Living in a Distracted World
Mindfulness is our innate ability to be mentally present with what you are doing in any given moment. As humans, we are born with the ability to be aware of our surroundings and how we interact with them. However, our lives can be filled with distractions that make it very difficult to practice mindfulness. As a result, we can become out-of-touch with our physical feelings, emotions, and even our levels of hunger and fullness.
Many distractions in our lives can prevent us from being fully present and mindful while we eat. Some distractions that prevent this, like work, kids, pets, and more may not be fully controllable. Although, some distractions can be controlled.
Being mindful while we eat is one part of mindfulness called mindful eating. Applying mindful eating in our lives is one way to practice mindfulness every day. One way to practice mindful eating is to limit distractions while eating. This can be done by eating seated at a table instead of in bed or on the couch. Another way is to eliminate using screens while we eat, such as TV screens, computer screens, or cell phone screens. Instead of using these while we eat, we can engage with our families, partners, or coworkers to make mealtime a happy experience.
Another way to practice mindful eating is to slow down and savor your food. Before you eat, observe the color, shape, and smell of the food. When you take a bite, thoroughly chew it and experience the flavors. While you are eating, be mindful of your level of hunger. You may find that these strategies bring an awareness to your feelings or hunger and fullness. Learning to be mindful of our physical feelings is one facet of mindfulness. Another blog post on Healing Streams Counseling Blog will overview a strategy to learn how to monitor how your body feels after eating certain foods.
To review, mindful eating can be practiced every day using a few strategies:
1. Eat seated at a chair and table.
2. Eliminate distractions during mealtime, such as TV and computer screens.
3. Make mealtime a happy experience with your loved ones.
4. Slow down and savor your food.
5. Listen to your levels of hunger and fullness.
Eating mindfully is not always possible in times of healing after trauma. Seek professional help from a therapist or registered dietitian if you are struggling with food and it impacts your quality of life. Damaris Karanja, MA, MEd, LPC, RDN is a licensed Mental Health Professional Counselor and Registered Dietitian at Healing Streams Counseling that specializes in addressing trauma to heal your relationship with food.
Blog post written by Amelia Stone, Dietetics Intern
https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/
https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/97/4/728/4577025
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/distracted-eating-may-add-to-weight-gain-201303296037
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452360/