12/10/2026
Eating starts well before the first bite 👅
Try this. Picture a crisp, juicy apple. Imagine biting in, with the juice on your tongue and lips. 🍎
Notice anything? Your mouth might be watering already. That’s saliva, and it’s the first step in digestion. It starts with a thought.
Chewing keeps it going. It mixes your food with more saliva, which starts breaking down starches, and then your stomach and gut take over.
Here’s something else. When we’re stressed or rushing, our bodies shift into “fight or flight” mode, and digestion takes a back seat. “Rest and digest” is the opposite state, and it’s the one our body uses for digestion.
When we look at nutrition, we look at it from two perspectives. The first being what’s on the plate. The second being functional digestion: how you eat what’s on the plate. You can choose all the right foods, but how you eat them is part of the picture too.
Four things to try at your next meal:
🍏 Be present: sit down, away from your phone, the TV and work.
🍏 Breathe: take a few slow breaths before you start.
🍏 Chew: yes, even soup and yoghurt. And chew it a lot, until it’s mostly saliva.
🍏 Use your five senses: notice the colour, smell, texture, taste and sound.
Eating begins at the first thought and follows the whole journey until it leaves your system. How you eat matters too, not just what you eat.
Which one will you try first? Tell us in the comments. 👇
At Fleurieu Wellness, we recognise that everybody and every BODY is unique. This is why we take an individualised approach to each client. We listen to your story so that we can offer personalised nutrition and lifestyle-based support. The information on our socials is general in nature. It doesn’t account for your unique needs or health circumstances. Please consider whether the information and services are right for you. For personalised information, book an appointment with our team.
