French tradition is that dining takes place around a table, whether round, rectangular or square, but never, ever, on the floor or even standing up. But is this the best position?
When the clock strikes noon or 8 p.m., it’s not uncommon to hear the perpetual “à taaable,” the customary signal that the meal is served and ready to be devoured, seated around said four-legged furniture. This Western configuration is not new. It has been an object of national pride since the Renaissance. But beyond simple culinary ritual, is there a more enviable health position?
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Because there are so many different ways of eating in other parts of the world. In the Maghreb or Central Asia, diners often sit lower, on a cushion on the floor or on a couch. Americans are black belts snack, taken standing and in motion. Which of these habits is most worth adopting for the well-being of our backs and our digestion? Spoiler alert!the game may not be as tilted as you think.
First, stand up straight
Regardless of your preference, experts agree that the focus should be on the back and not the seat. As Julien Scanzi, a hepatogastroenterologist at the Clermont-Ferrand and Thiers Hospital Center (1), it’s important to keep your bust as straight as possible and avoid slouching. “If we keep a hunched position while eating, our abdomen, or rather our stomach and intestines, will be compressed. However, for the bolus of food to pass from one organ to another, it needs space. Thus, bad posture will disrupt the digestive work and cause bloating,” explains the health worker.
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Couch and bed are not recommended
Eating on the couch should be avoided, emphasizes Dr. Scanzi, because you can lie down there more than in a chair. And the digestive discomfort that accompanies this poor posture tends to be accentuated in a recumbent or semi-recumbent position. “Lying on the side of the Roman-style sofa or lying on the bed complicates the passage of the food bolus from the esophagus to the stomach,” notes the hepatogastroenterologist.
If neither the couch nor the bed is recommended for enjoying a good gratin dauphiné, it is also due to the fact that this habit is often accompanied by another, equally harmful, use of the screen. By watching Netflix or our cell phones, “we’re no longer paying attention to our plate,” notes Nicholas Meyer, an osteopathic physician and posturologist (2). To the extent that the signals sent between the brain and the digestive system are disrupted. “After that, hunger and satiety will merge, we can end up eating more than we need,” explains the specialist.
On the ground, an effort to adapt
If the sitting position on the ground, leaning on a low table, seems like a good compromise, but not for everyone. Explanations: “For us Europeans, eating at the table is often a reflex written in our body since childhood. we have adapted our joints and muscles to this posture,” sums up Nicholas Meyer.
Based on this observation, going from table to floor overnight would actually be more difficult because you lack the habit. “When you first sit on the ground, the curvature of the waist, the ankles and the knees develop in an unusual way. This lack of flexibility can make us stiff when we stand up, even cause joint pain,” says the osteopathic doctor. “We can adapt to it, but it will be easier for children than for adults.”
And why not stand up?
Will the food on the table ultimately win the match? According to Dr. Nicholas Meyer, it is certain that this posture remains the least harmful. He also suggests improving it by adjusting the height of the table to its dimensions. “As with a desk, a desk should be neither too high nor too low. If this is not possible, then the adjustable seat allows you to adjust the posture so that the forearms fit into the extension of the table,” he notes.
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The standing position would also get our attention. Since sitting and working for long periods of time harms us, the osteopathic doctor reminds us, it would be wise to avoid maintaining a position during meals. “Standing on a high table while tasting the dish, you lean on one leg, then the other. This mobility injects movement into our very sedentary day,” assures Dr. Nicholas Meyer.
Be careful, however, not to swallow the sandwich in five minutes, experts remind. For this meal to be good for body and mind, you should devote at least 30 minutes to it and if possible, share it with other people to relax. And why not add a walk at the end of the meal to make digestion easier?
(1) By Julien Scanzi Incredible microbiota!published by Leduc publications, 208 pages, €22.
(2) Nicholas Meyer is the author The Big Book of Posturologypublished by Eyrolles, 292 pages, 24.90e.
Source: Le Figaro
