5/365 - Mindful Eating

I attended an 8-week mindfulness workshop that had a unit devoted to slowing down around food. We were each given 3 almonds, 2 raisins, and an orange wedge. We were instructed to place each in our mouth one at a time, to feel the shape and texture in the mouth before biting it, to chew slowly and detect flavor before swallowing. It was meant to get us thinking about mindful eating which is basically the polar opposite of what we have been conditioned to do (in the United States anyway).

From our earliest days in primary school, “the system” trained us to frame our eating habits around bells and alarms. Hurry, hurry! It’s a commonplace practice to eat on the run with zero-time wasted. Time is money afterall. The cost to our health has been painful and expensive. Agitated eating coupled with the need for speed has negatively impacted our bodies, collectively.

Now imagine enjoying a relaxed meal because it brings pleasure and provides proper fuel for energy. Eating in a calm environment without a clock nearby - what a concept, am I right??

If you can manage it, try dining alone occasionally. And place your phone out of sight. You are more likely to be present with each mouthful. Another tip I learned in the workshop is to count 22 chews before swallowing! This requires staying present, along with a bit of patience, and it may not be realistic for every bite of every meal but it certainly brought awareness to my tendencies around eating. Chewing is an important step in the digestive process and so often we rush right through it.

Slowing down and choosing food mindfully can reconnect us to the potent ritual that eating is intended to be. A healthier body is the promised reward.