Stop. Think. Chew. And, Stop Again.

We live in a world of multiple screens, multi-tasking, no time, and plenty of stress. Too often, we eat on the run, sometimes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, way too often, meals are fast food, as in eaten- fast food (even fast food is wolfed-down fast). Here’s the problem.

The whole process of digestion starts with chewing.  Chewing breaks food into manageable bites, making it easy to swallow. You can’t swallow much solid food whole. Chewing thoroughly releases saliva that coats your food with digestive enzymes—which actually begin to digest the food before you swallow it. At the same time, those same enzymes begin digesting the carbohydrates and fats, meaning less work for your stomach. If food is swallowed un-chewed, or not chewed thoroughly, important nutrients remain locked in the fragments. These fragments in turn, create an environment in the colon that can contribute to digestive distress—bacterial overgrowth, gas, and bloating.

The act of just seeing your food causes your brain to send signals to the pancreas and stomach to secrete digestive acids and enzymes that are essential to digestion. The longer your food has contact with your taste and smell receptors and the longer you chew each bite, the stronger those signals become. Strong signals mean more digestive molecules, less indigestion, and superior nutrient absorption. Enough Biology 101.

We enjoy food. We’re supposed to enjoy it. And, if we slow down and appreciate what we eat, we end up eating less. This is being mindful of what and how we eat. And, eating more slowly gives your body a chance to tell your mind that it’s full, so that you stop eating before you go overboard. Consider trying the following tips along with your next meal.

• Don’t eat in front of distractions such as the TV or computer, or while driving.
• Give yourself enough time to eat—at least 20-30 minutes to eat the meal.
• Be mindful while you eat. Notice the smell, temperature, texture, color, and subtle flavor differences of each food you consume.
• Take smaller portions and take a 5 minute a break before serving yourself seconds.
• Put your fork down after each bite.
• Eat slowly, chewing each bite as many times as necessary to pulverize any texture.
• If you’re eating in a group, challenge yourself to be the last to finish.

In addition to the physical benefits of eating mindfully, if you allow yourself to slow down and chew thoroughly, you’ll find yourself eating less and enjoying your food more.

The Ritual of Food

Whether a habit, a rite, or a ceremony, most of us have food rituals. Do you tap the top of a can before pulling the tab? Do you eat the filling first and then the cookie? Do you dunk an Oreo in milk? Do you cut the crusts off of your bread? Do you slice your sandwich in half or at an angle? Do you stir your coffee exactly 12 times and then tap the spoon against the mug three times? 

If yes, you’re not alone. A recent study published last month in the journal Psychological Science finds that the little rituals you bring to the table make eating and drinking more enjoyable. Flavor is intensified and the meal enjoyed more.  

In the study, those participants who performed rituals reported they savored the items more than those who did not engage in rituals. The rituals that study participants exhibited boosted involvement in the eating and  drinking experiences. Here’s the bad news. The study also found that performing a ritual enhanced the amount consumed.

It seems the ritual becomes a mindset, a way we approach food. And, if it at least in part determines the way we think about and approach food, it also in part determines the way we eat it. Now here’s an interesting idea...

What if we develop new rituals? Rituals that revolve around healthy food choices. How about a broccoli or squash ritual? And, can rituals work in the other direction? What if we have negative rituals around white carbs, soft drinks, donuts, ice cream and cake? Well, it doesn’t sound like much fun, but it is food for thought—and maybe action. With a little practice, maybe a new habit is just waiting to become a future ritual. 

What food ritual would you develop? Let me know.

Independence Day? Shall We All Declare Our Independence? Yes!

This week we’ll celebrate Independence Day—but are we really—independent? Are we self-determining, self-regulating?  You know this is a wellness and well-being-oriented Blog, so you can guess where this is going.  But, read on... 

Food for thought:  Many of us are already focused on the traditional hot dog / hamburger cookout on the grill, accompanied by chips, soft drinks . . . the list goes on. But, what if we use this Independence Day as the time to shift our “food focus,” just a little bit at time? If we do, we can take a giant step in declaring our independence from chronic illness by Independence Day 2014... and, that’s a goal worth pursuing. 

