6 Things You Should Never Do After Eating

Have you ever wondered about the consequences of your action especially after eating? Well, you will be surprised to know that a vast majority of the ingrained habits that you engage in have a negative impact on your health.

As you already know, digestion starts in the mouth and continues in the stomach and the small intestines where the body absorbs different nutrients such vitamins, proteins and minerals. When your digestion is off beat, it will affect how your body absorbs nutrients.

If this happens, you will feel tired which will impact your daily activities.

Want to know which habits you need to quit after eating?

Here are 6 things you should never do after eating:

#1. Eating fruits

As you already know, fruits – whether whole or cut-up are rich sources of dietary fiber which is crucial for your digestion. They are also rich sources of nutrients such as Vitamin A, B, C and other vital minerals. For instance, Vitamin C helps in the repair and growth of body tissue. It also helps to heal wounds and cuts. The dietary fiber from fruits helps to lower blood cholesterol which in turn lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, fruits are low in sodium and fat which also contributes towards reducing blood cholesterol.

Like any other food, fruits need enzymes to digest. Eating fruits after a full course meal will result in the fruit not being digested properly. As a result, your body will not gain the much-needed benefits from the nutrients. After lunch or dinner, don’t eat any fruit. Always eat fruits when on an empty stomach.

#2. Putting on tight fitting clothes

After a heavy breakfast, your stomach is full and ready to digest the sumptuous meal you just ate. Here is the problem. You need to go to work or at the store to do some shopping. A few days ago, you bought a pair of skinny distressed jeans, stylish pumps and you can’t wait to try them out. As you try to button up the skinny jeans around the waist, your expanded abdomen is in the way. After several attempts which involve different maneuvers, you finally get to put on the jeans. Problem is you now have what weight loss experts call a “muffin-top.” This is where the skin around your waist sticks out over your jeans.

Now, what you ought to know is that wearing tight fitting clothes immediately after a meal will place pressure on your abdomen. This will result in a heart burn which becomes an uncomfortable feeling burning around your chest. To avoid this, wear loose and comfortable clothes. Wearing loose clothes will help you sleep better too.

#3. Sleeping immediately after a meal

A vast majority of people love eating a late-night dinner while watching or streaming their favorite TV show or movie. Immediately after the meal, per study, they saunter to the bed and get under the covers. This is quite common especially when one has eaten a meal rich in carbohydrates. As you already know, the food in your belly needs time to digest. The only way this is going to happen is if your body remains upright. Why? In this position, the body is able to absorb the nutrients efficiently.

Apart from that, you will place yourself at risk of diseases like Gastroesophageal reflux disease or heart burn. This happens when the contents in your stomach find their way up your esophagus towards your mouth. As the stomach acid travels up the esophagus, it creates a burning sensation in your throat.

If you continue with the habit of eating and sleeping immediately, you will place your body at risk of digestive problems.

#4. Smoking

As a cigarette smoker, you probably get a powerful craving to smoke after a meal. What you ought to know is that smoking is one of the most damaging things you can do to your body especially to your lungs. Cigarettes contain more than 60 carcinogens and that may be the reason why they cause cancer. For cigarette smokers, smoking gives them pleasure or happiness.

According to a study conducted by researchers, the thermogenic effect of nicotine intake after eating influences the metabolic response. The researchers sampled a group of 20 males (10 smokers and 10 non-smokers). What they found out was that smoking after a meal results in nicotine binding to excess oxygen. This affects your digestion which also promotes the absorption of more carcinogens in your body.

#5. Drinking tea

From hibiscus to green tea, tea is known to be rich in flavonoids and other healthy nutrients. Flavonoids are unique anti-oxidants which help to fight against free radicals. Free radicals contribute to different diseases such as clogged arteries, cardiovascular problems and cancer. Other vital nutrients found in tea include catechin and epicatechin.

For thousands of years, tea has been widely consumed in Asia especially China and Japan. After researchers discovered the different benefits of tea, tea drinking spread to the West.

Although tea has many benefits, drinking a cup immediately after eating will interfere with the absorption of iron. As you already know, iron is a crucial nutrient that provides life giving oxygen to the organs. That is not all. It plays a crucial role towards blood cell production. The tannic acid found in tea hampers the absorption of iron. If the level of iron drops in the body, it will trigger anaemia.

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#6. Taking a shower

The benefits of taking a shower are obvious. For starters, it helps to increase alertness, refines your hair and skin. Taking a bath has been found to improve immunity, stimulate weight loss, speed up muscle recovery, ease stress, relieves depression and keeps your body clean.

Despite all the benefits above, taking a shower immediately after eating is not recommended. Why? It interferes with your digestion. The reason for this is because there is less blood flow to and around your stomach. In addition, it weakens your digestive system.

Want to enjoy a shower after eating? Wait a 1 hour or so before rushing to the bathroom to shower.