For the Girl Who Knows She's Worth More Than A Rushed Meal

The Art of Chewing: A Tribute to my Grandma by Myah Jeanné

When I was seven, I got to spend an entire month with my grandma “Macmaw” during the summer, which was everything a little girl could dream of. She lived on a horse farm with acres to explore, hay bales to roll down, craft projects constantly happening around the house, and countless trips to Hobby Lobby.

About a week into my visit, we were sitting at my favorite little breakfast nook when she said, “The first step in etiquette I’m going to teach you today is that you should always chew your food at least 30 times. That’s something my own grandma taught me.” Because I adored my grandma with every inch of my being, I tried so hard to follow her instruction. At my young age it felt nearly impossible, but I stuck with it.

Years later, friends would affectionately comment on how slow of an eater I was. After my grandma passed away when I was 18, those comments became especially sweet, a small sign that I was still emulating her. She was the grandma we used to tease as little kids, saying, “Hurry up, Grandma, we want to go play!” Yet in the extra fifteen minutes we spent waiting for her to finish a meal, some of our best laughter and bonding happened.

So imagine my surprise when I began my first week of functional nutrition training and discovered how much emphasis was placed on chewing. 

I had to laugh, thinking of her and realizing that her etiquette tip played an important role in health as well. Chewing is one of the most foundational parts of digestion.

It mechanically breaks down food, mixes it with saliva and digestive enzymes, signals the stomach and pancreas to prepare for proper digestion, reduces stress on the gut, improves nutrient absorption, and helps regulate appetite by giving the body time to recognize fullness – not to mention the importance it has on structural development when you’re younger. Chewing your food until it dissolves (or 30-60 times) is of the utmost importance!

Isn’t it beautiful how what is good for our bodies also shapes how we relate to the world, how slowing down helps us listen to our hunger and fullness cues, and how longer meals create more space for presence and community?

My dearest Macmaw, I love you. Thank you for teaching me to slow down and chew my food. I wish you knew how relevant this is to my life today.

Love,

Myah