There’s a good chance that when you were growing up you were told to wait at least 30-60 minutes after eating as a safety precaution before hopping back into the water. Many people believed that swimming too soon after a meal would cause cramps or fatigue and even put swimmers in danger of drowning. However, most medical experts now agree that there really is no scientific basis for waiting to swim after a meal. Even if you do get a cramp while swimming, it’s highly unlikely to cause a major safety problem. Studies have shown that what really is dangerous is going swimming after drinking alcohol. This can significantly increase your risk of drowning. So as long as you are not having alcohol at lunch, don’t be afraid to head back into the pool!