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India has a dubious distinction of being the only country which on one hand suffers from rampant malnutrition and on the other hand, is fast becoming the obesity capital of the world. Obesity is linked to various eating disorders such as consumption of junk food, a high intake of processed and energy-dense food, lack of eating local, fresh and seasonal food, lack of exercise, a sedentary lifestyle, increasing screen time, etc. Apart from the various reasons mentioned above, the supreme reason for unhealthy consumption is lack of mindful eating.
What is mindful eating?
Mindful eating simply means eating with full awareness, engaging, and dedicating all your senses to consuming food. It simply means paying attention to the ritual of eating. Yes, eating has been considered a ritual from time immemorial. Of late eating has been relegated as a mundane mechanical process to keep the machinery (body) running. In doing so the whole objective of eating to maintain good health has lost focus.
Why do we indulge in mindless eating?
The number one reason is time or lack of time thereof. We all are so pressed for time, that we hardly take time to appreciate and relish food, let alone be thankful for it. Even while eating, our mind is constantly worried about that meeting/engagement/event that has to happen later that day.
The second reason for mindless eating is we constantly multitask: like reading a newspaper while having breakfast, having a client meeting over lunch, talking over mobile while devouring samosa on a tea break, or watching TV while having dinner in bed!!
Thirdly, there is a paradox of choice. With an upsurge in socializing, eating out, drive-in, takeaway & home delivery, we're increasingly struggling with self-restraint. More lavish the buffet spread, the more we are tempted to try out each cuisine which results in overeating.
Lastly, there's a change in perspective on how we treat food and eating. We now no longer eat only to survive or to be healthy. We now eat to entertain, to oblige, to kill time, to fight depression, to celebrate, to avoid wastage, etc. In doing so we crave food more to satiate our emotional and psychological appetite than to satiate our physiological appetite.
So how can we eat mindfully?
We can try and make eating a ritual again. Rituals when done with proper intent, can be very powerful. We can start our meals with a prayer and end it with gratitude. Try to eat at the same time, same place (dining table and not on bed or sofa). That way mind is conditioned to focus on just one activity. Following tips can be beneficial for mindful eating:
No Newspaper/TV/mobile while eating
Try to engage all your senses. Usually, smell and sight are the initial senses that get engrossed followed by touch and taste.
Teach your kids about mindful eating. I usually play a game while eating with my 7-year-old daughter, asking her to describe what is it that she is eating, in what order is she eating, food combinations that she likes or dislikes, describing various texture and taste in her plate, etc. It not only gets her to focus on her food but also it stimulates her to try different food.
Slow down. Eat slowly making sure you chew your food properly.
Mindful eating is like having a relationship with your food. If practiced regularly, we not only reap the health benefits but we also learn to become discerning consumers.
Neeraj Purohit
neerajpurohit@gmail.com
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