What is Mindful Eating and Why it’s Important for Digestive Health.

What is mindful eating and why it’s important for digestive health.

Who falls victim to scoffing down their food? I used to do it (I still sometimes do it), whether it be because I have something else on my mind, or because I’m so hungry that the faster I eat, the quicker I will solve my hunger problems. Either way, it sucks for digestion.

So why does eating fast suck for digestion?

When you ‘rapid eat’ you’re not only eating more than you need to eat to be satiated, but you can also cause lots of digestive discomforts. Digestion can take up to 20 minutes when your stomach finally sends a signal to your brain to let you know that you’re full. It takes this long because the digestion process is a lot slower than you think. When food enters your mouth, your body releases signals to prepare the digestive tract for the food that’s heading its way, so if you’re rushing through a whole meal you could miss those signals. Whereas, if you slow down you give your brain enough time to receive them so that you stop eating.

Interestingly enough, studies have found a connection between eating fast and increased weight gain, also a higher risk in the development of type 2 diabetes.

That is why mindful eating is so integral to our health…

So what is mindful eating?

Mindful eating encourages people to focus on the present moment, while calmly accepting and acknowledging surroundings, including feelings, thoughts, emotions and sensations. But primarily, it encompasses that what you eat affects the whole world (where it came from and why/how it is in front of you).

In general, we eat for total health. Although the ideal way of eating is plant diversity, which is centred around whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs the technique can be applied to any meal that you eat.

Focusing on the food that you eat means that you may end up indulging in less of the bad stuff, and more of the good stuff because you’re paying attention as you buy, prepare and eat. Adopting this method takes time, but the benefits are totally worth it:

What are the benefits?

•           Stress reduction

•           Easier digestion

•           Weight loss (up to 25% in some studies)

•           Less binge eating

•           Reduced food cravings

•           Control food instead of it controlling you

•           Better food choices

•           Overall better health and wellbeing

So I’ve got a challenge for you. Next time you're exploring your relationship with food consider the following so that you can start practising the art of mindful eating.

-       Shop for food mindfully: Ask yourself ‘how will this benefit me?’

-       Prepare your food with the thought: Take your time to appreciate the individual ingredients in your meal. Google their benefits for your health to understand how they’re there to serve you.

-       Eat with your senses: Smell your food, and slowly take individual bites exploring the flavors. Enjoy the moment.

Thank you!