I am not sure if you have thought about it, but the way we eat food is as important as what we eat.
Lots of digestive disorders, intestinal problems, bloated tummy, stomach ulcers, stomach pain or nausea come from an inappropriate way of eating.
Here are some simple rules you can follow to avoid these problems.

1. Be relaxed when you eat.
When you are stressed your body releases adrenaline which shrinks the blood vessels. This is not good because the stomach mucous membrane that protects your stomach from hydrochloric acid, which is created when you eat food, cannot rebuild due to lack of blood. This causes stomach and duodenal ulcer.

2. Eat slowly
Dedicate a time slot for eating. Even if you are swamped with work, your body is number one to be taken care of. This will secure needed blood in your stomach to digest your meal correctly. When you are in a rush, the adrenaline pumps the blood to your muscles instead.

3. Chew every bite.
For proper digestion it is crucial to mix food with saliva. The enzyme in saliva will dissolve one of food’s components, starch. This will also help further the digestion process.

4. Eat big breakfast.
By big, I mean nutritious, full of vitamins, minerals, fibre and healthy fats.
Breakfast should cover 1/3 of daily caloric needs.
If someone does not feel hungry in the morning it means they had a late dinner.
So have an earlier and lighter dinner and a proper breakfast that will boost your body with sustainable energy to achieve your goals during the day. It will also improve your concentration and memory.

An idea for breakfast:
fresh juice: orange, carrot, apple, ginger
smoothie: apple, banana, parsley, chia seeds, fresh cucumber
Cooked millet with dried figs and agave syrup or honey.
Cooked brown rice with apple, banana and raisins.

5.     Eat 3 – 4 times a day
When you eat regularly your body creates a biological clock that gives you a sign when it’s hungry. This prevents you from snacking on unhealthy food between meals because you are full. Also it allows your stomach to digest it. Your stomach starts the digestion process once the food is properly mixed with saliva in the stomach. Silvia’s alkaline PH has to be changed to acidic so the main gastric enzyme, pepsin, can begin the digestion of protein.
If you snack between meals the digestion process will start over again and by the evening you will be still digesting breakfast.

I eat breakfast at 8, lunch at 12, snack at 4PM and dinner at 6PM or 7PM. If I am hungry later on I eat an apple or simply drink water or tea.

6 Drink water
Drink 1 to 2 litres of water per day (or herbal teas). The human body is made out of 50-75% water. Percentage depends on the age and gender. We can live without food for some time but not without water. So drink up!
Drink liquid 1,5 to 2 hours before or after meal. Drinking water during eating eases swallowing the food but prevents the food from mixing with saliva, which is needed for proper digestion. It adds volume to the food which in consequence produces more digestive juices. This prolongs the time to digest the food which takes your energy, makes you feel tired and heavy on the tummy. Especially avoid cold or ice water while eating.

7. Eat diner 2-3 hours before sleeping.
During sleep the digestive track should rest. It is time for your body to regenerate and have a wonderful breakfast in the morning.