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Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This Is the Best Time to Eat Dinner, According to Experts
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." When is the best time to eat dinner? Between work, a commute, fitting in a quick workout, and potentially addressing other family needs, eating before the sun goes down is no simple task. But according to experts we spoke to, if possible, it may be what's best for your health. Meet the Experts: Dana Cohen, M.D., integrative medical doctor and co-author of Quench, Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator, and Gretchen Zimmermann, R.D., vice president of clinical strategy at Vida Health. Below, they explain why, share their favorite easy meal options, and weigh in on nighttime snacks that won't mess with your sleep. When is the best time to eat dinner? While doctors and dietitians acknowledge that schedules and things outside of our control all influence dinnertime, they seem to agree on an ideal window of time. 'Eating between 5 to 7 p.m. would be ideal,' says Dana Cohen, M.D., integrative medical doctor and co-author of Quench. But, the exact time you dine has to do with your specific bedtime. Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator, recommends trying to eat two to three hours before bed because it helps with digestion, supports better sleep, and keeps blood sugar more stable. 'At night, the body becomes less efficient at handling sugar, so late meals can lead to higher blood sugar and may disrupt sleep in some people,' she says. Gretchen Zimmermann, R.D., vice president of clinical strategy at Vida Health agrees with those recommendations. 'Your GI tract slows down at night as part of your natural circadian rhythm, so eating close to bedtime may delay gastric emptying, increase bloating, cause uncomfortable heartburn, and throw off your regularity,' she says. You also want to avoid eating too early because going to bed hungry can disrupt your sleep quality, per the Mayo Clinic. All of this said, if you just can't eat dinner in this window (maybe you have a night class or family obligation), stick to lighter meals (see below for more) and try not to lay down immediately after you finish eating. Can eating dinner early help you lose weight? Eating dinner at least three hours before bedtime may aid weight loss by supporting metabolic health and maintaining steady blood sugar levels, explains Routhenstein. Eating earlier also helps regulate hunger hormones, which can reduce late-night snacking, she adds, and therefore make weight gain less likely. In fact, people who ate meals at 5 p.m. burned 60 more calories per day than those who ate dinner later, according to a study published in Cell Metabolism. The research participants who ate dinner later also stored fat differently and had higher levels of hunger. Another study, out of NYU Langone, found that eating earlier improves your metabolic health, which may help you lose weight. On the flip side, separate research, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, shows that eating later can prevent successful weight loss and lead to weight gain. 'More studies are needed to determine if eating early has a benefit for health and weight in the long term, but eating dinner early, between 5 and 7 p.m., or at least two to three hours before you go to bed may be a helpful strategy for supporting weight loss,' says Zimmermann. Another benefit of eating early is that you can squeeze in a 10- to 15-minute walk after dinner, which has positive benefits on blood sugar, digestion, and can provide a little extra calorie burn, she adds. Benefits of eating dinner up to three hours before bed Experts share other reasons you may want to consider having your last meal earlier in the evening. Facilitates better sleep Eating right before bedtime can have negative effects on the quality of your sleep, which means eating earlier has the potential to improve your rest and optimize your body's circadian rhythm. Prevents heartburn 'Health conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) require people to wait at least three hours after eating before lying down or going to sleep to prevent the contents of the stomach from going back up into the esophagus that may cause heartburn,' Dr. Cohen says. Improves blood sugar levels Research shows that eating earlier lowers blood glucose levels after dinner and throughout the night. This is because you don't metabolize glucose as efficiently when you eat out of phase with your circadian rhythm. According to the Mayo Clinic, diet, dehydration, stress, and more factors can cause blood sugar levels to rise, but having consistently high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) can lead to serious health complications. What to eat for dinner 'Having a good balance of essential nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water is important during any meal,' Dr. Cohen says. 'I love Mediterranean diet foods which include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts, healthy fats like olive oil, and moderate amounts of fish and other lean proteins.' One of Dr. Cohen's favorite dinners is escarole and beans drizzled with olive oil over crusty whole-grain bread. 'This light, delicious meal is easy to digest and filled with plant protein, good fats, and fiber making it a good choice for dinner,' she says. Best nighttime snack options If you end up feeling hungry after dinner, that's completely understandable. It's just important to choose healthy snacks that won't negatively impact your sleep. 'Try a light snack like chia pudding which is high in soluble fiber and omega-3s to support digestion and the microbiome,' Zimmermann suggests. 