Over Eating During the Holidays

1. The most common symptoms of over eating include excessive intestinal gas, indigestion, bloating and acid reflux. Depending on what you ate, and how much of it that you ate, it is also very possible that you will suffer from constipation, as a result of not being able to digest all of the food in a timely manner.

2. When you over eat, you are making your body work harder to digest all that food. This puts a strain on your body and may increase the risk of health complications.

3. Did you know that binge eating affects approximately 70 million people worldwide? It’s the most common eating disorder in the United States.

4. When you over eat, your stomach’s capacity can grow up to 25%… and it can stay that way for up to two weeks, meaning that you’ll need to eat more and more food to become full. Eating more high fiber foods can help you feel fuller, without actually eating as much overall.

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5. Over eating causes your gallbladder to work harder to keep up with fat digestion. In fact, eating large, fatty meals are a common cause of gallstone attacks.

6. Eating a large meal can cause drowsiness, which can be dangerous if you’ll be driving home after your meal.

7. According to doctors, binge eating a number of fatty foods can lead to blood clotting more easily, which leads to the increased risk of heart attack. There is a fourfold increase in the risk of a heart attack within the two hours following a binge eating session.

8. You can also help yourself by drinking lots of water. Sip it throughout your meal to keep your digestive system revved. New research suggests that dehydration slows your metabolism, causing you to burn calories less efficiently. Another benefit of water: You will feel full more quickly, making it less likely that you'll go back for seconds.

9. And lastly, stay upright. You're probably feeling tired after all that indulging (or just anxious to catch the holiday specials on the boob tube), but beware of your postprandial posture. Don't lie down or recline in a chair at an angle greater than 45 degrees within four hours of eating; those positions can cause the acid from your stomach to flow backward into your esophagus, causing heartburn.

Before you jump into your next big holiday meal, take a minute to remember these facts and slow down-you’ll savor what you’re eating even more, and you won’t feel so terrible afterwards.

Happy Holidays!