🍜 If you’re a fast eater, try slowing down with these tips

💁 Plus, your thoughts on using slang on work

View this email online     Westend61/Getty Images I’m a fast eater. I recently had dinner with a friend, and although my spicy peanut noodles arrived after her dumplings, I had scarfed down my food long before she dipped her last bite into soy sauce. We laughed about how comically different our plates looked — one full and one practically licked clean. There's a way to combat this kind of rushed, thoughtless eating: practice what is called “mindful eating.” It’s when you use all your senses to enjoy your food and “make choices that are satisfying and nourishing to the body,” says Lilian Cheung, a lecturer and the director of Mindfulness Research and Practice in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  We asked her to share her best advice on how to slow down and eat more deliberately.  Take at least 20 minutes to finish your meal Unlike my five-minute meals, Cheung recommends sitting down for about 20 minutes to eat. "It takes about that time for your body to get the signal to the brain that you are full," she adds. We often find ourselves eating while doing something else, says Cheung — which can make us eat faster than usual.  Notice all the little details about your food You might wonder how to spend 20 whole minutes eating a sandwich. Cheung says one way to slow down is to engage your senses and think through all the details of your meal. "Ask yourself: what's on my plate? How hungry am I today? Is it too salty?" she says. Notice the smell, the texture and other senses that arise as you eat. Actually chew If you're inhaling your food, you're probably not chewing it. And chewing is an important part of digestion, says Cheung. It helps "break up the foods so it's easier for absorption." Look at each bite before popping it into your mouth, acknowledge what you're eating and "chew, chew, chew," she adds. Listen to the episode and read all of Cheung’s tips Before a meal, take a moment to recite "The Five Contemplations" for mindful eating by the late Buddhist monk Thích Nhất Hanh. Cheung says it has helped her practice mindful eating. Kaz Fantone/NPR —Clare Marie Schneider, Life Kit producer  What strategy do you use to savor your food? Email us at lifekit@npr.org with your name, location and your response — and we may feature your tip in an upcoming newsletter.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message Listen Sponsor-Free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening AND that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with making a difference. You can also check out loads of other NPR+ podcasts with benefits at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ More episodes on food and nutrition  Trina Dalziel/Getty Images/Ikon Images Trust your gut: A beginner’s guide to intuitive eating Knowing when and what to eat may sound simple, but dieting can mess up our connection to hunger cues, making the task fraught with negative thoughts and habits. The practice of intuitive eating can help people make peace with food. Read the article and listen to the episode here.   Ryhor Bruyeu/Getty Images/EyeEm How body positivity can lead to better health Weight stigma can hurt more than just your feelings. Negative messages about weight are actually bad for your health. Instead of obsessing over weight loss, focus on celebrating all different body shapes and sizes. Read the article here.   Gracia Lam for NPR Diet culture is everywhere. Here’s how to fight it Diet culture, the social expectations that value thinness and appearance above all else, can impact how we view our bodies and treat others. The good news is that we can free ourselves from this mindset. Listen to the episode and read the article here.   We asked, you answered Last week, NPR podcast producer Julia Carney asked what you would do if you accidentally called your boss “dude.” The question was part of a newsletter focused on how to navigate tricky workplace dilemmas. Here are a few helpful — and hilarious — responses. They have been edited for length and clarity.  Apologize and move on My answer depends on whether you "duded" your boss privately or in front of others. If the latter, apologize and tell your boss that you intended no disrespect, and that you won’t do it again. But if you "duded" your boss in private, and the boss didn't say anything about it, you shouldn't either. At best, you have a chill boss with a dude self-image. —Michael Woodward, Interlachen, Fla. Give your boss a heads up  I feel for this person because I am very laid back and call animate and inanimate objects "dude" all the time. Bump into a desk, "dude." Cat does something silly, "dude." Husband doesn’t take the trash out, "dude." Female, "dude." Male, "dude." Child, "little dude." It is an all-purpose word. I have preempted this issue at work by being up front when I first get hired. I let my supervisors know that I can be a little less formal in general, and if it becomes an issue or bothers them, please let me know. —Cindy Desrosiers-Rivera, Little Rock, Ark.  Make up an excuse If the boss was offended and called me into their office, I would say that it was actually a compliment, that “dude” is a term I only use with people I respect. Meanwhile, I’d be praying that the boss would buy my excuse!  —Melanie G. Your health Tanja Ivanova/Getty Images Fiber is a dietary superhero. Are you eating enough of it? Fiber does so much more than just help keep us regular. It helps control blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol and inflammation. Here are eight ways to add fiber to your diet (munch on popcorn!) and a grocery list of high-fiber foods that you can print out at home. Read the article here.   Maria Stavreva/Getty Images These habits can cut the risk of depression in half, a new study finds New evidence shows that people who maintain a range of healthy habits, from good sleep to physical activity to strong social connections, are significantly less likely to experience depression. Read the article here.   Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Daily News, Code Switch, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Life Kit emails. 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