Let's CHEW on it!

The first of a series of blogs inspired by the twelve-month Full Body Systems course I am taking by Andrea Nakayama. Our first month was devoted to the Digestive System so here I am, starting from the beginning…Chewing.

Frequently, my husband and I watch TV while having dinner. I love suspense movies or anything to do with espionage and spies. I am usually either perched at the edge of the couch crouching over to reach my plate of dinner on the coffee table or leaning back against two cushions that support my back. Quite awkward positions, but until recently, I didn’t notice.

Sometimes I sense myself gulping down some hardly chewed mouthful of food. I only realize this because my esophagus is sending distress signals to me as the lump of food tries to slide down the tube. I pause just long enough to let the food make its unhappy voyage; blinking a couple of times, I continue with the movie without skipping a beat. This process only takes a few seconds, but the ramifications for the long- or short-term are significant and not good.

Do you suffer from indigestion, heartburn, gas, or bloating? Do you go to bed feeling like you’re three months pregnant after dinner yet you might wake up with a flat stomach? Ever wonder why you are tired or listless? Are you having trouble with stubborn pounds that you just can't seem to lose? Do you feel like you should pound on your chest to get the food down? I do!

Now that I am learning more about the Digestive System, I am finding simple ways to address all these things and more.  I just have to share with you!

First, I must point out that it isn’t watching TV while I am eating that is messing me up, though that doesn’t help.  It’s the inhaling of food that’s the problem; it’s the lack of chewing.

Let me explain. When we pick up food with a fork and put the food in our mouth, magical things start to happen. Chewing wakes up our body and turns on the digestion process. Enzymes are released as saliva begins to flow. Chewing reduces the size of the food particles, coats it with those enzymes from our saliva which also acts as a lubricant for a smooth journey into our stomach, and to increase the surface area to be coated with enzymes for digestion.  

The more we chew, the better. I am reminded of a saying my husband often repeats “good starts lead to good finishes.” This proper chewing is a good start for the digestive process. And the longer the food stays in our months, the easier it is for the rest of the system to do its job. 

Good chewing means the stomach doesn’t have to work as hard. When we use less energy to digest our food, there is more energy to be used somewhere else. So, we also CHEW for more ENERGY! Chewing expels air from the food particles we eat. This lessens gas, bloating and reduce abdominal pains caused by indigestion.

Did you know that our gut has 100 million neurons, 500 million nerve cells, and 20 types of neurons? The gut is 14 meters long (length of a tennis court) and 400 square meters when unrolled. That’s a huge, and essential, part of our body. When it is overworking, we know it!!

And lastly, conscious chewing, slowing it down, helps us to appreciate (the visual presentation, taste, texture), enjoy and savor all of the flavors of the food we are eating. There is a 20-minute lag between when you eat and when you feel satiated, and your stomach realizes that it’s full. Chewing more can avoid the digestive discomfort and unwanted weight gain due to overeating.    

So, let’s start chewing!