If you are somebody who suffers with digestive troubles, I urge you to look at how you are eating.

Do you swallow your food after only a couple of chews? Or do you take the time to eat, in a relaxed environment, away from distraction?

What you may not realise is that digestion in fact begins in the mouth.

We do not have tiny teeth in our stomachs, and our mouths are a crucial part of the digestive process.

In our mouths, we need to take time with each mouthful of food and chew it thoroughly.

The term is also known as mastication, and involves breaking down the food into smaller pieces, to make the process much easier for when it moves down the oesophagus into the stomach, and so on.

Whilst we chew, the saliva in our mouths provides enzymes, which are teeny tiny molecules that help us to digest our food. We have many different enzymes and some are specific to the digestion of a certain nutrient.

Taking the time to chew our food thoroughly ensures that adequate enzymes reach the food and that it is broken down into small pieces. This means there is less demand on the stomach, which would have trouble digesting the food if not chewed efficiently.

So when you have your next meal, try and stay mindful about how much you chew it!

Be mindful. Live well. Glow.