We used to have a saying in school: "HEAL THE HOLE". Because so much of one's overall health depends on taking in nutrients, assimilating, digesting and absorbing them in order to have optimal health. Digestion truly is the key to being well and vital.
Did you ever hear that digestion actually starts in the mouth, not in the stomach?
Well guess what? Neither of those places is where the mighty and imperative digestive process can and should begin.
Digestion actually starts in the eyes and in the nose. Yes, I said the eyes and the nose. "What?" you say? We have something known as the "cephalic phase" of digestion. Cephalic literally means "of head". You see, if food is appealing to the eyes (having a bright beautiful color to it) and to the nose, (exuding an intense aroma) our digestive juices start a swirling. The cephalic phase responses have been extensively analyzed in the research literature.
The release of small messaging molecules that is critical for digestion, such as cholecystokinin, somatostatin and neurotensin, have been found to increase by over 50% just by the mere sight and smell of food. WOW! 50%!
Now, don't ignore the mouth, because that is incredibly important to digestion. Research has shown how chewing, as well as the activation of taste receptors in the mouth, can prompt the nervous system to relay information to the gastrointestinal system to expedite the process of digestion.
So for amazing health and energy, slow down, prepare your colorful, aromatic food, and get your digestion ON.
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