Dr. Shawn Khodadadian of Manhattan Gastroenterology writes that, “Exercise and digestion are mutually exclusive.” When you exercise, blood travels to your muscles and lungs (where it is needed) and away from the stomach and intestines. Therefore, digestion is slowed down during exercise. This is why eating a large meal, high in fiber, protein, and fat (things that are hard to break down) before you exercise is generally not a good idea. Though exercise may lead to transient g

Did anyone enjoy some chocolate for Valentine’s Day? We all love sugar - we’re a society that loves sugar! Though the American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) and men no more than 38 grams (9 teaspoons) of sugar per day, the average American consumes about 82 grams per day. This is certainly easy to do as drinking only one 12 ounce can of Coca Cola contains 39 grams of sugar. Sugar is, of course, important since the body use

Exercise beneficially affects the body in a surprising number of ways. I am excited to be writing a series based on the effects of exercise on a variety of different bodily systems. As Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I thought my first installment should be about the heart. As we all know, exercise is good for the heart and overall cardiovascular health. When we workout, our heart rate increases. As the heart pumps faster, more blood pumps through the heart