Eating too fast is bad for your waistline, your digestive function, and your mental health. Here are just 3 reasons why you should slow down your eating:
- Improve your digestion
Have you ever experienced bloating, excessive fullness, or cramps after eating too fast? When you rush through eating your food, often not chewing properly, your brain interprets this as stress and activates the physiological changes in the body that characterize the stress response. The result (among many other effects) is impaired digestive function. Fewer digestive enzymes are released and fewer nutrients are broken down and absorbed from food. So set aside enough time to eat mindfully and in as relaxed a state as possible and you’ll experience less digestive discomfort and be far more energised from your food.
- Reduce your waistline
It’s a fact – when you eat more slowly, you eat less. You tend to eat what your body needs rather than what you think you want. Remember that it takes your brain about 20 minutes from when you start eating to send out the message that you’re full. So, take a few deep breaths before you eat to calm you and eat slowly. One way is to try and chew each bite a minimum of 10-15 times. After a few days, this way of eating will be your new norm and you’ll reduce the amount of calories you consume.
- Reduce stress
No matter how stressed your day is, when you consciously eat slowly and with awareness, you can trick the body into believing that all is calm and there is no need to activate the stress response – and the numerous hormonal and chemical changes that follow. This has ripple effects throughout the body in terms of your overall stress load. So use the opportunity of eating to reduce your stress and enjoy improved mood, coping skills, and memory function.
This information has been brought to you by CNM Graduate, Naturopathic Nutritionist Sharon O’ Dwyer.
