Yes life has become busy! It’s so easy to slip into the habit of having the odd quick meal in front of the television, or has this unintentionally become your normal?
Not sitting at a table to eat can have a huge impact on our posture which has a roll on effect influencing digestion, social interaction and mindset.
This habit promotes slouching, resulting in a prolonged slacking of the abdominal muscles, leading to a crushing of our internal muscles and digestive organs and inhibiting proper digestion. Even if the food is consumed in an upright position, the hypnotic effects experienced post meal tends to find us relaxing or laying soon after eating, hindering the usual 2 hour digestive process.
It’s also having a huge impact on our ability to function at an optimal level. A recent Australian study found a reduction of 21.8 minutes in life expectancy for every hour of television watching. This was also evident in an English study that found a doubling of the risk of developing diabetes, and the cardiovascular disease risk increased nearly threefold, even if they exercised.
The increased pressure on the spine generated by slouching can create sore muscle and back pain aggravating nerves possibly leading to degeneration of the discs caused by increased rubbing between the vertebrae. Neck pressure is also increased and can easily result in tension headaches due to restricted circulation.
Optimising posture is one of the most simply achieved, beneficial things we can do for our body. It’s been found to promote maximum space between organs and viscera for optimal pulsation along the oesophageal tract and the peristalsis rhythm of the stomach, proper expansion of the diaphragm (either standing or sitting) and increased circulation and lung function, greatly improving oxygen flow and the body’s ability to maintain healthy cardiac efficiency.
So the next time you’re tempted to grab a quick bite to eat in front of the TV, take a moment to consider what it may be doing to your body.