What could be nicer in high summer temperatures than a refreshing dip in cool water? And who doesn’t know the admonishing sentence of (grand)parents: “Don’t go swimming with a full stomach!” or: “Wait half an hour before you go into the water!”
Researchers from the US give the all-clear and confirm earlier findings : the idea that you have to wait until you’ve digested to swim is a myth based on a misunderstanding of the body’s functions, says emergency doctor Dr. Jim Keany of Providence Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo, Calif. told HuffPost.
“There is no medical evidence to suggest waiting at least 30 minutes after eating before swimming. There are no cases or evidence to suggest that eating just before swimming has caused drowning,” Keany said.
The persistent belief that you shouldn’t swim on a “full stomach” appears to stem from the fact that after eating, more blood flows to the stomach for digestion, transporting nutrients and oxygenating the muscles that knead the food. At the same time, this leaves less blood and oxygen for the muscles in your arms and legs that are needed when you swim. Potential Effects: Stitches and cramps that could result in drowning.