'Kiwis are a great source of soluble fiber, and when combined with a handful of walnuts, provide a gut-healthy snack.' Routhenstein adds that cherries and pistachios may boost melatonin production, the hormone that regulates sleep. And yogurt with berries is another good choice because it contains tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes relaxation and better sleep. Worst nighttime snack options Unsurprisingly, nighttime snacks that experts recommend avoiding or minimizing are those that are generally not considered healthy, like ultra-processed chips or high-fat, high-sugar desserts, both of which can slow digestion and cause tummy trouble, experts say. Alcohol or excessive caffeine can dehydrate and mess with sleep, and large, protein-heavy meals eaten too late take longer to digest and may interfere with regularity. The bottom line In an ideal world, the experts recommend eating dinner two to three hours before bed. If you feel hungry after that, consider a light plant-based snack, preferably at least an hour before you plan to go to sleep. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
The Guardian
19-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
From landfill to luxury: how a designer uses scraps from Hermès and Chanel to make leather goods
After more than a decade as a fashion designer, Dana Cohen was disillusioned. Excessive waste was rampant in every part of the industry – from surplus samples, to manufacturing scraps, to retail stores with 'a disheveled mountain of garments that nobody wanted', she said. 'I was like, 'I just don't want to be a part of it any more.'' Then Cohen, who had designed for brands including Banana Republic, Club Monaco and J Crew, had a chance encounter with a manufacturer that changed her course. Drishti Lifestyle, based in India, had a container full of leather scraps it didn't want to discard. Together they experimented, and made some wallets and a handbag, all of which sold out. That was the very start of Cohen's sustainable leather accessories company – and her mission to make a dent in the industry's immense waste problem. Launched in November 2019, Hyer Goods sells bags, wallets and other accessories made entirely from deadstocks: leftover scraps that would otherwise end up in landfills. Specifically, it uses luxury leather leftovers, retrieved from designer heavyweights like Hermès, Chanel, and Valentino. Deadstocks are sourced both directly from Italian factories – such as a tannery in the outskirts of Naples, Russo di Casandrino – and via 'people on the ground' in Italy who have longstanding relationships with those brands. The scraps are then transported to family-run factories in Italy's Marche region, on the Adriatic coast: a mother-daughter-run factory produces the bags, and down the road, a father-son-run factory assembles the wallets. 'We literally load the scraps from the bags in a little car and drive it to the wallet factory,' Cohen said. Designer brands typically only use the very highest grades of leather, so Hyer takes the 'off-cuts' that are still above par, but may have blemishes like tick bites or stretch marks, and cuts around them. Given the reliance on whatever is available, the Hyer collection is inherently small-batch, and a single line of bags might comprise a mix of different leathers. 'We have never made 500 pieces of anything,' Cohen said. The unpredictable supply can be hard. 'It's not for the faint of heart,' Cohen said. But she estimates this model has kept approximately 7,000 pounds of leather in circulation – and out of landfills – over the last six years of operation. It's a start in healing an industry that sends about 92m tonnes of textiles to landfills every year, producing between 4% and 8% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. 'I appreciate any company that's really trying to work towards the circular economy,' said Ann Cantrell, associate professor of fashion business management at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), 'which is trying to keep things in the loop as long as we can and not go to landfill.' She said Hyer Goods's model followed the 'triple bottom line': operating not only for profitability, but also for improving conditions for people and for the planet. If more businesses operate with such models, they can 'continue to challenge the status quo' around issues like the overuse of virgin materials, she said. Leather is particularly troublesome for its connection to cattle ranching, which is linked to deforestation, mass water use and the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Tanning also uses toxic chemicals that can contaminate waterways. On the other hand, leather is an extremely durable product, sometimes lasting decades. 'So from that perspective, it is a sustainable material,' said Cantrell. Sustainability is nuanced. 'There's no perfectly sustainable material,' said Elizabeth Cline, an author and expert on fast fashion and sustainability. But Cline said repurposing genuine leather is better than producing so-called vegan leather, or faux leather, which is made of plastics, even when it also contains some plant-based materials like cork or apple peels. 'You're eliminating the animal welfare issue, but creating new environmental problems,' she said. The reality is that high-end consumers are still buying genuine leather. While Hyer's average customer is the sustainable-minded person looking for greener alternatives, Cohen said she is starting to see more luxury-driven customers. Hyer's bestselling Ring Bag, made from lambskin Nappa, a premium leather known for its softness, typically sells for $465 – nothing to sneeze at but still a far cry from luxury brands that retail for several thousand dollars. Cohen launched Hyer Goods just months before the pandemic. People weren't buying fancy handbags during lockdowns so she briefly pivoted to sewing masks with leftover fabrics – even curtains – that she crowdsourced on social media. Consulting followers for opinions has continued to be a strategy. 