A quick bite to eat on the way to work, a snack or two while pounding away at the keyboard, a little relaxation with a meal while watching the latest binge-worthy show—these are all examples of multitasking at its finest. With a million things to do and only so many hours in a day it oftentimes feels like it’s unavoidable. No, big deal, right? Well, actually it is a big deal when it comes to the health of your gut. 

What’s your gut have to do with it? Thanks to the gut-brain axis, a lot. 

Here’s a startling fact: there are more bacteria in your body than cells. Crazy right? Your gut alone can hold roughly two kilograms of bacteria and other microscopic organisms. Together, over 1,000 species of small organisms live in your gut creating an ecosystem known as the gut microbiome.  

These microscopic organisms fall into one of two camps: beneficial or harmful. 

In the beneficial camp, we find a variety of bacteria that are responsible for several body functions inside and outside of the gut. Inside the gut, they impact how you process your food, your ability to absorb the nutrients from your food, how efficiently you eliminate toxins, and the strength of your immune system.

Remember that gut-brain axis I mentioned at the beginning of this article? Well, thanks to this ever-important connection your gut microbiome influences both your mind and emotions. Here’s how it works, your gut and brain are “hardwired” together by the vagus nerve, connected by about 500 million neurons, and connected by more than 30 various neurotransmitters. What’s more, your gut microflora is responsible for producing certain species of these neurotransmitters. To put this connection in the simplest terms possible, a happy gut influences a happy mind and vice versa. 

So, what does mindful eating have to do with it?

We know how the gut impacts the mind, but how does the mind impact the gut? Let’s answer this question by looking at stress and how it works. Stress “lives” in the nervous system and rears its ugly head in many different ways. The direct connection between the gut and brain provides a highway for stress to head down and wreak havoc on the gut. 

Let’s bring this full circle and look at how multitasking relates to stress and your gut. When you eat while doing something else you are neglecting to pay attention to the food you are consuming and are likely in a state of stress which can cause a variety of issues. Here’s why, when you are stressed your body’s fight or flight response kicks in and the last thing your body is worried about is digesting your food. Rather, it’s focused on keeping you “alive” during this time of stress. In turn, the food that is meant to nourish your body is not getting the attention it deserves to be properly digested which of course can lead to digestive discomfort. 

So what does it mean to practice mindful eating?

It’s just as it sounds, it’s being present with your food, paying attention to what you eat, when you eat, and how you eat. Everything you put in your body impacts your gut microbiome and will either help or harm it. 

Food is nourishment, food is life, and food should be enjoyed and savored. When you eat mindfully you experience food as you should. So, slow down, be present with your food, savor the taste, and enjoy your meals.