Chew Well For Good Tummy Health

Good eating practise is probably the most essential aspect of optimal digestion, absorption and assimilation. Your state of health is directly related to this ability to utilise the food you consume, so supporting your body in this endeavour is essential.

The autonomic nervous system is the master regulator of metabolism and is responsible for all involuntary functions of the body (such as breathing, heart rate, digestion etc.).

It has two branches – the Sympathetic (concerned with fight and flight, energy utilisation) and the Parasympathetic (concerned with rest and recovery, or energy conservation).

These branches work in opposition to one another, but together ensure that the body remains in balance. For example, Sympathetic stimulation speeds up heart rate, while Parasympathetic stimulation slows it down.

In terms of digestion, Para stimulation switches the digestive system on and Sym stimulation switches it off.

Now, since the Para system is concerned with energy conservation and is responsible for digestion, you would need to be in a calm, unstressed state in order to ensure optimal utilization of the fuel you are putting in.

If, however, you are rushed, stressed, occupied with other thoughts etc., you are stimulating the Sym system, which switches off digestion.

You can see why it is so important that you create a relaxed eating environment and that you sit for a while after meals to further aid digestion.

Try and go back to the (very wise) sociable tradition of eating round the table with your friends and family, instead of watching T.V. (which, by the way, increases stress hormone output) or rushing through your meal to move on to your next ‘task’.

At lunchtime, try and eat away from the office, so that you experience fewer distractions from your meal. If you can’t leave the office, strategically place a photo that brings good thoughts, so that you focus on this through your meal.

How you chew your food is really important too. By chewing well, you stimulate the correct enzymes and thus ensure that your food is broken down into adequately small particles for absorption.

In addition, the greater the surface area of your food (i.e. the more it is chewed), the more your stomach acid can do it’s job of killing any potentially harmful pathogens on/in the food. This acid also helps with digestion of certain key nutrients.

Your food should be liquid before you swallow it, so chew, chew, chew and help take any additional strain off the system.

If you experience belching, gas or bloating, it is a sure sign that your digestive system is being taxed, so try and implement these changes and address any potential food intolerances or allergies (wheat, dairy, soy, gluten/gliadin being the biggest culprits).