Fall is coming to a close. Winter is close behind. Welcome to the ?Eating Season?! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah, New Year?s Eve- not to mention the countless open houses, office parties and other invitations to food indiscretion. Seems like there?s been a lot of interest here in our Holistic Health Blog community not simply on nutrition, but around the whole complex set of behaviors, associations? and attitudes we develop around food and eating ? the emotional calories as it were.
And while it?s always a good time to do a little check-in around those, now with Turkey (or tofu) Day right around the corner seems especially appropriate.
Don?t misunderstand me here ? I enjoy food ? a lot.? Special meals with special people are something to look forward to, something to enjoy.? I like being on both the giving and receiving ends of wonderful home cooking.? Occasional overindulgence can be pretty harmless.? Moderation in all things ? including moderation.
Sharing a meal can equate with friendship, love, caring, nurturing, abundance.? We take out our best recipes, most expensive ingredients, and? present with a flourish on our nicest china to our guests. Viewed this way, it?s easy to add an element of guilt if we reject the labor-intensive efforts of those who want to feed us.? Chances are? you never saw a Hallmark card portraying anything less than plates filled to overflowing with holiday fare. Truth be told, I?ve probably been just as responsible for inciting dietary excess in others as the next person who loves to cook.
What I am suggesting is a shift in perspective, one that has nothing to do with counting carbs or calories. One that honors food for what it is ? nothing less, but also, nothing more.? Like other aspects of a lifestyle that seeks to make us awake, aware, and really in touch with ?what really is?, Conscious Eating is a practice.? As such, it is a tool, something to experiment with, play with and learn from.? What it isn?t is some standard of perfection, some measure of spiritual enlightenment by which we deem ourselves successes or failures.
In my meditation classes I like to include an exercise in Conscious Eating.? For the experience, students are verbally led, step by step, as they focus full attention on consuming a single raisin. ? It?s an eye-opener for most folks.? In contrast to distracted, multi-tasking way we eat most of the time, that tiny piece of fruit can become a feast!
By applying elements of that exercise, it is possible to become more aware of what we bring ?to the table? at mealtime so we can come away with more of what we really need, and not simply extra calories.? In the yogic sense, this practice wasn?t designed for weight loss. In real life, most folks who try it find that they eat less ? and ? more importantly- enjoy what they do eat more.
- Eat only when you?re truly hungry ? Learning to differentiate between true hunger, vs.? ?mouth? hunger ( wanting a particular food because you like it)? or emotional hunger can take some practice.? Sometimes the body confuses thirst with hunger.Try drinking a glass of water first, and then wait to see if you still feel hungry.
- Check in with your stress level before eating ? Even low levels of stress can affect how we perceive hunger causing us to over or under-eat. Stress releases cortisol into the blood stream causing us to store more of what we eat as fat ? particularly around the mid-section.? Yes, stress can make you fat!? Perhaps your body and energy would be better served by a short walk, or a chat with a friend, rather than a big meal. Pause for a grace or meal blessing if that is your tradition ? this can be an opportunity to slow down and refocus.
- Eat to the point of energy, rather than the point of fullness ? A very Kripalu concept this one.? Just think of it as the antithesis of the post-Thanksgiving stupor that settles over the room once that last piece of pie is consumed. The Japanese have a similar concept. They call it ?Hara Hachi Bu? ? or ? eat till you are 3/4 full.
- Think about what it is that you want to eat ? If you eat something cold when you?re wanting something hot ? or something soft when you want something crunchy it won?t be as satisfying.? When we?re not satisfied we tend to eat more.
- Eat slowly ? With the schedules that most folks keep these days ? this can be challenging.? However, it is a very important to the practice.? It takes 20 minutes from the first bite for? blood glucose levels to quiet the hunger centers in the brain.? If you?re eating too fast, that second plate of food may seem like a great idea.? Eating slowly lets us truly taste our meal.? Chewing slowly is essential to good digestion.? Try putting your utensil down every few bites.? Try eating with chopsticks!
- Try a silent meal ? Although meals can have an important social element, the distraction can can cause us to eat too fast, too much, or something we really don?t want.? Try an occasional silent meal ? turn off the TV and Radio, put down the newspaper, focus your full awareness on what you are taking into your body.
- Pause at the end of your meal ? Take? a minute to check in with how you?re feeling after eating. Notice all the sensations. Pay attention to what they teach you.? Be grateful for what you?ve just taken in.
So, there you have it. A practice based in the yogic tradition to try if you like. Something to chew on??. some new ideas perhaps to bring to the table along with the stuffing and cranberries.
May your holiday table be filled with friends, peace, and abundant good health!
Peace ? Judi England, RN, LMT, Kripalu Yoga Instructor ? yogajudi@aol.com ? 11/19/2012
Source: http://blog.timesunion.com/holistichealth/whats-on-your-plate/10344/
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