🧠 Mindful Munching: Why Chewing Well = Thinking Well

✍️By Oralia Acosta | WBN News | 2 Aug 2025 | Click HERE for your FREE Subscription to WBN News and/or to be a Contributor.

Mindfulness starts in the mouth.

In our go-go-go culture, chewing has become a lost art. We inhale food between meetings, eat standing up, or multitask our way through meals. The result? Poor digestion, low energy, and foggy thinking. This is what happens when we "inhale"our food.

But chewing — slow, thorough chewing — is where digestion begins. Saliva contains enzymes that break down carbohydrates and signal the stomach to prepare for food. When you skip this step, your gut works harder, and your brain gets less fuel. And often we end up feeling bloated, and with an upset stomach.

🌀 Chew more, think better.
Chewing well activates the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” mode that calms stress and sharpens clarity. It’s like yoga for your mouth.

💨 Pre-Meal Breath Ritual:
Before your first bite, pause. Take 3 slow, deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Let your shoulders drop. Feel yourself land in your body. This simple reset signals your nervous system that it’s time to digest, not defend.

💡 Try this:
• Put down your fork between bites
• Aim for 20–30 chews per bite
• Close your eyes for the first two bites — and just taste
• Avoid ice-cold drinks during meals (they weaken enzyme activity)

💼 Business Tie-In:
Leaders need fuel, not just food. Mindful munching sharpens your ability to listen, make decisions, and stay grounded during high-stress moments. It’s not about eating perfectly — it’s about being present.

Your brain and gut are in constant conversation. Chewing well — and breathing deeply — ensures they’re speaking the same language.

#MindfulMunching
#ChewToThrive
#DigestAndLead
#GoldenNourishCollective
#OraliaAcosta
#NutriliciousLiving