Mindful eating is extremely important for digestive health. It also encourages you to be in touch with your hunger signals and to not overindulge.
In this day and age, where we often multitask on the go, eating mindlessly has become an all too frequent habit.
Consequently, we are often shoving our food down quickly and our brain has not time to register it is full and we are eating more than we need.
But when we eat mindfully you are able to slow down and as such, get in touch with your hunger and fullness cues and are able to understand the difference between emotional and physical hunger (2).
As a consequence, mindful eating has shown to reduce emotional eating (3) which is often linked to a reduction in anxiety and depression.
Mindful eating has also shown to reduce stress as it helps reduce cortisol levels (4) responsible for the body’s fight or flight response.
How do I eat mindfully?
Eating mindfully takes practice as life is hectic and slowing down can prove challenging when there is so much going on.
The key is not to get frustrated if it’s not coming easily to you. Tips for eating mindfully include ensuring you are eating at the table and not on the go without any distractions such as TV and social media.
When you start your meal take time to savour the flavours, textures and tastes and ensure that you chew each mouthful at least 20-40 times.
Take small bites and pause between each mouthful, laying your utensils down until you have savoured and finished each bite.
Try to eat slowly and enjoy each mouthful. Also, don’t feel pressured to clean the plate and listen to your satiety signals. Once you are full, stop eating and resist the temptation to eat more than you need.
Faye James
Faye is an Accredited Nutritionist and Member of Nutrition Council Australia, follow her on Instagram @fayecelinejames
References
1. Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits. A meta-analysis, Paul Grossman, Ludger Niemann, Stefan Schmidt, Harald Walach
2. Pilot study: Mindful Eating and Living (MEAL): weight, eating behavior, and psychological outcomes associated with a mindfulness-based intervention for people with obesity, Jeanne Dalen, Bruce W Smith, Brian M Shelley, Anita Lee Sloan, Lisa Leahigh, Debbie Begay
3. Eating style, overeating, and overweight in a representative Dutch sample. Does external eating play a role? Tatjana van Strien, C Peter Herman, Marieke W Verheijden
4. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Salivary Cortisol in Healthy Adults: A Meta-Analytical Review
