Category Archives: Life

Too Many Burps? Here’s What Excessive Belching Says About Your Health

Posted on by
Reply

A few months ago, I started burping. Not in a funny, show-off-for-the-kids way, but in a constant, uncomfortable, what-is-happening-to-my-body kind of way.

I started counting: 30, 40 times a day. And like any adult in 2026, I immediately turned to Google to ask whether that was a normal amount of belching.

From the obvious offenders (sparkling water and speed-eating) to more serious underlying conditions like ulcers, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or, in rare cases, cancer, I spoke with gastroenterologists to break down when burping is harmless, and when it’s a signal that something else is going on.

What counts as ‘normal’ burping?

“Burping is normal,” Dr. Samantha Nazareth, a board-certified gastroenterologist and chief medical officer at metaME in New York, reassured me. “It’s air moving up from the food pipe (oesophagus) or the stomach.”

That said, “normal” isn’t exactly a fixed number. What feels like a lot to one person might barely register for someone else, and the range is wider than you’d think.

“It is difficult to give a ‘normal’ cutoff,” shared Dr. Rabia de Latour, a double board-certified gastroenterologist and therapeutic endoscopist in New York. “Some people burp infrequently, some burp 10-20 times a day, some only burp a few times after eating or drinking and some people can voluntarily produce a burp.”

Still, there are some benchmarks that can help put things in perspective. One 2020 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that patients who burped more than 13 times a day were more likely to have an underlying gastrointestinal issue than healthy individuals, who averaged closer to two daily episodes.

“In general, we consider abnormal burping when it disrupts your daily activities or quality of life or occurs with any other symptoms like trouble swallowing or nausea or bloating,” explained Dr. Elena Ivanina, a triple board-certified integrative gastroenterologist and functional medicine doctor.

The most common (and totally harmless) reasons you’re burping more

Just because you’re burping more than 13 times a day doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong. In many cases, it comes down to simple, everyday habits – especially how you eat.

One of the biggest culprits is swallowing excess air. That can happen when you eat too quickly, talk while eating, chew gum, smoke, suck on hard candies or drink through a straw.

“It can be purely behavioural,” de Latour said, noting that these habits can lead to more air entering the digestive tract, and eventually, more belching.

What you’re eating and drinking plays a role, too. If you’re a sparkling water person, for example, all that carbonation has to go somewhere. “Dietary factors often include increased carbonated beverages, chewing gum, sucking on candies, drinking through straws, high-fat or fried foods or food high in fermentable carbohydrates like lactose (dairy),” Ivanina explained.

A few lifestyle factors can quietly add to the mix. Stress and anxiety can increase how much air you swallow throughout the day, while slouching or lying down right after eating can make it harder for gas to move through your system. “Stress/anxiety can contribute to this,” Nazareth noted. “Slouching or lying down after eating can trap gas.”

Taken together, it means that a sudden uptick in burping isn’t always a red flag. Sometimes, it’s just your daily habits catching up with you.

It's critical to talk to your physician if burping feels excessive or like it's interfering with your daily life.

The Good Brigade via Getty Images

It’s critical to talk to your physician if burping feels excessive or like it’s interfering with your daily life.

When it might be something more than just air

But let’s say you’ve cut back on the LaCroix, slowed down your eating, and you’re still belching like a six-year-old at a birthday party… It might be time to pay attention.

De Latour flags these symptoms as ones to watch: bloating, abdominal pain, acid reflux, unintentional weight loss, heartburn, diarrhoea, blood in your stool or vomit, vomiting, loss of appetite, chest pain, new anaemia (especially iron deficiency), and early satiety – that’s feeling full faster than usual.

Beyond the physical symptoms, there’s a simpler gut-check (so to speak): if it’s disrupting your life, that’s the real red flag.

“It becomes problematic when it is bothering the patient; either because it is too frequent, uncontrollable or causing feelings of embarrassment due to any of the above or odour,” de Latour said.

As for when to pick up the phone, you don’t need to be checking every box. Even one or two symptoms from that list, especially if they’re new or persistent, is reason enough to loop in your doctor. Trust your gut. (Sorry, had to.)

What actually helps reduce excessive burping

The good news: most belching is fixable. A few things worth trying before you spiral into a gastroenterology rabbit hole:

Stop multitasking while eating

It sounds obvious, but Nazareth’s first recommendation to patients is simple – slow down, chew thoroughly, and stop talking with your mouth full.

