Slowing down and truly enjoying food is important for both digestive and mental health. This is also known as mindful eating, or embracing your innate culinary intelligence. Mindful eating is a way for us to spend quality time with our meals, and learn how to really savor foods. By slowing down and paying attention to our eating, we are better able to taste the food and it is more gentle on our digestive system. Experiencing all the flavors of the food and eating it slowly allows our body to adjust to amount of food we’re eating- which means we’re more likely to know when our bellies are full and less likely to overeat.
Seems like a lofty goal, I know! So many of us are rushing before, during, and after meals it’s hard to focus on what we eat, nevermind actually sitting down and savoring it! Here are some tips from us here at VWJ to cultivate a better relationship with our meals, and learn to make some space for eating.
- Create food habits: Eating the same foods every day might seem boring, but it will give you some time of focus on eating rather than preparing the food. If you make the same breakfast everyday you don’t have to stress about WHAT to eat, and you can give yourself a few extra minutes to sit and actually enjoy the food that is going to fuel your day.
- Create rituals for mealtime: Setting a time each day for eating will help your body ready itself for digestion. But it also prepares our brain. Maybe it’s putting on an apron, or setting the table, but making a ritual of mealtimes lets us remember the importance of creating and enjoying a good meal.
- Avoid distractions: Turn off the television, put away the newspaper, ignore your smart phone, and just eat. It’s harder than it sounds, but ultimately allows you to tune into those flavors and sensations much better than if you are focused on the latest episode of Gossip Girl (guilty!).
- Avoid eating on the run: This might be the most important point, especially during the busy holiday season. Whether you are in your car, on the bus, or at your desk- wherever you are, you are probably NOT focused on eating, which means your body is not ready to eat, either. Driving, commuting, and working are often stressful situations in which our bodies are primed for fight-or-flight, not for digestion. Try to take some time for a sit-down meal at a table. Make a date with your partner, coworkers, or family to sit and enjoy.
These are by no means the only solutions towards mindful eating, but hopefully they will get you thinking about some of the ways in which you can become more tuned in to your daily eating rituals. Good luck!
What food rituals do you enjoy?
Are you able to find time to sit down and enjoy your meals?
What suggestions do you have for mindful eating?
If you enjoyed this article, please share!
2 Responses to eating mindfully
Leave a Reply
Let’s connect!
I find that an important consideration in eating mindfully is the energy we put into and receive from food. If we prepare our meals with intention, love and joy, they will provide similar nourishment in return. Conversely, if we are rushed, stressed, distracted or upset during meal preparation, our food will not be able to provide the warmth and comfort that truly nourishes.
This is particularly important this time of year when stress levels run high and large family meals are the standard.
[...] Salt has been implicated as a risk factor for high blood pressure in about one-third of Americans. High blood pressure can damage arteries, eyesight, kidney health, and cause numerous other health problems. Processed foods and fast foods contribute most of the sodium in the average American’s diet. Just switching to unprocessed foods and cooking a few meals a week from scratch will help reduce sodium easily and allow time to really savor the food. [...]