Focus on your plate

Let's try recollecting our lifestyle before this pandemic a bit. We were all in a hurry-burry track, overlooking stuff that really mattered to us. One such thing is our dietary plan. I always wonder at people who skip their morning breakfast stating their tight schedule as a reason. Some people, go on an extra mile and skip food for a whole day by engaging in their works. I feel really sorry not for those people but for their intestine. Not just for their intestine but for the trillions of organisms inhabiting in it as their host. Our gut is not just a digestion factory, it holds a lot more stuff than we think.

Photo by Jamie Matociños on Unsplash

Our body is actually a symbiotic system benefiting and getting benefited by microorganisms in us. In fact, comparing the cell count, these microorganisms are ten fold times more in number than our own body cells. This diversity of microorganisms, especially those inhabiting gut(gut microbiota) are more essential for our regular metabolism, to an extent it also controls our emotions and influences our mood. No wonder the enteric nervous system in our gut is called second brain because of its actions not depending on our actual brain. If we fail to show even a little bit of respect to this master, it is for sure he would wage a war against our body.

The diversity of gut microbiota is essential for well-being of our body. To maintain its diversity, we should make sure our meal includes a variety of nutrients and we are having our diet at regular time intervals. Complex molecules like fibrous food are break down into simpler ones for our consumption by these factory workers . Every time you swallow your meal Improper intake of all the essential nutrients and fibrous food will reduce their count drastically. These micro saviours let us know when we've had enough nutrients thereby providing a feeling of satiety and preventing us from obesity and its related cardiovascular and diabetic disorders. Moreover, our mood is more regulated by our gut. About ninety percentage of happy chemical - Serotonin is secreted by the gut. Remember the feeling of contentment you get after having a tastiest Briyani? Also, never forget the moment you yelled at someone in your hungry mood. For the well being of our gut and us, it is also essential to provide them with a quality content.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Let's put aside the technical terms and focus on eating process

"You are what you eat and how you eat"

Using the five senses:

In our usual busy life, we are not actually eating. We are gobbling things without feeling its taste. But the actual eating process should involve all of our five senses for the complete absorption of all the nutrients from the diet.

• Observe the appearance of your food

• Inhale the complete smell of your diet

• Try mostly eating diet using hands by feeling the texture of the meal.

• Chew well and sense the taste of your food

• This may sound weird but you can also hear food-the tone and texture of the food like crispy, crunchy etc ..

The disinterest we feel towards food or feeling of not attaining satiation even if it is a scrumptious meal is because we are more distracted by staring at screens while eating. We never use these five senses put together while eating which would help in processing the nutrients needed by our body in a great manner. Even if you are a professional multi-tasker or a busy bee, there is no need to prove your skills here. Try concentrating this 20 minutes only on your food. And look how energetic and active you are!

Also, Keep it in mind, it the quality that matters the most than the quantity. Eat when you are really feeling hungry; Say enough when you feel satiated. Thanks to our lock-down period, we've got a plenty of time in our hands.

Never rush; savour your every meal!

Happy eating!