Sitting on the floor and eating food has been an old Indian tradition, still followed in many parts of India. You must have often heard your grandparents insisting on sitting down and eating food with a calm mind, in order to get all the nutrients from the food and surprisingly, doctors too believe the same. But with the emergence of modernization, most people neither accept nor follow this tradition. According to Dr. Sangeeta Malu, Nutritionist at MGM Medical College and Nehru Children’s Hospital and Research Center, Indore, our eating habits like what we eat, how we eat, and with which state of mind we eat, have a great impact not only on our digestive but overall health as well.
Digestive Process Is Obstructed If You Stand And Eat
Dr. Sangeeta says that we feel more comfortable while sitting than standing and it also makes both our body and mind feel calm. Therefore, if we sit and eat, the food goes through all the processes of digestion and it helps in better digestion as well as doesn’t cause much load on the digestive system.
On the other hand, if we stand and eat food, due to the influence of the gravitational pull of the earth, the food passes through all the digestive organs in the body at a rapid speed, in which case, the food is either not properly digested or it increases the load on our digestive system. This also leads to creating a negative impact on your digestive system and leaving your body deprived of the essential nutrients. Certain diseases can also occur as a result of the same.
Right Way To Sit While Eating
Dr. Sangeeta says that these days, most people prefer to sit at the dining table and eat food, which is better than standing and eating. But for the food to digest properly in time and to acquire all the nutrients from what we eat, it is better to sit in either Sukhasana (Comfort Pose) or Padmasana (Lotus Position). By sitting in this position, our digestive process is not affected by the gravitational pull as well.
Benefits Of Sitting On Floor And Eating
- Keeps the heart-healthy
Eating food sitting on the ground increases blood flow in the body and our heart is able to function better. - Improved digestive system due to muscle stretch
While eating, when we sit in Sukhasana or Padmasana, we naturally lean forward to eat and come back to our previous state to swallow the food. In this way, by bending forward and backward, your abdominal muscles become active and they stretch, due to which our digestive system is able to function better and also remains healthy. - Improves joint health
Padmasana and Sukhasana postures not only help in improving the digestive process but also help in keeping the joints flexible. The flexibility in joints helps in improved movements, which makes it easier to sit on the floor without any pain. In addition, it also keeps the person from degenerative diseases like arthritis and osteoporosis. - Weight is under control
Sitting in Sukhasana or Padmasana affects the nerves and calms the mind, which is why people prefer sitting in these positions while meditating. Since the food gets digested properly sitting in this position, people do not eat more than necessary, which keeps them from overeating and gaining weight.
Prevents spinal problems
This traditional way of eating food keeps away problems related to the spine and back. People who are troubled by some kind of pain because of sitting in the wrong posture can also alleviate their problems by sitting in this posture and eating food.
