Think Before You Eat!

Food is such an important part of our lives, we eat to live and some of us live to eat (especially when we are talking about treats). However, have you ever thought about how you eat or how it makes you feel after? Sometimes? Maybe? No time to think about eating?

So many of us eat ridiculously fast without even thinking about the food we are eating. We live so fast paced that we eat on the run, watching tv, reading magazines, on the phone or while catching up on the gossip on facebook. Some people even eat in bed. I personally think that’s a bit grosse, unless it's a surprise breakfast in bed!

We eat unconsciously, our minds are busy on something else and therefore, not on what we are eating or how much we are eating. The consequences of this are over eating, eating too quickly and not chewing our foods, which can lead to a series of digestive problems and becoming overweight.

So I’m not telling you to all become perfect eaters, chewing each bite a 100 times because that is unrealistic and not fun. But I do think it’s a good idea to try and be a bit more mindful of how you eat, what you eat and also try to concentrate on eating at meal times rather than multi-tasking.

Digestion starts while you are cooking, the smells of cooking help trigger you salivary glands to start to produce digestive enzymes in your mouth, this sends messages to the cells in your stomach which produce additional enzymes and stomach acid which will break down the food upon arrival. When we grab food on the run, or eat under stress our bodies aren’t ready for food. Many people constantly suffer from bloating, indigestion which can often be relieved by changing the way they eat.

When we eat too fast, on the run or under stress, the sensors that connect our digestive tract to our brains are not triggered. Our bodies aren’t prepared for digestion. This also applies to feeling full. By the time our brains get the message that our tummies are full, we’ve already inhaled a massive meal and our bodies haven’t realised we’ve eaten, even though our stomachs are full of food.

So here are a few tips to become more mindful at meal times, just have a think about them next time you eat. Try and implement a few of them and see how you feel.

Eat at a table - I know it is some times impossible to eat at a table but try to at least eat your evening meal at a table and not in front of the TV or computer. Avoid stressful environments which will wreak havoc with your digestive system.

CHEW CHEW CHEW - So many of us sit down and inhale our food, so try to slow down and chew your food. If food isn’t chewed properly it means that there’s more work for the rest of your digestion system (your stomach doesn’t have teeth), so just make sure the food is broken down before you swallow.

Don't drink and eat - By drinking too much at meal times it can dilute our digestive juices so that they don’t breakdown the food as efficiently as it should. Try drink before or 30 minutes after a meal to prevent this and if you do need to drink during the meal just take little sips.

Appreciate your food - Notice the flavours, the texture and goodness. This sounds crazy but it will help you appreciate good quality food and once your taste buds become alive it will help you to make healthier choices and you will appreciate the nutrients the food is providing.

Get cooking - I know some people find it hard to find time to cook and others hate cooking but it doesn’t have to be fancy. Just making simple dishes from scratch can be very rewarding and they will also be far healthier than anything you buy in a packet.

Eat and only eat - This means making meal times exclusively for eating. Your digestive system will thank you.

Slow down there cowboy - Eating slowly will help your stomach realise when it is full. This will then give your brain enough time to get the message that it is time to stop eating and help prevent over eating.

Left-overs are good - Most of us grew up being told to eat everything on your plate but you don’t have to eat everything and it’s ok to have left-overs as they are very useful for lunches the next day.

Hopefully, these few tips will help you to be satisfied with less food, improve digestion and help increase your enjoyment of food and meal times.

Steph :)