{"id":14185,"date":"2016-08-09T10:28:54","date_gmt":"2016-08-09T08:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shawellness.com\/shamagazine\/shamagazine\/?p=14185"},"modified":"2023-09-26T09:45:16","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T07:45:16","slug":"the-mindful-eating-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shawellness.com\/shamagazine\/en\/the-mindful-eating-movement\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mindful Eating Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many of us have probably heard about mindfulness and meditation. However, have you heard about mindful eating?<\/span><\/p>\n

So, what is mindful eating<\/em>? Mindful eating is an approach to eating where one becomes more conscious and aware of the body\u2019s needs and in response is able to judge what food to consume and how much of it.<\/span> By being more in tune with the body, we are able to nourish it with what it needs and avoid overeating and make more conscious decisions of the food we eat.<\/p>\n

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How do you practice Mindful Eating?<\/h4>\n

Be present<\/strong><\/p>\n

Part of mindful eating is being able to be in the present and leave all distractions aside.<\/span> These include technological stimuli like mobile phones and television. Having distractions whilst eating can result in overeating, bloating, and feeling unsatiated.<\/span> When you don\u2019t pay attention to the food you eat, it\u2019s hard to tell how much you\u2019ve eaten. Your focus has been elsewhere, therefore, the simple act of chewing becomes completely unconscious.<\/p>\n

Chew properly and eat slowly <\/strong><\/p>\n

By being present when chewing, you make sure not to eat too quickly and swallow food without having chewed it properly.<\/span> The mouth is the first part of the digestive system, where the initial process of food breakdown occurs. Therefore, by chewing as much as possible, the digestion of food can occur quicker and more easily.<\/p>\n

Are you hungry or anxious?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another aspect of mindful eating is identifying when you\u2019re truly hungry and when your hunger is a result of an emotional stimulus. When we are emotionally unstable, we tend to crave foods that are unhealthy for us, like sugar laden chocolates.<\/span> Being able to identify these cravings as a result of an emotional instability is a crucial factor in mindful eating. It\u2019s becoming aware with oneself and understanding what the body needs.<\/span> This way, we eat when we are hungry, we are able to eat the right amount of food our body requires and avoid eating unhealthy foods.<\/p>\n

Don’t eat until you’re completely full <\/strong><\/p>\n

The inhabitants of a remote island in Japan called Okinawa, are said to be the people who live the longest, up to 100 years old. Their secret lies in what they call \u2018hara hachi bu\u2019, which translated means \u2018eating until you are only 80% full\u2019.<\/span> We’ve become accustomed to eating without measure and aim to eat until we are full. However, it\u2019s not healthy to eat till you\u2019re border line full. This pushes the digestive system into overdrive and causes it to have to over work, which is one of the reasons we feel exhausted after a big meal.<\/p>\n

Part of eating more mindfully is eating the right amount of food your body needs, and not going over that limit. That\u2019s why eating slowly and chewing properly is very important to have an awareness of when you\u2019ve had enough. It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to detect that it\u2019s full. If you eat very quickly, you won\u2019t notice you\u2019re full yet and this can cause you to eat more. Therefore, master the art of eating mindfully and you\u2019ll notice you feel much lighter and better.<\/span> Your digestion will work efficiently and you\u2019ll avoid having those energy slumps after a big meal.<\/p>\n

To sum up, Mindful Eating consists of:<\/h4>\n