Mindful munching
How we eat is just as important as what we eat.
If we eat on the go, at our desks, or in a rush, our brain is not telling our belly that food is on its way, so our digestion is going to be less effective and we are less likely to be absorbing the nutrients from the food we are eating.
There is a well-known link between stress and digestive issues like IBS, indigestion and acid reflux, and slowing things down could be part of the solution.
When we eat in a hurry, our nervous system is in the fight-or-flight mode, otherwise known as ‘sympathetic dominant’. When we eat in a more relaxed way, we engage the ‘parasympathetic’ mode, which is also known as rest-and-digest. It’s all in the name!
These parallel nervous system reactions cannot work together at the same time. It is one or the other. We are cannot be stressed and relaxed at the same time.
Mindful mealtimes can affect our digestion from one end to the other! Slowing things down and taking our time to appreciate and savour our food helps to stimulate gastric juices, stomach acid and enzymes so that we can break our food down effectively. Being more mindful also stimulates blood flow to the digestive tract, improves nutrient absorption and regulates bowel movements. There is even evidence to show that we may have a healthier balance of good bacteria in our gut microbiome if we have more mindful mealtimes.
It’s not only our digestion that benefits. Studies have linked mindful eating to weight loss and better appetite control too. If we slow things down, we end up feeling more satisfied by our food, more connected to the positive impact good food has on our well-being, and more tuned to what suits our own bodies. We also remember that we have actually eaten something for lunch, so are less likely to get the mid-afternoon munchies.
Often, when I work with clients with IBS or acid reflux, the first step is to consider how they are eating, reduce the stress at mealtimes and introduce a routine that helps them to eat a little slower, chew a little better and slow things down ever so slightly. Inevitably this helps to promote better digestive health.
Here are some simple tricks that can help you rest-and-digest at mealtimes:
Always sit at a table to eat meals. Get rid of the clutter on your kitchen table and make it a relaxing place to sit and eat your meals. Set the table, light a candle and make it a place you want to hang out.
Enjoy the process. Start to look forward to your food as you are preparing it. Pay attention to the colours, textures and look of your food. Digestive juices get going even before we have taken our first bite. The anticipation of a tasty plate of food that makes your mouth water is getting your digestion ready to go
Tune into your senses at mealtimes and notice how your food looks, smells, sounds, feels and tastes as you eat it.
Eat a little slower. If there are usually sparks flying off your cutlery because you eat so quickly, slow it down by setting your knife and fork down between mouthfuls. It will feel a little weird to start with, but it will help you to eat slower and enjoy your food
Use your mealtimes as a chance to disconnect from tech. No phones at the table, stop scrolling and enjoy your food
When you are finished, take a moment to enjoy the feeling of satisfaction the food or meal has given you. Don't rush up to do the dishes straightaway
You don’t have to try all these tricks. See what works for you. The most important thing is that you are slowing things down, enjoying your food and giving your body a chance to rest and digest.