Health Benefits of chewing your food well

by Ms Anju Mathur Dementia Consultant and Aging Well Consultant Awarded 2019 Volunteer of the Year Award for Hornsby & North Western Sydney as a Dementia Consultant

Though it is true that we are what we eat, it is equally also true that we are also how we eat. Experts advise to chew your food at least 32 times before swallowing. Some foods that are harder to chew may require up to 40 chews per mouthful – such as steak and nuts and some fruits like watermelon may require 10 to 15 chews to break down. Chew your food slowly and steadily; chew until your mouthful of food is liquefied or lost all of its texture and finish chewing and swallowing completely before taking another bite of food.

There are health benefits associated with chewing food many times at a slower pace. Doing this can reduce overall food intake and give a fuller feeling than eating fast and eating more food. Research shows that chewing food slowly also reduces tendency to snack on sugary snacks later in the day. People who don’t chew their food well enough before they swallow often develop digestive problems, and are also at a greater risk for aspiration, choking, malnutrition.

5 healthy Food hygiene tips to start nourishing your body:

1. Take your time when eating – chew at least 32 times before swallowing and remember that your saliva plays a huge role in breaking down food. 2. Avoid drinking liquids 15 minutes before or after any meal and allow your stomach the space and time needed to absorb the nutrients digested from your meal. 3. Sit Down to eat your meal as this can help relax you and aid good digestion. 4. Take a moment before eating and taking Ten Deep Breaths before eating will help put your body in the right state for good digestion. 5. Smell Your Food – The simple act of smelling your food will switch your salivary glands on and get your stomach ready for the meal you are about to enjoy.

And always remember that our digestion process starts with chewing. Not when the food is in your stomach and making simple changes to our chewing habits can be effective in overcoming several health problems.

Please continue to have regular health check up with your General practitioner if you have any health concerns/or stomach disorders.

MEDITATION AND MENIFESTATION

By: Sanjivini Kalsi

1. Cleanse, ground and balance yourself and protect yourself in the usual way, then sit in a comfortable chair with both feet flat on the floor.

2. Close your eyes and breathe deeply in and out three times to relax. With each out - breath, feel any tension ebbing out of you. With each in breath, feel peace and harmony entering your body.

3. Now imagine that you’re standing in a favourite place in nature. It could be a special beach,; a favourite stretch of countryside or a wonderful garden.

Feel yourself standing there. Completely tune into your surroundings.

Hear or see the birds singing, listen to the crash of the waves or the murmuring of the wind though the trees.

Really be there.

4. When you are completely immersed in your surroundings, look around you. Notice there is a wide river close by, and that a bridge crosses it. The river is too wide for you to see the other side without crossing the bridge. Begin to walk over it. taking note of what it looks and feels like. Listen to the sound of the river flowing beneath the bridge.

5. Cross the bridge to the other side of the river. At the bottom of the bridge is a gate. Open the gate and walk through it (closing it behind you) into beautifully peaceful surroundings. A head of you is a house where your relative or ancestor lived. If you don’t know what this house looked like, trust the image that comes to you. See the house in all its details. Notice the roof and the chimney. Look at the windows and doors. Walk towards the house and enter the garden that lies in front of the house. Look at the plants in the garden.

6 . There is a large, old apple tree in the front garden. Your relative is sitting in a chair, for you. It looks comfortable and inviting. Greet your relative warmly, as you would have done in life, and thank him for meeting you.

If you never met while the relative or ancestor was alive, politely introduce yourself and explain why you have asked for this meeting.

7. Sit down and begin your conversation with your relative, listen to what is said, and write it down, if this is appropriate and you receive the information in the former of words.

8. When your conversation is over, thank your relative and say goodbye to him.

Walk out of the garden towards the bridge and the gate at the foot of the bridge. Open the gate and step through it, making sure that you close it behind you. Hear or see it shut. Walk across the bridge until you reach the other side, then return to your starting point in the beautiful surroundings you chose.

9. Now begin to count backwards from five. With each number, your are gradually becoming more alert and aware of your surroundings. By the time you have counted down to one, you are completely awake and back in your chair.

10. Open your eyes, stretch your arms and legs, wiggle your fingers and toes.

MENIFESTATION

Life gives opportunities & our desires are endless. Let’s be happy in receiving whatever is for our highest good.

Your words have power!!

Instead of saying this “I can do this “say “I will or I’m doing this.

Believe it until it manifests for you.

Don’t over think how it will happen. Don’t worry about how it will happen. Just believe in it. Believe in yourself. Allow it. Trust it.

Three simple steps:

Ask Believe Receive To attract what you want.

#affirmation : I give thanks that this or something better is in the Divine flow of my life and is manifesting perfectly for me now according to the Divine will of the Universe.