Conscious eating

In May we will be hosting a Vipassana retreat, where all the attendees will have a day of mindfulness meditation. Spending a day mindfully includes meal times, so we thought we would share a few easy tips to help you consume your food with awareness:

1. Sit down and sit still – by eating your meals standing, on the go, or while typing away, you are subconsciously telling yourself to rush through the eating process. This results in extra stress. This also means you are not chewing your food, which can translate to indigestion and poor nutrient absorption.

2. Breathe – take yourself out of panic mode. Let your body know everything is okay. It might seem silly, but you need to know you are safe. The “fight or flight” response puts the body under stress. This will prevent you from truly being able to enjoy the meal.

3. Put your fork down – or spoon, or sandwich, whatever it may be. See if you can stop rushing to get the next bite in. Give yourself the permission to chew the food in your mouth before trying to put more in.

4. Be Quiet – If you are talking you are not tasting. It is not possible; besides, who wants to see you eat with your mouth full! Being quiet also give you the opportunity to still the mind and bring the focus back to the food.

The next time you catch yourself rushing through your meal, try to remember how lucky you are to have the food in front you and remember these few, easy tips.

If you are interested, you can join us for A Day of Mindfulness Meditation Practice.

Written by: Stephanie Olga