Mancunians have evolved from hunter gatherers to hunter grabbers and regularly eat food on the hoof which could cause digestive trouble according to research.
Manchester’s daily eating habits have been chewed over and it’s been revealed that a fifth of people don’t eat three square meals a day, choosing instead to grab snacks twice during the day and once after dinner.
These speedy and stressful snacking habits could have a serious impact on people’s digestive health.
Nutritionist Jane Clarke said: “I’ve seen an increase in people experiencing digestive complaints, which can be really painful and debilitating.
“The most common causes are people’s lifestyle; we’re under lots of pressure to juggle work and our personal lives, making it hard to switch off, relax and enjoy our food.”
“Altering your posture while you eat, taking your time plus working out which foods agree with you will give the body the best chance of being able to digest them.”
The survey revealed that 24% of Mancunians spend less than 5 minutes on breakfast, 34% devoted only 10 minutes to their lunch and a huge 61% spend less than 20 minutes eating dinner.
Coupled with the 21% who grab a snack twice a day and once after their evening meal, this trend to rush through meals and snack in between can have a negative effect on your gut.
Dr Nick Read, a physician, psychotherapist and Medical Adviser to the IBS Network, said: “It’s important to allow enough time for digestion and to eat at set times.
“Rushing to finish a meal or snacking ‘on the go’ can hinder digestion leading to bloating, abdominal pain and bowel upset.”
A mere 6% of Mancunians enjoy a lunch hour away from work, with 17% eating lunch in front of their desk and 24% rushing on to the next task straight away.
Eating in this hunched position can cause acid reflux and heartburn, while rushing through your meals as fast as possible can cause indigestion and abdominal spasm.
For more information and tips on looking after your digestive health this Gut Week visit www.gutweek.org.uk
Picture courtesy of rhodes via Flickr, with thanks
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