Slow Down and Truly Nourish Yourself

7. Apr.
2 Min. Lesezeit

In today’s busy world, it’s easy to grab food on the go and eat while juggling a packed schedule. But eating in a hurry, especially while multitasking, can do more harm to your long-term health than you realise.

When we rush our meals, our body’s stress hormones, like cortisol, can rise, and our digestive power drops. In this state of nervous system overdrive, stomach acid and digestive enzymes may not be produced as efficiently, making it harder for our bodies to break down and absorb essential nutrients.

Hurried eating also often means skipping the simple step of chewing well. Food needs to be broken down both mechanically and chemically for proper digestion. Without thorough chewing—aim for 20–30 chews per bite—nutrients may remain locked in your meal and never reach your bloodstream.

Eating quickly doesn’t just reduce nutrient absorption; it can also leave us feeling heavy, bloated, or sluggish after meals. Poorly digested food may feed certain gut bacteria, creating an imbalance known as dysbiosis.

Over time, rushed meals set up a vicious cycle: impaired nutrient absorption, immune and hormone dysregulation, and chronic stress—all of which can increase the risk of illness.

For optimal health, digestion, and nutrient absorption, it’s essential be in a calm, parasympathetic state, the “rest and digest” mode, when eating. This means mindfully slowing down, taking at least 15–20 minutes to eat a meal in a calm setting. This will also help you to avoid overeating, as when we eat too quickly, the body has less opportunity to recognise signals of fullness. It can take up to 20 minutes for the brain to register satiety.

Eating more mindfully will not only support your digestion and nutrient uptake, but also help you to bring clam to your day, and more mindfulness to your meals, which may also help you to make healthier food choices.

This week, try something simple but powerful: nourish yourself not just with food, but also with the time and presence your body needs and deserves:

Sit down to eat, away from distractions.
Chew each bite thoroughly, at least 20-30 times.
Eat slowly, giving your body at least 15 minutes to refuel in a “rest and digest” state.

At Kathleen Karius Functional Nutrition & Wellbeing, I can help you improve your eating for optimal health. If you’d like to learn more about how I can support you—or your team—with a nourishing consultation or corporate talk focused on long-term health and wellness, please visit my website.

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