The Food Fallacy: Why What You Eat Matters More Than You Think.
In the whirlwind of our demanding professional lives, it's easy to fall into the trap of believing that the food we eat doesn't significantly impact our well-being. Your running between meetings and you’ll just have that one take away lunch today, until it’s not just today but tomorrow, and the next day.
It’s doubly easy to fall into believing this fallacy because we don’t tend to see the impact of what we eat on our insides until it’s sometimes too late. At the end of the day out of sight, out of mind.
When in fact, the entire digestive system is actually open to the outside world. Just like our skin. It is actually the outside of our body but inside. Think about that!
Just like our skin the digestive tract is built to absorb nutrients, vitamins and minerals. When we see some wrinkles, some blemishes, some pimples on our skin, we worry and then go out and buy all sorts of products to undo what we see is ‘wrong’. Next minute, we are throwing down a doughnut we bought next to the pharmacy without a seconds thought because we aren’t seeing the damage on the inside and let’s face it, that doughnut is yummy!
Various research has shown that the way your body is (health wise, weight wise, muscle wise) is 80% due to what you eat and 20% due to the exercise you do. Exercise and movement, as you know, are critical in maintaining a healthy body but it won’t make up for what you put into your mouth.
Eating processed foods, fried foods, take aways (even if they seem healthy like sushi) and other on the go meals for most of our time will build up in your body and set the scene for potential chronic illnesses down the path, which none of us want!
So to think that what we eat doesn’t really matter is a real fallacy. You literally are what you eat. Now and into the future.
What can you do to look after your ‘inside’ ?
Here are six key tips you can start right now to help look after your digestive tract.
Be mindful of what you are putting into your mouth. An obvious first one but one that I will point out anyway. Processed foods, sugar, soda drinks, alcohol and fried foods are some no-nos. For some this might also include gluten and dairy or other foods you are sensitive to. As your mother said, eat more fresh vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.
Chew Your Food: This was a super hard one for me. I am the ultimate vacuum cleaner of food! Taking the time to chew your food thoroughly can significantly benefit your digestion. As they say, there are no teeth beyond the mouth to break down your food! Aim to chew each bite around 20-30 times. This practice eases the burden on your stomach and aids nutrient absorption. So start counting!
Activate the Rest and Digest Mode: In our fast-paced lives, it's crucial to give our bodies a chance to enter the rest and digest mode allowing for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. Deep breathing exercises, such as diaphragmatic breathing, can help calm the body and signal its readiness for digestion. Breath deeply into your belly for a count of 4 and breath out for a count of 7 and repeat 3 times before starting your meal.
Portion Control for Optimal Digestion: While it's important to nourish your body adequately, it's equally vital to be mindful of portion sizes. Overeating can strain your digestive system, leading to discomfort and sluggishness. If you clench your fist, look at the back of your hand and that is the amount of protein you want on our plate. Then the same fist in whole grains (if you are eating grains) and half the plate with vegetables and/or salad. Another tip: Get an entrée plate and fill that up rather than a dinner plate.
Stay Hydrated but be aware around meal times: Proper hydration is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. However, water with a meal can slow down the entire digestive process. Why? Because water’s Ph level is 7 (quite alkaline) and our stomach acid used to break down food is incredibly acidic at 1.5-3.5. By adding water we are diluting the acidity of our stomach acid and making digestion harder. So stop drinking 1/2 hour before a meal and wait 1 hour after your meal to allow for optimal nutrient absorption.
Incorporate Gut-Friendly Foods: You know from my previous blogs that looking after your gut microbiome is critical. If you missed it, here it is again. So include probiotic-rich foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha in your diet. These foods introduce beneficial bacteria into your gut, supporting digestion and overall gut health. Then eat fibre rich foods to help keep these beneficial bacteria alive and well.
So remember, even though your digestive tract is invisible to you, it is actually completely exposed to the outside world and its optimal function depends on what you put in your mouth.
Put the mask on yourself first, eat mindfully and thrive again!