Translator: Zsófia Herczeg
Reviewer: Rhonda Jacobs Raise your hand if you've ever eaten
while driving your car. (Laughter) How about while binge-watching
your favorite TV show? (Laughter) Or while working at your desk? (Laughter) Mm-hmm. So I've done all of this
in just the past few days, and from a show of hands,
it looks like many of us are often eating in potentially
stressful situations. Now, feel free not to raise
your hand for this next question. But how many of you are suffering
from or have suffered from gas, bloating -
(Laughter) heartburn or constipation? (Laughter) Some show of hands, all right. (Laughter) Well, know you're not alone out there. We've got some brave folks out there. And have you ever wondered why? These common digestive complaints may actually be related
to eating while stressed out. And just because they're common,
does not mean they are normal. Physiology is the study
of the normal workings of the human body. So the question becomes: How do we return
to normal digestive physiology, and why is this an important pursuit? We spend a lot of time
concerning ourselves about the perfect diet. But really, we all know what that means: eat healthy, nutritious food. But how much time do we spend
thinking about digestion? After all, the body should just
take care of it, right? Digestion can be defined
as the breakdown of food which allows for
the absorption of nutrients. Now you've all heard
"you are what you eat," but that's not quite true. You are what you absorb. What's the point of eating healthy food
if we aren't also optimizing digestion? Where do you think digestion begins? In the mouth? In the stomach? Close your eyes for just a moment. Take a deep breath, and imagine a bright yellow lemon
in front of you on a cutting board. You take a knife.
You slice the lemon in half. You pick up half the lemon.
You squeeze the juice into a glass. You pick up the glass and you take a sip. Now open your eyes. Most people will report that they began
salivating or puckering their mouth with just the thought of the lemon juice. (A bottle drops) (Laughter) So now, where do you think
digestion begins? In the brain. Let's say we took the time - (Laughter) to create or purchase
this highly nutritious salmon salad: rich in healthy fat, protein
and fiber, vitamins and minerals. In order to increase the chances that we're going to absorb
these nutrients, we need to turn on the normal
physiology of digestion. Just by thinking about this delicious meal stimulated saliva
and stomach acid production. By the time we get
that first bite in our mouth, enzymes in the saliva are ready to begin breaking down
the healthy fat from the salmon and the carbohydrates from the salad. Chewing each bite carefully
increases the chances that we're going to absorb
these nutrients later on. After swallowing, we arrive
at the stomach, which secretes - stomach acid. And unfortunately, stomach acid
does not get its due credit for all the amazing functions
it performs for us. Beyond protecting us from potential
bacterial or viral invaders in our food, it is essential for breaking down protein, and unlocking minerals in our food
to be absorbed later on. We depend on well-digested protein from sources like salmon
to balance our blood sugar and to build neurotransmitters
and hormones that elevate our mood and give us energy. We need access to the rich sources
of minerals found in those salad greens - minerals like iron to prevent anemia, magnesium to help us cope with stress, calcium to build strong bones. And incidentally, salmon
is a rich source of vitamin B12, which is uniquely dependent
on stomach acid for absorption later on
in the small intestine. Vitamin B12 is a critical nutrient. It supports our neurological function,
protecting both memory and mood. Next, the partially digested food moves
from the stomach into the small intestine, where over 95% of nutrient
absorption will take place. But in order for this to happen, the pancreas and the gall bladder
must work their digestive magic. The pancreas secretes
multi-purpose enzymes to further break down protein,
carbohydrates and fat. And the gall bladder secretes bile. Much like stomach acid,
bile is simply underappreciated. Bile helps pull
the healthy fat from our food, food like salmon and that salad dressing,
in order to be absorbed. Don't take offense when I say
that you are all big fatheads. (Laughter) And I'm one too. Over 60% of our brain is composed of fat. We need dietary fat to think,
to balance our blood sugar and to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and K,
rich in those salad greens. These vitamins power our immune system
and protect our bones. In the large intestine,
our fiber-rich salad will serve as an additional meal
to our friendly intestinal bacteria, who in turn provide
numerous benefits to us, like boosting metabolism,
balancing hormones and synthesizing vitamins, like vitamins K for strong bones
