Baguette Gazette: Things I'm loving + some thoughts on how to eat

Let's talk digestion 🗞️

Hi friends! Welcome to the latest installment of “Baguette Gazette”. (If you’re new here, Baguette Gazette is a monthly catchup where I share recommendations, personal updates, and what’s going on behind the recipes at TNB HQ.)

• Cuisinart Kettle: I didn’t know I needed water at a perfect 160ºF in my life, but boy am I loving it. When our old kettle broke last month, Rene insisted on replacing it with this fancy one that heats water to specific temps for different purposes (black tea, green tea, French press coffee, etc.). It’s a total game-changer to make tea at the perfect drinking temperature and not to have to wait for it to cool (i.e. leave the cup in the kitchen and promptly forget to drink it).

• Sacred Psychiatry: Judy, the author, is a friend of a friend, and someone I had the pleasure of spending time with last summer. Judy’s a holistic psychiatrist with decades of experience, and on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, no less. Her debut book gives a great overview of alternative mental health modalities (from special diets and astrology, to psychedelics). Although not all of these resonate with me personally, I did learn a lot and think we can all benefit from a more 360-degree approach to mental health. If you’re into woo-woo topics, you’re gonna love this quick read.

• GOOD PLANeT Vegan Cheese: Full disclosure, I first discovered this product as part of a paid collaboration, but I’ve completely fallen in love with it since. This “cheese” is made from olive oil, and actually melts, shines, pulls, and tastes like cheese. We’ve made pizza and grilled cheeses with the shredded version, and the results are shockingly good.

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Welcome to March, friends. Spring officially starts this month, and I’m excited for what’s to come. As shared earlier this week, I’m hosting a couple of in-person cooking classes (live in NYC? come!) and have spring recipes on the brain (i.e. Easter! Asparagus!).

I’m dedicating this month’s Gazette to something I don’t think we address enough. We’re constantly talking about what to eat, but the conversation about how to eat in a practical sense happens way less frequently.

(Disclaimer: The below is not intended to be medical advice. I am not a medical professional and am only sharing my personal experience.)

The background story:

I’ve always prided myself on having an iron stomach - sometimes even to the point of bragging. Specifically since transitioning to a 90% plant-based diet almost a decade ago, my digestion has been very predictable, and I basically never had indigestion, bloating, etc. (See? Bragging.)

Until a few months ago, that is. Seemingly overnight, my body just started acting differently. On the surface, nothing changed - I was eating the same things, exercising the same amount, etc. But my stomach was just… uncomfortable. (I’ll spare you the details but you can use your imagination.)

When I panicked to a friend (a nurse practitioner who’s fielded many, many hypochondriac texts from me over the years), she reassured me some variation in digestion/motility is normal, that things can change with age, and that I’m most likely fine, given my good diet. But that if it keeps up, I should see a doctor.

Before turning to the medical system, I wanted to see if I could figure it out on my own. I started being very intentional at mealtime and paying extra attention to how I felt during/after eating - even keeping a journal on the subject for a few days. It didn’t take long to realize that it wasn’t what I was eating, but how I was eating it. Basically, that I’d started taking my beautiful iron stomach for granted.

Now that my digestion is pretty much restored to its predictable self, I want to share the changes I made with you, since I have a feeling lots of folks may relate to this story. I’ve also come to think that the way we eat is almost as important as the actual contents of our plates:

• Chewing well: Digestion starts in the mouth. Chewing intentionally is literally the first thing you can do to ensure a smooth process. Which brings me to…

• No screens at mealtime: Eating can often be an afterthought. It seems like most meals these days take place in front of emails, TV, YouTube (my personal weakness), or alongside a social media doomscroll. When we’re captivated by a screen, it’s very easy to just shovel food into our mouths with little awareness (guilty as charged). Screens basically ensure minimal chewing and eating past the point of fullness.

• Eating at the table: This has been one of the biggest changes for me, personally. Over the years, I’ve gotten into the bad habit of eating while lounging on the couch. There doesn’t seem to be a ton of research on this, but eating while slouched over, with your digestive organs all compressed, is obviously not a great idea.

• Reducing stress around mealtime: There is a well-documented connection between the gut and the brain (you know like when your “stomach drops” when you get some surprising news, for example?). When possible, I try not to scarf down meals in stressful/rushed situations. For example, if I have an important meeting scheduled that I’m kinda nervous about, I’ll wait to have lunch after it because I know my digestion is impaired if “my stomach is in knots”.

• Bigger meals, less snacks: Another bad habit I had to break was grazing all day instead of eating full meals. As a recipe developer, I’m often testing multiple recipes or photographing them, so sometimes I have lots of bites throughout the day instead of three square meals. Keeping your body in a constant state of digesting food (as opposed to leaving at least three hours between meals) leaves no time for your gut to reset itself.

• Drinking lots of water: No breaking news here. Water helps your body move food through the digestive tract, period. Drinking water in the summer is easier because we’re hot and thirsty, but in the winter, it’s definitely more of a conscious effort. I always keep a glass of it on my desk as a visual reminder, and have also made it a point to start the day with a tall glass of warm water (see first paragraph) before coffee.

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