How to fix it

Whether you’re in fight or flight mode acutely from an intense workout or chronically from a stressful life, the fix is the same. Take a few moments—as many as you can—to relax and breathe when you sit down to eat. (Yes, I said sit down, and I don’t mean in the car while driving!) Making a conscious effort to activate the rest and digest mode so that you can eat in a calm, mindful state will help your entire digestive process run smoothly—literally.

So, relax, decompress, reset your mind, and take a few deep breaths before sitting down at the table to eat. Do your best not to eat on the run, in your car, or immediately before or after exercise.

the part: mouth, salivary glands, and esophagus

There are three pairs of enzyme-releasing salivary glands that begin a chemical breakdown process of your food while you chew. The enzyme, salivary amylase, begins the breakdown of carbohydrates, and lingual lipase starts to break down fats. The next time you eat a starchy food, chew it for a while, and notice that it tastes sweeter as the complex carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars. This is the enzyme at work.

Saliva helps to moisten your food before it is sent on its way down your esophagus and into your stomach. The importance of chewing doesn’t stop there, though. The action of chewing begins the mechanical breakdown of food. It also sends signals to your brain to initiate downstream digestive enzyme production so that your entire system is primed for food. Ever feel a rumble in your stomach while chewing gum? That’s because your body has been tricked into thinking you’re about to send food down the pipe. Chewing gum can stimulate your appetite for this reason.

what can go wrong?

If you don’t chew properly, some of the symptoms you’ll experience are bloating, belching, and undigested food particles in your stool like corn or leafy greens. These symptoms may also be a sign that you’re eating foods your body doesn’t tolerate.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14