Category: Health

To help you put this into practice, here are seven simple ideas to help you establish more mindful eating habits and reconnect to your body.

1. Tune in to your body’s signals

Rather than just eating on emotional cues (different for each of us, like sadness, anger, frustration, loneliness, stress or even just boredom) we can learn to tune into and be better listeners of our body’s actual hunger signals.

For example, is your stomach growling, is your energy low, are you feeling a little lightheaded, or even ‘hangry’?

2. Put food on a…plate

Too obvious? Think about this: eating out of a bag is not a very mindful practice. So, get in the habit of placing even snacks on a plate before eating them. This helps you to take notice of exactly what and how much you’re actually eating.

Also, acknowledge the time, effort and passion you put into creating your meal – consider all the ingredients, and the preparation and intention involved in getting the food from stove to plate.

3. Sit….at a table

Now that you’re eating from a plate, continue “formalizing” your eating experience by always sitting at a table.

This helps to pull your attention back to your food and to your eating habits. It has also been shown to dramatically reduce overeating – especially for those who tend to eat in front of the TV. When you have no distractions, you’ll be better able to listen to your body’s cues and notice how you feel when eating different foods.

4. Make the table a NO device zone

Whether you eat on your own or with others, make the table a no device zone so that you can be fully present in your body and with your food. This includes putting away the devices and turning off the TV.

You can designate the first few minutes of a meal for a mindfulness practice by each sharing something that you’re grateful for. When you’re feeling gratitude, your body is relaxed and at ease – the state you need to be in to digest properly.

5. Slo-o-o-o-w down (and chew!)

Slowing down is one of the easiest, and most effective ways we can get our body and mind to coordinate in their signals of what we really need for nutritional purposes.

It can take up to 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal from your body that you’re feeling full – a little glitch in human physiology, which is why it can be easy to overeat. But, if we slow down, we can give our body a chance to catch up to our brain, hear the signals properly, and eat the right amount.

Chewing more, and more slowly, is probably THE simplest and most effective way to begin developing the habit of eating mindfully.

6. Pause between bites

Putting your fork down between bites of food ensures that you chew your food properly. Did you know that it’s ideal for you to chew every bite 25 times, in order to properly break down your food enough to be well digested by your body.

So chew thoroughly, and put your fork down between bites, rather than mindlessly picking at your plate or preparing to shovel in your next bite. Oh, and you’ll actually get to taste your food!

So, there you have it – six easy and actionable ways you can start practicing mindfulness, especially when you’re eating. Your whole body will benefit from slowing down, and being more intentional and present while eating.

ACTIVITY

Tapping into ALL of your senses is a great way to be fully present while eating – because it isn’t just about taste. There are so many things to experience when we eat food — colours, textures, smells and even sounds. Let’s put this concept to the test!

The Mindful Raisin Experiment

Ingredients:

• 3 plump, juicy raisins

How to eat raisins…mindfully:

1. With raisins in hand, begin to explore them with all of your senses. Imagine that you’ve never seen a raisin before. Discover everything you can about them!
2. Turn them around with your fingers and take note of the colours.
3. Observe the texture – any softness, hardness, coarseness, or smoothness.
4. Put the raisins up to your nose and take note of any aroma.
5. Place the your raisins close to one ear, squeeze them or roll them around, listening to any sounds.
6. Now…the really fun part! Slowly put the 3 raisins in your mouth, noticing the sensation of your mouth beginning to water as you start to chew them.
7. Chew the raisins slowly and with intention until they are virtually disintegrated.
8. When you feel ready to swallow, note the sensations of swallowing the raisin – for example, sensing it moving down your throat and into your esophagus on its way to your stomach.
9. Visualize this happening, and the energy and nourishment that this intentional eating is going to provide your body.
10. Take a moment to congratulate yourself for taking this time to experience truly mindful eating!

Low carb diets have been popular on and off since the dawn of the Atkins fame (and maybe even earlier?).

But, what exactly defines low carb? Does eating this way actually help with weight loss? Are there any other health benefits (or risks) to eating fewer carbs?

Let’s see.

What is a carb?

