Did you know mindful eating can also help you lose weight and prevent various lifestyle disorders? In this article, we will understand why to practice mindful eating and 3 tips to follow it.

Eat with तन्मना (mindfulness):

“तन्मना भोजनगत: चित्त:|”

In Ayurveda, it is advised to eat your food with mindfulness. It means to practice mindful eating which includes eating without distraction, eating with happy mood, and having gratitude in your heart towards your meal.

When you eat your food with happy and positive mindset, it helps you digest your food well. When you look at your meal with gratitude, you activate your cephalic phase.

Cephalic phase is the initial stage of digestion that initiates when you see, smell, or even think about your meal. During this stage, your body prepares for the intake of food. On the other hand, when you eat your food in distress, it trigger body’s fight-or-flight response. Due to this, your body goes into the survival mode. As a result, blood flow is redirected from the digestion towards the vital organs and muscles for immediate survival. Overall, it hampers the digestion process and can reduce the digestion enzyme production which may lead to gas, bloating, constipation, or even diarrhoea.

How to practice mindful eating?

Here are the 3 simple ways that will help you practice mindful eating.

1. No distraction:

Make sure to not watch television and keep your phone away while you are eating your food. Staying away from distractions helps you eat mindfully. This allows you to be present while eating and as a result it prevents overeating. Overeating is the reason behind various digestion related issues so it is the first essential step to follow if you often suffer from gas, bloating, constipation, or indigestion.

2. Eat according to your hunger:

Always listen to your hunger! Eat only when you are hungry and not when everyone is calling you because food has been served on the dining table. You can sit there to accompany them but if you don’t feel hungry do yourself a favor and do not stuff yourself until  you feel hungry.

3. Gratitude towards your meal:

Take a moment to express gratitude towards your meal. You can pray or just thank almighty to provide you the meal you are going to eat. This can help you connect more deeply with the meal.

By following mindful eating every day, you can improve your mindfulness and create more balanced approach towards healthy living.