Hey there, friends! I hope you’ve found some handy tips in my recent posts about food, aiming to help you reduce inflammation and stress by making mindful choices in what you eat. Today, let’s delve into a final aspect of food and eating that holds incredible potential for enhancing your well-being and decreasing stress. And I’ll admit, I’m writing this as much for myself as for anyone else.
The word we’re exploring today is “awareness” or being present – truly inhabiting the moment without our minds wandering elsewhere. Here’s a simple question to ponder: When was the last time you checked your email, listened to voicemail, scrolled through social media, or multitasked while eating? No judgment here – it’s something I grapple with too. I often find myself thinking it’s efficient to combine activities, a fan of bundling tasks, if you will. And sometimes, it does work wonders. For example, I can absorb a class or talk while tackling mindless chores and feel productive, all while staying focused on the lesson without getting sucked into a screen.
However, bundling while eating… well, here are some observations to ponder. Did you know that the process of nutrient assimilation, digestion, and absorption of food actually begins in your head, or mind? Research suggests that a significant portion – around 30-40% – of the total digestive response to any meal is influenced by our conscious awareness of what we’re eating. Have you experienced your mouth watering or your stomach rumbling at the sight of a delicious meal? That’s part of the initial phase of the digestive response, kicking off right in your head. Literal chemical and mechanical receptors in your tongue, nose, and eyes come alive, and our awareness of the meal triggers the secretion of saliva, gastric acid, and enzymes, while also directing blood flow to the digestive organs in preparation for food intake.
So, if we’re not fully present and engaged with our meals, we’re potentially only metabolizing 60-70% of what we eat. Less blood flow means reduced oxygenation and a compromised digestive process with diminished enzymatic output in the stomach, leading to digestive discomfort, weakened immunity, and fatigue. Suddenly, the idea of being fully present at meals seems much more appealing.
In a fascinating study, researchers measured the absorption of a mineral drink in test subjects who were in a rested state. The result? 100% absorption. However, when these same individuals were exposed to conflicting auditory stimuli – like listening to different information in each ear, similar to having multiple stimuli while watching a reel or listening to music – they experienced a complete shutdown in mineral assimilation. This effect persisted for up to an hour afterward, resulting in 0% absorption. It’s incredible how simply attending to two stimuli at once can dramatically alter our metabolism!
In another insightful study, researchers examined the digestive activity in test subjects both before and during the viewing of a film. Interestingly, when participants snacked before the movie, it stimulated normal digestive contractions. However, when they snacked during the film, digestive rates dropped significantly. This decrease in gut motility translates to lower enzymatic output and inefficient digestion, resulting in food taking longer to traverse through the body and leading to unfavorable outcomes. So, what do we think happens when we eat while driving, watching TV, scrolling through our phones, or rushing through lunch?
Perhaps you’ve experienced eating a substantial meal without paying much attention and later feeling full but still wanting to eat more. It’s fascinating how the brain plays a crucial role in the eating experience, needing to perceive taste, pleasure, aroma, and satisfaction to assess a meal and break it down efficiently. Eating too quickly or without mindfulness can cause the brain to interpret this lack of experience as hunger, leading us to reach for more food. Like were there but not there when we ate.
In addition to the awareness in our brain, there’s another equally powerful force in our stomach – gut thoughts and feelings are a physiological reality. There are actual neurons in our gut, forming the enteric nervous system that spans the lining and muscular layers of the digestive tract. This intricate network of neurons senses and controls events in the digestive tract, boasting a staggering one hundred million neurons – more than in the spinal cord! Even more astonishingly, there’s a greater flow of neural traffic from the enteric nervous system to the brain, than the other way around, meaning the digestive system is actively informing the brain. Essentially, the enteric nervous system is a separate but interconnected brain in the digestive tract, holding a wealth of wisdom about our nutritional and metabolic needs. While we may not have been taught to speak its language, we can tap into this gut wisdom through mind-body awareness to determine the foods and portions that will best serve us.
Let’s simplify the science – there’s a powerhouse of brain power in your belly, and most of it goes untapped. Just as we’re told we only use a fraction of our brain’s capacity, we also underuse the potential of our gut brain. When it comes to food, our head brain doesn’t need to handle all the decision-making – we’re wired to hear the gut brain speak its mind. The head brain plays a supporting role. Think about it – you don’t see a lion pondering the best nutritional choice for dinner; animals instinctively know what to eat. Before the influx of diet books, we were likely more intuitive eaters too.
We can tap into this underused stomach of ours by tuning in to our intuition, those gut feelings that tell us what we need to know about food. Trusting our ability to access gut knowing in our eating is key. When was the last time you asked your body what it needs? It’s a skill that takes practice. Personally, I’ve often been deaf to it, but I’m committed to relearning how to listen to my body’s wisdom. How about you?
If you’re up for a challenge, try practicing being present and aware at your plate this week, tapping into the enteric nervous system. Use relaxed awareness to determine which foods to eat and in what amounts. One way to do this is to truly notice your food – observe its texture, taste, and colors. Connect with it, and stay aware, gently bringing your thoughts back to the food and the people you’re with if they wander elsewhere. Consider going on an unplugging diet during meals, putting away distractions to fully engage with your food and body.
When it comes to learning to engage our gut brain, one effective technique is to start by breathing deeply into your belly. This not only increases oxygen uptake but also activates the enteric nervous system, or gut brain. If a lack of oxygen can harm the head brain, and an abundance of oxygen can enhance memory and performance, then it would make sense that the same principle likely applies to the gut brain. Insufficient oxygen in the gut can lead to sluggishness, while ample oxygen can result in a more responsive and alert gut brain.
After taking a few deep breaths, it’s recommended to consult the brain in your belly for guidance. Ask questions like, “Is this food good for me right now?” or “What does my body need at this moment?” It’s important to recognize that this will be a journey, and initially, the answers may feel unfamiliar or uncertain. Transitioning away from any rigid food rules you’ve followed can be challenging, akin to learning a new language or befriending a brain you didn’t know you had. Embracing trial and error is part of the process.
While the idea of letting your body guide your food choices may seem impractical, especially if you plan meals in advance like I do, you can still integrate this approach into your menu planning. Pay attention to what your gut is telling you as you plan your meals, rather than relying solely on your logical mind. The goal is to become more attuned to your gut intelligence and give it the same level of consideration as your logical head brain. Instead of solely relying on external experts, tap into your own gut expert to inform your food decisions.
I’m curious to hear if you’ve noticed your body communicating its needs to you. Personally, as someone who values practicality, I understand the hesitation. However, I believe there’s value in tuning into our gut instincts, even amidst our carefully planned routines. Let’s explore this together and see where it leads us!
Our brains are amazing in how they are engaged or y engaged with our food and choices. I have learned be aware of my body and food choices, but it wasn’t always that way!
Way to go learning how to be aware! That’s a hard thing to learn but so good! 🥰
that was supposed to say engaged or unengaged…😀
😁 autocorrect… what would we do without it…LOL!
I am the worst about rushing through my meals instead of truly savoring them. Sometimes I forget that I’ve eaten – that’s how unaware I was. I think this is a great reminder of slowing down and tuning in during meal times!
Yes, I need to routinely remember why it matters so much too! It’s so easy to get carried away!