A carb, or carbohydrate, is one of our three main macronutrients. Carbs, along with protein and fat that are needed for optimal health in quantities larger than vitamins and minerals which are micronutrients.

Carbohydrates come in three main types:

• Sugars
• Starches
• Fibre

Sugars are the smallest (molecule) carb. There are many different kinds of sugars, beyond the well-known table sugar (sucrose) or fruit sugar (fructose).

Starches are longer chains of many sugars bound together. Starches are broken down by our digestive enzymes into sugars. These sugars are then absorbed and metabolized in much the same way as if we ate sugar itself.

Fibre, on the other hand, is also a long chain of sugars, but these are not broken down by our digestive enzymes. Fibre passes through our system, feeds our friendly gut bacteria, and then takes food waste out the other end.

Because fibre isn’t digested like sugars and starches, it’s often excluded from the carb calculation.

How we metabolize carbs

When we eat carbs, our body absorbs the broken down sugar into our blood, thus raising our blood sugar. Depending on how high and fast our blood sugar rises, our body may release insulin to tell our cells to absorb that sugar out of our blood and use it as energy now or store it for later.

This is part of the theory as to why eating low carb diets may help with weight loss – by preventing the release of insulin, thus preventing the storage of excess calories.

But, our bodies are a bit more complicated than that!

Low carb for weight loss?

A few studies recently put low carb diets head-to-head against low-fat diets for weight loss.

Guess what they found?

1. There isn’t one universal definition of low carb (see the next section below).
2. It’s more difficult for people to stick to low carb diets than low-fat diets.
3. Both diets work for some people, and neither one is overwhelmingly better for weight loss than the other (surprise!)
4. The number of calories people eat is still considered a huge factor when it comes to weight loss success – more than whether the calories are from carbs or fat.

How many carbs is low carb?

There isn’t one single definition.

The average American eats about 300 g of carbs per day. Some people consider eating under 250 g of carbs per day to be the first threshold of a low carb diet. That’s really not that low in carbs, it’s “lower carb,” rather than low carb. Plus, if you’re new to cutting carbs, this level is easy to maintain and a good start (if you want to cut your carbs, that is).

Taking that a step further, eating less than 150 g of carbs per day is considered a typical low carb diet.

On the extreme side, eating less than 50 g of carbs per day is considered to be very low carb – it falls under the ketogenic diet range. Eating so few carbs can actually change your metabolism into a ketogenic state. Eating this way can be difficult for many people to maintain.

Other health benefits of low carb diets

Low carb diets have the benefit of preserving muscle mass during weight loss. They can also improve heart health biomarkers like cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Not to mention that eating fewer carbs can improve how our bodies manage those carbs in terms of insulin and fasting blood sugar levels.

There can definitely be some non-weight-loss health benefits to eating fewer carbs. It’s still important to be mindful of what kind of carbs you’re taking in to make sure you’re maximizing the nutritional value of the foods you are eating.

Conclusion

Eating a low carb diet can be healthy, as long as it contains enough of all the essential nutrients. Some people may lose weight eating fewer carbs, and others won’t.

Low carb diets can help to improve how the body manages blood lipids and blood sugar, so it can be a healthy choice for some people.

As with most things in nutrition, there isn’t a one size fits all rule. Low carb diets can be a good choice for many people, but it’s not the magic bullet that some people claim.

Recipe (Low carb): Baked “Breaded” Chicken

Serves 4

2 pounds chicken drumsticks
½ cup almond flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp rosemary or thyme
½ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Cover a large baking dish with parchment paper.
3. In large food storage bag, combine all ingredients except chicken.
4. Place a couple of pieces of chicken in the bag and shake until coated.
5. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
6. Place chicken on a lined dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
7. Turn over and bake 15 minutes longer.
8. Ensure internal temperature of chicken reaches 165F.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can roast veggies in another pan at the same time. Just chop, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. They might not need to cook as long as the chicken, so check them periodically.

