How I Practice Mindful Eating

We live in a world where eating on the go, in front of the television, or while scrolling through social media is a normal part of everyday life. But to truly ease digestive issues, learn to eat intuitively, encourage optimal nutrient absorption, enhance meal satisfaction, support our body’s natural digestive process, and tune into satiation signals, we must begin to view meal time as a sacred ritual. This means taking time to prepare, sit down, and enjoy our food in a calm and relaxed environment.

In essence, mindful eating is the practice of eating a meal while being fully present with our food. Eating mindfully looks like connecting with your senses, paying attention to flavours, smells, colours, and textures, and actually chewing enough (which most of us don’t do!)

I’m still learning to eat mindfully every single day. We are only human, after all. (And sometimes, dinner and Netflix is good for the soul!) But after many months of mindful exploration, I’ve found these practices to be profoundly helpful in easing digestive issues and connecting deeper to both my body and my food:

Set aside time + create space

The first step to mindful eating is creating time to eat. We can’t possibly be present with our food, focus on chewing, or stay in a state of calm when we’re in a rush, on the go, or multi-tasking. I like to treat meal times like any other important meeting, obligation, or date. They shouldn’t be skipped, missed, or overlooked. Set aside time, show up, and be fully present.

Cook your own food

When the opportunity is possible, preparing our own food is a beautiful way to connect deeper with what’s on our plate. As we cook, our body prepares itself to digest the meal we’re making. The aromas stimulate our body to release digestive enzymes that are essential for breaking foods down, and visually seeing our meal before we eat lets our digestive system know it’s time to turn on and work!

Put away distractions

We digest with our eyes. Being present and actually paying attention to what’s on our plate is an essential part of digestion. Visually seeing our meal stimulates enzymes and activates our digestive organs. Additionally, our eyes use energy. When we eat in front of a computer, tv, or phone screen, we take vital energy away from digestion. It’s also almost impossible to remain present with our meal or body’s hunger and satiety cues when we’re distracted. This encourages eating to fast, insufficient chewing, overeating, and decreased satisfaction after meals.

Take a breathe

Oh, the power of breathe. So often, we go through our day in a constant state of stress. Between technology, busy schedules, and the increasing demands of society, it’s almost impossible not to feel overstimulated and overwhelmed. When we’re stressed, our body goes into “flight or flight” mode. In this state, our digestive system is turned off to preserve energy for protection from the ‘threat’ it believes we’re facing. Breathing activates our Parasympathetic Nervous System (also known as “rest and digest” mode), turning on digestion and helping us feel calm. I encourage you to take 5-10 deep abdominal breathes before your next meal. Go slow, consciously filling your belly with air, than slowly exhaling.

Give gratitude

I like to say a blessing before every meal. It’s a beautiful way to centre yourself and cultivate a sense of gratitude. My favourite blessing originates from a children’s songbook by Sally Schweizer. I learned the poem while attending Waldforf school as a child, and it’s stuck with me ever since:

“We thank the water, Earth and air and all the healing powers they bear.

We thank the people, loving and good, who grow and make our daily food.

And last of all we thank the sun, the light and life for everyone. Blessings on our food.”

Chew your food (more than you think!)

Chewing is the first step to digestion. When we chew, our digestive system is essentially ‘turned on’ to let the rest of our body know that food is coming. If we don’t chew sufficiently, large chunks are swallowed without fully breaking down. Overtime, this puts immense stress on our digestive organs and decreases their ability to perform efficiently. When first starting to chew, I recommend counting. It typically takes anywhere from 20-40 chews before your food is fully disintigrated. It may seem tedious at first, but overtime you’ll intuitively begin to do so without any extra thought. How many times you need to chew will depend on what you’re eating, but try your best not to swallow until the food begins to “liquify” in your mouth.

Use your senses

Out senses are powerful tools when it comes to eating mindfully. Think: smell, taste, and touch. Breathe in the food’s aroma. Admire the textures, colours, vibrancy, and shapes. Take a bite. Put down your fork. Close your eyes if you’d like, and chew slowly. Pay attention to how the food tastes. Continue to chew mindfully as you eat. After your meal, check in with yourself and notice how the food made you feel. Do you feel energized? Bloated? Nourished? Tired? These clues are all valuable messages our body is trying to tell us. Don’t overlook them. Listen.