We tend to focus more on WHAT WE EAT and forget the importance of HOW WE EAT, which I believe is equally if not more important … ‘the art of mindful eating’

We are now living in a world where eating on the go, in front of a television, at our work desk, or sitting scrolling social platforms is part of the norm and we forget about the essence of staying present with our meals in a relaxed environment without distractions

We tend to blame certain foods for their cause of digestive distress, and pointing the finger at those certain foods, but sometimes the cause may simply be from us not supporting our bodies natural digestive process and following  a sacramental ritual to allow ourselves to stay full present and connect our senses whilst eating. This simply encourages our bodies to optimally allow nutrient absorption and helps us be in tune in with our satiation signals and not over eat beyond fullness

Eating mindfully is a practise, its an art that can be mastered in time, to allow us to be fully present and engage with the aromas and senses around the food – observing and appreciating the colours, the vibrant aroma, the textures and most importantly chewing enough (food should be like a paste consistency) before being swallowed 

I understand that it can be difficult to eat mindfully each day, we are human and life has its ebbs and flows, so please don’t be hard on yourself as you navigate this pathway. After time implementing this practise will help alleviate digestive stress and allow you a deeper connection with your mind, body and the food you are choosing on your plate 

Here is a guide to help you along the pathway of mindful eating:

1. Practising gratitude – as you engage in your senses, give thanks for the meal you have before you, allow yourself to be present and connected

2. Take time to eat – actually do be fully present – you cannot be in a calm state of mind and chew your food if you are distracted and have your mind under another light

3. Distractions – when eating in front of a computer, tv, phone, we are not staying present with our bodies hunger and satiety cues, which tends to make us eat faster than we should, over eat and not be satisfied with our meal. Just simply visually looking at our food for a few moments before starting to eat allows our digestive enzymes to naturally stimulate and activate our digestive organs. Take a bite, put the fork down, chew slowly, how does the food taste? After you finish eating, do you feel nourished? Energised? Lethargic? How did your meal serve you, was it a positive experience?

4. Breathe – between a high pace lifestyle (especially in Dubai) and the high technology demand, it’s not uncommon for our body to be in a state of “fight or flight” mode, but breathing helps initiate our parasympathetic nervous system and allows us to feel more calm and zen, to be able to consciously chew and again … stay present! We all know the story of the hare and the tortoise … 

I hope these tips help guide you along the pathway of mindful eating, I will be sharing more in time 🙂