Nowadays we have all become extremely conscious about our food and daily diet. From including all types of nutrients to reducing the consumption of junk foods, we take all kinds of precautions to stay healthy. Most of us even count our daily calorie intake. But did you know, our post meal habits also have a great effect on our digestion and overall health?
It is often suggested to drink warm water and take a ten minutes' walk after meals. However, post-meals rituals differ from person to person. But there are certain habits you must avoid right after meals as they can have a bad effect on your digestion and hamper your nutrition absorption mechanism. From smoking to taking a nap, here are five things you must avoid doing right after the meals:
Avoid Eating Fruits
There is no doubt that fruits are one of the healthiest food items but consuming them right after meals can have a negative impact on your health. Eating fruits post meals will not only cause indigestion but also impact the nutritional value of the food you are consuming. You can have them on a gap of 1-2 hours from meals.
No Smoking
We all know smoking is injurious to health, but did you know doing it just after meals can have more severe effects on your body. According to Healthshots, smoking right after meals is equal to smoking 10 cigarettes at once. It adversely affects your metabolism leading to various health issues including the deadly cancer.
Avoid Taking A Nap
All of us will agree that post-meal naps are the best. But sleeping immediately after meals can cause digestive problems and heartburn. This is because, while sleeping the digestive juice produced by the stomach rises up and it also takes a long time to break down the food molecules. Therefore, avoid sleeping right after having a heavy lunch or dinner.
Avoid Bathing
Showering right after meals is another habit that you need to avoid. According to Healthshots, bathing impacts the blood circulation around the stomach which hampers digestion. This is because while bathing the blood rushes to skin to regulate the temperature of the body which in turn does not allow the adequate amount of energy to reach your stomach for digestion.
Avoid Tea Or Coffee
Tea is a ritual in many Indian households, it is mandatory for most of us to sip a hot cup of tea every morning. But drinking tea or coffee immediately after meals can affect your digestive system negatively. As both these beverages are acidic in nature, it slows the process of breaking food molecules and also hampers iron absorption.