The way we eat affects how we digest and assimulate the food we eat. Our eating habits affect our physiology.
Even before we put food into our mouths, the smell of it starts to stimulate our salivary glands to produce saliva. Saliva contains digestive enzymes as our body starts to break down the food into its basic components to be eventually absorbed into our blood stream to feed our cells. Digestion, absorption and assimilation of nutrients from our food is controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system. This system orchestrates the entire process. During stress the sympathetic nervous system (flight and fight) is in overdrive and our system does not digest, absorb and assimilate the nutrients well from our food. Specific steps need to occur to maximize the process. For example, chewing food slowly helps the body to secrete enough digestive enzymes to optimize the process. Taking 3 deep breaths before eating puts your body into parasympathetic mode to optimize the digestion. The how we eat is as important as what we eat. Unfortunately, eating all organic food, taking health enhancing supplements in a state of sympathetic overdrive (stress) might not offer you the same benefits as doing the same in a state of inner balance.
Some of us might not have access to the best healing food but how you eat what you have will affect how your body processes the food. Lets optimize this process by savoring the food you will eat this week and breaking its taste into its basic components such as sweetness, bitterness, salty and sour. Whatever your food will be, try to distinguish how much of each component it has by chewing it slowly. Blessing your food before eating puts your body into relaxation and enhances absorption as well. Empower yourself this week: take 3 deep breaths or bless your food before eating and savour every piece of food in your mouth with slow chewing. By following the above-mentioned steps, you will be on your way to happier, healthier and more resilient you. Your might even realize that your food never tasted so good. Enjoy
