Key to Being…

“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”

~ Walter Hagen

The slow food movement originated in Italy in 1986, and Slow Food, a non-profit, eco-gastronomic organization was officially created in 1989.  The antithesis of fast food, Slow Food is focused on reminding people of local foods, where they come from, their different tastes and how we affect the rest of the world by what we eat.  I encourage you to check out their website and calendar of events.  They have offices in France, Japan, USA, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK.

Reasons to favor slow food:

• A new appreciation and love for where food comes from and its tradition of preparation.
• Your senses will be awakened and you’ll start to taste things you haven’t tasted before.
• You’ll become a defender of biodiversity (good karma!), as you’ll be eating more of the traditional grains, vegetables and other foods that are disappearing with the invasion of mass production and processed foods.
• Whole, fibrous foods take longer to digest, so that sugar enters the blood stream more slowly.  This helps regulate bowel movements and eases all digestives issues.
• This won’t come as a surprise to you, but the list of common ailments caused by inappropriate diet is a mile long.  Start by slowing down when you eat, become aware of what you eat, how every bite tastes and feels and how your body feels as a result.  Then  it will be much easier to switch to healthier foods.

Reasons to eat more slowly:

• Better digestion. Digestion starts in the mouth with saliva breaking down food.  Eating more slowly allows additional production of saliva, which saves the stomach some of its digestion work.  Chew until the food becomes near-liquid and put your fork down between bites.
• Happy intestinal tract.  Eating more slowly lessens the chance of swallowed air, which causes gas build up and bloating.  ¹
• You will actually taste more if you chew more slowly.  Eating is a great pleasure and you are denying yourself a simple and inexpensive luxury by inhaling your dinner.  Not to mention the grumpy digestive tract you’ll have to deal with.
• Lose weight. You are a lot less likely to overeat.  It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register that you are full and have eaten enough.  Eat slowly, and you’ll be able to listen to your body more easily.  This is one of the safest ways to lose weight.  ²

If your body is healthy, it becomes much easier to achieve a healthy mind and spirit.  If the body is in pain, uncomfortable or loaded with toxins, it will interfere with your best efforts to achieve peace, happiness and any other goals in your life.

So take your time…and savor the delicious slowness of life

References
¹ Bloating, Belching and Intestinal Gas: How to Avoid Them
² Proof That Eating Slowly Curbs Appetite