Watch the usual suspects

Carbonated drinks, chewing gum, hard candy and straws all sneak in extra air.

Check your anxiety

Stress and nervous swallowing are surprisingly common triggers.

Look at your diet

Certain foods – onions, garlic, beans, cruciferous vegetables – are notorious for producing gas in the lower part of the digestive tract.

Share Button

This Walking Habit Might Be One Of The Easiest Ways To Improve Your Balance

Posted on by
Reply

Walking on grass and sand helps you connect with nature, but it also has one unexpected benefit you might not know about.

Turns out, walking on uneven surfaces will activate your body’s alert system known as proprioception, an overlooked but critical sense that subconsciously tells you where your limbs and body are at all times.

If a surface is suddenly slanted, proprioception tells your body that “the position of your joint is different and so it would activate muscles in a different way so that you don’t fall over to the right,” said Claire Morrow, a physical therapist with Hinge Health.

When proprioception is working well, it’s automatic. Your feet will know where to land on the slope of a hill to keep your ankles stable without you looking.

But proprioception declines as you get older or after an injury, which is why you don’t want to ignore training this internal awareness system. You might just lose it if you stop using it.

For example, if you sprain your ankle, you can lose ligament stability and the proprioception “feedback loop” that prevents you from re-rolling your ankle and injuring yourself again, Morrow said. The good news is that with a few simple adjustments, you can hone this sense and train it to get better.

Training this sense doesn’t have to be intimidating

You don’t need to hike up a mountain to train your proprioception. Simply look for uneven surfaces that nature provides with grass, dirt or sand to give your body small challenges on your walk.

If you're used to only waking on sidewalks, try walking on grass to test your body's proprioception.

recep-bg via Getty Images

If you’re used to only waking on sidewalks, try walking on grass to test your body’s proprioception.

Walking on beach sand or soft grass in a park instead of predictably flat pavement can “give your body a challenge to react to something that was a little unexpected,” Morrow said, which is what’s needed to train your lower body’s proprioception.

She suggests starting on pressed dirt and then graduating to grass and sand. “If you don’t mind getting your feet dirty, then doing it barefoot is sometimes a fun way” to practice proprioception too, Morrow added.

If you’re nervous about your balance, you can use hiking poles on unstable surfaces to have the benefit of your foot testing different positions while still having support, Morrow said.

Since proprioception can decline with age, older adults at risk of falling should focus on honing this ability. One 2017 study of adults over 70 found that the loss of reliable proprioception was a key factor in why those adults were more likely to sway on their feet while standing.

Proprioception “can improve your balance, and with increased balance, you decrease the fall potential, especially in elderly people,” said Patrick Maloney, the lead athletic trainer at Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine in New Orleans.

“The danger of that impaired proprioception is you get into a position where you need to catch yourself, but you don’t have the quickness to catch yourself,” Morrow said.

Here is a quick proprioception test for yourself: Can you balance on one leg for 10 seconds? If you can’t, Morrow suggests working with a physical therapist who can give you exercises to improve this skill.

She also suggests consulting with a therapist if your walking pace has significantly declined or if you need to touch a wall or a railing while walking to stay balanced.

So the next time you go for a walk, try walking next to the sidewalk on some soft grass or dirt. It will give you a break from your usual routine and will also help train your body’s awareness to protect your health in the future.

Share Button

A Doctor Explains What It Can Mean If You Get Dizzy Standing Up

Posted on by
Reply

Though you might think something as ordinary as feeling winded after taking the stairs is normal, Dr Katherine Pohlgeers previously told HuffPost that if your breathing “stay[s] elevated past three minutes or a prolonged period of time, that’s when it becomes more concerning”.

But what about feeling dizzy when you stand up?

We asked Dr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, what it could mean and when to see a doctor.

It could be normal, or it may be orthostatic hypotension

“Feeling dizzy when you stand up can be normal, and it usually occurs due to blood pressure changes, which means the brain gets less blood flow for a brief moment,” Dr Grant explained.

“This is particularly common after standing or sitting for extended periods, but outside of that, several potential causes shouldn’t be ignored.”

One of the most “common” of these, he added, is “postural hypotension” (also known as orthostatic hypotension), or a sudden lowering of blood pressure that happens when you go from sitting to standing.

“Other common signs of this include blurred vision, general weakness, confusion and nausea,” he explained.

The NHS said it’s important to see a doctor if you get repeated signs of low blood pressure, like dizziness and fainting.

