Is prayer good for your health?

Science is now backing what our ancestors knew intuitively: there is a practical aspect to tradition and ritual.  

I am a terribly fast eater. And I’m equally bad at setting the tone for a relaxed meal. Historically everyone starts eating while I’m scrambling to grab water and napkins. My internal landscape in the kitchen is in some kind of chaotic flow. I’m not relaxed when I serve food, and that inner state comes with me once I sit down to eat. If I’m being totally honest, I have a hard time relaxing in general. These are deep rooted patterns, fed by years of working in the food industry. Many of you who have worked in restaurants over the years have also shared you struggle to eat slowly. 

This year I am making a concerted effort to slow down for the benefit of my nervous system. When it comes to mealtimes, I’ve now passed down my bad habits to our whole family, which makes the task at hand seem even harder. Instead of just imposing a new ritual, I shared with them my struggle, showed videos about why I want to change (you are four times more likely to have metabolic issues just by being a fast eater) and asked them for help slowing our meals down together. I’m not the only fast eater and my attempts to change are benefitting us all.

My water fast last year taught me about how sensitive our digestive system is.  Our stomach and intestines need us to eat slowly and mindfully in order for them to do their job properly. If you are generally distracted, multi-tasking or too married to clock time, it’s impossible to track the body well. 

One of the habits I am trying to change along these lines is waiting until we’ve all sat down to begin eating. This simple shift (that many do naturally) has had a profound impact on how I feel at dinner. My work as I eat is to continue to tune in to my body. Additional, we try to remember to say some words of gratitude before we do. It turns out that gratitude and intention to eat mindfully set the stage for a meal that is optimal for our digestion and nervous system. I’ve always loved sitting down with families that say grace but struggled to make that tradition my own. In following the cues of my body, I was able to find a way to this ritual that feels authentic. Taking in the food for a moment before eating releases digestive enzymes and gets the body primed for the incoming nourishment. This is the practical component of prayer, and what our ancestors knew intuitively in slower times. 

 I lose the thread often, but I keep at it.  If the conversation gets heated, I put my fork down. I am trying to chew more slowly and thoroughly. And the small wins keep me inspired to get to my goals for eating slowly: taking at least 25 minutes to get to fullness. I’m still eating too quickly, but I am making progress and noticing the results, some unexpected. Mealtimes are more enjoyable. The kids want to help me more than they want to mind me.  I didn’t realize how much I was jacking my nervous system up by a lack of structure and ritual. Ritual is a moment of pause, of listening, of taking turns. My daughter has become masterful at saying our mealtime prayers. She is genuinely connecting with her gratitude & it is a joy to behold. 

While this might seem like a small thing if you are dealing with food intolerances, an auto-immune disorder or mysterious symptoms you suspect are related to food, don’t overlook the small details. For some, nervous system regulation is the missing piece to complete their health mysteries and finally start to feel better.

We all know that eating slowly is good for us. Some of us are naturally slow eaters. But there are a million things that are good for us. How do we know which habits to adopt? The secret is in your own longing and your symptoms. What is your body asking you for? More slowness? More vegetables? More enjoyment? Pick the deepest longing and start there. It’s amazing to see the cascade of benefits that come from following just one simple thread of our needs. 

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