How Can Mindfulness Improve Your Digestion?

Introduction to a Meal Meditation

We are what we eat – there is no doubt. But we are only as happy as our digestion is healthy. As with many other things in life that we take for granted, when digestion functions well, people don’t pay attention. A happy person will never tell you that they are happy because their stomach is working properly. But someone with chronic constipation, bloating, acid reflux, or diarrhea will start to appreciate those rare times when things are going well in the belly. Happy belly – happy me!

As Vassant Lad, the founder of the only Ayurvedic Institute in the US, said at one of his workshops: ‘It is a very sad day when you can’t go to the bathroom first thing in the morning.” Ayurveda considers healthy digestion a cornerstone of health. No matter how many greens, superfoods, and supplements you are eating: if they are not digested and absorbed properly, your body doesn’t benefit from them.

Image courtesy of DIY Health

There are many variables that effect digestion, especially assimilation and elimination. Temperature, texture, origin of food and drinks, as well as environment that we dine in, the way it was prepared, and the way we chew everything. However, there is one all-encompassing factor that can be help anyone to figure out what works and doesn’t work for your digestion.

We all have unique bodies and giving general guidelines, while somewhat helpful, will never serve as a substitute for personalized prescriptions. The easiest and the fastest way to make friends with your belly is to get to know it. You can’t be friends with someone that you don’t know anything about! Becoming true friends takes a lot of listening. We have to listen to our bodies, learn to decipher the feedback that they give us, and implement that feedback in our diet and lifestyle.

Our bodies talk to us in sensations and feelings. When you have a cup of light warm soup, your stomach will let you know that it feels warm, while your body will experience elevated energy level. Similarly, when you have a slice of avocado,  it might feel soothing and cooling in your stomach and grounding in your body. While having a coffee or a strong tea may create a sensation of movement in the belly (some will even experience an urge to go to the bathroom) which is accompanied by a quick spike in jittery energy.

Understanding your body and its language takes some practice but the end result of understanding your reactions to foods, allergies, cravings, and food intolerances is well-worth it.

Mealtime mindfulness meditation is a great starting point. Meal-time meditation or just shifting your attention to the stomach while you are eating will enhance digestion the same way as listening attentively to a lecture will help you understand a subject better. We tend to get better at any activity if we are present – digestion is not any different.

Here is how to do it:

• Before taking your first bite, sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take a few full deep breaths keeping your entire body relaxed. Bring your attention internally. Mentally scan your body from toes all the way to the crown of your head and relax any tense points that you find. Then observe the way your stomach feels: whether it is empty, full, bloated, uncomfortable, or light and hungry. Try to mentally determine your hunger level: how much food would make you feel happy and energized not sleepy or sluggish. Imagine how you want to feel after you eat and what kind of food will bring this feeling. Your body is very intelligent and your natural cravings will help you maintain a perfect balance of energy and avoid mood swings. For example, it is natural to crave hot spicy food or soups during cold weather or salads in the summer.
• Once you know that you are hungry, take time to eat without rushing to swallow the entire plate at once. Quite often we are too busy to take a break to eat and keep doing other things while chewing through lunch. Even if you must eat sitting at the computer, spare some attention to notice the colors, flavors, and smell of what you are eating. After each bite, place utensils back on the plate until you finish chewing and swallow the food. Every movement and brain activity requires blood circulation, including digestion. Our digestion requires up to 60% of our circulation and energy but if you are busy doing something else, there won’t be enough to digest food properly. By bringing our attention to the stomach after a meal and taking a few breaths, you will allow for enough blood flow for the digestive system to work efficiently.
• After you are done eating, take a moment to relax. Sit comfortably and observe your breath. Bring your attention to the stomach and take a note of how it feels (full, stuffed, happy, heavy, still hungry…). It is crucial not to make any judgments! Whatever you ate is already in your stomach and you can’t take it out. So if you feel stuffed, blaming yourself won’t do you any good besides inhibiting digestion with negative emotions. Just try to remember how “stuffed” feels and then bring it back during your next pre-meal meditation so you don’t overeat again. Relax the stomach and take a few more deep breaths massaging digestive system with every inhale and exhale. Expanding stomach on the inhale and slightly pressing it in on the exhale will bring in more fresh blood to the digestive organs.
• If you feel heavy or too full, sip some warm herbal tea with cinnamon, ginger, or just hot water with lemon. Any hot liquid will enhance blood circulation in the stomach, as well.

If you would feel more confident following video instructions, let me know and I will record Mindfulness meditation video:). Just let me know in the comments section.

Cheers to a happy belly!

Nadya

Nadya Andreeva is a yoga instructor and wellness coach who grew up in Russia in a family of doctors. Nadya grew up practicing yoga and learning about different healing approaches in Russia, India, and later all over the US. Trained in yoga therapy and ayurveda, Nadya works to create a wholesome path to wellness through yoga classes, personal wellness coaching, and nutrition workshops. Her articles on yoga and nutrition are featured on MindBodyGreen, Modern Hippie Mag, Crazy Sexy Life and YogaCity NYC. She holds an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from New York University and hopes to eventually bring her holistic approach to wellness into the corporate world. Follow Nadya’s blog Spinach and Yoga and twitter @realyoganyc to receive fun wellness tips.