Any other causes?

“Dizziness may also be caused by dehydration, so it’s important to drink enough fluids each day, especially as we approach the warmer months,” Dr Grant continued.

“While it can vary depending on age, health conditions and the weather, people should generally aim to drink six to eight cups of fluid each day.”

Additionally, some medications and pre-existing health conditions, like anaemia, diabetes, and heart problems, can make you feel dizzy when you stand up too.

When should I see a doctor about this?

“If dizziness occurs regularly or suddenly worsens, seek urgent medical attention. A qualified health professional can provide more tailored advice on potential causes and treatment,” shared Dr Grant.

In general, the NHS suggests you should see a doctor if your dizziness or vertigo keeps coming back or lasts a long time, or if hearing or speaking becomes difficult.

You should also visit your doctor if you experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears); double or blurred vision; numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs; changes in pulse; fainting; headaches or nausea, according to the health service.

Share Button

Don’t Lose Money Buying A Used Car – This History Checker Reveals Hidden Costs

Posted on by
Reply

We hope you love the products we recommend! All of them were independently selected by our editors. Just so you know, HuffPost UK may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page if you decide to shop from them. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.

Buying a car is expensive. Between finance, dealership fees, road tax, maintenance, and insurance, choosing a new vehicle can be a costly decision.

With the price of new cars on the rise, it makes sense that more people are opting to buy used cars each year. Over 7.8 million used cars were bought in the UK in 2025, up 2.15% from the previous year and this is only projected to rise.

And while investing in a second hand car can save you thousands of pounds, it can also come with stratospheric hidden costs if you don’t properly investigate its past.

With the cost of new cars constantly fluctuating, and electronic vehicles being introduced into the market, it can be difficult to know whether you’re getting a fair deal on a used car.

As well as figuring out the fair price of a car, there is also its safety to consider.

Dishonest dealers can disguise themselves as private sellers to avoid having to be responsible for faulty cars, or those that have been written off by insurance.

If we learnt anything from Roald Dahl’s Mr Wormwood, it’s that there is also a risk that the mileage displayed on a car isn’t genuine.

In fact, one in 11 cars checked by HPI Check has a discrepancy with its mileage. This can not only reduce a car’s safety, but can lead to costly repairs further down the road.

And, we know what you’re thinking: it’s unlikely you’ll fall for a scam. But one in three cars run through HPI check has something to hide.

So to avoid being hit with unwanted bills and legal disputes down the line, using a car history check service can give you peace of mind.

To make sure you’re not gambling on whether the seller has been truthful about the history of your car, HPI check investigates everything you need to be aware of when buying a used car.

The HPI check covers:

  • If the car is reported as stolen
  • If the car is an insurance write-off
  • Whether there’s an outstanding loan or finance agreement on the car
  • The number of its previous owners
  • If the DVLA has marked the car as scrapped
  • If the logbook is legitimate
  • Mileage discrepancies
  • How many number plate changes the car has had.

This will reveal whether or not you’ll be the rightful owner of your new car, and uncover if it has a dangerous past you need to be aware of.

The HPI check will also help you investigate if the car you want to buy is roadworthy, which will help you learn the true market value of the car and negotiate a fair deal with the seller.

According to one HPI check reviewer, the service saved him money and a long journey. “I saw the car I wanted, checked it through the HPI check website, and how relieved I was that I did check its history,” he said.

“It was an insurance write-off and the mileage was incorrect. It saved me from a very bad situation and having a conman making my life a misery. Money well spent.”

But it’s not just money you could save: using HPI check could also give you the confidence to navigate buying a used car in future, and save you the stress of dealing with a faulty one.

Another reviewer said: “We used HPI check because we trusted their information on a used car that we wanted to purchase. In the world of used cars this proved to be invaluable advice, we would recommend anyone thinking of buying a quality used car to use this service.”

Share Button

31°C Scorcher Set To Fall This Bank Holiday Weekend, Says Met Office

Posted on by
Reply

This upcoming bank holiday weekend (Friday 22-Monday 25 May) is set to be “very warm” with “plenty of sunshine,” the Met Office’s current forecast reads.

Per the BBC, some parts of the UK will see the mercury rise to 28°C on Thursday and Friday.

Though very high temperatures (hotter than the hottest day of the year so far, which was 26.6°C), those don’t necessarily mean we’ll be in an official heatwave.

