Zen and the Art of Eating Wisely
Posted on 28 June 2009
lepiaf.geo
With more and more of us rushing around and being distracted throughout the day with jobs, errands and the general pressures of today’s society we are putting less attention in what and how we eat. This is something I am sure we are all guilty of, do you remember the last time you had a meal on your own without reading something while eating or watching TV in between bites or even engulfing in chatter with a friend or colleague? Its a rare occurrence that’s for sure…..
There is nothing wrong with the occasional mindless meal but I feel we need to be able to enjoy our food more without distractions, enjoy the process of cooking, laying the table and serving the food, exploring flavors and savoring every bite. After all the gift of taste is something amazing and our lives would be bland without it.
Spend More on Food Less on Health Care - Imagine this; In 1960 the average american spent 17.6 percent of their income on food and just 5 percent on healthcare. Recently though those numbers have had a reversal spending on food has dropped to just 10 percent and healthcare has more than tripled to 16 percent. That’s a pretty extraordinary statistic, do you not think spending a little more on quality meat, fruit and vegetables would help get these figures back to a healthy level?
Re-Script Your Dinner - Next time you eat with family try these tips: firstly try to be the last person on the table to start eating. Next pace yourself with the slowest eater. Avoid the subconscious need for ‘one more helping’. You will find that by following these tips you will be forced to savour each bite and taste each flavor, you may even find you eat less than you think you need….
Stop Meal Multitasking - Anything that distracts you from focusing on what we are eating makes us likely to overeat unnecessarily. Did you know 91 percent of people claim to regularly eat while watching TV and 35 percent regularly eat at their desk while working. Try for one meal a day to sit down without distractions and focus on your food. The flavors, textures and variety should all be savored. At first it will feel weird as we are pre-programmed to be distracted while eating but the long term benefits will be amazing, resulting in improved digestion as well as general enjoyment of food increasing….
Pay Attention to Food - Ever been to a cocktail party where the guests are mindlessly attacking the snacks? Throwing handful upon handful of nuts and cheese down while sipping on champagne. I have been guilty of this and still am if not careful, the reason is that when we have any level of anxiety food and the process of eating can act as a powerful calming tool. Anyhow use these events as a reminder to pay attention to the food you eat rather than snacking while sipping on a drink and talking to someone. Whatever you do deserves your full attention. If we learn to become aware of each thing we do and do one thing at a time it will multiply enjoyment.
Remove Food from Sight - We tend to eat more than anything if its on view all the time, the simple sight of food stimulates hunger. One tip I find helpful is to keep food you don’t want to binge on out of sight instead keep healthy fresh food at your desk or counter top. A good tip is to keep only a bowl of fresh fruit and a jar of raw nuts on your counter top. This will encourage healthy snacking for yourself and those around you.
Eat Salad First - Each night at dinner I start the meal with a large salad. I really make a meal of it so to speak adding everything from avocado, onions, carrots, cucumber, nuts and seeds making it a really tasty start to the meal. It was originally an idea I came up with when reading how god it is for digestion to start meals with some raw food. Not only did it improve my digestion but it made me enjoy the whole process of eating more, I now savour the salad and tend to eat less of the heavy stuff just eating a small piece of meat with some cooked vegetables after (always size according to appetite). Its definitely something to try, make a mega salad and savour it before your main course. I am sure your general eating experience will improve.
Don’t Eat From a Bag - Eating from a bag is dangerous for two reasons; Firstly their is no way to gauge how much your eating and its easy to overeat when eating anything from a bag. The other and main reason is that bagged foods are normally hazardous to your health as they tend to be processed junk like chips and sugary snacks. Steer clear of bagged food when you can, your body will thank you…
Eating wisely can also save the planet. Nearly 20 percent of the nations energy is spent growing and delivering food to the average american who consumes 2,200 pounds of food a year amounting to nearly 3,500 calories a day! How can we help? well its pretty simple; either go one day a week without meat or dairy or just eat less for one day a week. A great opportunity to practice Intermittent Fasting and save the planet!
