We live in an 'on the go' culture. We are often rushing from one meeting to the next, checking email on the fly, running errands, squeezing in a workout, chores, etc. Our days are filled with an endless list of 'to-dos' that never seem to end. While meeting the demands of our day, we often inhale our food with little or no thought. This results in our food being mal-digested, and we can experience bloating, cramps, heartburn, headaches, mood swings, and the list goes on. We repeat this pattern day in and day out, and it isn't until a chronic or serious health condition sets in that we decide to re-evaluate our situation. It doesn't have to be like that!
Digestion is a parasympathetic process. This means that optimal digestion occurs when we are in a relaxed state. As we begin to think of or smell our food, the brain signals the salivary glands in the mouth to start secreting salivary amylase (an enzyme needed to breakdown carbohydrates). The brain also signals the stomach to start secreting hydrochloric acid, pepsin (enzyme for breaking down proteins) and several other digestive enzymes and hormones. The pancreas is also signaled to prepare for the release of insulin. All of this occurs BEFORE we even take our first bite!
Now imagine how most people eat most meals... scarfing food down before work/class/next appt, eating in the car while stuck in traffic, eating in front of the tv/computer/phone, and the list goes on. Hours later we end up with bloating, heartburn, headaches, mood swings, (insert your symptom here). We often put very little thought into the actual process of digesting our food.
Many of us eat our food in what is called a sympathetic state. This is basically the opposite of the relaxed, parasympathetic state. When we are in a sympathetic nervous system state, our body is preparing for 'fight-or-flight'. Gastric secretions are halted. Blood is shunted into the muscles; blood vessels constrict, airways dilate, and your body prepares to take on a life threatening or stressful situation. When we are eating on the go, inhaling our food, arguing at the dinner table, etc - we are putting our body in a stressful state and therefore impairing the digestion process. The result is poor digestion and usually some kind of gastrointestinal upset. Never any fun.
Fortunately, we can change this! By setting aside at least 30 minutes to eat meals, ensuring you are in a relaxed state, not eating in front of the tv/computer/at our desk, this can have a significant impact on the digestive process. I personally like to start each meal by taking a few deep breaths. This allows me to calm myself down, focus, and enjoy my food. It really helps me connect to my body. By taking a few deep breaths and being relaxed, this aids proper brain/gut communication so that my stomach is ready to receive and process the foods I'm about to eat.
While the digestive process can be very complex, my goal is to break it down in small pieces so that readers can learn and incorporate strategies that might be helpful to improving their health. Stay tuned for my next post as I expand upon the digestive process and how important proper digestion is to the rest of your body.
Do you have any strategies for eating in a relaxed state?
Makes sense to me. I normally lie on the divan while my wife feeds me !
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