Here’s where temperatures are expected to soar, what makes a heatwave a heatwave, and how long the conditions are expected to last.

Where is it expected to reach 31°C in the UK?

As of time of writing, The Met has forecast 28°C in the South-East, including London, on Saturday, 23 May, with temperatures reaching as high as 30°C on Sunday, 24 May.

And on Monday, the South-East (including London) will see a scorching 31°C, the Met’s interactive forecast map currently reads.

Other parts of the country will still be hot ― Manchester and Plymouth are expected to reach 26°C at the same time on Monday, while Cardiff will reach 27°C.

<div class="js-react-hydrator" data-component-name="Twitter" data-component-id="4643" data-component-props="{"itemType":"rich","isLiveblogEmbed":false,"index":11,"contentIndexByType":2,"contentListType":"embed","code":"

Heard it’s warming up?

Temperatures are on the rise later in the week and after the recent chilly spell it will feel markedly warmer📈

It won’t be entirely dry; thunderstorms are possible on Saturday – but it will be a fine and warm long weekend for the vast majority🌤️🌡️ pic.twitter.com/zJzjfv5GEE

— Met Office (@metoffice) May 19, 2026

","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Met Office","author_url":"https://twitter.com/metoffice","cache_age":86400,"description":"Heard it’s warming up? Temperatures are on the rise later in the week and after the recent chilly spell it will feel markedly warmer📈 It won’t be entirely dry; thunderstorms are possible on Saturday – but it will be a fine and warm long weekend for the vast majority🌤️🌡️ pic.twitter.com/zJzjfv5GEE— Met Office (@metoffice) May 19, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":720,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/2056698970961829888/pu/img/A23jgsvSqbecIASQ.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"Met Office on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/2056698993757823407","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{"fonts":{"primary":{},"accent":{},"caption":{}}},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"life","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"6a0d6622e4b0ceb40d485767","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/uk-heatwave-bank-holiday-weekend_uk_6a0d6622e4b0ceb40d485767","entryTagsList":"weather,heatwave","sectionSlug":"lifestyle","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.lifestyle","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"https://img.connatix.com/4c2615b8-caae-4d5a-bab7-30953fac6785/1_th.jpg?crop=629:354,smart&width=629&height=354&format=jpeg&quality=60&fit=crop","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":6},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":1},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"6a0d6622e4b0ceb40d485767","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"weather","slug":"weather","links":{"relativeLink":"news/weather","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/weather","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/weather"},"relegenceSubjectId":983981,"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Weather","slug":"weather","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/weather/"},{"name":"heatwave","slug":"heatwave","links":{"relativeLink":"news/heatwave","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/heatwave","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/heatwave"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/heatwave/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fuk-heatwave-bank-holiday-weekend_uk_6a0d6622e4b0ceb40d485767%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":false,"bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-1\", \"entry_paragraph_1\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline\", \"entry_paragraph_2\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-2\", \"entry_paragraph_3\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n HPGam.cmd.push(function(){\r\n\t\treturn HPGam.render(\"inline-infinite\", \"repeating_dynamic_display\", false, false);\r\n });\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0,"midArticleAdPartner":null},"isCollectionEmbed":false}”>

Heard it’s warming up?

Temperatures are on the rise later in the week and after the recent chilly spell it will feel markedly warmer📈

It won’t be entirely dry; thunderstorms are possible on Saturday – but it will be a fine and warm long weekend for the vast majority🌤️🌡️ pic.twitter.com/zJzjfv5GEE

— Met Office (@metoffice) May 19, 2026

Is that a heatwave?

A heatwave officially occurs when somewhere in the UK gets a minimum of three days in a row at or above the maximum temperature threshold.

In the UK, those maximums vary. The South-East is sunnier than the rest of the UK, meaning its temperature threshold is 28°C or 27°C. London’s threshold is 28°C.

As you head further North and West, that threshold reaches 25°C and 26°C.

London is predicted to reach or exceed these temperatures on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (Tuesday should be a scorcher too), so yes, if those predictions hold, we will be in an official heatwave. Other parts of the country, particularly in the South-East, are likely to qualify too.

How long will the heatwave last?

High pressure, which is responsible for sunny, dry conditions, is expected to last into the week following this Bank Holiday weekend, the Met Office said.

In fact, their long-range forecast reads that while we’ll likely see some rain and scattered showers in between, sunnier, warmer weather could last until “mid-June”.

Share Button