When pursuing body composition or health goals, most of our attention goes to what we eat. After all, the nutritional content of our food directly affects those outcomes. But there’s another crucial factor that often gets overlooked: how we eat.
While what we eat is relatively straightforward—the composition of an apple doesn’t vary much between individuals—how we consume that apple can significantly impact its effects on the body. Our eating behaviours, the environment we eat in, and our internal state during meals all play a deep and often underestimated role in digestion, absorption, and overall health. We are not just passive consumers of nutrients—we are intelligent systems that digest, absorb, and utilise what we eat.
The digestive system includes the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, intestines, and colon. It’s not just a food processing or waste management pipeline—it’s a complex communication network.
Our gut alone houses over 100 million neurons, creating a direct communication line to the brain via the vagus nerve. It’s constantly receiving, processing, and sending information to and from the body, adjusting itself to our current state. It doesn’t operate in isolation—it responds to your thoughts, feelings, stress levels, and environment.
The body is incredibly adaptive. It prioritises functions based on what it perceives as most important in the moment. Just because you’re eating doesn’t mean your body is actively digesting.
If you’re stressed or distracted—locked in fight-or-flight mode—your body diverts energy and blood flow away from your gut. This suppresses digestive function, reduces enzyme production, and limits nutrient absorption. So even if you're eating a “perfect” meal, your body may not receive the full benefit if you're in a sympathetic (stress) state.
To get the most from your food, you must be in a state of rest, presence, and calm. That’s where how you eat comes in.
In today’s fast-paced world, eating has become a background activity—done while working, scrolling, or watching TV. But digestion deserves your attention.
Start by asking yourself:
Eating a meal can take as little as 10 minutes. Carve out that time without distractions. Be fully present. By doing so, you support your nervous system and improve your connection to your food.