After Eating, You Should Never Do The Following Things
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Table manners are so ingrained in us that most of us follow them instinctively whilst enjoying a hearty (and even a not-so-hearty) meal. Although it’s good to know and follow the etiquette of eating, it’s still just one side of the story. The rules you should follow post-eating are the other side!
Yes, even after you’ve excused yourself and gotten up from the table, the dos and don’ts of eating pretty much continue. And you must do your best to abide by them. Which is quite easy if you can avoid doing certain things once you’ve wolfed down your share of food!
So, let’s get this article rolling by telling you about the things you absolutely mustn’t do after eating:
1. Lay Down
On the bed, on the couch, on the carpet, in the bathtub (okay, scratch the last one) – the point is you should not lie down once you’re done eating. Even if the meal was a big one and exhausted you enough that you instantly fell into a deep slumber! Lying down after eating can lead to digestive issues such as heartburn, bloating, and a general sense of discomfort among other things (1).
Not sleeping though has benefits as the University of Ioannina Medical School in Greece found out. According to their research, those who waited for a considerable amount of time to nap after eating had lower chances of suffering a stroke (2). Waiting around 2 hours before hitting the bed is ideal, suggest researchers.
2. Sip On Tea
Appetizers are followed by the main course, the main course is followed by the dessert, and the dessert is usually accompanied by a cup of tea. All those who have a slice of cake with their tea, please raise your hands! However, as delicious as that may be, medical experts would rather you not have the tea and just stop at the dessert.
This is because tea contains substances known as tannins (3). Tannins cause a calming effect on your body and are even a great natural antioxidant. However, despite their goodness, they can prevent the absorption of dietary iron in your body, explains Dr. D. Raghunatha Rao from the Dietary Guidelines Committee. Ergo, he advises not having tea an hour before and after all of your meals.
3. Munch On Fruits
Fruits are the healthiest snack on this planet! And no matter when you eat them, you’d always be doing your body a great service. With just one exception though. And that is eating fruits right after your meal – it can have some nasty consequences.
Dr. Melina Jampolis, who’s both a nutrition specialist and physician at CNN.com, says that munching on a bowl of fruits straight after breakfast, lunch or dinner can lead to weight gain. She explains that fruits are much higher in calories as veggies, exceeding the calorie count of the latter by 3 times! So, if you have more than half a cup of fruits each day, you could definitely end up with weight gain. Besides, having fruits after meals might get you into the unnecessary habit of post-meal snacking, which can further add to your pounds!
4. Walk
This one might be a little hard to believe but just like lying down, even walking after eating is not recommended. And to think people advise you to take a walk after your lunch. Huh! Anyway, walking just after eating can lead to health issues such as indigestion and acid reflux. Such health issues can make you lose focus at work during the day and can make it hard for you to sleep at night (4). So, making walking a no-no post your meals might not be such a bad idea.
However, here’s the catch! You can still (and should walk). Just make sure it’s 30 minutes after your meals! At least that’s what the University of South Carolina’s Department of Exercise Science suggests. They also say that you should walk only for 10 minutes and no more after eating.
5. Shower
Meat sweats from meals can put you in the mood to take a shower! But that’s a decision you should probably rethink and definitely not carry out. Let us explain why.
Once you’re done eating and satisfying your hunger, the next task for your body is to digest the food eaten. The body requires tremendous amounts of energy to direct blow flow to your tummy and carry out the digestive processes. You can disrupt this flow of blood to your stomach by taking a shower after a meal (5). That’s because during a shower, your brain will change the flow of blood and direct it to your legs, feet, and hands in order to regulate your body temperature. Which means your stomach won’t get enough blood flow to aid digestion!
Seeing the list of things you should avoid after eating, we can tell you won’t have a hard time following these useful pieces of advice!
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