Did your grandmother (or a parent) ever admonish you to adequately chew your food?
(In my husband’s family, his grandmother had a hard and fast rule to chew each bite exactly 33 times).
Well, it turns out your grandmother was right!
Chewing your food thoroughly is a critical part of the digestive process, priming your stomach and your digestive juices for the task ahead.
Not only that, this entry point – i.e. your mouth – is also where the Gut-Brain connection happens.
Translation – your gut and your brain are so closely connected, that the gut is often referred to as your “second brain”.
In fact, proper chewing does all of the following for your body:
- Helps to eliminate gas and bloating (gluten sensitivity, anyone?)
- Helps to eliminate abdominal pain
- Helps to reduce the load on the rest of your digestive system
- Actually helps with weight loss!
Are you curious about the last one?
Properly chewing your food can actually help with weight loss (and weight maintenance) simply because you’ll end up feeling satisfied on less food!
So, here’s the thing.
Many of us – myself, included – have the tendency to rush through our meals.
Perhaps you recognize yourself here.
For example, have you ever caught yourself wolfing down your food?
Perhaps you don’t even take the time to sit down, choosing to stand at the kitchen counter instead, while grabbing a quick bite.
Oh, how many times I’ve done exactly that, only to learn that these bad habits don’t serve me (or you, for that matter).
Starting today, why not create a new habit?
If you’ve taken the time to prepare a delicious meal, why not go one step further?
Sit down at the table, turn off the TV, and devote 100% of your attention to your food.
With each forkful, notice that sense of anticipation before you bite into a juicy morsel.
(The very thought of something “juicy” already primes your taste buds).
Chew thoughtfully and carefully.
What do you notice?
By the way, another key aspect to supporting your delicate digestion is to eat your meals in a stress-free environment.
If you have numerous food sensitivities, along with your gluten-sensitivity, this often goes hand in hand with a leaky gut, (aka intestinal permeability) and an overall tendency toward a more “delicate” constitution.
All the more reason to turn off the television and avoid distractions – although pleasant dinner-time conversation is perfectly OK.
Now it’s your turn.
Have you learned anything useful about your chewing habits, or your meal-time habits in general?
Have you had any AHA’s while paying more attention to your food?
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
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