Weight gain and indigestion: the just rewards of eating and running

My eating habits were driven by being a labor and delivery nurse, where you quickly learn to eat fast or not at all. Research continues to say that's a bad idea; here's why.

Click here for the latest article. Summary:

1. If we typically eat in less than 20-30 minutes, our brain is unlikely to get the message we’ve had enough, leading to overeating. Studies continue to indicate that people who eat fast have higher rates of obesity and metabolic disease, and the slowest eaters are least likely to be obese.

2. We also are more likely to swallow more air, leading to bloating or indigestion…you know post-Thanksgiving style.

3. Not chewing slowly compromises good digestion, so we don’t get all the nutrients we could from food. Digestion actually starts in the mouth with saliva—food needs to spend more than 4 seconds there to benefit.

4. Hurriedly-swallowed food can get stuck in the esophagus. I’ve seen that; it’s not a pretty thing. For one thing, it can result in a huge emergency care bill.

5. Fast food is high in carbs and has a softer texture than protein, so it is often eaten more quickly and is particularly easy to overeat.

And what we’re doing while eating makes a difference in how well we’re concentrating—or not—on eating slowly. Reading, on the phone, watching TV—all of that feeds in (so to speak) to eating too quickly.

Tips to slow down eating:

• Don’t get over-hungry; when you’re famished, it’s harder to eat slowly.

• Think about what you’re doing at the beginning of a meal. Focus on eating more slowly.

• Try eating with your non-dominant hand or eating with chopsticks.

• Chew more than you usually would. Swallow each bite before preparing the next bite on your fork.

• Sip water regularly during the meal.

• Sit down and eat off a plate rather than over the kitchen sink, in front of an open refrigerator or out of a takeout carton.

• Focus on the food: how it tastes, smells and looks.