Often seen as functional, eating is actually one of the most important times for us to train our skill of concentration, of presence in the moment, of mindfulness. Many people have learned to eat while doing something else, be it watching something on their phones, answering emails or browsing the web – this makes the person oblivious to what they eat and if you were to ask them what was special about their food they would possibly not even recall what they ate.
We have unconsciously transformed a moment of pleasure, of joy and satisfaction into a boring function. If we want to live healthier lives the first place we need to start is with our eating: how we eat and what we eat is fundamental for your wellbeing. IN this article we will explore how we can transform our relationship with what we eat and drink, enhance our enjoyment of meals, and, as a bonus, improve our overall health and wellbeing.
I have structured this article around our five senses which should help us to have five best mindful eating habits to help you lead a healthier life. At the end I have also included a bonus to really take you further into a journey of healthier living.
1. See Your Food
Even before you start engaging with the eating process you need to prepare the food. If you are cooking yourself make sure you use plenty of spices and colours. Even a sandwich can have amazing colours and flavours. I always remember a grilled cheese sandwich which I used to order when I was in New York which had great sourdough bread, 2 types of cheeses, caramelised onions and they even added a tomato soup to go along with it. Not only did it taste amazing, but, when you opened the package it looked amazing.
So whether you are cooking or you are buying, aim to choose something that you find looks appealing even before you take the first bite.
Now that you have your food, the first step in mindful eating is to truly see your food. Before you start eating, take a moment to take in your meal with your eyes. Notice the colours, shapes, and presentation. This visual appreciation can enhance your anticipation, enjoyment of the food and even its taste as you will be more attuned with the ingredients you can see and be ready to look for their taste.
Practise:
If you brought food from home or you are buying in, before you start aim to arrange your food attractively on the plate. If you are at home you can always look for a small leaf, a basil or mint or similar, which can both add fragrance as well as a visual appeal to how you serve your food.
Before you start digging in, take a moment to observe the ingredients, the textures and the combinations of colours.
2. Hear Your Food
Depending on the type of food you have it may be emitting some amazing sounds! I enjoy cooking and as I cook I often love to hear the sounds, the sizzling of scrambled eggs, the bubbling of a soup, the cracking sound of the hot cheese from a lasagna that just came out of the oven.
If you pay attention to the sounds that your food makes, you will increase your connection with it, you will appreciate it more, and believe it or not, you will even taste it more intensely!
Practise:
While not all food will produce sounds, some unexpected foods do. Next time you are eating an ice cream on a hot day, bring the ice cold deliciousness close to your ear and have a listen.
You may even find that you can hear sounds as you prepare your food too.
3. Smell Your Food
If you are following along with this article and you have just had a good look at your food, now it is time to sense the perfumes and scents. Our sense of smell is closely linked to our sense of taste. As you take the time to appreciate the scents of your food, it is almost as if you are pre-tasting your food. This will enhance your eating experience and can even help you to feel more satisfied with your portion even you finish it.
Practise:
Just as we discussed above, you have created a beautiful plate and you took a moment to observe it. Now, get a little closer and take a slow, deep breath.
Take a moment to identify the scents, the spices, the fresh ingredients. Try to identify different aromas and ingredients.
You may notice something really interesting, even without a plate in front of you now, as you read and imagine, you may be able to sense the aromas of your favourite dish!
As you appreciate the myriad of perfumes from your food you will notice that your mouth may even begin to water.
4. Touch Your Food
As we continue to explore the senses we have come to touch. Not all food can be touched, some cultures even see it as a less refined way to eat. However, if it may be possible to eat using your hands, try it.
Touching your food will lead you to have a more intimate and mindful eating experience. As you touch your food you can feel the heat, the textures, the weight of it.
As a last resort, you will experience the sense of touch when the food makes its way to your lips and mouth.
Practise:
If appropriate, use your hands to eat certain foods, such as fruits or bread.
Notice the texture and temperature of the food.
As you chew, pay attention to how the texture changes and how your mouth feels.
5. Taste Your Food
While taste is the most obvious sense in eating, it is often taken for granted. People tend to just shovel the food into their mouths and not take the time to appreciate each bite, each flavour, each ingredient.
This can help you to take more bites, to eat more slowly and to feel satiated earlier, with less food.
Practise:
Take small bites and chew slowly to fully experience the flavours.
Notice the different tastes — sweet, salty, bitter, sour, and umami – also aim to taste specific ingredients
Reflect on the flavours and how they change from the moment you take a bite to when you swallow.
Bonus Tip: Switch to a Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian Diet
There are a myriad of reasons to consider your choices of what you eat. At the DeRose Method we recommend to our students to make healthier choices: do not smoke, do not use drugs, do not drink alcohol, eat only vegetarian. While there are so many studies about all these elements everywhere becoming contradicting and confusing we all know that these suggestions will lead you to a healthier lifestyle.
The dangers of smoking and drugs are really clear. But let me share with you a couple of articles from the World Health Organisation which discuss alcohol and meat consumption.
The DeRose Method specifically recommends a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet. This means that you simply have to avoid eating animals and everything else you are used to eating you continue to eat. It is simple. It is healthier.
Benefits from a vegetarian nutrition:
Nutritional Balance: A well-planned lacto-ovo vegetarian diet provides all the essential nutrients your body needs.
Health Benefits: This diet helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases, improve digestion, and promote overall wellbeing.
Mindful Eating: Vegetarian meals often involve a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes, which naturally lend themselves to mindful eating practices.
Get started:
Begin by incorporating more vegetarian meals into your diet gradually.
Explore new recipes and ingredients to keep your meals exciting and nutritious.
Be mindful of your body's responses and make adjustments as needed to ensure you are getting all necessary nutrients.
Mindful eating is a powerful way to enhance your relationship with food and improve your overall health. By engaging all five senses and considering a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, you can create a more enjoyable and healthful eating experience. Remember, the key to mindfulness is being present and fully engaging with each moment, including when you eat.
Fabs Martins
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