Have you ever taken an hour or so to prepare a tasty meal with delightful presentation only to have your family or guests gobble it down in 5 minutes?! Your loving effort seems to be wasted. Yes they loved it so much that they gobbled it, but did they really enjoy it? the flavours, the textures?
Did they chew it?
Meals can be a time for gathering, catching up, connecting and sharing. If you are eating alone it can be a time for relaxing and reflection. On the contrary these days many of us are in such a rush, people are skipping breakfast grabbing a coffee and muffin on the go, fast food at lunch or a quick sandwich at the desk while working. After rush hour traffic and a long day at work too tired to cook, heating up something frozen or leftovers to be eaten in front of the television or computer.
How many people are suffering from digestive and elimination problems today? How many people are lacking nutrients? How many people end up snacking more and gaining weight?
Does this sound like you?
Did you know that if you chew your food until it is completely mush as if it had been in a blender then you will have better nutrient absorption, digestion and elimination? There are many health benefits of eating with awareness, the one that comes to my mind immediately is how we chew our food.Digestion starts in the mouth.
The saliva has compounds in it which mix with the food preparing it for the stomach which has stronger acids to mix with the mashed food. Drinking water with meals is not helpful because it dilutes the gastric acids. Some people find they have better digestion if they drink a small glass of water with natural apple cider vinegar 10 -15 mins before a large meal. Europeans commonly have a glass of wine with meals to improve digestion as wine is acidic. This maybe a good option for non-vegetarians.
As we age digestive acid production can slow down leading some people to look for aids such as digestive enzymes. After chewing our food the mush passes from the stomach into the intestines where all the nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. The mush then moves on into the colon to be expelled as waste. If the food has been swallowed in clumps then some nutrients are being missed, and the clumps can get lodged in the intestinal walls to putrefy and create gases and bloating. The colon can get backed up and become blocked causing constipation and other digestive and elimination problems.
Stress can also diminish the proper release of gastric acids and also slow down peristalsis, the wave like motion which move food through the intestines. Therefore eating mindfully will help to create mental as well as physical relaxation thus lead to better digestion.
This is just a simple explanation of your digestive system, but it's enough to give you something to think about. If you have been inspired to be more mindful about your eating habits, then you may want to start making a bit more time for your meals. After all what is more important than your own personal health?
Try to schedule time for your meals even if it's just 10 minutes for breakfast, or 15-20 for lunch and a longer time for dinner. Sit without distraction so that you can enjoy the flavours and textures of your food while being aware of chewing it well before swallowing it.
Try this for 2 weeks and see if you are feeling better physically and mentally.
Brenda E. Bell
www.brendabell.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment