When I was about to write about this topic, I couldn’t stop remember my grandma’s words “Rich or poor – All should give respect to food”… “Have the food on time”… “Don’t hurry up while having food…Sit and have the food”. Those were golden words… nowadays there are only a few to give such a mindful life guidance.
Being healthy is all we want to have. There are lot of people who have their food in a hurry. They have their food while standing and run to work. This is an unhealthy habit for your lifestyle. Health is the fundamental of everything in life. It is the small efforts in our daily lifestyle that leads to big changes. Let’s see the setbacks of having the food while standing.
SETBACKS OF HAVING FOOD WHILE STANDING
INCREASES THE PRESSURE ON THE GUT
Your eating posture affects the digestion to a larger extent. Researchers say that eating while standing increases the pressure on the intestine and may lead to digestive problems. Taking food while standing empties the stomach way quickly and the food moves to the intestine without proper digestion.
OVEREATING
When you eat while standing, you feel like the food never fills the stomach. As you don’t know whether you are full or not, it leads to overeating. It is always good to have mindful eating that increases the feeling of fullness.
INCREASES HUNGER
The digestion rate increases by 30% when you eat while standing. This gives you hunger in a couple of hours after having the meal. The result is overeating and bloat.
QUICKER DIGESTION – NOT GOOD
In faster digestion, the nutrients in the food are not properly absorbed which results in gas and bloating. The right posture is very important when you eat your meal.
CAN WE DRINK ATLEAST WATER IN STANDING POSTURE?
The answer is a big ‘NO’. The drawbacks of drinking water while standing are as follows.
- Increases the toxins and leads to indigestion
- Accumulate fluids in the joints and leads arthritis problems
- The oxygen level is disturbed that risks your lungs and heart
- Water impurities settle in the bladder and damage the kidney
RIGHT POSTURE TO EAT FOOD AND DRINK WATER
Mindful eating is enhancing an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink you put into your body. Mindfulness should be an essential part of every meal. Eating while sitting down boosts mindfulness. It is advisable to sit properly and have food slowly. It is best to eat the food in Sukhasana posture. In this position, your brain calms down and is better focused on the food you eat.
TAKE AWAY
In ancient days, people used to sit down on floor and eat their meals in ‘Sukhasana’(cross-legged posture) to live longer. One should never hurry while eating. It is also proved that when you sit and eat, your posture is best for good digestion and overall health. Those who couldn’t sit down can sit in the chair and have food. Sitting in cross-legged posture is also good for the flexibility, stability and strength of your body.