I used to shovel it in at breakneck speed for many reasons, including my work schedule/environment and having to grab and growl if I wanted to eat at all, and also from living many years not knowing where my next meal would come from, if it came at all, so once food was available, I felt I had to scarf it down before someone else snatched it away. Not to mention, the greasier, the sweeter, and less healthy it was, the more my body painfully craved to have it shoved into my face as fast as possible because that addictive taste the companies pay highly for had me hooked like a mofo.
However, after a medical scare two years ago to this day that forced me into a drastic lifestyle change regarding what I consume and surround myself with in an attempt to avoid the surgical knife, I've since learned that the digestive and elimination processes begin with how well we chew our food (should be chewing every bite until it's in liquid-form - like 20-30 times per bite - I even chew my juices and water to get the digestive enzymes kicked into gear), and I learned that our stomach doesn't have teeth to finish chewing what we so often and so quickly woof down in big chunks, and that we're only creating more uncomfortable issues as we mindlessly go along, and we're slowing down the processes of healthy digestion and elimination when we do that. I don't remember anyone in school ever teaching those things. Hmmmmm..........just the opposite, in fact. Here kids, eat your meat and potatoes and drink this milk while you do, as it does a body good and stuff. Then have some fruit for dessert. Ummmmm......no thank you, now that I've learned what all that does to my innards.
Being more mindful of what I choose to chew on and how much I chew it has made a huge positive difference in my overall health. Learning about food combining (shouldn't combine meat and starch, shouldn't eat fruit after other food groups, etc.) and not drinking with our meals (only 20 minutes before and/or 20 minutes after and only about a cup's worth with the meal) helped a great deal, too. I took it even further and eliminated meat, dairy, eggs, caffeine, and alcohol. Feeling healthier, lighter, and full of more energy than I ever recall in my 49 years of existence. We've been misled and misfed for a long damn time. I still struggle with the various taste bud addictions and the desire to woof it all down. The food system is designed that way, unfortunately.
