A Holistic Guide to Gut Health, Lower Inflammation & Feel Amazing—No Shoes Nutrition—No Shoes Nutrition

The Power of Intentional Eating

By: Megan Barefoot

Do you stop and think about the food you are putting into your body before you eat? When it comes to improving your health, how you eat is just as important as what you eat. This month we are trying to bring the mindfulness back into our eating and make more intentional choices. This is so important because in our busy lives, meals are often rushed, mindless, or based on convenience. But making time to pause and ask the right questions before eating can be a game-changer for digestion, inflammation, and energy levels. (All things we help with at No Shoes Nutrition!)

As a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant, I’ve seen firsthand how simple shifts in awareness before meals can have a ripple effect on everything from gut health to mental clarity. This awareness can then transfer into other areas of your life like getting more aware of the symptoms that might follow eating certain foods and how foods affect your energy and sleep, just for starters!

I have come up with some questions to help build awareness and mindfulness about the way we are fueling ourselves! Here are the 10 questions you should consider asking yourself before eating to stay healthy, reduce inflammation, and nourish your gut and body on a deeper level.

1. Am I actually hungry or just emotionally eating?

Mindful eating starts with tuning in. This can mean stopping, taking a breath and making some considerations before chowing down or mindlessly snacking. First and foremost consider whether you are feeling true physical hunger—or are you bored, stressed, tired, or anxious? Emotional eating is a major driver of inflammation and digestive upset. Take a breath and check in with your body first.

2. Did I include protein, fat, and fiber in this meal?

This will not only help you leave the table at this meal feeling satisfied, it will keep your less likely to hit up the pantry between meals. A balanced plate helps stabilize blood sugar, reduce cravings, and support a healthy gut. Protein fuels repair, healthy fats lower inflammation, and fiber feeds your microbiome. Use the PFF rule (Protein-Fat-Fiber) when planning your meals.

3. Is there something fermented or gut-friendly on my plate?

I bet you were wondering how I was going to be able to fit in gut talk in this blog! You know how I feel about a balanced microbiome! Even a small serving of sauerkraut, kimchi, or cultured vegetables can help populate your microbiome with beneficial bacteria. When you have an overgrowth of pathogens in the gut this can drive you to crave sugary and refined foods. If fermented foods don’t agree with you, consider prebiotic-rich foods like asparagus, leeks, or green bananas instead.

4. Am I eating too many inflammatory ingredients?

This can be a tricky thing to assess all on your own. If you aren’t sure if you are accidently eating foods that will inflame you we can help! Refined sugar, seed oils, ultra-processed grains, and additives can trigger inflammation and bloating. Scan your plate: Does it contain mostly whole foods or packaged shortcuts? Aim for anti-inflammatory staples like leafy greens, wild fish, turmeric, and olive oil.

5. Am I sitting down and eating slowly?

Digestion starts in the brain and believe it or not, we were given teeth for a reason! It’s important that your brain and body have time to start the digestive process. If you’re eating on the go or multitasking, your body stays in stress mode (sympathetic state) and digestion shuts down. Next time you eat, I encourage you to slow down, breathe, and chew thoroughly to activate your parasympathetic “rest and digest” state.

6. Did I drink water recently—or am I actually thirsty?

If you feel like you are hungry, but only ate a short time ago, maybe you aren’t hungry at all. Dehydration can feel like hunger and we often mistake the two. Try a glass of water first, then reassess your hunger level 5-10 minutes later.

7. What is my gut telling me about this food?

I cannot say this enough! Listen to your body. If a certain food consistently causes bloating, brain fog, or fatigue—even if it’s considered “healthy”—it may be time to investigate food sensitivities or microbiome imbalances. If you are unsure how to do this, reach out to No Shoes Nutrition and we can help!

8. How will this meal make me feel in one hour?

I know there will be situations where this is just not possible and you just need to grab things and go. If you can try to think ahead: Will you feel energized, focused, and satisfied? Or will you crash, feel bloated, or regret the choice? Visualizing the after-effects of your meal can guide better decisions in the moment. If you have a second to stand back and think, try to be mindful of the side effect of eating the food you are choosing.

9. Have I had enough variety this week?

It can be easy to just grab the same foods and the same meals day after day and week after week. Unfortunately this can get boring for us and lead to deficiencies in the body. Repetitive meals can limit microbial diversity and lead to nutrient gaps. Challenge yourself to rotate your greens, proteins, fats, and fermented foods. A diverse diet = a diverse and resilient gut microbiome.

10. Am I grateful for this meal and the nourishment it provides?

When I was a kid we stopped before our meal and gave our thanks. I have noticed in recent years that this practice has been forgotten. Gratitude activates a positive mental state and enhances digestion. Before taking your first bite, pause for a moment of appreciation. This simple habit can transform your relationship with food and body.

Final Thoughts: Intention Before Ingestion

By asking these 10 questions regularly, you’ll begin to rewire your relationship with food—shifting from reactive to intentional eating. It’s a powerful way to support your gut, reduce inflammation, and align with your body’s natural rhythms.

Small insights lead to lasting change. And when your gut is thriving, everything else starts to fall into place.

References

1. Corliss, J. (2025, March 1). Seeding doubt: The truth about cooking oils. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/seeding-doubt-the-truth-about-cooking-oils?utm_source=chatgpt.com

2. Tapper K. (2022). Mindful eating: what we know so far. Nutrition bulletin, 47(2), 168–185. https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12559

3. Fuentes Artiles, R., Staub, K., Aldakak, L., Eppenberger, P., Rühli, F., & Bender, N. (2019). Mindful eating and common diet programs lower body weight similarly: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 20(11), 1619–1627. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12918

4. Spadaro, K. C., Davis, K. K., Sereika, S. M., Gibbs, B. B., Jakicic, J. M., & Cohen, S. M. (2017). Effect of mindfulness meditation on short-term weight loss and eating behaviors in overweight and obese adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of complementary & integrative medicine, 15(2), /j/jcim.2018.15.issue-2/jcim-2016-0048/jcim-2016-0048.xml. https://doi.org/10.1515/jcim-2016-0048