21 - Chew On This

Chewing is an integral part of our experience with food. How we chew has biological and psychological affects on our whole body. After watching the video (link on my episode blog post) by Emily Rosen on the Psychobiology of Chewing I came away with four takeaways: We're designed to chew and crunch. We eat food too fast. When we don't chew properly we put extra stress on our digestive system. Chewing sets in motion a rhythm that affects our entire body. But as much as I'm keenly interested in nutrition and healthy eating, which is a big part of my life, I'm equally interested in contemplating how I "chew on life". To be fully nourished by food we must experience it. We experience it first through taste, through chewing, through that first point of contact in our mouth. So to be fully nourished - emotionally, spiritually, intellectually - by an experience or an idea in our lives, we must first taste and chew it thoroughly as well. Do we take the time to chew on our life experiences and ideas? Or, are we more interested in having the "food" hit our belly so we can move onto the next thing, the next idea? Are we swallowing big bites of life experience and stressing our system to digest and absorb that change? Or are we savouring our life, cultivating a relaxed awareness and gratitude for this nourishment. Join me in the episode as I share secrets of the potato chip industry, consider the physical health benefits of good chewing, and contemplate how we might apply those to other areas of our life. In-depth shownotes, video, crunchy food photos and other resources at Brad Toews.