Comment by Rosalie
28 June 2009
Thanks;
I’m guilty of “meal multitasking” a lot. Breakfast in the car (which does turn it into a half-hour affair and I like slow meals), snacks/lunch while browsing blogs, etc. These are good thoughts to keep in mind.
Comment by David
28 June 2009
That salad comment is interesting. I had always thought that it was best to eat a salad at the END of a meal rather than the beginning. That way, it can act as kind of a “scrubber”, improving digestion that way. The idea of starting with raw food to prime the digestive system is interesting as well. I’m sure both methods have their own advantages.
Comment by Rafi Bar-Lev
28 June 2009
David,
Nothing wrong with eating a salad in the beginning of the meal. But we should also remember that eating some carrots, cucumbers and lettuce towards the end of a meal helps clean out the teeth!
Rafi Bar-Lev
Comment by Yvonne Anderson
29 June 2009
Sometimes I feel that you have been watching me….
Only recently I discovered just how fast an eater I actually am. Usually it’s just me and the husband at the table, now there are 4 of us!
I was always finishing first and yet I am the smallest and eat less in portion size.
I have started to chew more slowly, place my knife and fork down between mouthfuls and guess what??? No gut pain that I have been afflicted with for a long time…Ha
It does take about 20 minutes for your brain to register the food you have consumed.
I agree…s-l-o-w d-o-w-n
@ Yvonne: Its a really hard habit to get hold of at first but it pays off big time, eventually it becomes habit to chew everything really well and slow things down. As you mentioned one of the keys is to put down the fork and knife between mouthful’s…..
Comment by Chris Barber
29 June 2009
Re-scripting my dinner may not be easy after years and years of being a younger brother and having to make sure I was finished first to get that second helping. My brother and I would race to eat the best food as soon as my Mom unloaded the groceries!
Comment by Yvonne Anderson
30 June 2009
I have just given you an award over at http://qoute-ching.blogspot.com for being a great blogger.
Just wanted you to know that I enjoy reading your posts!!
Comment by Yvonne Anderson
30 June 2009
OOps http://quote-ching.blogspot.com
Sorry
Comment by Liam | gyms in letchworth
30 June 2009
Your post, like many others, makes so much sense! I think it’s harder to be mindful of what you’re eating nowadays, but at the same time it’s the reason why obesity is exploding. Nutritional awareness is the key. So many people don’t have a clue how much they’re eating and how it’s impacting their weight and health.
Comment by Lori|SpiritualTidbits
1 July 2009
I’m trying to get in the habit of not leaving the TV on during dinner. I notice that I eat much slower, and enjoy the overall experience more, when I just focus on my meal and my dinner companions. As a bonus, my witty family usually makes me laugh during dinner. That’s got to be good for digestion, right?
Comment by Jenna Gebel
2 July 2009
I recently spent four months in Italy and truly learned the pleaure that food can provide us – I had always looked at eating as fuel to get through the day without truly enjoying the experience! I think it is important for all of us to sit down and enjoy each bite..not only is it healthy for us (in terms of portion control), but more enjoyable too!
Comment by Vin - NaturalBias
3 July 2009
Great tips, Chris! Taking time to eat in a relaxed frame of mind is a great point in particular. Any type of stress or excitation, even if positive, will stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and shut off digestion like a light switch. For this reason, rushing through a meal, watching TV while eating, multitasking, or having an intense conversation are all great examples of bad things to do when we eat. This is important because good digestion is at the center of good health!
@ Vin: Cool thanks for contributing its weird that the sympathetic nervous system gets triggered so easily but it makes a lot of sense. I still occasionally eat while browsing through a newspaper or having a calm conversation but always keep the TV or Radio off, so much more relaxing!
Comment by pjnoir
19 July 2009
No-David. Salads do not act as scrubbers. In fact it is best to eat them early so it doesn’t sit on top of the whole meal and ferments. Vegatbles are great but avoid grains like corn, wheat and most rices.
Intermittent Fasting and less eating is the way to save the planet and everyone’s health.