Mindful eating

In an increasingly busy world where we find ourselves constantly bombarded by a stream of information coming from newspapers, radio, TV, Internet, mobile phones and more, it’s very easy to lose touch with ourselves and how we are feeling. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to what is going on in and around us in the present moment. Taking the time to become aware or mindful is necessary if we are to assess our deepest needs and this we must do if we wish to heal our bodies or maintain good health.

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgementally”  Jon Kabat -Zinn 

One area where there’s been a great loss of connection and awareness is our food. Our increasingly processed diet has separated us from the origins of our food and our busy hectic lives mean we have less time to prepare our meals and savour them as we eat.

If we are to use food to heal our bodies we first must tune in to what our body is telling us it requires. And we must also increase our awareness and understanding of food so that we can determine which obvious or more subtle properties of different ingredients will best serve our needs.
Mindful eating plays a central role in the Body Soul Nutrition approach to nutritional therapy and we encourage people to engage in the following practices at mealtimes.
• Make time to sit down and eat in a relaxed and unhurried manner
• Regard mealtimes as periods during which you switch off from any issues and problems consuming your thoughts
• Eat with as few distractions as possible
• Eat slowly, taking time to chew thoroughly and savour the taste of the food
• Be aware of how you feel physically and emotionally before, during and after a meal
• As you eat give some thought to the origins of your food and use it as a chance to appreciate nature
• Honour the process of preparing and eating your food and see eating for what it truly is – a chance to connect with nature, to feed and nurture the body and, if sharing with others, to connect with those we love