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Possible Duplicate:
Can bathing after having eaten make you drown?

Elders have always been telling us that it's inappropriate to have a bath right after breakfast because it "destroys the stomach".

However, this seems like a myth. Any clue whether there is actual scientific evidence suggesting whether having breakfast or bath first is a better way of going about a healthy stomach?

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    I never heard that before, could you link to some notable claim? It may also be culture-dependent, where I come from breakfast is a very very light meal. Also, are we talking about taking a bath (question body) or showering (question title)? – nico Aug 01 '12 at 05:55
  • On the other hand I have often heard that you should not go swimming at sea straight after lunch, and that you should wait approximately 3 hours for digestion to end. – nico Aug 01 '12 at 05:57
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    @nico - we've [already covered them myth](http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/534/can-bathing-after-having-eaten-make-you-drown). – Oddthinking Aug 01 '12 at 07:26
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    Dear @Bath, despite your handle, is there any chance you are confusing the term "bathing", which can mean "cleaning", but can also mean "swimming" (e.g. bathing suit). Not swimming after eating is a [common claim](http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/534/can-bathing-after-having-eaten-make-you-drown). Not washing after eating is an unusual claim that needs a reference for notability. – Oddthinking Aug 01 '12 at 07:30
  • @Oddthinking: I missed that one :) – nico Aug 01 '12 at 08:27
  • This is not a duplicate. The other question very specifically treats drowning and its answer also explicitly does not deal with whether it is generally bad for you but only whether people have died due to it – Matthijs Wessels Feb 19 '16 at 07:19
  • Some links making this claim: [curejoy](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.curejoy.com/content/taking-bath-just-meal-bad/&ved=0ahUKEwiSwc-woIPLAhWB3aYKHTU0D7MQFgggMAI&usg=AFQjCNETAa6ouo5dyXW1XO7zZRPVxth_sw&sig2=VTvDyWFblrrXAxK6pWJ73g), [the hindu](http://m.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/Food/what-to-avoid-after-a-full-meal/article4184384.ece) – Matthijs Wessels Feb 19 '16 at 07:25
  • Also many questions on quora (with unsourced answers) like [this](https://www.quora.com/Why-is-it-bad-to-bathe-after-eating) and [this](https://www.quora.com/Why-it-says-that-dont-bath-immediately-after-eating) – Matthijs Wessels Feb 19 '16 at 07:30

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I go with the elders. After eating anything, the body tends to focus on digestion. Consequentially, the blood-circulation in other body parts is relaxed. (ever feel sleepy or ambiance suddenly colder after a wonderful dinner ?)

Body movements demand blood circulation to other body parts, causing distraction.

The converse is equally true. If you've just finished rigorous workout, heavy meal might not be digested properly, as the body is then fulfilling blood demands in other body parts.

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  • Please add references (e.g. links to and quotes from peer-reviewed papers) for both your claims. – nico Aug 02 '12 at 15:53