Volume 1, Number 7 • April 2011
Habit #7:
Chew Your Food
Fact: Most people don’t chew enough.
In the earlier habits, I taught you what to eat. (Because you are
what you eat.)
Today, I want to teach you how to eat. (Because the saying is also
true: You are how you eat.)
Why is that so important? Remember: If your digestion is healthy,
your body is healthy too. And digestion starts in your mouth, not in your
stomach.
The Taoists have this saying: Drink your food, chew your water.
What does this mean?
What does “Drink your food” mean? When you chew your food,
chew until there’s a liquid consistency.
When you do that, you’re allowing your saliva’s enzymes—the
life force of your physical body—to combine itself with your food. The enzymes predigest the food. One health
teacher said, “The enzymes also imprint on the food your identity so that your immune system welcomes the food
as a friend and not as an enemy.”
And what does “chew your water” mean? When you drink, don’t gulp it down. Let it sit in your mouth and
allow the saliva to join with it before you swallow. Again, by doing that, you’re allowing your enzymes to join
itself with your drink. (Note: This is especially true with semi-solid food. Just because a particular food is soft
doesn’t mean you can wolf it down.)
Five Fantastic Benefits of Chewing Well
I couldn’t believe the incredible benefits of chewing. Chewing your food well gives you these five
blessings:
1. Chewing helps your body avoid all sorts of simple health problems. Obviously, you avoid blocking your
air passageway. You avoid indigestion. You avoid constipation. You avoid reflux or heartburn (which
injures your esophagus). According to some studies done in the US, about 44 percent experience reflux
or heartburn at least once a month, 20 percent have it every week and 7 percent suffer from it daily.
2. Chewing predigests your food. The enzymes in your saliva does this. When food isn’t digested well,
not only is your body shortchanged because it doesn’t get the nutrition in the food, undigested food
also causes bacterial overgrowth in your colon. Not nice!
Disclaimer:
Neither the author, the publisher nor any of their respective affiliates make any guarantee or other promise as to any results that may be obtained from using this Report.
No reader should make any health decision without first consulting his or her own personal physician and conducting his or her own research and due diligence. To the
maximum extent permitted by law, the author, the publisher and their respective affiliates disclaim any and all liability in the event that any information, commentary,
analysis, opinions, advice and/or recommendation in this book proves to be inaccurate, incomplete or unreliable or result in any detrimental health condition.
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Volume 1, Number 7 • April 2011
For example, the enzyme ptylin is released only in your mouth.
No other part of your digestive track has this enzyme. Ptylin is
important to breakdown carbohydrates, such as grains, veggies,
beans, fruits, bread, noodles… If you don’t chew well, the other
enzymes down your digestive track won’t be able to digest
these food very well. Even if you eat the best organic food, if
you don’t chew well, you don’t maximize the nourishment from
your food. What a waste!
3. Chewing increases food alkalinity. This reduces the acidity of
the food you’re eating. Remember, if your food is highly acidic,
your body has to get minerals from your blood and bones—
which make your bones weaker.
4. Chewing makes you eat less. The hormones responsible for
your sensation of fullness (leptin, ghrelin and cholesystokinin) will “tell your brain” that you’re full
only after 20 to 40 minutes after digesting your food. By chewing longer, you’re giving yourself time
for that message to reach your brain.
Result? You’ll eat less, and overweight people will lose weight.
5. Chewing gives you more energy. Here’s why: When ptylin, the enzyme in your saliva, breaks down the
carbs that you eat, it produces glucose right in your mouth. This gets absorbed by your blood stream,
which becomes blood sugar or energy. If you eat good quality carbohydrates (veggies and fruits), all
your organs are supplied with the best blood sugar available.
6. Chewing may lessen allergies. Some people’s food allergies are caused by weak digestion. I don’t
believe in taking medicines if there is a natural solution. For those with allergies, try this out: Chew
your food well. (Obviously, you need to eat the right food we teach here at 52 Healing Habits Program.)
And see what happens.
How to Chew Well
How do you know if you’ve chewed enough?
One health book said one should try to chew 25 to 50
times—depending on what food we’re eating—before we swallow.
I tried counting my bites when I ate—and unfortunately, it
took away the joy of eating. I told myself, “There must be a better
way.”
And I discovered a better way.
I now follow this simple rule: If I can still tell the kind of
food I’m eating by its texture, then I need to chew more.
For example, if you’re chewing a broccoli, and if you
run your tongue on the broccoli and can still feel the difference
between the stalk and the “flower” of the broccoli, then you need
to chew more.
Chewing well fits nicely with my life philosophy…
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Volume 1, Number 7 • April 2011
Enjoy Your Meals—and Your Relationships
Relationships are very important to me.
At the end of the day, it’s what makes life happy.
And I forge my relationships during mealtimes. I love
breakfasts, lunches, and dinners—even snack times—because I can
spend time with the people that I love.
I’ve noticed that since I started prioritizing my relationships,
I don’t rush my meals anymore. It’s almost a sin to do so.
I now enjoy long meals with my family and friends. I love
“wasting” time with the people I love.
I now realize that God gave us meals not only to nourish our
bodies, but to also nourish our relationships.
When you schedule your meals, set aside one to two hours
for this beautiful ritual of life.
Taste Your Food without Distraction
People today like eating while watching TV.
Or reading the paper.
Or playing on an Ipad.
If you want more peace in your life, I suggest you set aside the gadgets
and gizmos. Let your meals be a quiet, peaceful, undistracted experience of
nourishment and taste.
Don’t just eat your food.
Enjoy your food.
And in every bite, be grateful to God.
You’ll notice your body relaxing.
You’ll notice stress and tension draining away from your soul.
You’ll notice yourself smiling more.
You’ll notice various sicknesses leaving your body.
You’ll notice lovely joy taking over your being.
Let me end with the way I began. Remember the Taoist’s saying: Drink
your food, chew your drink.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
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