Good morning,
Afternoon everyone.
Today I want to invite you to take a step back from the fast-paced grab-and-go culture of modern eating and rediscover the joy of truly nourishing your body.
We'll be exploring mindful eating,
What it is,
Why it matters and how you can start practicing it today.
So what is mindful eating?
It is more than just a trend,
It's a way of developing a healthier,
More conscious relationship with food but it's a continuation of developing mindfulness in all day-to-day moments.
It involves paying full attention to the experience of eating,
Engaging all your senses,
Smell,
Sight,
Maybe touch and hear and taste.
Being present in the moment and tuning into your body's hunger and fullness cues is so important.
Instead of rushing through meals or eating out of habit,
Mindful eating encourages us to slow down,
Appreciate and truly enjoy what we consume.
In today's world many of us eat while distracted,
Scrolling on phones,
Watching tv or working at our desks.
This can lead to overeating,
Poor digestion and a disconnection from our body's natural signals.
Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness during meals can help with numerous things such as weight management,
Reducing emotional eating and even improve digestion.
More importantly it helps foster a positive guilt-free relationship with food.
When we take the time to really focus on our food,
The brain is able to detect the signals in time to encourage the digestive system to prepare for the food.
The mouth starts making more saliva and with that enzymes to support chewing.
The stomach increases acid production and further down the intestines secrete enzymes and the gallbladder releases bile.
But without the initial signals very little of the digestive juices are potentially made impacting on our ability to digest and absorb the much needed nutrients.
So how can we begin incorporating mindful eating into our daily life?
Here are five simple but powerful strategies.
Number one,
Pause before you eat.
Before taking your first bite take a few deep breaths.
Ask yourself am I truly hungry or am I eating out of boredom,
Stress or habit?
This small pause can make a big difference in your choices.
Number two,
Engage your senses.
Take a moment to look at your food,
Notice the colours and the textures,
Inhale its aroma and appreciate its flavours as you chew slowly.
This deepens your connection to the food and enhances the experience.
Three,
Chew thoroughly.
Digestion begins in the mouth.
By chewing more slowly and thoroughly you not only improve digestion but you also allow yourself to fully taste and enjoy the food and allow the tongue to detect all those different signals.
Limit distractions.
Number four,
Try to eat without your phone,
Tv or other distractions.
When you focus solely on your meal you'll be far more attuned to how much you're eating and when you're satisfied.
And number five,
Listen to your body.
Your body gives you signals when it's full but it's easy to ignore them when you're eating too quickly.
Halfway through your meal,
Pause,
Check in with yourself.
Am I still hungry or am I just eating because there's food there?
Mindful eating isn't just about how we eat,
It's also about what we eat.
Choosing whole,
Natural and nourishing foods enhances our well-being.
When we approach eating with intention and gratitude it transforms meals from a routine task into a nourishing and joyful experience.
So I encourage you to take one small step forward mindful eating today.
Whether it's savouring a cup of tea,
Eating a meal without distractions or simply paying more attention to your body's hunger cues,
These small changes can make a profound impact on your health and happiness.
Thank you and may your next meal be a moment of true nourishment and presence.