'I think people really like being a part of the process,' she says. 'Not only is it a great way to connect with community, but it's a really good way to make smart decisions.' Soon, the bags gained the attention of influential figures like Katie Couric and the internet chef Alison Roman. When Roman recommended the bags to her followers: 'That was one of the best days for us, ever,' Cohen said. Major brands like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Madewell now sell Hyer Goods bags, and in 2024, Cohen opened a brick-and-mortar store in New York's West Village after winning a grant from the non-profit ChaShaMa, which supports women and minority artists by providing them with subsidized real estate spaces. Beginning April, the Trump administration imposed 10% tariffs on goods from Italy, leaving Cohen little choice but to raise prices. The price bumps initially led to a 'huge dip' in sales, she said. Volumes seem back to normal now, though that's hard to parse out due to seasonal shifts. 'I'm not sure if the customer has gotten used to it, but I certainly haven't,' she said. (In July, Trump announced additional tariffs on European goods, which European trade officials said would make continuing US-EU trade ''almost impossible'.) Cohen said she had no plans to move operations to the US; many factories that she had considered weren't capable of details like edge painting (to protect leather edges from fraying), which would sacrifice quality. 'The craftsmanship that you can get in Italy just doesn't compare,' she said. ''Made in USA was just not an option.' Cohen, who has five part-time employees, said she'd like to expand products into belts and shoes, start sourcing deadstock Italian cottons, and open a second store, perhaps in Brooklyn. She'd like to be fully circular, including hardware like zippers, which are not made from scraps. But economic volatility – and simply the nature of a bootstrapped business that depends on a fluctuating supply – have delayed some of those plans. 'Any dreams I had, I've put on hold,' she said. 'Right now it's just: how can we stay afloat?' But nothing has changed her mission, which comes before any growth ambitions, she said. 'My goal was never to be a behemoth organization,' Cohen said. 'I just want to have a nice, small business for people who care.'
The Guardian
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
From landfill to luxury: how a designer uses scraps from Hermes and Chanel to make leather goods
After more than a decade as a fashion designer, Dana Cohen was disillusioned. Excessive waste was rampant in every part of the industry – from surplus samples, to manufacturing scraps, to retail stores with 'a disheveled mountain of garments that nobody wanted', she said. 'I was like, 'I just don't want to be a part of it any more.'' Then Cohen, who had designed for brands including Banana Republic, Club Monaco and J Crew, had a chance encounter with a manufacturer that changed her course. Drishti Lifestyle, based in India, had a container full of leather scraps it didn't want to discard. Together they experimented, and made some wallets and a handbag, all of which sold out. That was the very start of Cohen's sustainable leather accessories company – and her mission to make a dent in the industry's immense waste problem. Launched in November 2019, Hyer Goods sells bags, wallets and other accessories made entirely from deadstocks: leftover scraps that would otherwise end up in landfills. Specifically, it uses luxury leather leftovers, retrieved from designer heavyweights like Hermes, Chanel, and Valentino. Deadstocks are sourced both directly from Italian factories – such as a tannery in the outskirts of Naples, Russo di Casandrino – and via 'people on the ground' in Italy who have longstanding relationships with those brands. The scraps are then transported to family-run factories in Italy's Marche region, on the Adriatic coast: a mother-daughter-run factory produces the bags, and down the road, a father-son-run-factory assembles the wallets. 'We literally load the scraps from the bags in a little car and drive it to the wallet factory,' Cohen said. Designer brands typically only use the very highest grades of leather, so Hyer takes the 'off-cuts' that are still above par, but may have blemishes like tick bites or stretch marks, and cuts around them. Given the reliance on whatever is available, the Hyer collection is inherently small-batch, and a single line of bags might comprise a mix of different leathers. 'We have never made 500 pieces of anything,' Cohen said. The unpredictable supply can be hard. 'It's not for the faint of heart,' Cohen said. But she estimates this model has kept approximately 7,000 pounds of leather in circulation – and out of landfills – over the last six years of operation. It's a start in healing an industry that sends some 92m tonnes of textiles to landfills every year, producing between 4% and 8% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. 'I appreciate any company that's really trying to work towards the circular economy,' said Ann Cantrell, associate professor of fashion business management at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), 'which is trying to keep things in the loop as long as we can and not go to landfill.' She said Hyer Goods's model follows the 'triple bottom line': operating not only for profitability, but also for improving conditions for people and for the planet. If more businesses operate with such models, they can 'continue to challenge the status quo' around issues like the overuse of virgin materials, she said. Leather is particularly troublesome for its connection to cattle ranching, which is linked to deforestation, mass water use, and the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Tanning also uses toxic chemicals that can contaminate waterways. On the other hand, leather is an extremely durable product, sometimes lasting decades. 