Introduction
Until a person employs mindful eating, they are usually unaware just how unconscious or habitual their dietary and eating patterns are.
Mindfulness helps us make better food choices, but also helps us decide whether or not to eat a particular food at all, how much to eat and when, and very importantly, it allows us to gain the greatest emotional benefit from how and what we eat.
Mindful eating involves becoming more aware of the impacts food has on us personally, emotionally and physically. This means becoming more conscious of our food prompts and triggers.
While what we do or don’t eat is vital to our health, and those choices require mindfulness, mindful eating is as much or more about the why and the how of our eating, than it is the what.
With deep Buddhist roots, eating mindfully isn’t a new concept. It can even help treat eating disorders, anxiety and depression. Eating mindfully helps you create a healthier relationship with food, one with a deeper appreciation for your body, well-being, health and happiness.
Mindful eating is not a diet, it’s a gradual change of lifestyle. Simply putting more emphasis toward the appreciation and respect for food and wholly enjoying your meals on a daily basis will create a shift toward mindful eating. Everything else will fall into place with very little effort.
