PROCESS_OPTIMIZATION

> INITIATING PROTOCOL: DIGESTIVE_PRE_PROCESS
> RULE: 30 Chews per bite.
> CURRENT_SPEED: 5 Chews (Wolfing it down).
> OBJECTIVE: Test 'Mindful Eating' claims.

// THE HABIT

I usually inhale my food. I eat while watching YouTube, typing, or walking. My stomach hates me. Science says digestion starts in the mouth (Amylase enzyme breaks down carbs). When we swallow chunks, the stomach has to work overdrive (creating acid). I decided to be a cow for a day.

// THE MECHANICS

I sat down with a Sandwich. I took a bite. I started counting.

Count 10: The food is tasty. Texture is good. Usually, I swallow here. Reflex kicks in. My throat tries to swallow automatically. I have to fight it.

Count 20: The food is no longer food. It is paste. The flavor is gone. It's just warm mush. This is disgusting.

Count 30: Swllow. It slides down like water. Zero effort for the throat.

// THE TIME COST

A standard lunch takes me 10 minutes. This lunch took 45 minutes. My jaw actually got tired. It was a facial workout. My friends finished eating and were staring at me while I chewed one fry for 40 seconds. "Are you okay?" they asked. "Mmmph," I replied.

// THE BENEFITS (SURPRISING)

1. Satiety Hack: I got full way faster. Apparently, it takes 20 mins for the stomach to signal the brain "I am Full." Usually, I overeat quickly before the signal arrives. By eating slow, the signal arrived when the plate was still half full. I ate 30% less food naturally. No willpower needed. 2. No Coma: Usually, I get the "Post-Lunch Slump" (Food Coma). Today? None. My body wasn't diverting all blood flow to the stomach to break down rocks. I had energy.

// CONCLUSION

30 chews is excessive. It ruins the joy of complex textures (crunchy things become gross). But 15 chews? That's the sweet spot. We treat eating like refueling a car—get it in fast and go. But eating is biologically complex. Slow down. Taste the food. Your stomach will thank you.