Most of us nowadays prioritise comfort over almost everything else. For many young people, the most comfortable way to eat is to sit on a couch or in bed while watching television.
Even though not everyone prefers to eat on a couch or in bed, most of us prefer to eat at a dining table. We have a longstanding heritage in many Asian countries, particularly in India, of sitting on the floor with crossed legs while eating food. And, contrary to popular belief, eating while sitting on the floor has far more health benefits than you might think.
So that’s what we’re here to discuss today. Let’s take a look at some of the important health benefits of sitting on the floor with crossed legs while eating.
Health benefits of eating food while sitting on the floor cross-legged:
Aids in improving digestion
The Sukhasana (crossed legs) position has been shown to help with digestion. All you have to do is sit cross-legged on the floor in front of your food. You will have to bend forward to eat and backwards to swallow. Many people believe that eating your food while sitting on the floor is beneficial in this situation. When we eat at a table, we usually don’t move our backs or bodies much except our arms. And this alters that.
Helps increase blood circulation
This crossed-leg position increases blood circulation to all parts of our bodies. When you were younger, you may have heard your teachers say that it is always better to sit on the floor than on the bench. And the reason for this is that everyone requires perfect blood circulation in order to do anything with their body. And as there isn’t much pressure on your body or your heart, this crossed-leg position ensures that your body gets enough blood circulation. Because your entire body is distributed evenly on the floor, blood circulation is improved.
Improves posture and flexibility
If you practise yoga on a regular basis, you are aware that flexibility is beneficial to your body. The same is true for good posture. Almost all of us suffer from back pain as a result of sitting at our desks for long periods of time. However, sitting cross-legged on the floor for hours will not cause much back pain. The position aids in the correction of your posture as well as the improvement of your body’s flexibility.
Good for mind and body
The Sukhasana (crossed-legs) position is where you would sit to practise your breathing. This is primarily due to the position’s ability to relax your nerves and thus relieve stress in your mind and body. If you’re feeling nervous or anxious, simply sit in this position on the floor for at least 5 minutes and take deep breaths. You will begin to notice improvements in both your body and mind.
That is why breathing exercises are almost always done in this position.
Helpful in overall body health
This crossed-leg posture is also beneficial to your knees and joints. When you practise sitting like this from a young age, you are less likely to experience knee or joint pain as you get older. Another surprising benefit of the Sukhasana position is that it can help you live longer. Although it may appear unbelievable at first, it makes sense when you think about it.
By sitting in this position, you are conditioning your body to be more adaptable. As a result, you are less likely to rely on someone’s assistance in getting up. According to a recent study, people who do not require any assistance to sit in this position or get up from it are more likely to live longer than those who don’t.
In the end, the crossed-leg posture provides numerous health benefits that your body requires in the long run. So, in order to improve your overall health, it may be time to reintroduce eating while sitting on the floor.
