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How and when you eat can be as important as what you eat.
So, you are eating organic, local, and seasonal. Healthy right? Maybe not as much as you think. If you are inhaling your healthful eco-friendly meal while darting through rush hour traffic, reading e-mail, or watching your favorite nighttime drama on TV, you might as well be indulging in that donut you passed up this morning. The reason is that proper digestion and the absorption of nutrients are affected by the hormonal and chemical balance in our body.
Intrinsically, we all know that whole foods, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains are best for us. But in our hectic modern lives, we often put more focus on what to eat, rather than the manner in which we consume our food. Just as we need time to prepare our bodies for a restful night’s sleep, preparing our bodies for eating will not only enhance the experience, it will improve our health through optimizing the nutrition that our food provides.
Here are some suggestions to help you get started:
Slow Down
We are a society of fast food eaters. Our food is not only made fast, but consumed fast. By consciously slowing down–eating more home-prepared meals and taking the proper time to eat them–the delayed gratification causes us to appreciate and enjoy our food even more. Chewing slowly also aids in faster digestion and a reduction in gas and bloating.
Prepare Your Body, Mind & Spirit
Maintain proper posture and breathing while eating. Washing up or changing clothing before a meal has been a ritual in cultures around the world for centuries, as is saying a prayer or blessing. These traditions demonstrate respect, reverence, and appreciation for both the meal itself, and the person who made it (which may be yourself).
Prepare Your Space
It's a shame that candles, linens, and fine china are usually reserved for guests or "special occasions." Make everyday special by incorporating quality dishware and place settings into your mealtimes. Even brown bag lunches can be more enjoyable, and eco-friendly, by replacing your plastic with metal and other aesthetically-pleasing, reusable materials. Fresh air, sunshine, and beautiful surroundings can also enhance mealtimes.
Avoid Distractions
Eating in a quiet, peaceful, and comfortable environment allows you to relax and focus on the process of eating. You may discover a new love of food as you become more aware of the flavors, textures, colors, and aroma of your meals. Conversations during a meal can be enjoyable if the topic stays positive. Eating alone can also be a pleasurable, and sacred, experience.
Develop a Rhythm
When eating in accordance to our body’s natural digestive cycle, we are able to more efficiently absorb and process nutrients, and fully eliminate food debris and toxins. Eating fresh, raw fruit in the morning assists in the process of elimination, while eating the majority of our calories from about noon until 8:00 pm gives us the fuel and energy we need to get through our day. Refraining from food at night gives our bodies time to assimilate nutrients and rest. Many people find an increase in energy as a result.
Carefully Combine Foods
Pregnant women may have a hard time with this one but the rest of us might want to consider it. Indigestion is a common result of improper food combining. Fruit is ideally best when eaten alone and on an empty stomach, or at least 15 minutes before a meal. This is because it requires very little digestion and is processed by the body very quickly. Animal foods, on the other hand, take stronger stomach acid to break them down and they stay in our bodies much longer, so they are better eaten with vegetables or alone. Starches digest well with non-starch vegetables but some people report problems when mixing starches with animal protein.
Each one of us is very unique, as are our individual lifestyles and circumstances. What may work for one person may be a disaster for another. Experiment with these tips and find what works best for you. Be bold and express your own unique nutrition style.
Dena Smith Givens writes on behalf of NaturallySavvy.com about how to live a more natural, organic and green lifestyle.
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3 Green Foods to Keep Your Digestive System Running
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