Food as Medicine: Mindful Mealtimes

Mindfulness is…

Put away distractions (such as television, electronic devices, homework, arguments).
You can eat alone or with family and friends.
Pay attention while you prepare and eat food.
Use your 5 senses to explore the foods.
Notice when you are “hungry” and when you are “full”.

A network of nerves surrounds your gut and guides digestion.
- When you are calm, your nerves trigger digestive muscles to work correctly.
- When you are stressed, your brain sends signals to slow or stop digestion. It can also cause belly pain.
What you can do:
- Use deep breathing exercises before a meal.
- Breathing exercises improve communication between the gut and brain. This helps to control pain signals, helps with digestion and reduces inflammation (swelling).
- Focus on the food.
- When you smell food, your brain sends signals to produce saliva in your mouth and digestive juices in your stomach.
- Your body is getting ready to digest!
- Take your time and chew.
- Chewing is the first step in breaking down food.
- Chewing food well helps your body to use all the nutrients inside food and helps prevent some symptoms of indigestion.

Start exploring: Use food preparation to set the tone!

Practice mindful handwashing.
- Feel the water and soap on your skin.
- Think about your day. How did it make you feel?
Use your 5 senses while preparing the food.
- Smell and taste as you go.
- How does each ingredient taste and smell? Does it change during cooking?
  Note: Do not taste raw eggs or meats, or mixtures containing these.
- Use colorful fruits and vegetables cut in different ways to add interest to the plate.
- What do you hear?
  - Sizzling in the pan.
  - Rhythmic chopping.
  - What else do you hear?
- Use touch as a tool as you wash produce, mix ingredients, and shape patties.
Pay attention to how you feel.
- Are you hungry?
- Is there something that you need before you are ready to eat?
- If you feel anxious or overwhelmed, take one or more deep breaths.

Create a supportive environment:

Choose music that makes you feel calm and happy.
Try different lighting.
Limit distractions. Turn off the television. Put away cell phones, tablets, homework, and toys.
Make sure everything is on the table before sitting for your meal.
Children should sit in chairs or booster seats that support their bodies and feet.

Relaxing rituals:

Before you start to eat, relax and focus with breathing exercises.
Pause to be thankful. Follow a religious tradition or use your own words.
Some topics can be stressful. Think about sharing good news from the day while you eat.
Decide what to eat, how much to take, and enjoy the food on your plate.
Slow down and savor. Put your fork down while you chew each bite. Pause and appreciate the next bite before you put it in your mouth.

Eating with 5 senses:

Am I feeling hungry? During the meal, remember to pause and think about how hungry you feel.
How does the food feel as you chew and move it around with your tongue? How does it change? Do you feel ready to swallow?
What flavors do you taste? Is it sweet, sour, spicy, salty, bitter, savory (umami)?
What does the food taste like on different parts of your tongue?
What foods taste good together?

November 2022