People usually lie down or sit comfortably in a chair after having dinner, but this is a big mistake you should never make. According to experts, these habits are highly dangerous and can put your health at risk. Here are the 5 things you should never do after eating:
Smoke
If you’re a smoker, you know how powerful is the desire for a cigarette after a meal. However, smoking right after a meal is very bad and if you must do it, you should wait for at least a couple of hours after the meal. Cigarette contain nicotine, a substance that binds to oxygen your body desperately needs for digestion, which makes your body absorb carcinogens. According to several studies, smoking a cigarette after a meal has the same effect as smoking 10 cigarettes at once, and increases your risk of bowel and lung cancer significantly as well.
Eating fruit
Consuming fruit should be done before a meal, not afterwards. Fruits
require special enzymes to be digested, and the natural sugars in them
need more time to be absorbed. Furthermore, eating fruit after a meal
can cause digestive problems such as indigestion, heartburn and burping.
On the other hand, eating fruit before meals will help your body
benefit from all the nutrients, fiber and sugars.
Sleeping
Lying down for a nap or sleeping after a meal is the favorite thing of
millions of people, but this habit is not healthy at all -it might cause
discomfort and bloating besides disrupting your sleeping patterns.
According to a study conducted by the University of Ioannina Medical
School, people who wait for longer to go to bed after a meal have less
chances of getting a stroke. This is why it’s important not to go to bed
for at least 2 hours after your meals.
Shower
Showering after a meal is one of the worst things you can do. A hot
shower will increase the blood flow to your limbs and reduce the blood
flow to your stomach, thusnegatively affecting your digestion.
Drinking tea
Teas are healthy, but shouldn’t be consumed after a meal. Drinking tea
after having a meal can interfere with the iron absorption in your body
as tea contains tannic acid which binds to the iron and protein from our
food. This can result in 87% decrease in iron absorption and even iron
deficiency, which can lead to anemia, dizziness, weakness and fatigue.
We’re sure you didn’t think these habits were harmful, but science say otherwise. If you want to keep your body healthy and properly functioning, you need to avoid them from now on.