About the Author

Matthew Solan

Matthew Solan has served as executive editor of Harvard Men's Health Watch since 2016. He was previously executive editor for UCLA Health's Healthy Years and was a regular contributor to Duke Medicine's Health News, and Weill Cornell Medicine’s Women’s Nutrition Connection and Women's Health Advisor. Matthew specializes in men’s health and fitness, and has authored several Harvard Health special health reports, including Erectile Dysfunction, Healing Hemorrhoids, Managing Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and The Benefits of Probiotics. His articles have appeared in nationally-recognized publications, such as Runner’s World, Men's Health, Yoga Journal, Muscle & Fitness, Bicycling, and Men’s Fitness. Matthew is a member of the Central Florida Randonneurs, a long-distance cycling club, and a past coach for Tampa Bay Fit, a marathon training program. For his 50th birthday he ran the JFK 50 Mile, the nation’s oldest ultramarathon.

Articles by Matthew Solan

Dietary Fiber and its Health Benefits

By Matthew Solan

The importance of fiber in the diet cannot be overemphasized. Dietary fiber—what we used to call “roughage” or “bulk”—can help prevent or alleviate chronic constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, IBS, and possibly colorectal cancer. There is some early evidence suggesting that a high-fiber diet may lessen or prevent food allergies, and dietary … Read More

What Happens in the Small Intestine?

By Matthew Solan

Food passes from the stomach into the small intestine, where more digestion takes place, and the nutrients are absorbed into the body’s circulatory system. Once food is in the small intestine, the pancreas, liver, and gallbladder come into play. Digestive juices from these organs, along with enzymes on the cell … Read More

GERD Symptoms: Your Diet and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

By Matthew Solan

Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is commonly known as heartburn. GERD symptoms include a sharp, burning feeling in your chest that occurs when acidic contents of the stomach reflux (flow backward) into the esophagus. This happens when the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve separating the lower end of the esophagus … Read More

What Is GERD? Dealing with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

By Matthew Solan

Your digestive system can experience a myriad of ill effects: stomachache, ulcer, bloated stomach, constipation. But what is GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease? If you have regular bouts of GERD symptoms, also known as "heartburn"—that sharp, burning sensation in the chest—do not necessarily dismiss them as something you ate. You … Read More

What Helps Constipation? Know the Causes—and Find Relief

By Matthew Solan

Everyone experiences constipation at some time. Most often it's nothing to worry about, but if the condition starts to happen more frequently and with greater severity, you'll become more anxious to find out what helps constipation. At that point, you may need to seek treatment. How does constipation occur? As … Read More
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