Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function

Abstract

Much research associated with mindful eating pertains to weight loss, so this review is novel in that it explores mindful eating in a broader context of it attenuating the widespread problem of chronic stress disturbing gastrointestinal function. This attenuation is rooted in stress offsetting biological homeostasis and mindfulness being a widely studied stress-reduction intervention due to its ability to promote parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) dominance. The stress-digestion-mindfulness triad is a hypothesized construct, integrating what is understood about the digestive system with literature about the nervous system, neuro-endocrine-immune signaling, stress, and mindfulness. Thus, the plausibility of mind-body practices (e.g., mindful eating), which maintain PSNS dominance, helping to cultivate autonomic nervous system (ANS) homeostasis vital for optimal digestive function is established. The clinical utility of the stress-digestion-mindfulness triad involves a clinician-friendly application of mindful eating to improve digestive function.