In this day and age of fast-paced go go go mentality, people are always rushing around and seem to always be in a hurry! Not only are we referencing this era but now throw on top of that our fitness lifestyles and suddenly our lives just got busier! Cooking food, planning out our daily workouts and cardio, preparing ourselves mentally and physically to be in the best shape of our lives, things just get crazy! We often grab our meals and are eating on the run. We look for the most convenient way to do two things at once. If that means, eating while driving, dinner while catching up on the nightly news or checking e-mail, we’re on it! Now add to our busy lives, our metabolism. Not only are we on the go but are starving and on the go. Our bodies are starving and if we don’t get food fast, we feel like we may just pass out. Even if we are not eating out at fat food, our meals become a type of “fast food,” in themselves, as in eaten-very-fast food. If you find yourself wolfing down your meals in a hurry, you may be causing more harm than good!
We are on the go, we are hungry, our metabolism is on fire, who has time to sit down and slowly chew your food and enjoy every single bite?? Well if you don’t have time, make time! If you are experiencing any GI issues and or severe bloating, this may be the cause! You may be eating your food to fast! Slow down everyone and chew your food! Chewing your food thoroughly is actually the first step in the complex process of digestion, and if you just chew the minimum amount of times necessary to get the food down your throat, you’re actually compromising this process.
If you try to imagine swallowing a whole piece of chicken, it’s easy to see why chewing is necessary. But besides breaking up your food into manageable chunks, there’s another good reason to put in the effort and chew. The saliva that coats your food as you chew actually contains digestive enzymes that begin to digest your food before you even swallow it. Digestion begins the minute your food hits your mouth!! The enzymes alpha-amylase and lingual lipase begin digesting carbohydrates and fats, reducing the amount your stomach has to do. If food fragments are swallowed un-chewed, not only do nutrients not get broken down, but they can create an environment in the colon that can cause digestive distress—bacterial overgrowth, gas, and bloating. If you have been experiencing any of these issues, this may be the cause! You have experimented with different foods and supplements, trying to find out which one is causing you so much distress but you have not found the answer?? It may be that you are eating your food to darn fast! Slow down and chew your food!!
Chewing your food thoroughly and eating your meals more slowly has other benefits too!! It might shrink your waistline from all the lack of bloat and GI issues but not only that, eating slower gives your body a chance to tell your mind that it’s full, so that you stop eating when you are physically full!
Here are a few pointers to help you slow down and chew!!
-Give yourself enough time to eat—at least 20-30 minutes just to eat the meal, plus additional time to prepare it.
-Don’t eat while driving, surfing the net, watching T.V., reading or any other distractions.
-Be fully present while you eat. Enjoy your food! Especially with all our creative and healthy recipes, enjoy the flavor of each bite!
-Start with smaller portions, knowing you can always go back for more.
-Be sure to take a break before going back for seconds!
-Put your fork down after each bite.
-Use chop sticks, these will really slow you down!
-If you’re eating in a group, be aware of the speed at which others are eating. Pace yourself!
Besides being able to enjoy your food, you may find that slowing down is the answer to your GI and bloating issues! Slow down and be sure to chew before swallowing!!
