Mindset Behind the Meal
Planning balanced meals, creating delicious and nutritious recipes, and feeling confident of decisions for health are only a starting point to walking in wellness. Once you know what and how to eat healthfully, does it stop there?
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 60 to 70 million people in the United States are affected by digestive diseases (1). Commonly, struggles with digestion may lead to a step back for review on what foods have been entering the body. But what happens when healthy eating has been a consistent habit, there is no diagnosis of a digestive disease and there seems to be no culprit to the digestion issues that arise?
Does mindset affect digestion?
Studies show that emotional state can greatly influence the way a body digests food. The gastrointestinal tract is a very detailed system, sensitive to emotions and strongly connected to the hypothalamus of the brain. Emotions are controlled in the hypothalamus in addition to feelings of “fullness” and hunger (2) .
Because the brain and gut are so closely integrated, emotions may evoke physical reactions in the digestive tract. Whether emotions center around guilt, worry, fear, or another form of distress the body will sense it in the gut.
What is a person to do to avoid digestive distress?
Slow down | Perfect the art of slow eating. It takes your brain 20 minutes to send out signals of fullness. Taking your time when eating helps you monitor your intake and leaves you feeling more satisfied.
Eat smaller portions | Try dividing meals into 6 smaller meals through the day. The body will have less food to digest in one sitting and it may aid to better transit through the GI tract.
Drink more water | Water helps the body to dissolve substances, transport nutrients and minerals as well as aid in many biological processes like digestion (3). Experts recommend that individuals consume ½ of their body weight in ounces of water each day.
Does the meal affect mindset?
The brain is said to utilize 20% of the total oxygen and 65% of the total glucose (simple sugar) within the body for energy; a large amount due to the fact that the brain only makes up 2% of the body’s weight (2)! Because of this intense need for energy, the brain supersedes any other organ in the body when it comes to obtaining nutrients from the food that is eaten. So if you’re eating right, odds are you’ll be thinking right.
Top suggestions for brain health
Intermittent fasting | When it comes to brain health, studies show that fasting leads to enhanced detoxification in the body, reduced inflammation and increased production for brain-protective antioxidants. Skipping a few meals, every now and then, can shift the brain away from using glucose as fuel to using fat that is stored in the liver (4).
Minimize the carbs | Eating excess carbohydrates can stimulate insulin production which leads to fat production and reduced ability to burn fat. Research also shows that the brain runs more efficiently on fat than on blood sugar (from carbohydrates) by as much as 25% (4).
Eat fat | Consume foods high in Omega 3 fats such as walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, fish (salmon, sardines, herring…), avocados, grass-fed meats and dairy. Coconut oil provides medium-chain triglycerides which convert quickly into energy to be used as fuel for the brain and also helps to reduce inflammation. As part of a meal, paired with vegetables or healthy meats, it will provide flavor with the added bonus of raising HDL (the good cholesterol) (5).
Next time you sit down to a meal, take time to cultivate a dish filled with brain healthy foods, honor the moment as you consume what’s been prepared, allow your body time to digest and maybe even consider leaving any negativity from your day at the door.
Resting and digesting is truly an art.
What’s next?
Want to savor your meals more? Try adding unique spices, herbs or flavors that are new to you rather than just salt and pepper. Start with fresh Oregano, fresh Dill, ground Cumin or ground Cinnamon.
Click to view our fitness & nutrition disclaimer.
References:
National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Opportunities and Challenges in Digestive Diseases Research: Recommendations of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health; 2009. NIH Publication 08–6514.
Leaf, C. (2019). THINK AND EAT YOURSELF SMART: A neuroscientific approach to a sharper mind and healthier life. S.l.: BAKER BOOK HOUSE.
Perlman, Howard, and USGS. “The Water in You.” Water Properties: The Water in You (Water Science School), water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html.
Perlmutter, D. (2015). Grain brain: the surprising truth about wheat, carbs, and sugar--your brains silent killers. Place of publication not identified: Little Brown.
Hyman, M. (2018). Food: What the heck should I eat? New York: Little, Brown and Company.