As a Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist, I am always looking at the whole person to get as complete a picture as possible with regards to health and wellness. Of course, what you eat is important, but where you eat, how you eat, who you eat with (if anyone) also have an impact. Those of us who share a hearty meal with family or friends are more likely to do so in a ‘rest and digest’ state, and in doing so, more likely to derive not just enjoyment but also better nutrient extraction from our food. In today’s culture of eating on the run, at desks, or sometimes skipping meals, it is sometimes hard to make time for a shared meal.

Community meals have grown in popularity in recent times as a way of addressing social isolation and to regain at least a little of the tradition of eating together. Shared plates in restaurants are also trending, perhaps again, nodding towards a desire to ‘break bread’ with companions. Consider how often you share a meal. Is it once a day, a week or less often than that? If you are a mostly solo eater, it might just be one of the missing ingredients of your health plan.

Also consider how you eat. Do you take time to chew each mouthful with awareness, exploring tastes and textures, or do you wolf things down in less time than it takes to describe what’s on your plate to a passer-by? As we age, digestive capacity diminishes, and digestion starts in the mouth with the mechanics of chewing and enzymes for breaking down starchy carbohydrates in the saliva. There is a school of thought that recommends chewing as many times as you have years alive. Have you tried this? Once your reach your middle years or older, this can be a real challenge!

Taking time to cook food also comes with benefits. The smells from cooking starts to stimulate appetite, and also gets those gastric juices flowing in anticipation. If you’re rushing to eat a plastic-wrapped sandwich, you’re just not going to experience the digestive priming needed for optimal nutritional release.

Eating mindfully is also a growing trend. Many of us distract ourselves at mealtimes with screens of different kinds. If we do this, we are more likely to eat quickly and we may be watching something stressful, in which case, we will most definitely NOT be in ‘rest and digest’ mode. Really paying attention to food can pay dividends for our health. I am the first person to put their hand up and say that I am terrible for screen use while eating, especially if I am on my own. I am planning on having a no-screen at mealtimes week, to see what eating mindfully does for my own digestion!

One final thought, feeding our souls can be just as important. Pursuing an activity that gets you into a state of ‘flow’ where all other thoughts are banished such as playing a musical instrument, singing or art, can be wonderfully relaxing. Singing is especially good as it helps strengthen the gut-brain connection through the vagus nerve. More on this in a later post.

TOP TIPS for calm, nourishing eating:

• Try eating at least one meal a day with another person.
• Aim for a community or communal meal with several other people once a week
• Put screens away and listen to music while eating instead
• Chew thoroughly, paying attention to textures and flavours
• Prepare aromatic food that really get the juices flowing

If you have any other suggestions, I’d love to hear from you so please comment below. For any queries about how to optimise your health, please email me at jop.naturalnutrition@gmail.com.