Everyone Knows What to Eat, But Not How to Eat

Everyone knows what to eat these days, but no one teaches how to eat properly.

Despite knowing about calories, charts, superfoods, and lists, why do digestion, sugar levels, and weight still get disturbed? The problem is not in food choice but in eating behaviour.

1. Fast eating = Stress eating

When you eat in a hurry: - The digestive system goes into "alarm mode" - Acid secretion increases - The fullness signal is delayed

Result: bloating, acidity, weight gain

2. The brain takes 15–20 minutes to realize the stomach is full

This is a scientific fact. But we finish our meals in 5–7 minutes.

This means eating continues even after the stomach is full.

3. Chewing = the first digestion medicine

If each bite is chewed 15–20 times: - Saliva enzymes activate - Stress on the stomach reduces - Sugar spikes decrease

Eating without chewing harms digestion.

4. How long should a meal take?

Ideal time: 20–30 minutes Less than 10 minutes = risk zone

These rules apply to: - Diabetics - Obese patients - Acidity / IBS - Heart patients

5. Common symptoms of fast eating (sound familiar?)

- Heaviness after meals - Burping / bloating - Gas - Sudden sleepiness - Unpredictable sugar levels

This is not a food problem but an eating behaviour problem.

6. What is Mindful Eating?

Mindful Eating means: - Sitting down to eat - Turning off mobile/TV - Chewing each bite - Slowing down

This is not a diet but a shortcut to improve metabolism.

7. How to instill this at home and in children?

- The rule: "First sit calmly to eat" - TV-free dinners - No shouting “Eat slowly,” lead by example - One meal together as a family daily

If this habit forms in childhood, it benefits for life.

Healthy eating is not about fancy diets or superfoods.

Slowing down eating reduces the speed of diseases.

Science says: - Fast eating increases insulin resistance - Slow eating improves glycemic control - Chewing improves the gut-brain axis

My opinion: We change our diet, but if we don’t change how we eat, results don’t last.

Let’s discuss: How long do you take to finish your meal? Write in comments.

Follow + Learn + Practice + Share = Stay Healthy

Dr Ravindra L. Kulkarni, MD, DNB, FSCAI (Cardiology) Just For Hearts