The art of digesting well
Create time and space to source, prepare, eat and enjoy a meal.
Prepare food with love and respect, grace and gratitude.
Be mindful when eating. Observe all thoughts about eating. For example, “I don’t like this. This will upset my tummy. This is bad for me. I don’t have time to eat. I am fat. I need chocolate”. Are these thoughts really true? What is your food philosophy? Does it serve you? Do you feel energised, strong, free of illness and supplementation?
Avoid eating on the run or while doing something else unless it is something relaxing and enjoyable.
Eating in a stressed out state shunts blood flow away from your digestive system.
Eat slowly. Chew slowly (digestion of carbohydrates begins in the mouth). Chew until food becomes liquefied.
This will eliminate all bloating and undigested food material in your stools.
Swallow each bite before putting the next one in.
Sip in between bites if you are thirsty. Only sip small amount of fluids during a meal otherwise drink a glass of water 15-30 minutes before meals and one – two hours after meals. A high intake of fluid during a meal will dilute digestive juices and cause bloating and gas.
Leave your tummy just satisfied not full. Your digestive system is the best juicer, extractor and food processor. Give it time and space to do its job.
Allow hunger to rise in-between meals as this will allow your digestive juices to build so you can fully digest your meal and extract its nutrients. Constant grazing doesn’t allow for this.
Aim for three meals per day but snack in between meals with whole quality food as part of the transition of eating a “high carbohydrate, never satisfying, craving and grazing diet”.
Consider the source of your food, ingredients and processing methods. Whole, natural food is easier to digest.
Enjoy natural flavours with no added chemicals or additives. Allow ingredients to reign supreme and their natural unique flavours shine through. Enjoy the tastes of bitter and sour which stimulate digestive juices and enzymes.
Present food beautifully and with care. Making beautiful food stimulates creativity
and connection and therefore better digestion.
Respect the art of digesting well. This will reward you with a higher nutrient uptake and better health.
