icky germs circulating — germs they haven’t yet been exposed to or vaccinated against in those early weeks of life.

“Colostrum has high concentrations of compounds like secretory IgA, lactoferrin and oligosaccharides that prime the infant’s immune system to provide protection against a variety of illnesses,” says Megan Oggero, APRN, IBCLC, a lactation consultant and family nurse practitioner at UTHealth Houston.

During breastfeeding, your body releases a hormone called oxytocin, which helps your milk ducts contract so milk is released out of your breasts. But it also does a few other things, including cause your uterus to contract, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Many parents notice uterine cramping in the early days of breastfeeding. This is a good thing, Dr. Braden says. “Oxytocin not only helps with breastfeeding, but it actually helps to contract the uterus to decrease hemorrhage after delivery,” she says.

These contractions also help your uterus decrease in size, so it will return to its pre-pregnancy size more efficiently, per the Cleveland Clinic.

Breastfeeding isn’t the only way to bond with your baby, but for many parents, it can help, Oggero says.

The hormone oxytocin is a big player when it comes to this bonding, she says, part of why it’s often described as the “love hormone.”

When oxytocin is released during breastfeeding, it creates feelings of calm and can decrease stress, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It can also boost feelings of love and affection between breastfeeding parents and their little ones.

If you’re hoping to breastfeed long term, breastfeeding often in those early weeks will pay off down the road. “Early breastfeeding is really important for developing your milk supply,” Dr. Braden says.

You’ll want to breastfeed your baby frequently in those first few weeks of life, because this helps set up the supply and demand cycle of breastfeeding, she explains.

“The baby really sets the pace for what your body needs to do to feed [them] by sending signals to the parent,” Dr. Braden says. “Every time your baby suckles — every time they take milk out of the breast — your body gets a signal to make more milk and replace that.”

Breastfeeding your baby in those early weeks means you’ll be spending lots of hours in close contact, skin to skin, which has many benefits.

“Skin-to-skin [contact] and early breastfeeding help regulate the baby’s heart rate, temperature and blood sugar,” Dr. Braden says. It can also help babies transition from the safe, quiet world of the womb to the noisier, more chaotic new world they now find themselves in.

Of course, you don’t have to breastfeed to get the benefits of skin-to-skin time. And you don’t have to be the only one to do it. Partners, grandparents — even younger siblings — can spend skin-to-skin time with new babies.

Breastfeeding for any amount of time is good for babies, but the perks continue as long as you nurse your baby.

Most major health organizations recommend breastfeeding exclusively for about six months and continuing for a year or more, even once you introduce solid foods, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding “as long as mutually desired” by a breastfeeding parent and their child, and that breastfeeding for two years — or even more — is healthy.

Breastmilk can provide babies with all the nutrients they need for their first few months of life and can continue to provide a portion of their nutrition through the second year of life, per the World Health Organization.

Should you choose to continue on after the first few weeks of breastfeeding, your baby will also get immune system benefits, Oggero says. “When parents are exposed to viruses and bacteria, they begin to produce antibodies, and these antibodies are passed to the infant through the breast milk,” she explains. “They reduce the risk of infection in the infant and lessen the severity of illness if it occurs.”

The longer you opt to exclusively breastfeed, the lower your baby’s chance of developing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS, according to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Continuing to breastfeed past the first few weeks offers benefits for the breastfeeding parent, too. “For parents, longer durations of breastfeeding provide progressively greater reductions in the risks of developing breast and ovarian cancers and type 2 diabetes,” Oggero says, as well as heart disease, according to a February 2023 article in ‌Cancer Medicine‌.

Everyone has different breastfeeding goals. Even if your goal is to breastfeed for several months or longer, you might find it challenging. That’s normal and you are far from alone; it’s important to be kind to yourself while breastfeeding.

Nicole Peluso, IBCLC, lactation consultant and manager of lactation services and education at medical device company Aeroflow Healthcare, offered her top tips to increase the chances of breastfeeding success:

• Try to learn as much as you can about breastfeeding before your baby arrives from your doctor and/or credible websites and books.
• Consider taking a breastfeeding class or going to a breastfeeding support group when you are pregnant.
• Try to get a few names of lactation specialists you can call on after your baby is born.
• Take advantage of the “gold hour” after birth, and allow the natural process of bonding to unfold with your baby, with minimal interference from others if possible.
• Get help with latching right away; if there are any issues, this will ensure an adequate milk removal for your baby and breast stimulation/establishment of your milk supply.
• Ask for help before breastfeeding hurts, and before your nipples bleed or crack.
• Consider joining a breastfeeding-focused support group to meet other parents who are on the same journey as you.

