Are You Eating Your Emotions?
Since implementing a mindful eating practice I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my energy levels after meals. Slowing down to acknowledge a meal that you are about to eat and savoring the bites as they touch your lips may seem like a luxury we just don't have the time for these days (not to mention a bit odd), but there is real evidence that this practice translates into health benefits for you.
Gratitude, or being thankful (even on bad days and in seemingly difficult situations) is one of the easiest ways to shift your perspective. Finding a feeling of gratitude, for whatever you’re experiencing in the moment, can quickly lift your spirits. Traffic is at a stand still? Be thankful that you’re fortunate enough to have a car to drive. Your son just knocked over a vase with a nerf bullet? Find gratitude in the fact that you have a child to love. YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS FIND A SILVER LINING IF YOU TAKE THE TIME TO ALTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE A BIT. So how does this feeling of gratitude tie into healthy eating habits?
Incorporating this concept of gratitude into your daily life includes being mindful while eating. I grew up in a household where Grace was spoken before dinner each evening. I always understood that it was done out of respect for our religion, our God, and the food for which we were blessed to receive. However, this expression of gratitude has a second benefit. It sets the tone for a mindful meal.
Mindful eating reconnects us more deeply with the enjoyment of our food. It is pleasant and peaceful. After honoring the food with grace or a prayer, it’s important to truly notice what you’re putting in your mouth. Engage all six senses and you may discover enjoyment in foods you took for granted. As Buddhist thinker and teacher Thich Nhat Hanh says,
"There are some people who eat an orange but don’t really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.”
Slow down, savor small bites and chew thoroughly. Not only will this practice help keep you from overeating, but it can also improve digestion.The process of breaking down food begins with enzymes found in the mouth. In fact, the digestive process can even begin before taking that first bite as your brain receives signals through your senses that nourishment is on the way!
Since beginning a mindful eating practice myself I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my energy levels after meals. My energy used to crash shortly after rushing through lunch (while frantically typing on the computer and simultaneously listening to a podcast). I WAS TRULY EATING MY EMOTIONS, as Thich Nhat Hanh says. How could I not? My mind wasn’t on the food nourishing my body, but on the external chaos of my day. My body’s digestive functioning was undoubtedly compromised, leading to sluggishness as it tried to find ways to put out those emotional “fires” AND process food. When I give my body just one task on which to focus it certainly does its job more efficiently and I feel so much better!
THIS WEEK: See if you can start with one meal each day - or even just one each week! - and allow yourself to consciously enjoy your food. Begin to notice how you feel during and after these mindful meals. You might be surprised!
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