Christmas dinner is the biggest challenge to our bodies all year, with our organs coming under pressure from the amount we consume.
But if you’ve ever wondered why you feel so ill afterwards, musclefood.com has provided a timeline to feeling stuffed this Christmas.
It takes only five minutes for a glass of fizz to get into your bloodstream. The alcohol dilates blood vessels, making you feel warm and cosy. However, it can take 20 minutes for your body to feel sated, even though you are probably full before this point.
After a full Christmas dinner, you’re stomach has to expand, squeezing other organs and causing excess gas.
After 30 minutes the pancreas will start producing insulin. But as you’ve probably overeaten, blood sugar levels will rise rapidly, making your pancreas work overtime.Once it has done its work you will suffer a drop in blood sugar levels, making you feel tired.
An hour after dinner, blood will have flowed to your digestive tract to break down food. For this to happen your body needs to raise its metabolic and heart rate, so your internal temperature also rises, resulting in meat sweats. The drinks you had are now working to slow down digestion but with rich foods being difficult to break down, you feel sluggish.
Proteins and fats sit in your stomach for two to three hours, leaving you feeling bloated. This is also when wind hits.
Musclefood said: “Our bodies go through some pretty hard work while we sit around doing nothing, so it’s important to be kind to them in the festive period.”
