Thursday, March 21, 2013

March Mindfulness

Counter the March Madness in your life with a dose of mindfulness. The practice of living consciously in the moment can keep you calm and focused and even help with weight management.. That means when you eat do nothing else. Just eat. When you eat mindfully, you concentrate on and savor every bite you eat, which in turn can keep you from eating more than you need. If you sit and eat it mindfully you  can observe what you are eating, notice if you chew enough, notice all the flavors in a particular food or dish, smell the aromas, notice the textures and how these textures calm or energize you.  Eating is an experience and it should be enjoyed as any activity is. If you enjoy it you will find yourself more concious of what you eat and whether it is satisfying and why.  Families can practice mindful eating simply "by taking a moment of silence before you begin eating so everyone can enjoy their food," she suggests. Discuss between courses. notice how different members eat at different paces notice how your moods impact how you eat. Be served and conscuous about if you are full befoe your ask for more.Eat and then wait 20 minutes to see if you are still hungry.

Tradition: Pickles and Hamburgers

For as long as I can remember, pickles are a must have with a hamburger or deli sandwich. Have you ever thought about the combinations of foods we eat, the timing of eating, the order of eating certain foods and other factors influencing the healthfulness of our eating experience? There are many long standing meal traditions that are rooted in better health. We learn these as a child and may not realize that many eating behaviors came about for optimum health.

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About Me

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First trained as a food chemist and nutritionist, my career began enriching a Twinkie, comparing the nutrition of a Twinkie to an apple and studying the role of sugar in the diet. With an M.B.A. and years in food and pharma understanding consumers and manufacturers, I'm back to where I started - food should taste great and serve to keep us healthy. To do so, there needs to be consumer awareness. Consumers need to vote for what they want by buying what they really want. If they buy impulsively, that's what they will see more of. They need to practice balance and responsible choices. That's when change will come. Please engage me with your conversation so that I can help you make and stick to better food choices that you enjoy. You'll gain a deeper appreciation of food not only from farm to table but farm to health. My vision is to promote solutions for healthful food and food practices you can happily embody and embrace!