ART OF 'MINDFUL EATING'

At breakfast, the newspaper we read, reports 300 point drop in the share market; lunch consists of dashing into a fast food joint, grabbing a bite to eat or perhaps piles of work compel us to take a quick mini lunch on the desk itself or ‘cuppas’ of tea replace the food; the evening news reports the rising prices of petrol and violence eruption in the city!

  

Can we possibly enjoy, digest and assimilate food when our minds are engaged and disturbed? With our busy lives, we are eating large quantities irregularly and with much too little consciousness. Are we being nourished on the physical, mental and emotional levels? Is it any wonder that so many people routinely use digestive aids!

  

Where does digestion begin – Is it the mouth or the stomach? Most digestion actually begins in the mind ! Let us look at the effect of diet on mind. According to our ancient scientists of life, the sages – food reflects a general predominance of one of three attributes called the gunas: sattwa - balance; rajas - over activity; and tamas - inertia.

 Balanced or Sattwic food

Food that is wholesome, fresh and natural is balanced or sattwic in nature. Such food gives the body lightness, alertness and energy. It gives strength from within as it is said to nourish the consciousness. Examples of sattwic food are fresh and dry fruits, fresh fruit juice, freshly cooked home food which is mild in spices, neither overcooked nor undercooked, salads, sprouts, buttermilk, whole grain items, seeds (sesame, flaxseeds ) and beans.

 Sattwik food brings vitality and health to the body and peace and joy to the mind. It is not only simple but tasty, and is as close to their natural form as possible. When food is natural, we eat less of it; our bodies are nurtured and satisfied, and our minds are in harmony. When food is whole and unprocessed, we chew more thoroughly, releasing digestive juices to aid digestion. This liquefies the food and the work of digestion is half done! Nutrients are extracted and the remainder is efficiently eliminated. Balanced food satisfies our need and not our greed.

  

  Overstimulating or Rajsik food

Rajsik food is over stimulating and causes restlessness, disease and agitation in the body and the mind. It energizes the body but not in the sense of yielding a clear balanced energy. It tends to stimulate and push to increase the speed and indulge more in activity, sensual pleasures and comforts. In excess, it can encourage the passions to rise and the mind to become very restless. Rajsik food is rich and tasty and was actually meant for the Kings (Rajas) and the warriors.

In present times, it is appropriate for the military forces or those in the field of sports with heavy physical activity to utilize it. As most of us are leading an automated life with remote controls and gadgets everywhere,such food does more harm than good. Meat and alcohol first have a stimulating effect and then cause us to become lethargic and dull. Too much coffee can set our heart racing! Spicy, saucy and thickly gravied foods, fried delicacies, aerated drinks and fast foods, tempts one to eat more. They keep us restlessly striving to fulfill uncontrolled desires of the taste buds; ultimately leading to pain, grief and disease.

 Inertia giving or Tamasic food

Tamasic food is any food that takes away energy from the body and mind. Food that is old or cold, overly fermented, moldy, has lost its essence, has been processed and preserved, is overcooked is considered tamasic as it has no spark of life in it. Dead and decaying food cannot give us vitality and life.

  

Many cultures will not permit food to be reheated or cooked again. They understand that food becomes tamasic and looses energy. The pot of soup we had last week and just found in the back of the refrigerator probably has very little vitality left in it. Think about reheated foods lacking energy when you see burgers piled up under hot lights or frozen potatoes being fried to serve our palate!  

Such food may add matter to the body but then creates a feeling of heaviness and lethargy. One oscillates between an irritating restlessness and a tendency to fall asleep. Such tamasic food may lead to a toxic accumulation of unwanted chemicals and substances that the body is unable to use as fuel – lactic acid, uric acid or overabundance of fats and sugars which manifest as general aches and pains and ultimately disease.

  

The art of ‘Mindful Eating’ 

• Choose foods that compel chewing
• Avoid or reduce intake of processed or stored foods
• Avoid overeating
• Consume food cooked within the same day
• Avoid television while eating to enjoy the food
• Avoid cold drinks with food as they suppress the digestion