Here’s why:  The foods we choose to eat on a daily basis contribute 80 percent to whether we will develop diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.  Already, almost one-half of all Americans report having a chronic illness—and those illnesses account for more than 75 percent of our national spending on healthcare (and we are all well-aware of those costs). Furthermore, almost 80 percent of all chronic disease is caused by three preventable health behaviors—obesity and overeating, physical inactivity, and smoking. The good news... weight loss, as modest as 5 to 15 percent of total body weight in a person who is overweight or obese, reduces the risk factors for some diseases, particularly heart disease, by as much as 50 percent! 

How about this? What if this Independence Day (even if it’s after the big feast) we declare our independence from overly-processed, junk and fast food?  What if we look for healthy substitutions? What if we find ways to work in a little more physical activity?  What if we make just one modest yet meaningful change in our nutritional behaviors each month? If we as a nation of individuals can each make the effort to independently create a positive change for ourselves, we will collectively do great things for our country—and  our own long-term health and wellness. “We the people” can take control of our wellness behaviors—and outcomes. “We the people” can become the solution rather than part of the problem. We are all stakeholders in this effort, and together we can begin to turn the epidemic of overweight, obesity, and inactivity around and reduce our risk factors for preventable chronic illnesses.

Isn’t this something well-worth chewing on?

Everything is Connected

From quantum mechanics theorem, quantum entanglement, wave function collapse, electromagnetic interaction of electrons, to ancient Buddhist scripts to social science research, by way of television, internet, newspapers, books—and yes, even in one-on-one conversation—we are all connected. In an absolutely mind-bending way everything and everyone is connected to everything and everyone else. It’s true.

John Muir said it more eloquently when he wrote:  "When we try to pick out anything by itself we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe.”

So, exactly what does this have to do with wellness and well-being? It ties-in to our tag line: Spreading Viral Wellness ™.

  

More than likely, you’ve heard of Six Degrees of Separation—the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world, so that a chain of a friend of a friend statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps. (Personally, I haven’t tested this, but someday when I run out of things to do I plan to.)

Here’s where wellness and our collective well-being can come into play. How do these friends of friends feel about their own wellness and well-being? Yes, this is a loaded question. You may not know (and don’t actually have to know) the answer. It doesn’t matter. The point is six degrees, or steps, are only six steps—so what happens if each one us takes a healthy step we decide is important enough to move us in the direction we want to go with our own well-being.  

Think of six simple steps (reduced portion size, a walk around the block, less soda, a few more mindful choices). Now,  imagine what can happen if we share those steps, and the person we share them with shares them with someone else. At this point, wellness does indeed become viral—even contagious. 

Can’t you just imagine where this could lead? Why wouldn’t we all want to go there?

What Each Choice Can Mean

In case you don’t already know, each of us makes about 200 food and beverage choices every day.  That’s a lot of choices—and an opportunity—to make those choices count. And, they will count. Dr. Steven Lamm, Internist with NYU School of Medicine and Contributing Editor of the Best Life Magazine, points out that the foods we choose to eat on a daily basis contribute 80 percent to whether we will develop diabetes, heart disease, or cancer.

Whether you’re shopping for food, eating at home or eating out, what you choose to eat has the potential to lower healthcare costs. Fresh, home-cooked meals with plenty of natural ingredients, vegetables and fruits tells your family their health is important.

The next time you go to the grocery store, notice the aisles of chips, cookies, candy and soft drinks (including sports drinks loaded with sugar).  The frozen cases are filled with cakes, pies, cookie dough, ice cream, and more. Then there’s the check out with still more candy—right there within arm’s reach. It’s all there, spread throughout the store so you can’t miss it even if you try. 

Now, look at the aisles of packaged, processed, boxed, pre-prepared and ready-to-eat meals, with ingredients not many of us can pronounce. Too much sodium, too little nutrition.  Believe it, every choice you make, every dollar you spend sends a message about what is important to you. 

This might be a good time to give some real food for thought to making better  nutritional choices. Your own and your family’s health depends on each bite. Since they all add up anyway, why not make them count?