Empowered by your food

Thomas Faulkner, Mchiro, DC
June 4th, 2020

Are you present with yourself and your loved ones when eating?

A part of growing up is learning eating habits and adapting a lifestyle from our very first taste of food. Some shovel the food down and the point is to finish as quick as possible before getting on to the next task. Others have grown up always eating together and taking all the time they need.

Often habits and routines are followed through for generations. Some are valuable and some detrimental. May it be a big dinner party with loud music and lots of people, or they watch TV, eating a fast food meal while texting a friend. More and more do we see cases where humans struggle with digestion and therefore not getting the correcting usage of the nutrients they are consuming. Mindful eating can be a challenge when our focus is scattered everywhere else, but the food.

No one is the same. We have our own unique genetic makeup and we will thrive on different foods. Doing a thorough screening of how you are doing biochemically can be very helpful to see if you need to avoid certain foods or introduce new, as well as additional supplementation. Before going ahead doing testing make sure you are doing the following steps to help yourself along the way;

Ditch diet. Find a lifestyle that works for your in the long run, not just for a week or 3 months. Awareness is key. You need to first know why to do anything before implementing changes. Choose nutritious foods you understand that will help you.

Stay calm. Staying calm and relaxed before, during and after meals are both important to good digestion. Some people give thanks for the food, close their eyes and smell the food taking a moment to savour and become present with what they are about to eat. Whatever it is, find a way to always become present before you eat to shift focus to rest and enjoyment. Being mindful about our state of mind can make a huge difference in how well we digest our food.

Keep chewing. Try chewing 30 times for every bite of your meal – even if you end up chewing 10 times per bite this is most likely more than you do now. Chewing well is a game changer for healthy digestion and can help you determine your hunger levels.

Hydrate. Keep a glass water bottle close and refill throughout the day before or after meals. In most areas in the world it is advisable to filter the water first. Hydrate well in the morning after sleep and keep the bottle near by to be refilled.

Whole & Organic. Choose whole and organic food as much as possible, this is the simplest yet one of the hardest things to do for many people. Cut out processed foods whenever you can – most of the time we have a choice in everything we put in our mouths, drink or put on our skin.

Respect your body. With your whole being respect who you are. You will see that your choices stems from identity and core values. The more you get to know you, the better you can take care of yourself from the inside out. Handle emotions without using foods as a gateway.

Ask yourself before considering a meal; how can I empower myself today? You will know the answer, you always do if you truly tune in with yourself.