References:

https://examine.com/nutrition/does-low-carb-have-an-official-definition/

https://examine.com/nutrition/is-low-carb-really-the-best-weight-loss-diet/

https://examine.com/nutrition/are-there-health-benefits-of-a-low-carb-diet/

https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html

If you’ve heard that red wine is one of the healthiest of all alcoholic beverages, it’s for good reason.

Thanks to the antioxidants found in the skins of grapes from which it’s made, red wine has been widely publicized as being “healthful.” The kind of antioxidants found in red wine, like RESVERATROL, have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammation and oxidation are considered the root causes of most disease, so consuming antioxidant-rich foods is a key component in disease prevention.

Moderate consumption of red wine has been linked to improved heart health, along with other health benefits, like decreasing the risk of:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• diabetes
• certain cancers
• depression

Some of the buzz around red wine’s health benefits comes from its prominent role in the well-studied Mediterranean diet.

The Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, olive oil, and red wine, and is believed to contribute to a long lifespan and low incidences of heart disease and cancer among Mediterranean populations.

The health benefits of red wine are also thought to contribute to low rates of heart disease among the French, despite this population traditionally eating a diet high in saturated fat (think cheese, cream, and buttery croissants!).

How exactly does red wine improve heart health?

But, does a glass of red wine a day really keep the doctor away? Maybe.

Studies have linked regular consumption of red wine with the following positive outcomes:

• Increased HDL cholesterol (the good, protective kind)
• Lowered LDL cholesterol (the bad, inflammatory kind)
• Lowered triglycerides (fat or lipids found in the blood)
• Improved blood pressure
• More stable blood sugar levels

High blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and undesirable cholesterol and triglyceride levels are all contributing factors in the development of more serious heart disease, like heart attacks and stroke.

Is red wine an essential part of a healthy diet?

The short answer is no.

In fact, a large number of health-seekers are choosing to eliminate alcohol from their diets altogether. Large cities like LA, New York and Toronto are seeing sober night clubs and lounges popping up, and restaurants starting to offer alcohol-free spirits.

So if you aren’t a fan of wine or choose not to drink alcohol, there’s no reason to start drinking red wine for the sake of your health! Plenty of other diet and lifestyle factors, like eating lots of vegetables and fruit, getting regular physical activity, not smoking, and managing stress can provide the same health benefits.

But if you’re not looking to give up your glass of wine, you should know that red varieties have added antioxidants and health benefits, so may be a more health-conscious choice than white. While white wine does contain some antioxidants from grapes, red wine contains much higher amounts.

Like any other alcoholic beverage, it’s also important to remember to limit wine consumption. The health benefits of red wine only apply when it is enjoyed in moderation. Surprise!

When consumed in excess, any alcoholic beverage can negatively impact your health, contributing to alcohol dependence, organ damage, and increased risk of several cancers.

A good rule of thumb for alcohol intake is to limit consumption to one (1) drink per day for women and one to two (1-2) drinks per day for men. The serving size for one standard glass of red wine is 4 oz.

Since the size of wine glasses can vary, use a liquid measuring cup to familiarize yourself with what a 4 oz pour of wine looks like. Then, stick to that serving size!

References

Healthline – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-wine-good-or-bad

Healthline – https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/red-vs-white-wine

Time.com – http://time.com/4070762/red-wine-resveratrol-diabetes/

Recipe:

Skinny Sangria Spritzer

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle dry red wine (use your favourite but consider seeking out an organic variety = no sulphites or other congeners/additives)
• 1 ½ cups soda water (you can use a fruit flavoured variety, if desired – but no sugar added)
• 2 cups assorted fresh fruit, such as sliced strawberries, blackberries, orange slices, chopped apples, pears, or plums (have fun mix and matching your favourites!)
• Ice cubes

How to prepare:

1. Place prepared fruit in bottom of a large pitcher and lightly muddle with a wooden spoon.
2. Pour wine and soda water into pitcher and stir to combine.
3. Add 1 cup of ice to pitcher and stir to chill.
4. To serve, pour Skinny Sangria over ice-filled glasses. Be sure each glass gets a spoonful of fruit!

Diet and exercise have long been respected as two key players in maintaining your heath. If you take a holistic approach, you know that diet and exercise alone won’t create overall wellbeing, but they certainly are main factors to success.

