While I typically maintain a healthy diet, about once a week I crave some McDonald’s cheeseburgers, and I find this craving impossible to resist. One drawback to my occasional McDonald’s experience is a feeling of shortness of breath after my meal is finished. I’ve heard and read a lot about how the company makes its’ burgers, and while unsettling, this information has not stopped me from indulging every once in awhile. I understand the health risks associated with consuming too much fat, cholesterol, and sodium, but does consuming these directly cause shortness of breath? Or do I just think I have shortness of breath because I’m eating McDonald’s? Some combination of mild concern and curiosity inspired me to do some research.
As it turns out, experiencing shortness of breath is not uncommon when overeating. When we consume food, our body requires more oxygen to digest it. Rapid and short breathing is not necessarily an alarming reaction, but a biological mechanism for our bodies to obtain adequate oxygen to effectively digest. I also found that excessively fatty foods are harder to digest and heavy meals that fill the stomach can put weight on the diaphragm and make it harder to expand. Everything I order on the McDonald’s menu could certainly be considered excessively fatty, and I tend to order and eat a lot because it is cheap. In conclusion, shortness of breath is a naturally occurring process in the body, and is not a sign of any immediate health risks. However, heart failure and heart attacks have occurred due to overeating or eating excessively fatty foods. My research will not change my habit of occasionally eating at McDonald’s, but shortness of breath is a good reminder that I must maintain my exercise habits and continue to consume McDonald’s in moderation.
http://www.livinghealthy360.com/index.php/shortness-of-breath-after-taking-a-meal-81922/
I actually find this really interesting because I’m one of the slowest eaters in the world and people make fun of me for it. However this topic kind of makes me feel better about it since you need a certain amount of oxygen to digest your food. Do you think this is good that I eat slower then the average person?
This blog post caught my eye because it included one of my favorite things, McDonalds. Personally, I eat McDonalds probably 1-2 times per week. I know that when I eat it that it is not the most healthy choice by any means, but it does sill taste good. When I read about how this food can make you short of breath, I can’t say that I was surprised. I thought back on my McDonalds trips and can pick out different times where I have experienced heavy breathing after eating too much Micky D’s.
Here’s an article on some of the negative effects of McDonalds. I still don’t think eating it here and there is a bad thing though. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-robbins/how-bad-is-mcdonalds-food_b_754814.html
I’m glad someone wrote about this and brought up this issue. It is an issue that has been brought up before but fast food is still a huge hit. unfortunately the population is being affected by the calorie intake. McDonald’s could definitely be a cause of shortness of breath due to its fat content and one reason I have stop going there. This article explains the conclusion of the movie supersize me and the effects seen through out the film. http://voices.yahoo.com/super-size-me-review-summary-documentary-3000865.html
I’ve often thought & felt the same way when eating these kinds of foods. Something just isn’t right about them. Especially, with what’s been released about how McDonald’s prepares & serves it’s food, has only pushed me farther & farther away. Most recently, I learned that McDonalds’s uses genetically modified potatoes for their French fries. Although they are delicious, this information has only pushed me farther away from eating their brand. Read more in this article: http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/mcdonalds-fries-innate-potato-genetically-modified-food
I thought your blog was very interesting considering I have had this happened to me before as well. I typically try to avoid fast food in general because of how bad it is for you and the associated health risks that go with it. However, I have experienced those same symptoms when overeating in general, not just fast food. Sometimes we are so hungry that we eat more rapidly which I believe could definitely lead to this shortness of breath. I read an article about possible factors leading to shortness of breath due to eating, and found it interesting that acidity was one of those factors. More information can be found here!: http://www.livinghealthy360.com/index.php/shortness-of-breath-after-taking-a-meal-81922/
Shawn,
After reading this I now feel more inclined to watch how much food I eat at a time. Did you know that there is a website dedicated to Overeaters called Overeaters Anonymous? Their website has tons of information. The website is not only for overeaters, though. It also welcomes people who are underweight as well.