Digestion
Posted on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 1:39 AM

I hope you are well. Our digestive system is an amazing part of the great package we were each given at our birth. If you are like most people you have probably taken it for granted, until you suffered some indigestion symptoms like burning in the chest, bloating, or cramps in the gut. Then suddenly it has our attention. It probably would be better though that as we are giving thanks for the food we eat we acknowledged the digestive system that starts working as soon as we smell that food , and enables us to receive the energy and other nutrients it contains into our blood stream in a way that sustains us. The body actually uses a lot of energy to digest food , that is why some foods make the body feel worse after we have eaten it , because it takes more out of the body to process and deal with it than it gains.

This is one of the reasons its best to not eat when we are highly distressed. It is one of the bodies survival mechanisms mediated by the autonomic nervous system from when we had to deal with lions etc that we needed to suddenly have to deal with. The body would allocate its resources to being able to escape from that lion. You needed to think and move quickly , because if you didn't the lion would get you and what you had just eaten!! Digestion was not the priority. But here is the crunch if you think there is a lion in your present environment the body will do the same thing.

So please settle your stress response before you eat. Even 3-7 mindful breaths letting go of all worries and frustrations can make a huge difference to your digestive processes.

More next time, which will be after I have attended the upcoming UN-NGO/ DPI health Conference in Melbourne. Fortunately for me I have an opportunity to attend and be part of an exhibitor team.

Warm regards Tracy