Myth Busted: Now safe to eat and swim
As the CBC reports, the ‘No eating before a swim rule’ holds no water.
The old wives’ tale is based on the mistaken idea that the stomach will take away some of the oxygen needed by our muscles during swimming.
In reality, people have more than enough oxygen to supply both the stomach and their skeletal muscles.
It is therefore unlikely that diving into the water soon after a meal will leave someone in so much distress that they drown.
“The simple average meal isn’t going to affect your ability to get into the water,” Fedorak assured.
If the average meal won’t affect your ability, what happens if you super-size your meal? Go overboard at the all-you-can-eat buffet? Clearly more research must be conducted. The safetly of volunteers will be closely monitored by a well-equipped safety team, and no one will go home on an empty stomach.