Close X
Monday, November 25, 2024
ADVT 
Health & Fitness

Do you really have to wait to go swimming after eating?

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Jul, 2024 10:53 AM
  • Do you really have to wait to go swimming after eating?

Did your parents warn you against jumping in the pool right after eating? They were misguided.

In most cases, there’s no need to wait at least 30 minutes after eating to go for a swim, doctors say.

That old warning stems from worry that people might drown or struggle because blood will be diverted to their full stomachs instead of their muscles.

In reality, people still have plenty of blood flowing to their muscles after eating, said Dr. Matthew Badgett of the Cleveland Clinic. A former high school swimmer, Badgett used to eat a couple of bananas and drink some water or Gatorade before he raced.

He worries that the old warning can actually cause complications. It’s important to quench your thirst before swimming, especially on sunny days. People often don’t realize they can still get dehydrated, which can lead to muscle cramps.

“We sweat when we are in the water, we just don’t appreciate the water loss,” he said.

So, jumping in the pool or ocean after eating is no big deal for recreational swimming. But people planning to swim laps or exercise may want to let their food digest to avoid cramps, just like they’d wait before jogging.

Also, swimming after tossing back a few beers is risky. People tend to be more aggressive, less coordinated and prone to bad choices when they swim after consuming alcohol. Those factors all can cause problems when dealing with strong currents or ocean tides at the beach this summer.

“You’re just not going to be as sharp,” Badgett said.

 

MORE Health & Fitness ARTICLES

How to resist overeating

How to resist overeating
Research shows that we all have as little as 15 minutes of willpower at our disposal at any given time before it runs dry.  

How to resist overeating

Boosting vitamin D could save 23,000 Canadians lives: Study

Boosting vitamin D could save 23,000 Canadians lives: Study
Researchers urge national health policy changes to battle Canadian vitamin D deficiency

Boosting vitamin D could save 23,000 Canadians lives: Study

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain
An awareness of your diet and how you might handle the extra temptation this holiday season can have you coming into the New Year without bringing extra weight with you.

Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Get Your Flu Shot and Protect Children from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Get Your Flu Shot and Protect Children from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
For every flu shot administered at London Drugs this year, a lifesaving vaccine will be donated to immunize a child against tetanus, polio or measles

Get Your Flu Shot and Protect Children from Vaccine-Preventable Diseases

Vitamin D Day kicks off Vitamin D Awareness Month

Vitamin D Day kicks off Vitamin D Awareness Month
The Vitamin D Society is using the month to bring vitamin D deficiency to light for Canadians who may not understand the affects that a lack of vitamin D can have on the human body.

Vitamin D Day kicks off Vitamin D Awareness Month

London Drugs offers flu shots by appointment or on a walk-in basis

London Drugs offers flu shots by appointment or on a walk-in basis
Convenience and ease of access contributing to increasing demand for pharmacy-provided influenza vaccinations

London Drugs offers flu shots by appointment or on a walk-in basis