Gastric reduction surgery is not a panacea, you need to develop the habit of chewing slowly! Doctors teach 4 tips for chewing slowly

How long does it take you to eat a meal? Should you just rush through it in 5 minutes, or spend 30 minutes to an hour savoring it? According to a 2014 study published in the journal Obesity, chewing food slowly not only increases calorie consumption by 25 times more than eating fast, but can even improve blood sugar problems and help lose weight.

Even after losing weight through gastric reduction surgery, you may gain the weight back if you don’t chew your food slowly! Bariatric specialist and family medicine physician Dr. Yang Zhiwen once met a 40-year-old female patient who had undergone gastric reduction surgery. The patient successfully lost 25 kg within one year after the operation, but as time went on, his appetite gradually recovered and he ate too fast, often finishing his lunch box in 5 minutes. In just half a year, his weight rebounded by 20 kg and his glycated hemoglobin reached 6.4% (normal value 4.0-5.6%), and he was diagnosed with prediabetes.

In addition to weight regain, the patient also experienced symptoms such as palpitations, cold sweats, and abdominal pain after each meal, which even affected his daily friendships and self-confidence. Worried about the risks of another surgery, I decided to seek help from the Churi Clinic.

Through a "cell metabolic function" test, Dr. Yang Zhiwen found that the patient's nutrient metabolism function was abnormal, which was mostly related to rapid eating and poor nutrient absorption after surgery. She explained that after gastric reduction surgery, food that is not fully chewed and digested will enter the small intestine more quickly. If you eat too fast, especially when you consume high-refined sugars, the food will "dump" into the small intestine more quickly, causing "dumping syndrome" such as palpitations, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

In response to this patient's situation, Dr. Yang Zhiwen suggested that the patient gradually extend the eating time by chewing slowly and adjust the order of eating, eating protein first and then carbohydrates, to avoid insufficient protein intake due to dumping syndrome and to prolong the feeling of fullness. In addition, choose high-fiber, complex carbohydrates such as brown rice and sweet potatoes instead of refined starches to slow down the emptying of food, stabilize blood sugar, and reduce discomfort such as bloating and nausea.

On this basis, combined with digestive enzyme and nutrient supplements, the patient lost 7 kg in two months, and his glycosylated hemoglobin returned to the standard value, successfully resolving the diabetes crisis.

Dr. Yang Zhiwen pointed out that chewing slowly and thoroughly is not limited to patients who have undergone gastric reduction surgery, but is also very important for the general public. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, mustard greens and radish have liver detoxifying and anti-cancer effects because they are rich in isothiocyanates. However, if the vegetables are not chewed thoroughly, the glucosinolates in the vegetables will not be able to react with enzymes to produce this compound, and it is equivalent to not eating them.

4 tips to develop the habit of chewing slowly

How to make chewing slowly a daily habit? Dr. Yang Zhiwen shares 4 practical tips:

Choose high-fiber foods: such as water spinach, bok choy, whole wheat bread, nuts, etc., and increase the number of times you chew.

1. Choose high-fiber foods: such as water spinach, bok choy, whole wheat bread, nuts, etc., and increase the number of times you chew.

2. Eat mainly large pieces of food: choose meat and eggs that require more chewing, do not cut them into small pieces, and extend the eating time.

3. Create a focused dining environment: put down your phone, computer and books, and focus on enjoying the food.

4. Combined with enzymes and probiotics: promote digestion and absorption, and reduce the burden on the stomach and intestines.

Studies have shown that increasing the number of chewing times can reduce the average glycated hemoglobin level by about 2%, especially for people who need to control their sugar intake or are at risk of type 2 diabetes. There is no need to memorize the rule of "take 20-30 bites per mouthful". Just start with simple habit formation and chewing slowly will naturally become part of your daily life.