Eating: Gourmet, or Gluttony?
By Stan M. Gardner, M.D.

Recently, my wife and I, together with a colleague and his wife, went to a restaurant after a lecture.  We began eating our meal at about 8:30 in the evening.  We each ordered a cup of minestrone soup and enjoyed the warm bread that the server placed on our table. The bread was so good that we requested a second basket. 

When the entrees arrived, we enjoyed a few bites and then asked to have the rest of the food boxed up to take home.  Our intention had been to eat modestly, because we knew it was not wise to eat too much so late in the evening; nevertheless, we found that we were unable to sleep comfortably until several hours after the meal.  My wife woke at 4:00 a.m. the following morning, still feeling so uncomfortable that she was unable to sleep. 

Our journey toward more vibrant health has brought us to a point where we are starting to listen more carefully to our bodies.  The results have — usually — been positive, except when we hear but fail to heed what our bodies are telling us.  King Benjamin taught: “Now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.” [i]  

So our late-night venture in eating left us with a valuable reminder, but it wasn’t as if we didn’t already know how uncomfortable we would be if we ate too late in the evening.  Our attempt to mesh self control and social camaraderie still left us having eaten too much, too late.  Afterward, we were reminded of Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s caution:

I have been fascinated with the many and varied approaches to diet that surround us.  It would be appropriate, I feel, to share with you some of the things I have discovered about our eating habits that may be of help to you, as they have been to me.  At the very least, perhaps knowledge of these principles will help us to be strong and wise, and able to avoid the sin of gluttony.

1. We should be eating what the Lord has provided.  We should strive to eat, as often as possible, the food that comes out of the ground, as fruit of the earth.  The less that man has altered it, the better it will be for us.  I cheer inside when I observe that refreshments served at Church functions include a wholesome vegetable tray or fruit plate, rather than the typical brownies and cookies.
   
2. We should eat only when hungry. In order to do this, we must understand the difference between hunger, which is the body’s request for nutrients to build and repair cells, and “taste” or “appetite,” which is eating food because it tastes good.  Our stomach is the size of a small clenched fist.  It’s a good idea to bear that in mind when we observe the size of the contents of our plate. 
   
   Work, whether physical or mental, uses up nutrients, and this triggers the message of hunger to our body, so that the body can be supplied with more fuel.  Since we do little work at night, we may not be hungry in the early morning.  We often do not feel hunger until a few hours after awakening, at which time we can follow the signal and eat — until we are no longer hungry.
   
   Stress is a big “mixer-upper.”  Because of its important relationship to our current obesity trends, I am adding it as a category:
   
3. Relax while eating.  In fact, relax all the time.  Stress interferes with our digestion process in a huge way!  Consequently, my counsel is to take the time to truly enjoy your food.  The tendency nowadays to “wolf it down” like an animal, to swallow food whole or within a few chews, does not allow food to be processed the way our bodies are designed to accomplish this task. Eating while on the telephone, or grabbing bites between other activities, is simply not good for us. 
   
   When eating, we should eat and enjoy the process.  If we are single and have no one with whom we can share our meal, a pleasant book can often provide a suitable companionship.  But enjoy the meal, and stay focused on the feeling of satisfying hunger without becoming full.  Again, stop eating when you are no longer hungry.
   
4. We should stop eating when we are not hungry.  Too often we eat because it’s “mealtime” and not because we are hungry.  We have an inner mechanism that registers when we are no longer hungry.  But if we disregard that register and continue to eat, the mechanism ceases to give us the feedback we need, and we continue eating until we are full.  All too often, if dessert is then served, we eat until we are too full, because we are eating for taste and not for nutritional value.  (It’s a good thing we didn’t ask to look at the dessert menu on our visit to the restaurant!) 
   

   Some people have chosen to participate in popular diets that encourage eating as many as six times a day, or encourage constant “grazing” and snacking.  I have observed that, although these ideas may be useful and work for some, they have the disadvantage of keeping our minds focused almost exclusively on food.  Having to keep track of what time it is and how soon we have to eat again creates an imbalance in our perspective.  Life is full of enjoyment when we follow our bliss and get caught up in the projects that interest us, rather than constantly thinking about what to eat. 

   A further comment about current trends: little children have a natural ability to register when they are hungry and when they are not.  Well-meaning parents who continually urge their children to finish the food on their plates may be damaging a child’s inner abilities to determine their own nutritional needs.

5. Each bite should be savored.  Focus on the flavor of each bite, rather than the act of chewing.  Take your time!  Enjoy the subtlety in the different flavors that you are eating.  Natural flavors and textures are delightful when we take the time to relish them.
   
6. Chew each bite thoroughly.  Each bite should be chewed until it becomes liquid.  The mixing of your saliva with the food as it breaks down is an important first step in the process of digestion.  Now we’re getting into the physiology of digestion, so let’s take a short diversion here to more fully expand on this subject:
   
   

   Through the act of chewing, large chunks are broken down into smaller morsels, so that the enzymes that further break the food down can access the food particles more effectively.  Some enzymes are in the mouth.  The next step of digestion is in the stomach, where the hydrochloric acid is able to break down certain particles, especially the proteins.  The third step of food digestion occurs in the beginning of the small intestines, where the pancreas releases enzymes to break down fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. 

   If any of these three processes are interfered with, then the food may not be in the proper state for the last phase of digestion to take place, which is in the villi, or lining, of the small intestine.  At this point, the last step of digestion occurs, and absorption of food for use in the body can then be accomplished. 

   There are two ways to interfere with the acidic digestion in the stomach.  One is to neutralize the acid with antiacids (which often contain aluminum, a toxic metal).  The other is by reducing the production of acid, with substances like Prilosec, Nexium, and an endless array of other drugs.  The current trend of using antiacids and suppressors of hydrochloric acid does not permit this important digestive process to take place.

7. Enjoy a glass of water before each meal.  Because the loss of the hunger sensation is at least partially related to the stomach’s filling, enjoying a glass of water provides a sense of fullness, thus helping the body to recognize when it is truly hungry.  Thirst can masquerade as hunger.
   
8. Under this philosophy, a person should never go hungry, and should never overeat.
   The problem with going hungry is that people who are very hungry have a tendency to eat quickly, and overeat before their body registers that it no longer has hunger. 

Following these principles will help us to care for this earthly body with which we have been entrusted. 

The Lord has been very specific on this subject, not only mentioning cautions and warnings but also blessings if we are obedient and truly care for our physical selves:

Sections 59 and 89 in the Doctrine and Covenants are wonderful places to study the Lord’s admonitions to us, as well as His promised blessings.  Particularly helpful are verses 17 through 20 in Section 59, and all of Section 89, especially if you read it to study the things we should partake of, rather than focusing on the things that are forbidden.  And one last scripture, which interestingly occurs several times throughout the scriptures:

In our abundance, we must be aware of the ease with which we can indulge in gluttony.

It is common to see restaurants that feature “all you can eat.”  People wander from display to display, loading up their plates with much more than they need. Shakespeare wrote some rather astute comments about gluttony:

Perhaps some self-evaluation will help us to realize when we are overeating, and prayerful meditation upon this subject will lead us to realize that we actually need much less, much less often, and with much less time-consuming preparation than we have previously thought.  The subsequent savings in time to prepare our food, as well as a reduction in quantity consumed, will give us a gift of additional time to pursue our creative activities and additional funds to accomplish our goals.