Common mistakes after meals that cause poor gut health and weight gain

 Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news

Things to avoid after having a meal for better health

After enjoying a sumptuous meal, it's natural to unwind and relax. You might feel like hitting the bed right away or sipping that cuppa for better digestion. However, some common post-meal habits can negatively impact digestion, overall health, and well-being. We all make these common mistakes after meals from time to time, but becoming aware of them is the first step towards healthier post-meal habits. By avoiding these pitfalls and making mindful choices, you can support better digestion, overall health, and well-being and can also eventually promote weight loss. Remember that listening to your body and practicing moderation are keys to feeling your best after a satisfying meal.

Immediately indulging in vigorous activity

Engaging in vigorous physical activity immediately after eating can disrupt the digestive process. This is because your body directs blood flow to the muscles you're using during those physical activities, diverting it away from the digestive organs. This diversion of blood flow can potentially lead to stomach discomfort, cramping, and sluggish digestion.
To promote optimal digestion and avoid these issues, it's advisable to wait at least an hour after eating before engaging in intense physical activity. During this time, your body can focus on digesting the food you've consumed, breaking it down efficiently, and absorbing essential nutrients. This not only helps prevent discomfort but also supports your overall health and energy levels during exercise. So, remember to be patient and give your body the time it needs to process your meal before hitting the gym or engaging in vigorous activities.

Drinking too much water

Staying adequately hydrated is undoubtedly essential for overall health, but it's crucial to strike a balance when it comes to water consumption immediately after a meal. Drinking excessive amounts of water right after eating can potentially have adverse effects on your digestion process by diluting stomach acid, which plays a crucial role in breaking down food.
Instead of gulping down large quantities of water immediately after a meal, consider adopting a more mindful approach to hydration. Sipping water during your meal can help you stay hydrated without overwhelming your digestive system. This allows your body to maintain an appropriate level of stomach acid concentration for effective digestion. Furthermore, it's recommended to wait approximately 30 minutes after your meal before resuming your regular hydration routine. This short delay gives your stomach ample time to begin the digestion process without the interference of excess water

Lying Down

Lying down immediately after consuming a meal is a habit that can potentially lead to discomfort, heartburn, and acid reflux, which can disrupt the digestive process. To mitigate these risks and promote optimal digestion, it's advisable to maintain an upright position for an extended period after eating, ideally for at least two to three hours. By staying upright, you allow gravity to assist in moving food through your digestive tract more effectively. This helps prevent stomach acid from flowing back into the esophagus, reducing the likelihood of heartburn and acid reflux. Instead, sitting in a reclined or partially upright position can provide comfort while still minimizing the risk of digestive discomfort.

Consuming caffeine

Caffeine, often found in popular beverages like coffee and tea, can exert an influence on the absorption of essential minerals and nutrients, particularly iron and calcium. This interference with nutrient absorption is a noteworthy concern for those who regularly enjoy these caffeinated drinks. To address this issue and maximize nutrient uptake, it's advisable to consider a prudent approach to your caffeine consumption. helpful strategy is to introduce a buffer period of approximately one hour following a meal before partaking in these beverages. This delay allows your body sufficient time to digest and absorb the nutrients from your meal without the potential interference caused by caffeine.

Skipping dental hygiene

Neglecting proper oral hygiene practices after eating poses a substantial risk to your dental health, potentially leading to detrimental consequences for your teeth and gums. When food particles are left lingering on your teeth and in the spaces between, they create an environment ripe for the development of cavities and gum disease. To safeguard your oral health it is advisable to adopt steps like brushing and flossing. Brushing helps remove food residue and prevent the formation of plaque while flossing ensures that no debris remains trapped between your teeth and along the gumline.

 

What to do when cancer runs in the family?

 Source: TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Last updated on -Sep 3, 2023, 11:00 IST

Family history can suggest if you have a cancer risk​

There is a very close bond between health risks and the diseases that run in your family. One of the most important diseases that has a very strong presence within families is cancer. "There are many genetic syndromes or hereditary family syndromes which predisposes every individual of that family, every family member is at more cancer risk than an average person who does not have a family history of cancer," says Dr. Pooja Babbar, Consultant - Medical Oncology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram.

Family history increases the risk by 5 to 10 times​

"So, if there is a member in the family who has cancer, the other members are at least 5 to 10 times at a higher risk of contracting a cancer," explains Dr. Babbar. "Each gene in our body has 2 functional copies, and for a cellular pathway to be defective, it needs both these copies to be corrupted, called as Knudson two-hit hypothesis. When one inherits a defective copy from the parents, only one further copy needs to get corrupted for the cellular pathway to go haywire, contrary to two ‘hits’ required for normal person," explains Dr. Bhuvan Chugh, Senior Consultant - Medical Oncology, Max Hospital Gurugram.

First relatives are more at risk​

As per Dr. Sunny Jain, Oncologist, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad, "if cancer runs in the family, then the concerned first relative means daughter of the mother right, mother's mother, or son or brother. These are the 1st relatives and obviously the siblings around. They should be more vigilant. They should meet the genetic counselor who will actually do the chemo typing and gene analysis and will get to know whether the kids, let me call over here, do have the affected or the defected copy of a gene or not."

These three things should be considered​

Dr. Babbar explains that if cancer runs in the family, we have to take three things into consideration, the age of the person who gets the cancer, the number of members in the family who get the cancer, and the type of cancer.

Genetic testing​

It is important to have genetic testing for the cancer. "The best genetic test should be done in a person who is suffering from cancer because the chance of getting a gene mutation in that particular person is the highest. So, for example, there are four members in the family, and one female has breast cancer. So, the ideal person to first test for a genetic syndrome is the female herself. If she comes positive then we have to test the other members of the family for the same gene and then we have to advise if they come positive what they need to do.

Are all cancers inherited?​

"Not all of these mutations are inherited or passed down the family lines. The mutations which are passed down the family lines are called hereditary mutations. Certain hereditary mutations predispose an individual to a much greater risk of developing cancer as compared to the general population," says Dr. Chugh. "The most common of hereditary gene defects is BRCA (Breast Cancer Related Gene) part of the Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome. The presence of a defective BRCA gene predisposes women to a higher risk of ovarian and breast Cancers. It also increases the risk of pancreatic cancers in both males and females and prostate cancers in males. The BRCA gene is an important gene in the DNA repair pathway. DNA defects occur frequently during replication and these errors are repaired by genes such as BRCA, and defects in these genes cause DNA errors to accumulate and cellular pathways to be affected leading to the onset of cancer," he adds.