A Summer Slimdown Secret...

We're getting ready for summer and all the awesome things that come with it-- backyard feasts of barbecued meats, crab and shrimp, farmer's market veggies, homegrown tomatoes, watermelon juice dripping down your chin, frozen treats, frosty drinks and, yes, splashing in whatever refreshing water we can find.

The splashing part often inspires us to trim off some winter excess so that we fit into swimsuits and clothes that're, well, less. If you're on a mission to look your best for summer, there's something you can do to help things along and it's absolutely free and totally painless. Ready to uncover the big secret?? S L O W. D O W N. Huh? What does that have to do with weight management and who has time for that? I hear you. Let me explain. A few things happen when we're rushing around all the time. Your body becomes stuck in "fight or flight" mode, releasing adrenaline and other stress chemicals that interfere with your sleep, mood, focus and appetite. (Have you ever noticed that you're hungrier the day after a night of little or no sleep?) Now, stress chemicals like adrenaline are helpful when you're in an emergency situation. (The prehistoric example is being chased by a saber-tooth tiger). Since no real predators exist for us today, what stresses us are things like dysfunctional relationships, traumatic events, sick kids, overscheduling, deadlines, and even an over-full inbox. The problem is that these chemicals are meant to be released short-term. When the threat is gone, we're supposed return to "rest and digest" mode, which is your parasympathetic nervous system kicking in. In "fight or flight" mode, your body shuts down digestive functions. That's because digestion is the biggest stressor our bodies face every single day. It's extremely labor- intensive for your body systems to digest the food we eat. Even more so if the food is crap. When your stress chemicals never turn off, they become corrosive to your system. Your body can become fatigued just from processing them. In a domino effect, they can change which hormones are released, which impacts your sleep, which, in turn, wreaks havoc on your appetite and mood. This also makes your body highly inflamed and prone to fatigue, weight gain and even sickness that can progress into disease. The good news is this cascade is reversible. So, how can you slow down? It can seem like a Herculean task to reduce the stressors in your life, but all you have to do is tackle one thing at a time. For our purposes today, let's focus on digestion. What's the value of slowing down your digestive process, you ask? Well, they are many. For starters, slower digestion enables better quality digestion. That means easier extraction of nutrients so you can actually make use of all of those good foods you eat. Slower digestion also allows for you to eat with less resulting gas and bloating. And, as you take your time with eating, it's easier to register feelings of satiety so you end up eating less. That means that you can lose weight and better manage your weight over the long haul. Let's assume you've planned some good, whole food meals. You've composed your plate so it's mostly full of vibrant vegetables. Those are 2 beautiful strategies to help you lose weight and improve your health. Now what are a few ways you can slow down your digestive process to have even more success? 1) Take a seat. When you sit to eat, you have better blood flow to the digestive organs. You also slow the digestive process, which helps reduce the occurrence of gas and bloating. Slow digestion improves nutrient absorption. You tend to eat faster while standing and faster eating usually means --you guessed it-- eating MORE (often without realizing it). As an added bonus, sitting around the table with family and friends allows you to socialize and connect, which makes eating more fun. (Fun fact: There's some evidence that sitting cross-legged on the floor is even better for your digestion. It stimulates the nervous system in your gut and helps move food along more effectively. Google delivers a few interesting articles on additional benefits of this practice). 2) Take a moment to bless your food. The digestive process actually starts in your brain when you start thinking about food. What happens when you think about your mom's meatballs or your grandmother's chocolate cake? Your mouth actually waters. That saliva has enzymes in it that begin the chemical part of the digestion. Saliva is formulated to break down food while you're chewing. The more broken down your food is, the easier it moves through the rest of your digestive tract. That translates into better nutrient absorption and easier processing all the way down the line from mouth to, ahem, toilet. 3) Chew thoroughly. If saliva and enzymes are important parts of chemical digestion, then chewing is a key mechanical component. Chewing increases the surface area of the food you've eaten so the enzymes have more access to it and can break it down better. As we've already explored, better digested food means happier belly and better nutrient absorption. Chewing your food well also slows down your eating, meaning you'll likely register feelings of fullness and eat less. This simple step can have a significant impact on your weight loss goals. Remember, the assumption that you're eating really good whole foods is key. The GIGO principle is real. Garbage In = Garbage Out. Translation: the quality of food you eat is a factor in how well your body runs.

Take a few weeks to implement these habits and note how you feel. Leave a comment below about how slowing down has worked for your weight loss goals or even your general health. And stay tuned. We'll address other strategies for slowing down in upcoming posts.

I hope you those 🍅 and all the other beauties this summer unfolds for you.