It’s that time of year again! Holiday season. And for many...feasting season. There’s no better way to celebrate than to share a meal with friends and family, helping yourself to more than just one generous serving of your Thanksgiving favorites. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, more potatoes, and an assortment of pies...yes please!
I’ve always had a rather big appetite. But when Thanksgiving comes around, year after year, I tend to push my stomach’s limits by indulging in all the delectable dishes on display atop my dining room table.
This Thanksgiving has been no exception. I first started with a hefty round of appetizers. And though I went pretty hard on the cheese board, I made sure to save room for the main course! I filled my plate with a little bit of everything and once I had demolished round one, I proceeded to go for a second helping while washing everything down with some carbonated sparkling cider. Later, when the desserts were laid out, I naturally had to have a little of everything...pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie, and vanilla ice cream.
It’s safe to say that my dining experience this past Thanksgiving left me feeling a bit bloated...as was expected. But after a hearty Thanksgiving meal, what makes you feel like you may be in the early stages of pregnancy with a food baby? The answer lies in physics.
Our digestive systems, comprised of the esophagus, stomach and intestines, can be thought of as a closed system. Each time we swallow when we take a bite of food, air molecules go along for the ride (this is increased when drinking soda or beer). Air molecules are a gas. Gases spread out and fill the volume of the space they occupy. So, when you eat, gases expand in the gut.
When your stomach and intestines are filled with gas, the inside of your digestive system increases in pressure. Bloating occurs when the gas trapped in your digestive system creates an uncomfortable internal pressure. In other words, when the internal pressure within the digestive system is higher than the external pressure of the body cavity, the gas molecules within the stomach and intestines have more force pushing outwards, causing discomfort. According to the formula for pressure
Pressure = Force /Area
the greater the magnitude of force perpendicular to the area, the greater the pressure. If you continue to consistently eat large quantities of food overtime, it is possible that the stomach may stretch. If this occurs, the area of the stomach subsequently increases, and more gas molecules (i.e. more food/drink) must be consumed in order to reach the same amount of internal pressure for that full feeling. Lastly, temperature is a measure of the energy of movement. The more kinetic energy in a system, the more pressure a gas in the same system exerts. Since our body temperature is usually higher than the air we breathe, more pressure may be felt within the digestive system as it fills with gas. Thus, the body’s warm internal environment may also contribute to that bloating sensation after overeating.
So, according to the physics laws of pressure, gases, and kinetic energy, we can all be more aware of what really goes on inside when we feel that food baby forming. Concepts of pressure and the movement of fluids apply to our body’s internal environment just as much as our external environment. Though that bloated feeling we get after a huge meal is not the most pleasant, I say, as long as you aren’t eating until your stomach hurts on a regular basis, go ahead and feast! It’s all part of the holiday joy. For now, my stomach needs to rest up for Christmas.
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