Michelle Babb

You might be surprised at how different it feels to engage with your food in a thoughtful and respectful way.

When resilience to stress is low, the response to even minor stressors can be disproportionate and prolonged.

Physical or physiological hunger can be described as what we feel from the neck down while emotional hunger is what we feel from the neck up.

It can be isolating and physically punishing (for those who are prone to hypoglycemia, for example), and many people actually end up engaging in binge-type behaviors during the hours they are “allowed” to eat.

He eloquently describes his findings in his book The End of Overeating

MINDFUL EATING ACTIVITY

• Create a beautiful, healthy meal made from foods you love to eat.

• Set the table with linens, candles, whatever you have that makes it feel like a special meal.

• Arrange the food onto your plate and sit comfortably in your dining chair.

• Notice the way the food looks on your plate.

• Pay attention to the aromas and notice whether you can pick up on the fragrances of individual ingredients.

• Take the first bite and really tune into the texture and flavors. Try to chew slowly and notice how the food changes as you chew.

• Notice the sensations in your body as you swallow.

• Eat the rest of your meal in this mindful way, engaging all of your senses.

After the meal, answer these questions:

1. What was the best part about my mindful eating experience?

2. What was the most challenging part?

Fix a plate and sit at the table.

• Remove other distractions.

• Breathe and relax into your seat.

• Look at the food and allow yourself to salivate.

• Engage your senses and eat slowly, putting the fork down between bites.

• Savor and enjoy.

When resources are scarce, and you’re relying on what the land and/or sea provide, food is nothing short of a miracle of nature. It’s valued for its life-giving properties and never taken for granted.

Remember that the dieting industry is a multibillion-dollar industry that can survive only if you keep doubting that you know how to eat.

We are adaptive creatures by nature, which generally serves us well and allows us to enjoy a very long life span. The downside of adaptation is that we learn to live with chronic health problems that we chalk up to aging or just stop noticing altogether.