Eat Slowly — Digestion Begins Before the Stomach
By Dr. Kione Teta, ND, LAc · May 13, 2026 · Small Signal, Big Gains - Evidence-Based Self Care Series (Slow Eating) - Part 1: 9(10)
Modern nutrition advice obsesses over what we eat. Far less attention is paid to how we eat, despite the fact that digestion begins long before food reaches the stomach.
Eating speed is not a personality quirk. It is a physiological variable with measurable effects on metabolism, satiety, and glycemic control.
Digestion begins in the brain. The cephalic phase refers to the anticipatory stage of digestion triggered by sight, smell, taste, and chewing. During this phase, the nervous system activates a cascade of responses:
This is the opening of the article. The full piece is on Kione's Substack.