Is swimming after a meal bad?
SWIMMING has long been a favourite activity with people from all walks of life. Besides serving as a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of work, it is seen as a great way to unwind and exercise as well. This popular sport promises a positive outcome to your weight loss plan, and also makes for a good therapy for muscular aches and other ailments. Some are content swimming at their residential pool, and others would flock to the beach for a weekend jaunt.
Venue aside, is there really a prescribed time for swimming? Is it true you cannot swim after you eat?
Verdict:
FALSE
It is not true. While it is completely safe, widespread assumption has it that swimming after a meal is unwise, and doing so would increase one’s risk of getting a muscle cramp, or worse, drowning.
Though this age-old belief has been passed down for more than a century, it is nowhere near accurate. Some of us have the misconception that the swimmer may not receive adequate blood flow in their muscles if they swim on a full stomach, as the blood will be used to digest the food.
Reduced blood supply to your limbs means your cells experience lack of oxygen. This triggers cramping in your muscles, especially your arms and legs. With the restriction of blood flow, you may also experience fatigue.
Hence, some assume that it’s ideal to wait for 30 minutes to an hour before going into the pool.
The myth seems to have stemmed from a Boy Scout handbook from the early 1900s, where the manual had a "rule" about a 90-minute waiting time before swimming. Although the origin of the idea is still a mystery, the belief has lived through generations.
In a scientific review in the International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, The American Red Cross said that there is in fact no evidence to support this widely held belief.
In the 1950s, studies were done that debunked the myth, but the belief in it somehow still persists till today.
However, it is good to keep yourself hydrated before doing any form of exercise.
References:
1. https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/is-swimming-after-eating-really-dangerous
2. https://www.britannica.com/story/is-it-really-dangerous-to-swim-after-eating
3. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-should-you-wait-30-minutes-to-swim-after-eating/
