Close X
Friday, November 29, 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

Get Running

Get Running
Running offers an array of benefits that you might not know about

Get Running

Coping with Mental Illness

Coping with Mental Illness
Mental illness is like any other physical illness — it does not hamper intelligence, but can cause harm to our health and well-being. Therefore, this health issue should be taken as seriously as other major illnesses like cancer, and more awareness is needed on its causes and cure.

Coping with Mental Illness

Understanding Teen Depression

Understanding Teen Depression
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the total number of adolescents in Canada at risk for developing depression is 3.2 million. 

Understanding Teen Depression

Decoding Diabetes with Ayurveda

Decoding Diabetes with Ayurveda
While synthetic and allopathic drugs are proving helpful, there are often incidences of ‘Insulin Resistance’ and side effects from prolonged administration of medicines, thereby making people seek alternative and safer options like Ayurveda and Yoga.

Decoding Diabetes with Ayurveda

Sun Salutations: 12 Yoga poses to energize your day!

Sun Salutations: 12 Yoga poses to energize your day!
An age-old yoga practice, Sun Salutations (or Surya Namaksar) is an excellent way to start the day. This sequence of 12 powerful yoga poses is not only beneficial for your body, but it revitalizes your mind as well. By linking your breath with your movements, the sequence of poses takes your body through a full range of motions.

Sun Salutations: 12 Yoga poses to energize your day!

After-office-hour emails could ruin people's personal lives

After-office-hour emails could ruin people's personal lives
People who receive emails from their superiors or clients at home after a tiring day at work run the risk of their personal lives being affected critically, a new study shows.

After-office-hour emails could ruin people's personal lives