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AFTER CHRISTMAS DINNER today, many of us will claim that our stomachs feel like they’re about to burst. But can we really die from eating too much?
It’s nearly impossible for the stomach to explode from overeating says Mary Roach, the author of Gulp.
The average stomach typically contains around 1 litre, or four cups, of food. Your stomach has an upper limit before it tries to send that food back up. The stomach can handle around a gallon, or nearly 4 litres of food before you will throw up as a gag reflex, Roach said.
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This response to overindulging in food or drink is true for most of the population. There are some cases, however, where people have managed to ignore their natural gag reflex and keep eating, causing their stomachs to rupture. (In 2003, “excessive over-eating” was reported as the cause of a 49-year-old man’s stomach rupturing).
“Most cases of rupture seem to occur when a person has attempted to stuff their stomach with about five litres of food or fluid,” according to NBC News. These people may have a history of disordered eating and have become accustomed to their stomach muscles stretching beyond their normal limits. Their brains also ignore signals telling them to stop eating.
When your stomach is filled with too much stuff and you don’t vomit, all of that mass gets pushed up against the stomach’s walls and can lead to it rupturing.
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Can relate to all of that. It’s invisible. Having someone change plans all of a sudden is a nightmare, having planned every step of the journey for ages beforehand!
I can relate a lot to this having a TBI 11 years ago and a stroke all at 19. At the start was a very traumatic time for me and my family having to learn to walk talk dealing with serious bursts of aggression from frustration and adapt to daily living. I have a successful business now for 8 years but everyday day still has its obstacles be it the chronic fatigue that comes with a TBI to the chronic headaches or your mind just blanking out it’s not easy and as Linda says it’s invisible and very hard for people to understand what’s going on with you. I now am married and have a beautiful 19 month son that brings so much joy to my wife and I everyday and it kills me to come home some days after a bad day and he’s there just waiting for your undivided attention but your just not able.
Very interesting article. I know from experience how difficult it can be when often the slightest thing is a trigger. You certainly have given yourself every opportunity to recovery and to live life well.
Well done on your recovery!
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