and biotin for healthy hair and nails. Dietary fiber is not just
about preventing constipation. We need to feed our friendly,
health-promoting bacteria with lots and lots of fiber. Assuming we are well hydrated
and fiber-full, rhythmic contractions of digestion
will lead to elimination, and that brings us to the end
of our digestive journey. Or does it? I mentioned earlier that if we're going to make
the investment in healthy food, don't we want to increase the chances that we're going to absorb
those nutrients? Well, I left out one key piece, and that is our entire digestive system is regulated
by our nervous system. Our sense of stress at mealtime
exerts a powerful force on these nerves. So what happens to digestion
when we're feeling calm? Let's call it the "rest-and-digest" state. The answer: normal physiology of digestion. Saliva, stomach acid, bile
and pancreatic enzymes are all released. Rhythmic contractions in the intestines
gently move the food along. We eat, we digest,
we absorb, we eliminate. And we just maximized
a highly nutritious opportunity. But what happens to digestion
when we're feeling stressed out? Let's call it the "fight-or-flight" state. In essence, the entire digestive system is inhibited, which can negatively affect
the nutrients we absorb, and can contribute
to common digestive complaints. When we eat while feeling stressed out, we are less likely to think
about the meal at hand, let alone on chewing. We then send poorly chewed food
down a tube to a stomach that is not optimally primed with acid to break down protein
or to unlock minerals from the food. And this can lead to an uncomfortably
full feeling in our stomachs. We have a protective gate
at the entrance of our stomach that blocks acid from going upward, preventing symptoms of what
we commonly refer to as heartburn. And sadly, some of our most favorite
foods and beverages, like coffee, chocolate and alcohol can all contribute
to a dysfunctional gate. Being overweight can place
added stress on the gate. And a heightened "fight-or-flight" mindset
can enhance the symptoms of heartburn. So while there are serious diseases that do require the use
of acid-blocking medication, the indiscriminate use of these drugs
over a long period of time can be nutritionally risky, and can increase the chances of a calcium
or vitamin B12 deficiency as well as poor protein breakdown. In the small intestine, stress inhibits the digestive function
of the pancreas and the gall bladder. Opportunistic bacteria
can then take advantage of the poorly digested food and decompose and ferment it for energy,
creating gas as a by-product, and this can lead to the common
but not normal complaint of bloating after a meal. If the gallbladder is inhibited
from releasing bile, this can lead to significant
digestive distress, including loose tool, and we just reduced our chances of absorbing those beneficial
fat-soluble vitamins. Stress inhibits the normal contractions
in the large intestine, and you combine that with dehydration
and a low-fiber diet, and we end up with symptoms
of constipation. So it becomes quite apparent - [BON APPÉTIT]
(Laughter) moving on to the helpful stuff - It becomes quite apparent
that it would serve us well to stimulate our "rest-and-digest"
nervous system before mealtime. And there are simple,
effective ways to do this. First, take a few deep breaths
before mealtime. This is a powerful way to move ourselves
into the "rest-and-digest" state. Practicing slow, deep belly breathing physically engages the primary nerve
that influences digestion. Deep breathing is not
some poorly thought out, overly simplified recommendation. It's based on human anatomy
and physiology. We really can improve our digestion
through deep breathing. Next: Chew your food until it liquefies and then swallow. Not only does chewing
accomplish the obvious, of mechanically digesting the food, and not only does it allow for the saliva to properly lubricate the food
for easy swallowing, but it also prolongs the time for all of our senses to get turned on
to the meal at hand. And finally, say words
of gratitude before mealtime. In my home, some evenings,
dinnertime can look like this: my husband or I
recently get home from work, we scramble to create a healthy dinner, we attempt to capture
our two small children, and sit down at the dinner table, and by this time,
one child's throwing food, and the other is attempting escape, (Laughter) and it can feel chaotic. But we choose to hold hands,
and say words of gratitude because it brings a moment of stillness
and focus to the task at hand, which is to nourish ourselves
with good food. By taking the time to relearn
the normal physiology of digestion, we're inspired to support it,
not suppress it. Our mindset at mealtime
does influence digestion, ultimately affecting
the nutrients we absorb, and in essence, who we become. Optimal health requires paying attention
not only to what we eat, but how we eat. Thank you and bon appétit! (Applause)
