When it comes to increased health, it’s not just what we eat, but how we eat. Digestion actually begins in the mouth, where contact with our teeth and digestive enzymes in our saliva break down food. But these days most of us rush through the whole eating experience, barely acknowledging what we’re putting in our mouths. We eat while distracted—working, reading, talking, and watching television—and swallow our food practically whole. On average we chew each bite only eight times. It’s no wonder that many people have digestive problems.

There are many great reasons to slow down and chew your food. Saliva breaks down food into simple sugars, creating a sweet taste. The more we chew, the sweeter our food becomes, so we don’t crave those after-meal sweets. Chewing reduces digestive distress and improves assimilation, allowing our bodies to absorb maximum nutrition from each bite of food. More chewing produces more endorphins, the brain chemicals responsible for creating good feelings. It’s also helpful for weight loss, because when we are chewing well, we are more apt to notice when we are full. In fact, chewing can promote healing and circulation, enhance immunity, increase energy and endurance, improve skin health and stabilize weight.

The power of chewing is so great that there are stories of concentration camp survivors who, when others could not, made it through with very little food, by chewing their meager rations up to 300 times per bite of food. For most of us 300 chews is a daunting and unrealistic goal. However, you can experience the benefits of chewing by increasing to 30 chews per bite. Try it and see how you feel.

Taking time with a meal, beginning with chewing, allows for enjoyment of the whole experience of eating: the smells, flavors and textures. It helps us to give thanks, to show appreciation for the abundance in our lives and to develop patience and self-control. Try eating without the TV, computer, newspaper, or noisy company. Instead just pay attention to the food and to how you are breathing and chewing.

This kind of quiet can be disconcerting at first, since we are used to a steady stream of advertising, news, media, email, and demands from others. But as you create a new habit, you will begin to appreciate eating without rushing. You have to eat every day—why not learn to savor and enjoy it?

Brown rice, with its sweet nutty flavor, provides four times the amount of insoluble fiber found in white rice because it is a whole grain that has not been stripped of its natural bran covering. It contains an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals such as concentrated B vitamins (which helps nervous systems and mental depression), niacin, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and even some vitamin E. This whole grain also contains a small amount of high-quality protein in the form of the amino acid Lysine, which helps boost the body’s ability to fight viruses, especially those that cause cold sores.

In each grain of brown rice exists a matrix of whole, unrefined energy and nutrition. It is a complex carbohydrate and therefore burns slowly in your body, providing a steady stream of long lasting energy while increasing your brain’s levels of serotonin, the chemical responsible for the feeling of well-being. Those who consistently eat brown rice report steady energy and an overall feeling of calm and balance in their daily lives.

For brown rice and whole grains in general, the majority of digestion occurs in the mouth through chewing and exposure to saliva. For optimal nutrition and assimilation, it is vital to chew your rice well

Prep Time: 3 minutes Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

I had a blast teaching a four-part nutrition series at the Adult School of Montclair this fall. My classes on Beating the Sugar Blues, Kick the Caffeine Habit, Great Grains and Glorious Greens were well attended and enthusiastically received. I'm working on my winter/spring speaking schedule, so watch future issues of the newsletter and my website for dates of upcoming classes, with new topics including Healthy Transition to Vegetarianism and Nutrition for Beautiful Skin.

Are you a member of a civic/religious/social group welcomes up-to-date, accessible and enlightening health and wellness information? If so I'd love to talk with you about doing a presentation. Contact me at 973.944.4878 or shininglifenutrition@gmail.com

Do you want to improve your eating habits, feel confident in choosing and preparing better food for your self and your family, find balance in all areas of your life, and experience a lasting increase in your energy? Not sure where to begin -- or how to stay on course? As a Holistic Health Counselor, I am committed to being your guide and advocate on the path toward health and vitality. I can help you clear away the clutter of old food and lifestyle habits so that your best self can shine out to the world. Working together, you'll learn to tune into your body's innate wisdom, find clarity about what really nourishes you, and move closer to the balance that's essential for accomplishing all that you came here to do. Please contact me for a complimentary one-hour consultation.