It’s 6pm after Thanksgiving dinner…how do you feel?
Stuffed? Bloated? Uncomfortable? Sick?
It’s all too common to let ourselves eat too much, too quickly on this much anticipated meal. The result is that infamous Thanksgiving “food coma” that we all blame on the rich food.
But is it really the food itself, or is it how we eat it?
So much of how we feel after a meal has to do with what happens after we eat.
With these tips, you’ll be able to walk away from Thanksgiving dinner feeling comfortable and satisfied.
Here are Molly’s 4 top tips to improve your digestion to enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner.
Tip #1: Chew Your Food. We know this sounds silly as you’re probably thinking “well, of course I chew my food”. But we mean REALLY chew
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Not only do you physically break down your food by chewing, but digestive enzymes in your saliva begin to chemically break down carbohydrates and proteins. The more you chew, the more you mix these enzymes with your food and kick start the digestive process.
Tip #2: Put your fork down between bites. Similar to tip #1, the idea is to slow down. While we all know that slowing down to eat is a good habit, it can be hard to put into practice (especially when we’re hungry or it’s a special meal like Thanksgiving) Getting into the habit of putting down your fork in between bites and allowing yourself to chew and swallow before picking up the fork again will help you eat slower and more mindfully.
Why it works: According the psychology of eating, slower eating means faster metabolism. When we eat too fast, the body isn’t able to fire up digestion, absorb nutrients or correctly moderate hunger hormones to signal fullness.
Tip #3: Start with something sour or bitter. If there is any food that is naturally sour or bitter (think citrus vinaigrette, bitter greens like arugula or vegetable stalks) eat those first. Alternatively, you can create the same effect by taking 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar before