Little Step No. 2
What to do
Before you pick up your knife and fork,
pause to notice your breath.
Why this step works
You are not just what you eat, but rather what you eat, digest and absorb. And this year, perhaps more than ever, it’s important to know that you’re getting the most out of the food that you put into your body.
Digestion is where food is broken down into its tiny individual parts so they can be transported (absorbed) across the gut wall and from there, used as building blocks to support immune health, energy production, sleep, hormonal balance and so much more.
When you pause to focus on your breath before a meal, even just for a moment, this can help to shift your nervous system from a sympathetic to parasympathetic state. This shift is vital if you are to get the most from your food. The parasympathetic is often called the ‘rest and digest’ state, and crucially, amongst many other restorative roles, it helps to stimulate digestive processes.
In contrast, when you are stressed, rushed, worried, on the go, or busy dealing with other things whilst eating, it is the sympathetic or ‘fight or flight’ state that is activated. Energy is diverted away from digestion and towards other parts of the body such as the muscles instead. This is fine as a one off, but if rushed, stressful, meals on the run have become the norm, perhaps it's time to consider how you might do things a bit differently.
So this little step may sound simple but is quietly very powerful. It is gently designed to help you get the most out of your food. Every single aspect of your health from your immune system to your hormones will thank you for it. Next time, before you pick up your knife and fork, pause to notice your breath. Can you take a deep belly breath and watch your abdomen rise and fall before you start to eat? Try it once. Notice how you feel. The potential health benefits when you start to approach meals like this, are widespread.
Robert Poynton