The most effective way to resolve digestive problems

One of the concepts hammered in repeatedly at holistic nutrition school was remembering that stress always plays a role in disease. Usually we consider stress to just be mental but it can also be physical or even hormonal. Stress can come from areas that are often overlooked including not exercising, exercising too much, not getting proper sleep, eating foods contaminated with pesticides, and even electromagnetic frequencies in the air.The importance of eating in a relaxed (sympathetic mode) state, free from stress is always underestimated. If you want your body to properly digest and assimilate your foods this is crucial. Like Dr. Ed Bauman says, “You are not what you eat. You are what you assimilate”. You could have the healthiest diet on the planet, but if your body isn't assimilating the nutrients, it wont do you any good.I like to be honest here so I'm going to admit a secret. I didn't believe it. I didn't think that eating in a relaxed state could really alter digestion much.  I believed that digestion and assimilation are due 90% to what you eat and maybe 10% how you eat. So I didn't practice mindful eating at all.Well let me tell you, I should have given this idea a little more attention three years ago because no matter how clean, vegan, paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free, whatever-free I ate, it was really hard to figure out why I still randomly had digestion issues (basically just bloating after meals). Yes they improved somewhat through cleaning up my diet and noticing what foods I was sensitive to, but I really had breakthrough in healing when I gave relaxed, mindful eating a try about a year ago.It all started when I was in Northern California with my sister at a thrift store. I picked up a book called the "Slow Down Diet" by Marc David. I bought it for a dollar hoping it would entertain me on the train ride down to Santa Barbara. I was not expecting this book to change my life the way it did.  The main message is, "how you eat is just as important as what you eat".The same thing I had learned years ago in school. However, it came with testimonies of recovery. This made it more of a proven study than a hippie-dippie theory from my Berkley professors so I began to take it more seriously. David stresses a few main points that I have incorporated into my life, and are game-changers.1. Love and respect your food rather than looking at it as an enemy.I love food, and I am very particular about the quality of foods that I eat. Although these principals are a good, I definitely used to get frustrated if I was traveling or out to eat and there are were no healthy options. Stressing myself out and assuming that foods were going to make me sick can be a self fulfilling prophecy. And it definitely takes any enjoyment out of eating. So in situations where I can’t avoid added sugar or vegetable oils, I have learned to take a deep-breath, practice thankfulness and eat with love rather than become stressed out and fearful. Counting calories, worrying about fat, carbs and everything else also qualifies as not respecting your food, which leads to stress and digestive problems.2. Sit down with your food & focus on eatingThis is a hard one for most Americans as we are so used to eating on the run, in our cars, at our desk or standing up in the kitchen. Many people forfeit eating real meals for continual snacking throughout the day. I was guilty of most of these. No matter how healthy I have eaten over the past years, I very rarely ate sitting at a table without multi tasking. I was usually doing homework, checking e-mails, or eating a sweet potato as I drove to work.Sitting down and focusing on eating is very important for digestion. If you're multi-tasking (which includes eating in front of the TV) your brain doesn't register that you are eating so it can't signal for your stomach to start the digestion process and secrete hydrochloric acid.  I would say this is the most important factor when eating. I notice when I am paying attention to my food, all of the other suggestions just happen naturally. I enjoy my food more, I'm more relaxed and I take my time.3. Slow downTake at least 20 minutes to eat your food. Put your fork down in between bites and breathe. This will help you avoid over-eating as well.4. Enjoy your foodMy favorite point made. In order to stop eating we must be satisfied! Have you ever eaten a really bland meal and although being full, you still seriously craved some ice cream? Well, you're not alone. That's what happens when we don't enjoy our food (or when we deprive ourselves of macro-nutrients like fats or carbs). We crave more! So eat what you're body is telling you it needs. Don't demonize cheese, eggs, butter, or even... sugar. Just choose quality ingredients, eat slowly, and notice when you are full.I've gained so much freedom and healing by practicing mindful and peaceful eating. The first month that I began slowing down and practicing intentional eating I had bloating 2 times! Thats compared to a previous 3-5 time a week. And both times were when I shoved food into my mouth before running out the door.  Seriously, so life-changing.Have you experienced any benefits from changing how you eat? Shared at Fat Tuesday&lovefrom the kitchen