I can't stress enough the importance of a healthy gut especially when it comes to your skin. If you suffer from poor digestion, bloating, stomach aches, constipation or diarrhea, odds are there’s one thing you’re not doing.
This is by far the simplest, most effective way to improve your digestion exponentially right away. You might be surprised by how easy it is to start incorporating small changes into your everyday life that support your digestion process and how important improving your gut health can really be.
The answer: chew your food more. So simple right?!
Yet so often people rush through their meals and aren’t consciously chewing their food until it’s ready to enter the other digestive phases. What most people don’t know is that the digestive process starts in the mouth. When we chew our food, the digestive enzyme amylase is released through our saliva and begins the process of breaking down starches. When the amylase doesn’t get even time to interact with the food, it skips the important first step of the digestive process!
This is when you run into common problems like acid reflux, bloating and general digestive discomfort. A good rule of thumb is to chew each bite of food at least 30 times. Now I’m not saying sit there and chew every bite of food that goes into your mouth for the rest of time. But it’s useful to get an idea of how long this really takes. For most people, this will likely double the amount of time you spend eating.
When you eat too quickly your body can’t catch up to let your brain know when you’re actually full. Slowing down helps you to only eat what your body needs and avoid the digestive discomfort that comes along with overeating.
In many European countries, it’s much more common to take your time eating. These cultures have lower incidence of modern diseases and digestive disorders than North America, as well as a lower incidence of obesity. When you slow down and thoroughly chew every bite of food that enters your body it opens the space for more enjoyment and gratitude. These things might not seem important, but they’ll do more for your health than any green juice ever will.
So slow down, and start thoroughly enjoying every bite you eat, your belly will thank you.
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