Your stomach- Eating less will not make it smaller

Oct 19, 2008

WHEN it comes to the tummy, myths abound. But how much do you really know about it? From those burning, churning feelings that erupt whenever we eat our favourite foods, to the bloating that keeps us from zipping up our jeans, to the gas that can make us quite unpopular, our stomachs can be the caus

By Fred Ouma

WHEN it comes to the tummy, myths abound. But how much do you really know about it? From those burning, churning feelings that erupt whenever we eat our favourite foods, to the bloating that keeps us from zipping up our jeans, to the gas that can make us quite unpopular, our stomachs can be the cause of some major inconveniences or outright health concerns.

Still, experts say most people know little about how their stomach and digestive system operates, one reason that solving tummy troubles can seem much harder than it is.

“There are some popular misconceptions concerning stomach health, most of which can lead people astray,” says Dr. Emmanuel Sekasanvu, a specialist in internal medicine at Mulago Hospital.

Prof. Andrew Otim of Kampala Diabetes Centre agrees: “Sometimes what seems like a complex or even frightening problem really is a simple one, with a simple solution, if you can separate the myths from the facts.”

Below, health specialists separate the myths from the facts. See how much you know about how to keep your tummy healthy and happy:

Myth: Digestion takes place mostly in the stomach
The major part of the digestive process takes place in the small intestine. The stomach takes in the food and breaks it into tiny particles called “chime.” The chime is then released in small batches into the small intestine, says Dr. Sekasanvu.

Contrary to popular belief, foods do not digest in the order they are eaten. “Everything lands in the stomach where it is all churned together and when it is ready it is released into the small intestines together,” Sekasanvu says.

Myth: If you reduce your food intake, your stomach will shrink and reduce hunger
As an adult, your stomach remains the same size, unless you have surgery to make it smaller.

Eating less will not shrink your stomach, says Dr. Jjuuko Ndaula, a complementary medicine practitioner, but it can help to reset your “appetite thermostat” so you do not feel so hungry.

Myth: Thin people have smaller stomachs than big people
The size of the stomach has no relationship with weight or weight control. People who are naturally thin can have the same size or even larger stomachs than bigger people.

Myth: Exercises like sit-ups or abdominal crunches can reduce stomach size
According to experts, no exercise can change the size of an organ, but it can help burn the layers of fat that accumulate on the outside of the body. In addition, it can help tighten the muscles in the abdomen and other internal organs.

Interestingly, the part of your “belly fat” that can do you the most harm may be the fat you do not see. “People who are overweight often have a lot of fat between their internal organs.

In some instances, the liver can become so packed with fat you can develop a form of hepatitis and, in extreme cases, it can stop functioning altogether,” says Dr. Ndaula.

A healthy eating plan can help you shed both the weight you can see and the internal fat layers you do not see.

Myth: We gain weight faster if we eat before bed
Most experts agree that we gain weight when we take in more calories than we burn up. And, while it seems logical that foods we eat during an active day will burn more quickly and more efficiently than foods we eat before going to sleep, Otim says weight-gain is not based on a 24-hour clock.

“It is the amount you take in over a period of time compared to how much you burn that determines if you will gain weight. There is no science to show that eating at a specific time of the day can influence weight gain on its own.”

However, Otim says when we are fatigued or stressed, eating immediately before bedtime can make digestion more difficult and may cause more gas, bloating and heartburn.

Fact: Foods with insoluble fibre cause less gas than foods with soluble fibre
Dr. Sekasanvu says fibre found in foods like oats, beans, peas and citrus fruits can cause more gas and bloating than insoluble fibre. This is fibre which does not dissolve in water and is found in foods like whole-wheat bread, cereals, cabbage, and carrots.

“The reason is that gas and bloating result from intestinal organisms that digest soluble fibre.” Since insoluble fibre is not digested at all, it goes right through you, hence there is no gas formed.

Fact: You can reduce acid reflux by losing weight
“The less acid that flows back up from your stomach, the fewer problems you will have clearing it. Losing just four kilogrammes from the abdominal area can make a difference and pregnancy is the best example of this,” says Dr. Sekasanvu.

As the baby grows and pushes against the internal organs, heartburn increases; but once the baby is born and the pressure and heartburn are relieved. Losing even a little bit of belly fat can provide similar relief.

Fact: Beans cause some people to make excess gas
Beans are high in a kind of sugar that requires a certain enzyme to properly digest. “Some people have more if it, some people less. The less you have, the more gas that will be produced during digestion of beans,” says Otim.

Studies show that food supplements which add more of the enzyme needed to break down the sugar in beans can help if taken before you eat.

You can also reduce gas by taking simethicone, a medication that acts on gas bubbles caused by foods that are hard to digest.

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