'So from that perspective, it is a sustainable material,' said Cantrell. Sustainability is nuanced. 'There's no perfectly sustainable material,' said Elizabeth Cline, an author and expert on fast fashion and sustainability. But Cline said repurposing genuine leather is better than producing so-called vegan leather, or faux leather, which is made of plastics, even when it also contains some plant-based materials like cork or apple peels. 'You're eliminating the animal welfare issue, but creating new environmental problems,' she said. The reality is that high-end consumers are still buying genuine leather. While Hyer's average customer is the sustainable-minded person looking for greener alternatives, Cohen said she is starting to see more luxury-driven customers. Hyer's bestselling Ring Bag, made from lambskin Nappa, a premium leather known for its softness, typically sells for $465 – nothing to sneeze at but still a far cry from luxury brands that retail for several thousand dollars. Cohen launched Hyer Goods just months before the pandemic. People weren't buying fancy handbags during lockdowns so she briefly pivoted to sewing masks with leftover fabrics – even curtains – that she crowdsourced on social media. Consulting followers for opinions has continued to be a strategy. 'I think people really like being a part of the process,' she says. 'Not only is it a great way to connect with community, but it's a really good way to make smart decisions.' Soon, the bags gained the attention of influential figures like Katie Couric and internet chef Alison Roman. When Roman recommended the bags to her followers: 'That was one of the best days for us, ever,' Cohen said. Major brands like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Madewell now sell Hyer Goods bags, and in 2024, Cohen opened a brick-and-mortar store in New York's West Village after winning a grant from the nonprofit ChaShaMa, which supports women and minority artists by providing them with subsidized real estate spaces. Beginning April, the Trump administration imposed 10% tariffs on goods from Italy, leaving Cohen little choice but to raise prices. The price bumps initially led to a 'huge dip' in sales, she said. Volumes seem back to normal now, though that's hard to parse out due to seasonal shifts. 'I'm not sure if the customer has gotten used to it, but I certainly haven't,' she said. (In July, Trump announced additional tariffs on European goods, which European trade officials said would make continuing US-EU trade ''almost impossible'.) Cohen said she has no plans to move operations to the US; many factories that she had considered weren't capable of details like edge painting (to protect leather edges from fraying), which would sacrifice quality. 'The craftsmanship that you can get in Italy just doesn't compare,' she said. ''Made in USA was just not an option.' Cohen, who has five part-time employees, said she'd like to expand products into belts and shoes, start sourcing deadstock Italian cottons, and open a second store, perhaps in Brooklyn. She'd like to be fully circular, including hardware like zippers, which are not made from scraps. But economic volatility – and simply the nature of a bootstrapped business that depends on a fluctuating supply – have delayed some of those plans. 'Any dreams I had, I've put on hold,' she said. 'Right now it's just: how can we stay afloat?' But nothing has changed her mission, which comes before any growth ambitions, she said. 'My goal was never to be a behemoth organization,' Cohen said. 'I just want to have a nice, small business for people who care.'
National Geographic
01-07-2025
- Health
- National Geographic
6 hydration myths that could be hurting your health
Think you need 8 cups of water a day? Or that coffee dehydrates you? Experts debunk the most common misconceptions about staying hydrated. You don't have to feel thirsty to be dehydrated. Experts say common myths about hydration can keep people from getting the fluids they need. Photograph by Carlos Hernandez, Getty Images Even though water is the most abundant substance in the human body, it doesn't always get the respect it deserves. Nearly half of adults in the U.S. consume less than the recommended amount of water per day, according to a 2023 CivicScience poll of nearly 2,861 people. That's a problem—because staying well hydrated is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to support your health. For starters, it's essential for body temperature regulation, joint lubrication, digestion, detoxification, nutrient transport, energy production, as well as heart and brain function. In addition, proper hydration is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, dying prematurely, and being biologically older than your actual age, according to recent research from the National Institutes of Health. 'Hydration is foundational to every cellular function in the body,' says Dana Cohen, a physician specializing in integrative medicine in New York City and co-author of the books FuelUp and Quench. 'Yet many people walk around in a state of low-grade dehydration and don't even realize it. This chronic underhydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, joint pain, and even cravings that are mistaken for hunger.' To help you avoid those pitfalls, here's the truth behind some of the most common myths about hydration. Myth: Adults should consume 64 ounces of water per day. 