Back when I was working as a young doctor, I’d often reply “I just inhaled my sandwich!” when asked if I’ve had lunch, as I rushed between in-patient ward duties or outpatient clinics.

Those hurried meals, often eaten while standing or rushing between wards, were setting up a pattern of stress that affected both my digestion and blood sugar levels.

What would I tell my younger self to do instead?

Mindful eating!

Well, to be honest, I still have to remind myself about that sometimes…

How does all this relate to your brain health?

📍Mindful Bites for Better Brain Health

When we eat mindfully, we’re not just enjoying our food more – we’re supporting our brain and metabolic health.

Rushing through meals triggers stress responses that can affect blood sugar regulation.

Mindful eating helps activate our parasympathetic nervous system, supporting better digestion and metabolic balance.

📍3 Tips for Brain-Healthy Eating

🌟1️⃣ Create a Metabolic-Friendly Eating Environment

If you can, step away from screens and work during meals.

Your brain needs this pause to properly register food intake and maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

This simple act of creating a dedicated eating space, even if it’s just a corner of your desk with your phone turned over, can improve digestion and support long-term brain health.

🌟2️⃣ Try the “First Five” Rule

For your first five bites, try this.

Bring complete attention to your food.

Count them mindfully: notice the temperature on the first bite, texture on the second, flavours on the third, how the taste changes as you chew on the fourth, and how your body feels as you swallow on the fifth.

Even on the busiest days, these first five mindful bites can help reset your eating pace and help you tune into your body’s signals.

🌟3️⃣ Hand-to-Heart & Long Exhales

Before starting your meal, place one hand on your chest for just 30 seconds.

This simple gesture can help remind you to slow down your pace, activating your “rest and digest” mode, for optimal digestion and nutrient absorption.

You might notice your breathing naturally slowing down, your shoulders relaxing.

Take some slow, long exhales.

This brief pause can help regulate stress hormones that affect blood sugar levels, creating better conditions for metabolic health.

📍Question for you today

Which of these three tips would you like to try today? Starting with just one small change can make a significant difference to both your eating experience and your brain health.

Wishing you mindful and nourishing meals,

Dr Sui Wong

PS – my book “Mindfulness for Brain Health” has mindfulness audioguide, a chapter on mindful eating and digestion

PPS – I’m so excited!!! My next book as part of my Brain Health & Wellbeing series is called “Sweet Spot for Brain Health”. I talk about blood sugar balance and how to support this through practical lifestyle practices. The book is now available, here’s the link: books2read.com/u/br2l8z.

Ordering this now will help let Amazon know this book is of interest and therefore extend its reach. If you’re happy to help with this, THANK YOU!!

I plan to do an Ask-Me-Anything live Zoom, for people on my Thurday Tips [TT] mailing list – to help me gauge your interest, please reply to let me know if you’d like to join? If there is sufficient demand, I’ll do this 1-2 weeks after the book comes out, to give people time to read and ask me questions 🙂

Thank you again, I appreciate all your support! 💕