If I had to guess, I would imagine many folks are just like me. You have an idea that it’s better for your health to eat while sitting calmly rather than in front of a screen or while working or driving; but who the heck has time for that? However, the ‘better for your health’ part of eating mindfully and without distraction is multifactorial, has been researched extensively and is FASCINATING.
First, let’s talk about digestion. The sight and smell of food starts the cephalic (Latin: pertaining to the head) portion of digestion. Your body responds by initiating the secretion of saliva in your mouth, acid in your stomach and enzymes from your pancreas. All of these are critical steps in digestion. Digestion is the process by which material is physically and chemically broken down, starting in your mouth. Once the food is broken down, you can absorb micro- and macronutrients to be used for fuel, repair, and various metabolic processes in your body. As it turns out, distraction and stress can affect how well you digest your food AND how much you’re able to absorb.
An older but beautifully simple study from 1987 showed that stress can reduce the amount of water and nutrients absorbed from a drink. In this study “dichotomous listening” – which is listening to a different input in each ear, was used to simulate a busy person trying to complete multiple tasks at once. The very same individuals were found to have absorbed less nutrient and water from an electrolyte beverage when being subjected to dichotomous listening than while at rest (non-distracted). In short – you get less good stuff from your food when you’re trying to eat it while also trying to do 10 other things – heck, even ONE other thing. So, how does stress even relate to digestion and absorption?
The autonomic, or unconscious, portion of our nervous system is broken into three parts: our sympathetic nervous system (aroused, alert, fight or flight), our parasympathetic nervous system (slow down, rest and digest) and our enteric nervous system (responsible for controlling the digestive system, the gut-brain). If we are feeling stressed in any number of ways, our sympathetic nervous system diverts energy and attention away from digestion and absorption. When we are distracted or stressed while eating, gut movement and digestion are less effective, causing a problematic domino effect in our digestive system and our body as a whole.
Our digestive system - mouth to anus - is meant to function as a smoothly orchestrated series of events and moves in one general direction. When this slows and digestion is ineffective, unhealthy gut bacteria can build up (think SIBO, dysbiosis), and poorly broken down food starts to irritate our gut lining (think inflammation, leaky gut) or is passed through to the large intestine where the breakdown products cause gassy build up (think abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea).
Research into the importance of mindful, non-distracted eating is plentiful. A review article from 2019 highlights the interaction between stress and digestion and how mindful eating can improve stress related gastro-intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and acid reflux, among others.
I see patients almost every day who have concerns about their digestion. In the world of integrative and functional medicine, many folks are aware that innumerable symptoms and health conditions have their root in gut dysfunction. Some conditions are obviously related to gut health: heart burn and indigestion, frequent abdominal pain, IBS, constipation, and diarrhea. Other symptoms such as allergies, eczema, joint pain, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, depression and many more also require a deep dive into gut health.
When symptoms occur, one of the first questions often is – can we figure out WHICH foods specifically are causing your symptoms? Depending on where someone is in their health journey and especially if they are not a high risk for significantly disordered eating or an eating disorder, I have worked with patients to cautiously move through an elimination trial to test which foods may be contributing to their symptoms. When we talk through an elimination trial, I stress the importance of doing it mindfully. Keep notes about what foods are cut out and when, how you feel without those foods and how you feel when you carefully reintroduce foods.
You might be thinking – can’t I just do a food sensitivity test as a shortcut? The short answer, is no. My opinion is fairly unpopular, but blood testing for food sensitivities can have false positives and false negatives. I’ve done these personally and for patients, but plan to move away from this as I feel very strongly that research does not support using antibody food sensitivity testing for meaningful results.
There are certain foods that are inflammatory for many people and in any given person, there may be certain foods that don’t work for their body. However, you cannot skip the first step, which is learning to be mindful about eating. You have to slow down. You have to think about what you’re eating and IF you’re feeling hungry and if so, how hungry. You have to taste your food, chew it, and breathe between bites. If you want to support your digestive health, you first have to give it a head start by using all the tools your body has to maximize digestion and absorption.
Mindful eating is a hard one for me and I feel compelled to be completely honest. I talk about mindfulness with patients, but it is beyond time for me to walk to the walk, and not just talk the talk. This week, while writing this post, I tried to be present for every bite of food that I put into my mouth. I sat in one place while eating and stayed away from my computer, tablet, and phone. I had to actively suppress feelings that this was a major waste of time; I could be writing notes or responding to patient emails! I’ll freely admit that I was not successful for every meal, but I absolutely noticed that I felt better when I was mindful.
There is so much more I would like to add, but only one more vital point. Being mindful while you eat can be, in and of itself, stressful for individuals who struggle with body image, a history of an eating disorder or disordered eating, and long-term dieting. Be gentle with yourself. Consider seeking the guidance of a certified intuitive eating counselor.
Eating, while only eating, is time well invested in your long-term health. You may experience fewer problematic digestive symptoms and as you’re more in tune with your body’s needs and hunger cues, you’ll be giving your body the right amount of food it needs at that moment and optimizing your ability to process it. Then, if you need a trial of removing food groups, you will have a much deeper sense of how your body is responding.
Trust your body.
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