'That eight-cups-a-day idea has really stuck in our cultural memory, but the truth is, hydration needs vary from person to person based on size, activity, and environment,' says Wendy Bazilian, a nutrition and wellness expert based in San Diego and host of the 1,000 Waking Minutes podcast. In fact, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has more specific guidelines for men and women. To stay adequately hydrated, women should consume 11½ cups of water per day, and men should have 15½ cups per day. When the heat and humidity climb during the summer, you probably need to drink more than that, especially if you're spending time outside or exercising. Even when you're not visibly sweating, your body loses water through breathing and evaporation from the skin's surface—especially in hot, humid, or high-altitude environments. That's why hydration is important, even during light activity or even rest. Keep in mind: Mild dehydration can increase your risk of developing a heat-related illness such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke, Cohen says. 'Hot weather accelerates fluid loss through sweat even when you're not visibly dripping. That means your hydration needs increase significantly in the summer. A good rule of thumb is to add at least 16 ounces of fluid for every hour you're outdoors in the heat or exercising.' Myth: Thirst is a reliable sign that you need water. 'While thirst is a helpful signal, it's more like a later warning light—like that E signal on your gas gauge [on your car's dashboard]—than a real-time indicator of what's going on now,' Bazilian says. 'By the time you feel thirsty, you're already a bit behind' on hydration. This is especially true for older adults, as their thirst mechanism becomes less sensitive with age, increasing the risk of dehydration. (Are you drinking water all wrong? Here's what you need to know about hydrating.) At any age, even a slight drop in hydration—such as a 1 to 2 percent loss in body water—'can impair physical and cognitive performance,' Cohen says. A study involving male college students found that mild dehydration had adverse effects on their measures of vigor (a.k.a., energy), mood, short-term memory, and attention; fortunately, rehydration quickly improved their fatigue, mood, reaction time, and thinking abilities. A better measure of hydration status, according to Cohen, is how frequently you need to use the bathroom. 'Ideally, we are meant to pee every two to three hours during our waking hours,' she says. While you're there, take note of the color of your urine: If it's clear to light yellow, that's a good sign. (Don't panic if it's fluorescent yellow: That could be the result of taking certain medications or supplements, Cohen says.) Myth: Drinking fluids is the only way to stay hydrated About 20 percent of your fluid intake comes from foods with a high water content—fruits, vegetables, soups, stews, and the like, Bazilian notes. (Is bone broth really a 'liquid miracle'? Here's what science says.) Summer staples, such as watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, berries, grapes, and leafy greens, are all great options; even smoothies and cold soups like gazpacho count. Myth: Chugging water at once keeps you well-hydrated Believe it or not, it is possible to overhydrate if you drink more fluid than your body can flush out. It's a condition called hyponatremia, where sodium levels in the body become dangerously low because there's too much fluid in the body. This can lead to symptoms such as nausea, headache, confusion, muscle weakness, and, in severe cases, seizures. 'It's rare and more common in endurance athletes,' says Bazilian. But it's something to be aware of—and to try to prevent by drinking enough fluids without overdoing it and making sure you're consuming enough sodium. In general, it's more effective to consistently sip water throughout the day than to guzzle it in one go. 'This approach ensures better absorption and utilization by your body,' says Bazilian. 'To make this habit stick, set reminders on your phone to take some sips every hour or use a water bottle with time markers to pace your intake.' Myth: Drinking coffee or caffeinated tea can make you dehydrated 'This one really needs to be put to rest,' says Bazilian. 'Coffee and tea can absolutely count toward your hydration. After all, coffee and tea are made of water.' Similarly, it's a myth that sparkling water (or seltzer) is dehydrating. It's just as hydrating as still water, so if you prefer bubbly water, that's fine. (Here's what happens to your body when you drink tea.) Myth: Sports drinks are better than water during workouts Not necessarily. It depends on how long and hard you'll be exercising and what the conditions are, says Leslie Bonci, a sports dietitian and owner of Active Eating Advice in Pittsburgh. If you're going for a short walk or exercising in cool weather for less than an hour, water is fine. But if you tend to sweat heavily or if you're exercising intensely or for more than an hour, it's best to add some electrolytes (namely, sodium and potassium) from a low-sugar electrolyte powder, Bonci says. (Can energy drinks really boost your metabolism? Here's what the science says.) Keep in mind: It's not enough to hydrate during the workout; you should start before you exercise. Think of 'fluid as part of your internal equipment—if you exercise in a dehydrated state, you'll be slower, weaker, and you'll fatigue faster,' Bonci says. She recommends drinking 20 ounces of fluids an hour before a workout because it takes that long for the fluid to leave the stomach and get to the muscles that will be powering your session. During the workout, Bonci recommends taking a few gulps of fluid every 20 minutes to stay hydrated, followed by an additional 20 ounces afterward.
