Have you ever wondered… about mindful eating? I have. If you look around in most places, you will see a lot of mindless eating. I did plenty of it in my past, and I still notice myself slipping into such a state on occasion. Noticing and adjusting it is what matters.
When is the last time that you stopped and simply smelled all of your food before digging in? Have you participated in a blessing prior to a plate at any point as of late?
Have you ever whispered words of intention or positive affirmations to your food before each bite? I know how weird that may sound, but I am a big fan. I do not practice this approach constantly, but I do try to make it a point with at least each of my apples.
Practice mindful eating – eat slowly and concentrate during meals to better recognize hunger and fullness signals.
-Gary Taubes
Mindful eating is a helpful practice to motivate moderation. As you learn more about nutrition facts and true serving sizes, you become more informed and better able to make wiser choices to best take care of your body. Now, I diet more strictly than most people because of the beliefs that I hold. For example, I avoid noxious roots (like garlic and onions) because Buddhists believe they interfere with healthy inhibitions. I try to make the best, morally-sound decisions as often as possible. I want to maintain temperance.
Have you considered how healthy some of the processed foods or sugary drinks are based on their color alone? Just today, the FDA finally banned red dye number 3 from all foods because it has been a known carcinogen for a long time. The government is very slow to act at times. Do you want to wait for them to try to save your life years too late, or do you want to begin mindfully eating what you know is best for you? Clean slate.
Health consists with temperance alone.
-Alexander Pope
Temperance curbs those cravings and temptations. I have a wicked sweet tooth; I used to be a fiend for Sour Patch Kids. I miss eating them some, but I value feeling much healthier more. My teeth are happier with the decision, too. This is only one example of what all is possible when you slow down and deliberately decide on what you consume and what you do not consume. Both are important decisions because you can either help build your body back up, or you can slowly break it down. In which direction do you want to trend?
By being more mindful of what you’re eating, you’re able to break unhealthy patterns.
-Khloe Kardashian
I can even recall nights when I would eat an entire bag of Sun Chips in one evening. Do you think I ever felt truly fulfilled after any of those instances? No, I felt yet more guilt and shame. Reflecting back on my past patterns now and seeing how far I have progressed on my own journey feels significant suddenly. I still catch myself mindlessly gorging on something from time to time, but I am quicker to recognize and correct such actions and missteps in my lane, and that feels sublime. Chew on that concept for a moment please.
While we are on a related topic, have you ever wondered about how we can sustainably feed the growing world population for a mindful and healthier future? Andy Jarvis has.
I hope you will mindfully eat this food for thought.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell. Stay wondrous, y’all.