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Monday, 18 June 2018
Does eating mindfully lead to better health?
A growing body of research, highlighted in the Harvard Health letter, suggests that a slower, more thoughtful way of eating could help with weight problems and maybe steer some people away from processed food and other less-healthful choices.
This alternative approach has been dubbed "mindful eating."
Applied to eating, mindfulness includes noticing the colours, smells, flavours, and textures of food; chewing slowly; getting rid of distractions like TV or reading; and learning to cope with guilt and anxiety about food. Some elements of mindful eating are linked to the ideas of Horace Fletcher, an early 20th century food faddist who believed chewing food thoroughly would solve many different kinds of health problems.
The mind–gut connection
Digestion involves a complex series of hormonal signals between the gut and the nervous system, and it seems to take about 20 minutes for the brain to register satiety (fullness). If someone eats too quickly, satiety may occur after overeating instead of putting a stop to it. There's also reason to believe that eating while distracted by activities like driving or typing it may slow down or stop digestion in a manner similar to how the "fight or flight" response does. If digestion is not taking place the body may miss out on the full nutritive value of the food.
How to begin
Experts suggest starting gradually with mindful eating, eating one meal a day or week in a slower, more attentive manner.
· Set a timer to 20 minutes and take that time to eat a normal-sized meal.
· Try eating with a non-dominant hand
· Use chopsticks if you don't normally use them.
· Eat silently for five minutes.
· Take small bites and chew well.
Harvard Health Letters, Published: February, 2011