It’s that time of year again; families are coming together, holiday decorations are being hung and the most elaborate meals are being planned and prepared. While this is the happiest time of the year for many people, it’s also a time when people fear putting on “a few extra pounds” as a result of overeating.
Consuming too much food is easily done during the holiday season and, while most people will feel its effects during this time and write them off, your body and stomach may suffer adversely if too much overeating occurs.
To better understand these adverse effects, it’s important to know how the stomach processes food. When we eat, food is temporarily stored in the upper portion of the stomach, then slowly transferred to the lower portion. During this process, our stomach muscles mash and compact the food, making it easier for digestion to occur.
When we overeat, those muscles become elongated and ballooned and causes us to feel bloated and uncomfortable. The more this occurs, these muscles continue expanding – capable of nearly 3 times the normal size – and cause shortness of breath and overall difficulty breathing.
We can also suffer psychological repercussions from overeating. Generally, when we eat, our bodies produce dopamine – the chemical that allows us to feel happiness for short periods of time. The more we eat, the harder it is for our brain to produce substantial levels of dopamine, making it more difficult to feel happy – unless we eat more. Trying to achieve happiness from eating can cause drastic weight gain and may spark the onset of depression.
During the holiday season, it’s good to remember and eat slowly. It generally takes around 20 minutes for your body to recognize that it’s nourished and full, so eating slowly and drinking plenty of water will help you refrain from eating too much with your friends and family.
Enjoy this time of the year with your loved ones and remember all that there is to be thankful for, especially for good health and wellbeing. Stay conscientious of how you treat your body during this time and remember that the gastrointestinal (GI) specialists at Methodist McKinney use the latest in digestive diagnostics and treatments to assess any disorder pertaining to the stomach, intestines or digestive tract. If you need us for any GI issues, schedule your appointment today.
Comments are closed.