Help Your Body Digest Properly

We are all guilty of eating on the run, grabbing a bite during our busy day, while we drive, watch TV, read and cook.

In today’s busy lifestyle, we are constantly rushing from one thing to the next throughout the whole day. Even when we finally find ourselves at home in the evening, we either wolf our food down, in turn overeating, or rush the meal in order to get everything else done and ready for tomorrow.

Eating

How” we eat is of utmost importance. Mealtimes should be one of the stress-free times of our day.

All aspects involved in eating a meal play a major role in food intolerance and digestion. Our lifestyle and attitude towards food seem to have more to do with food intolerance and allergies, than the actual food and missing digestive enzymes.

The way we eat, rather than the food itself, can cause food intolerance. This causes disorders such as asthma, arthritis, scleroderma, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, IBS, lupus, skin complaints and even mental health problems like depression and schizophrenia.

It is of equal importance to eat “whole” foods for the correct fiber and nutrient intake. Fiber-rich foods like whole grains are the better choice.

Overeating

Overeating is a leading contributor to poor digestion, obesity, gastrointestinal disorders and many other clinical conditions and we all overeat from time to time. This overindulgence places a huge strain on our digestive system and enzymes in our stomach, pancreas and small intestines, preventing them from working at their optimum.

Another bad habit we are all guilty of is rushing mealtime and not taking the time to enjoy our food. One third of carbohydrate digestion can occur in the mouth if we just allowed it to stay there long enough.

It is important to chew our food properly with every bite, putting less strain on our digestive system. The ‘bite’ is just as important as the ‘chew’. Take smaller bites and allow each mouthful to go through the correct steps for ideal digestion.

Water

It’s also not a good idea to drink while eating, whether it be water, juice or wine.

There are certain enzymes in our stomachs that are released when we are eating a meal, ready to work on this solid food. When a liquid is ingested with these solid particles, it dilutes the enzymes and wreaks havoc with our digestion process.

It is best to drink 20-30 minutes before a meal and wait at least 30-60 minutes after a meal. This will have a huge impact on the correct digestion of your food.

Lastly, love your food! When sitting down for a meal, and yes I really mean sitting down to eat a meal, you need to take time to appreciate the food you have in front of you, pay attention to what you are eating, how you are eating and how these nutrients are going to help your organs function optimally. This means no interruptions, no TV, messaging or chatting to your friends over the phone.

Just try it; you won’t be disappointed with the results!