Mum Knows Best
I well remember my mother telling me not to rush my food. My haste was fuelled by a desire to get on my bike, play football or mess about with friends. Now I realise that her words were sound health advice and yet more of Mum’s wisdom. In our 24/7 society eating is often relegated to a necessary evil to be completed in as short a time as possible. The results are poor digestion, stress and ulcers.
Stop throwing food down your throat and chew each mouthful more slowly. Saliva is meant to begin digestion, so give the enzymes a chance. The better digestion gets going in your mouth, the easier it is for your stomach to do its work.
Take time to taste the food, savour the flavours, appreciate the individual ingredients, relish the combinations and enjoy the aromas. A hectic, stressful life leads to hectic, stressful eating. Eating slower will help to cut your stress.
Fast eating also means weight gain. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that you’ve had enough to eat and to signal you to feel full. Eat quickly and you tend to eat more, because your brain doesn’t catch up till it’s too late. By then you’ve over-eaten and the pounds will accumulate. A number of studies have found that simply by eating more slowly, you consume fewer calories and could lose some weight - as much as 20 pounds in a year.