What Happens When You Eat on Your Feet?
Several relatively minor changes in digestion, as well as eating patterns, tend to happen when you chow down while standing, according to Peyton Berookim, MD, a double board-certified gastroenterologist at the Gastroenterology Institute of Southern California in Beverly Hills.
“First, from a physiological standpoint, standing while eating can cause blood to ‘pool’ in your legs due simply to gravity,” Dr. Berookim says. “This can cause some decreased blood flow to your gut, where it is needed for digestion.” However, this is similar to what happens when you move your body directly after eating and is nothing to lose sleep over, he says.
You may eat faster, though, when you eat standing up, which can cause some side effects. Berookim says the faster you eat, the more likely you are to swallow air, leading to extra gas in your stomach. “Eating quickly and chewing less thoroughly can also result in abdominal cramping or discomfort, as your stomach will require more time to break down and digest food,” he says.
If you experience gas or indigestion and making changes to your diet doesn’t help, Berookim recommends you try taking a seat instead of standing while you eat.
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