Keep in mind, too, that breastfeeding isn’t going to always look like direct breastfeeding, with your baby suckling at the breast. Breastfeeding has benefits even if you exclusively pump your milk, and even if you feed your baby with a combination of formula and breastmilk. When it comes to breastfeeding, you get to define your own success.

Peanuts are a healthy snack packed with protein, fiber and healthy fats. But what happens if eating them makes you poop or your stomach hurt?

“In general, it’s not common to have digestive problems from eating a handful of peanuts,” says Supriya Rao, MD, a gastroenterologist with Tufts Medicine Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, Massachusetts.

But for some people, eating large quantities of peanuts could cause GI symptoms like gas, bloating, cramping or constipation. Here’s why.

While high-fiber foods have big health benefits, eating a lot of fiber at once when your body isn’t used to it can cause gas and bloating, Dr. Rao says.

The 2.4 grams of fiber in a one-ounce serving of peanuts, according to the USDA, won’t typically affect your GI tract. But grabbing handful after handful can add up. A cup of peanuts packs 12 grams of fiber, or close to half of what you need in a day. That’s enough to cause symptoms, Dr. Rao says.

Eating a lot of sugar in one sitting might mess with your belly, too. “The sugar can interact with your gut bacteria and cause gas and bloating,” Dr. Rao says.

That’s not a concern with plain or salted peanuts. But if you’re having a large helping of honey-roasted peanuts or another sweetened variety, you might be inadvertently taking in a stomach-churning amount of the sweet stuff: 23 grams in a one-cup serving, according to the USDA, which is more than what you’d get in a chocolate doughnut.

Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens. If you have a peanut allergy, eating even a tiny amount could trigger stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Most of the time, digestive symptoms from an allergic reaction usually occur with other issues like wheezing, coughing, hives, throat tightness or swelling. In rare cases, eating peanuts can also cause an allergic person to experience anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction that requires emergency medical attention.

Contrary to popular myth, eating peanuts doesn’t cause diverticulitis, a condition where small, bulging pouches that form in the lining of the digestive tract become infected or inflamed, Dr. Rao says.

But if you develop diverticulitis, eating peanuts can make the problem worse. “When someone is flaring, I’ll recommend they have bland, soft foods to rest their bowel,” Dr. Rao says. “But once they’re better they can go back to their regular high-fiber diet, including nuts.”

Heard that peanuts contain toxins that could make your stomach hurt? You shouldn’t be too concerned, Dr. Rao says.

It’s true that peanuts contain phytic acid or phytate, which is sometimes called an anti-nutrient because humans lack the enzyme to properly digest it. (Phytates are also found in other nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.)

Because of that, it’s possible that eating a large amount of phytates in one sitting could cause digestion problems like nausea or bloating, Dr. Rao says.

However, experts don’t know the exact amount of peanuts it would take to cause symptoms. If you’re concerned about trouble digesting phytates, soaking your peanuts overnight can make them more digestible, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Peanuts are also among the many foods (along with corn, wheat, rice and sesame) that can potentially be contaminated with aflatoxin, a toxic fungi that can affect certain crops when stored improperly. Consuming large amounts of aflatoxins in contaminated food can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. That said, there have been no known outbreaks in the U.S., according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Unless you have a food allergy, a sour stomach from eating peanuts likely means you ate more fiber than your GI tract is used to, Dr. Rao says. Next time, you can reduce your symptoms by being mindful about your portions. Try to stick to a one-ounce serving of peanuts, or a small handful, according to the Cleveland Clinic. (If your symptoms are from eating too much sugar, watching your portion sizes should help there, too.)

Pay attention to how much fiber you’re getting overall, as well. If you’re trying to eat more roughage, up your intake gradually by just a few grams per day and drink plenty of water. That’ll give your body time to adjust and reduce symptoms like gas, bloating and constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

If you are allergic, you likely need to avoid peanuts entirely. And if you’re experiencing a diverticulitis flare, hold off on the peanuts until you’re feeling better.

Let your doctor know if you’re consistently experiencing gas, bloating or other gastrointestinal discomfort when you eat peanuts (or any other food). Together, you can talk through your symptoms to determine whether you have an underlying health problem that needs to be addressed.