Leena Mahtani
Your stomach has one job during meals, but your brain keeps giving it side quests.
When you eat while scrolling, working, or watching TV, your nervous system stays in multitask mode. This keeps your body in a low-level stress state, diverting energy away from digestion. Your gut literally can't focus when your mind is everywhere else.
Skip multitasking at meals. When you're fully present with your food—actually tasting it, chewing slowly, noticing textures—you activate your parasympathetic nervous system. This is your body's "rest and digest" mode, where all the magic happens: enzymes flow, nutrients are absorbed more efficiently, and your gut bacteria receive the optimal environment they need.
Notice this: you can taste the difference between a meal eaten mindfully versus one wolfed down while distracted. Your digestive system feels that difference too.
Presence is a digestive superpower because it transforms eating from a background task into an active partnership with your body. Your gut responds to attention with better function, less bloating, and improved nutrient absorption.
The next time you sit down to eat, try this simple experiment: put the phone away, turn off the TV, and just be with your food. Your microbiome will notice the difference, even if you don't immediately.
Thanks for reading!
