Can Turning Meals Into Breath Sessions Improve Digestion?

Whether we’re simply enjoying every last crumb of our meal, or trying to eat quickly as duties call, many don’t realize that digestion is affected by how we eat.

It all comes back to the gut and how the gastrointestinal tract behaves under certain eating practices. The intake of food is the very beginning of the gut’s function and therefore sets in motion the processing of remaining steps in our digestion cycle.

The Bite-Breath Cycle

This is where breathing can make a difference. A breath session while eating might be able to help with digestion if a person regularly experiences overeating, lack of fulfillment, slow metabolism, or indigestion.

Benefits of Breathing Exercises While Eating

The benefits of breathing exercises during eating are rooted in their tendency to ensure that eating is a conscious act. Savoring food doesn’t just feel good. It’s good for you. Inhaling deeply between bites establishes a mouth to mind connection that tells your brain: I am eating, I am fueling myself.

Taking in each bite physically and mentally while pumping oxygen promotes easy digestion. It also ensures that you chew your food more carefully, breaking it down to a level that aids with the later digestive process, giving the organs a break.

This consciousness can also provide early insight if a particular food doesn’t agree with you. Eventually, you will be more mindful of how your body is responding as you take in food. Some even say breathing can help decrease your body’s inflammation.

When it comes to stress eating, another cause of overeating, taking breaths between bites can have a balancing calming effect that will regulate your heart rate.

A Note from GR8NESS

Always be careful while chewing and incorporating breath exercises while eating. Make sure to master the art of breathing before trying while eating.