Welcome to our fourth lesson on “Mindful Eating”. Chef Farah is back, and this week we will go over the benefits of mindful eating and how to incorporate this technique into your everyday life.
This is the fifth video in a series, following Lesson Three last week, where we learned all about nutrition. Keep an eye on our social media platforms and website every Tuesday for new lessons!
When was the last time you thought about how you eat? For many of us, it is so common to eat on the go, in front of the TV or during a meeting. This seemingly unimportant detail, can place a huge toll on our body, impacting everything from our digestive health to our relationship with food. On the flip-side, eating mindfully, or with a “conscious awareness”, allows us to be present, focus on what we eat, and connect with our food. We are more able to enjoy the flavours, and listen to our body’s cues on when we are full. This skill of slowing down is important for those of all ages, allowing us to develop a healthy relationship with food and positive eating habits.
Below is more information on the benefits of mindful eating, tips on how to incorporate this technique into your daily life and a 5-minute video with Chef Farah going through a Mindful Eating Meditation. If you wish to do this exercise on your own, please click here for a PDF version of our sample script.
1. Recognize Hunger Cues
Did you know it takes us around 20-minutes to notice if we are full? Our body releases a hormone called “ghrelin” (or gremlin as I like to call it), which is what tells us we’re hungry; and “leptin” which tells us that we’re satiated. Rather than binge and emotional eating, mindful eating encourages us to eat slower and better tune into the brain-gut connection so we can better tune into these.
2. Better Digestion and Absorption of Nutrients
Even when doing something we perceive as passive, like watching TV or eating on the go, our body is more prone to be in the sympathetic, or “fight or flight” mode, as opposed to the parasympathetic, or “rest and digest” mode. When we are in the sympathetic mode, our body uses all of our energy for our external organs, compromising our abilities to digest. Eating mindfully encourages us to be in our parasympathetic state, where our body is more focused on taking in nutrients.
3. Engage the Senses
As we take the time to eat more slowly, we are able to reconnect with our senses; savouring each flavour, aroma and texture of what we are eating. Rather than focusing on the many distracting thoughts we may have, we are able to be present, and show gratitude and appreciation for what’s in front of us. Our digestion begins with our smell, and taking the time to chew properly is so important in how our body recognizes and assimilates food.
4. Respect Individual Eating Habits
Nowadays there are so many fads and diets out there, and nutrition research is constantly changing. We label food as “good” or “bad”, “healthy” or “unhealthy”, and one minute something is beneficial for us, the next it is not. It is time to move away from these stereotypes, and understand that what works for one person, might not work for another. There is no “ideal diet” or body shape, and although there are many recommendations on how we can be eating, it is important to listen to your individual body. We all have our own beliefs around food, and bringing awareness to this can help shift these.
Now that we know all the incredible benefits of eating mindfully, below are some suggestions on how to incorporate mindful eating with the whole family.
Eat Communally, In a Distraction Free Zone: Make it a priority to have all family members sit down together, eating in a distraction-free zone. During this 1-2hr window, avoid the usage of any technology (TV, phone, radio, etc.). Encourage positive and light conversation, and use this as an opportunity to connect and engage over the enjoyment of food. Before eating, have everyone say one thing they are grateful for that day.
Have a Conversation: Take the time to chat about the foods you are eating. Notice the colours, tastes, textures and sounds. Chat about the foods you are eating, and how they benefit us. Encourage everyone to tune in and see how they feel, and eat only until they are full. Consider asking questions such as “How hungry am I? How do I feel when eating this meal?”.
Make it a Game: For younger children, fill an ice-cube tray with different types of foods. Have your child pick what they want to eat. It’s amazing how intuitive children can be, and they will pick what they want to eat that day, based on what they feel their body needs. For older children, see who can eat the slowest, challenging to put the fork down after every bite.
Resist Boredom/Treat Eating: Rather than using processed foods as a treat, mindlessly snacking, or eating just because, try and tune to see what is really going on. Find other ways to stay occupied and promote favourable behaviours.
We hope these suggestions help and would love to hear from you! Feel free to write us a comment or share on social media how eating mindfully goes for you.
You can find all of our new online content here on our website. We will also be announcing and releasing more fun interactive activities on our social media channels. Thank you for joining us again in our virtual classrooms this week!
