The Power of Mindful Eating: A Journey Towards Healthier Relationships with Food
It's not just about what we eat, but how we eat that truly makes a difference in our overall well-being.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to find ourselves eating without thinking. We often eat while working, watching TV, or scrolling through our phones, barely noticing what we’re consuming. This mindless eating can lead to overeating and unhealthy food choices. But what if there was a way to change our relationship with food?
Enter: Mindful Eating!
What is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is a practice that involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. It encourages us to notice the colours, smells, flavours, and textures of our food; to chew slowly; to get rid of distractions; and to listen to physical hunger cues and eat only until we’re full.
The Benefits of Mindful Eating
Research has shown that mindfulness-based approaches, including mindful eating, can be effective in addressing binge eating, emotional eating, and eating in response to external cues. While the evidence for mindful eating in weight management is still emerging, some studies suggest that it may help prevent weight gain.
Moreover, mindful eating can also have a positive impact on our digestive function. Chronic stress can disturb our gastrointestinal function, and mindfulness, being a widely studied stress-reduction intervention, can promote parasympathetic nervous system dominance. This suggests that mindful eating, a mind-body practice, can help cultivate autonomic nervous system homeostasis vital for optimal digestive function.
How to Practice Mindful Eating
So, how can we start practicing mindful eating? Here are a few tips:
Start with a small amount of food and take the time to truly savour it.
Eat slowly and chew thoroughly.
Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone.
Eat in silence and pay attention to the flavours, textures, and smells of your food.
Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
The goal of mindful eating is not to diet, but to create a balanced and healthy relationship with food. It’s about experiencing food more intensely and enjoying the pleasure of eating. A shift in mindset can lead to a healthier and more fulfilling relationship with food!
ReferencesWarren JM, Smith N, Ashwell M. A structured literature review on the role of mindfulness, mindful eating and intuitive eating in changing eating behaviours: effectiveness and associated potential mechanisms. Nutrition Research Reviews. 2017Cherpak CE. Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate And Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function. Integrative Medicine (Encinitas, Calif.). 2019.