Mindful Holiday Eating

The holiday season is upon us! A common tradition to celebrate includes feasting on rich foods and decadent sweets. What a perfect opportunity to really enjoy this abundance!

Here is a quick reference for using mindfulness to make your holiday dinner a unique experience and not just a delicious meal.  

Mindful Eating Exercise

1. Gratitude. Look at everything in front of you. Acknowledge your abundance. (Where did it come from? How long did it take to prepare? Who prepared this meal? How much money was spent to share such a bountiful meal?) Take a moment to be truly and genuinely grateful for all of it.

2. Less is more. Do not fill your plate. If you take heaping portions you may be eating to get full, when you really only need to eat until you no longer feel hungry. Try the different foods and get more of those things you really like if you are still hungry.

3. Slow down. Spend more time chewing, smelling, tasting, and talking with those around you. Get the most out of this special feast by making it last.

4. Breathe. It may sound silly to add this step, but it is pretty common to get so caught up in the  excitement of the holiday that you forget to really take those deep, satisfying breaths.  Take a few moments during the meal to take a nice slow deep belly breath with a slow peaceful exhalation.  Your digestion will be better and your body will be more relaxed.

5.  Savor. How does it smell? Is that a hint of cinnamon? When is the last time you enjoyed this food? Enjoy the taste, smell, and texture for as long as possible.  

Happy Holidays!

How Stress Affects Your Body (+ Mind)

Modern life is fast-paced, busy, rushed, and full of activity. Although we might not realize how stress is affecting our health, it has certainly become a habitual part of our lives.

The last year and a half has brought a lot of uncertainty, grief, and anxiety— just to name a few. There is a lot going on across the world, and we have a lot that we’re carrying on our shoulders. It’s difficult to even begin to comprehend what we are living through. Most of us are wondering — is it safe for me to go back into the office? How will I manage my time when life goes back to “normal”? When even will things go back to “normal”? How do I support my family? What are my boundaries and how are they getting crossed? What am I willing to tolerate for my mental health?

Combine living through a pandemic with living in the Information Age, you’ve got a recipe for exacerbated stress and worry. Stress symptoms can go unrecognized for quite some time, and you could be thinking illness is to blame. Restlessness, obsessive thinking, insomnia, weakened immune system, heart problems, poor eating habits, digestive issues, low libido, acne, depression, anxiety, and lack of productivity are all common signs of stress taking a toll on your system.

Parasympathetic vs sympathetic nervous systems

Activating your parasympathetic nervous system will help manage stress responses, fear, obsessive thinking, rapid heartbeat, or shallow breathing. The parasympathetic system regulates “rest and digest” functions and aims to bring the body to a state of calm. Think: how you feel when you spend time in nature, meditate, or play with animals. Your parasympathetic system helps conserve energy by slowing the heart rate and regulating bodily functions like digestion.

The sympathetic system controls “fight-or-flight” responses and prepares the body’s response to danger or stress-related activities, whether it’s good or bad stress. Think: stimulating the adrenal glands and getting a burst of energy to respond to that perceived danger. Both systems are part of your autonomic nervous system and have complementary functions that operate in tandem to help maintain homeostasis in the body.

What are you not digesting?

We take a lot in from the outside world. Long-term feelings of stress, worry, anxiety, restlessness, and racing thoughts impact the liver, spleen, and stomach causing increased acidity and inflammation in these organs. Stress causes clenching in the abdomen, which can then transfer to the stomach leading to acid and food being pressed upwards (rather than downwards)... commonly known as acid reflux.

Go play + get outdoors

Calm your sympathetic system by turning fear and stressful thoughts into joy and something fun. Watch a funny video or show. Play with your pet or with children. Ride your bike. Go for a 10-minute walk outdoors. Spend time with a friend who makes you laugh. Get out of your head and outside of your self.

Find your center

If you're feeling overwhelmed and your breath is shallow, pull inward to come back home to yourself. Practice taking long, deep breaths. This signals your parasympathetic system to reset and to calm the body down.

When we get out of our own way and out of our habitual behaviors, we create a space that is more self-reflective and at ease. The more self-reflective we are, the easier it is to find our center and be able to recognize when we’re uncomfortable. Deep healing can begin once your consciousness shifts to be more relaxed and open.

Go inward to go outward.

Contemplate

  • What experiences have I not been able to digest?

  • What am I holding on to that doesn't serve me anymore?

  • When have I been obsessed with worry?

  • What thoughts don't benefit me?

  • How do I self-medicate for stress?

  • What brings me back to my center?

  • When have I felt gratitude for what I learned from an unpleasant experience?