While there are benefits to many different types of exercise, today we’re looking specifically at yoga and how practicing yoga along with eating a healthy diet will help you create a total picture of health.

Holistic nutrition and yoga philosophy have a lot in common. Using the two disciplines together can maximize your health benefits, yielding greater physical and emotional results than practicing one of them alone.

To see results, practice at least a few yoga postures daily, giving yourself time to calm and center through deep breathing both before and after. Nutrition is a more delicate balance. Be sure to eat balanced meals and not to go longer than 4 hours without food, to maintain a stable blood sugar level. Tuning into your body through yoga will enable you to decipher your body’s cues around food so that you can make the best possible choices for you.

1. Improve Digestion— Many yoga poses stimulate the digestive organs allowing them to function more efficiently. The squeeze and release of twists, for example, restrict blood flow to your organs temporarily, before allowing fresh oxygenated blood to bring them nourishment. Likewise, healthy foods deliver nutrients to your entire body. Using proper food combining (for example eating fruit on an empty stomach) to ensure that your digestive system functions optimally, laying the foundation for good health.
2. Stress Reduction– Deep breathing, mental focus, and of course, shavasana all have obvious stress reduction benefits. Yoga helps us engage our parasympathetic nervous system (the opposite of the body’s fight or flight response) to bring calm to both body and mind. A little less obvious might be the role nutrition plays in reducing stress. There are a number of factors that stress our bodies, including nutrient deficiencies, exposure to toxins, and food allergies. Cleaning up your diet by eating organic fruits and vegetables, and avoiding chemicals, excess hormones, and artificial ingredients will reduce stress on your body. Also, paying attention to avoid foods that you have an adverse reaction to will limit stress on your body as a whole.
3. Mindfulness – Both yoga and nutrition increase our connection to our bodies. Yoga allows you to tune in and listen to the cues your body gives you. Eating is an opportunity to bring yoga with you to the table. Use your intuition when making food choices, and be mindful of the way your body responds once you’ve eaten. Practicing yoga improves your ability to witness discomfort and build resilience to process it. This resilience carries over to other uncomfortable situations like craving junk foods. Bring mindfulness to the table by practicing gratitude before meals. By thinking or saying out loud what you’re grateful for you can put your body in a receptive state, so it’s ready to receive nourishment. Chewing your food thoroughly is another good way to practice being present and mindful with your food while you eat.

4. Increase Energy– Remember the yoga high you feel after class? Yoga postures and breathing release stored energy in your body, giving you a liberating feeling at the end of class. Stretching your muscles and expressing your full range of motion increases the energy and blood flowing to your extremities.The food we eat is a main source of energy for our bodies. There is a transference of energy from our food to our body that happens during digestion. Eating living foods (like sprouts, fermented vegetables, and salads) promote life in our bodies. The opposite is true when we have poor digestion; digestive troubles will take up energy, leaving us feeling tired and drained after eating.
5. Detoxification— Yoga helps to wring out our organs, prompting them to release toxins. During hot yoga classes, we release toxins through our skin when we sweat. The food we eat can be responsible for contributing to, or decreasing our toxic load. Foods like lemon, ginger, and cilantro are natural detoxifiers. Having enough fiber in your diet will aid the elimination process, ensuring toxins can be excreted from the body easily through the colon.

Summary

There are many overlapping benefits of nutrition and yoga including improving digestion, stress management, mindfulness, increasing energy and even detoxification. Eating well and practicing yoga can help you maximize your overall health benefits in these areas.

Recipe: Post-Yoga Detoxifying Tea

1” fresh ginger root
1” fresh turmeric root (or ¼ tsp dried)
¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Juice from ½ lemon
6 cups water

Bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and add ginger, turmeric and mint leaves and let steep for 15-20 minutes. Remove ginger, turmeric (pieces only) and mint leaves and add lemon juice. Serve warm or cold.

Tip: sweeten with honey, if desired.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5932774/
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/stress-management-enhance-your-well-being-by-reducing-stress-and-building-resilience
3. https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-yoga