What is the connection between how I eat and my ability to sit still or practice meditation?

People are often surprised by this connection, but it's direct and physical. When I teach meditation, I'm not working with something separate from the body—the mind settles or agitates in a body that's nourished or depleted, calm or inflamed. If you eat heavily, your digestion pulls energy and blood downward. Your body wants to move or sleep, not sit. If you eat foods that create inflammation in your system, your nervous system stays vigilant, reactive. This isn't failure; it's just physiology. The other direction matters too: when you practice stillness, you naturally become more aware of what truly nourishes you and what doesn't. Meditation develops sensitivity. You notice which foods leave you clear and which create fog. You feel when you're eating from genuine hunger versus distraction or emotion. Traditionally, spiritual practitioners have understood this. Simple, clean foods—not ascetic, but not elaborate either—create the conditions where the mind can settle. This isn't about perfection or restriction. It's about removing unnecessary noise. If sitting meditation feels impossible, look first at what you're eating in the days before. Are you well-hydrated? Do you have adequate minerals and healthy fats for your nervous system? Did you eat too recently? Sometimes the barrier to stillness isn't willpower—it's physiology waiting to be addressed. Tend to that first.