With the development of teleworking, or because of habits that are well established in our daily lives, we sometimes do not eat sitting at a table. Our meals sometimes take place on a sofa, in the office while checking emails, the hypotheses vary depending on our obligations. So, does the position in which we eat lunch or dinner matter for digestion?
According to a survey carried out by Ifop in 2021, almost half of French people suffer from digestive disorders. Among them, there are 49% women and 39% men.
The causes of these disorders have very diverse origins. But to protect yourself from this, good digestion remains the key. And to achieve this, we must act in several directions. The contents of his plate obviously. But also, the conditions in which we eat our meals. So, what position should you adopt to promote good digestion?
What is the best position for eating?
“ There best position for dinner or lunch is the seated position, at the table, the back straight, the feet flat on the ground, the chest open. This posture helps keep your stomach relaxed, an important element for proper digestion.” explains Dr. Philippe Godeberge, gastroenterologist.
Indeed, sitting with your back straight encourages the movement of food which will fall directly into the stomach.
Today, with the rise of teleworking, or reduced meal breaks, we are increasingly forced to eat at the office, at a corner of the table, sometimes on sofas. And even doing something else. Which is quite detrimental for our digestive system. Being curled up, for example, tends to compress the stomach. This will complicate his work and develop the risk of problems such as acid reflux or bloating for example.
“ What is also important is to provide peaceful conditions to allow good digestion. We eat slowly, chewing each mouthful. We concentrate on eating mindfully, and we don’t do anything else like reading our emails or looking at our phone. » adds the doctor.
Concerning the standing position, it concerns few people (unless you eat a sandwich while walking for example) and has not been the subject of scientific studies in this regard.
Otherwise, meals on low tables are not recommended as we are forced to make movements that cause the body to change position regularly, and therefore do not invite serenity. “ The quality of digestion depends on the setting in which we eat our meals and the time we devote to them. A time that is becoming shorter and shorter as digestive disorders develop” underlines the specialist. So you know what you need to do to digest better…