Seniors Site

Kick Those Bad After-Meal Habits Away!

We often find ourselves examining the way we eat and make a painstaking effort to adjust them to the way they are supposed to be. Healthy eating says eat more fruit and veggies and avoid red meat as we grow old since the former will give our body more fiber and the latter to prolong our lives—whatever that means. Even if we don’t understand half of it, we faithfully follow them to a tee. However, what we fail to give attention to is those bad after-meal habits we have grown to adapt. Here are some of after-meal habits you must avoid:

•    Walking it off. I remember back then when walking after a meal was highly recommended. It was supposed to boost your metabolism making you burn calories faster. Boy, did I walk! The only reason I stopped doing that is that I came to a point wherein I resist the urge to run instead of a leisure stroll or walk—which I know would be very bad for my health if I do. For an aging body, walking after a meal hinders nutrient absorption so you might want to wait a little while after a meal before you go for a walk.
•    Smoking. I know how good smoking feels right after a meal. For some reason, it makes the “eating experience” complete, however, it also encourages a routine which, in time, would be the hardest to break. Also, your body is in “absorb” state after a meal which makes it more vulnerable to absorbing chemicals from a cigarette stick.
•    Sleeping or napping. I, personally, am guilty of this. The older I get, the harder it becomes to resist sleeping or napping it off after a meal. I believe that when the body is in sleeping or resting state, it slows down every known bodily function including your metabolism and digestion. Considering this, you must conclude that sleeping right after a meal can never be good for your health.
•    Drinking tea. Seniors with iron deficiency problems must avoid drinking tea before, during and after meals since it blocks iron from being absorbed by the body. While drinking tea along with a fatty meal is highly recommended, please be aware that teas in general do block certain nutrients. Considering your aging body’s needs, you need all the good nutrients you can get.
•    Exercise. This, I swear:  exercising right after a meal is not good! Snacks are okay but a meal.. it can never be good. After a bout of cramps, my fitness instructor advised to wait for at least an hour after a meal before engaging to such strenuous activity since the body is still busy processing the food you have just eaten.