Mindfulness and Eating

Mindful eating has always been a struggle for me.  I was never mindful and never really learned about what it was until I started dating my now husband and during my Masters program in Holistic Nutrition. I was always a fast eater and thought it was normal.   Not until I started to see how slow Blake would eat and that I would always finish before him did I realize that I was stuffing my face and not even realizing it. Although I eat a very clean diet filled with organic fruits, vegetables, protein and grains’, eating mindfully was never something I thought about because I was still eating “healthy”.  I never took into consideration the impact mindless eating had on my body both physically and mentally.  

 Growing up 1 of 5 kids created a certain environment in our house.   If you wanted a certain food you needed to fight for it! And sometimes that literally meant fight.  My grandmother would make sweet treats and different types of pastries and breads that I always felt if I didn’t eat it now then it would be gone! There was never a time to savor or take in the moment, it was all about throwing it down the hatch.  Its funny to reflect back on it now, but my childhood molded how I eat to this day. 

So, what does mindful eating really mean?  Mindful eating means being fully attentive to your food—as you buy, prepare, serve, and consume it.  Buying fresh food that is grown and raised with good practice and in a humane way.  Preparing food with intention and love.  Serving food in a setting that shows respect and gratitude for what was brought to the table. And finally consuming what you have and taking the time to notice the smell, texture, noise and more to what is going on in that moment. 

Below are some of the tips for mindful eating that I found from a Harvard Health Watch review 

5. Bring all your senses to the meal. When you're cooking, serving, and eating your food, be attentive to color, texture, aroma, and even the sounds different foods make as you prepare them. As you chew your food, try identifying all the ingredients, especially seasonings.

6. Take small bites. It's easier to taste food completely when your mouth isn't full. Put down your utensil between bites.

7. Chew thoroughly. Chew well until you can taste the essence of the food. (You may have to chew each mouthful 20 to 40 times, depending on the food.) You may be surprised at all the flavors that are released.

8. Eat slowly. If you follow the advice above, you won't bolt your food down. Devote at least five minutes to mindful eating before you chat with your tablemates.

1. Begin with your shopping list. Consider the health value of every item you add to your list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying when you're shopping. Fill most of your cart in the produce section and avoid the center aisles—which are heavy with processed foods—and the chips and candy at the check-out counter.

2. Come to the table with an appetite— but not when ravenously hungry. If you skip meals, you may be so eager to get anything in your stomach that your first priority is filling the void instead of enjoying your food.

3. Start with a small portion. It may be helpful to limit the size of your plate to nine inches or less.

4. Appreciate your food. Pause for a minute or two before you begin eating to contemplate everything and everyone it took to bring the meal to your table. Silently express your gratitude for the opportunity to enjoy delicious food and the companions you're enjoying it with.

Just recently I started the 30-day Mindful Eating course on Headspace.  I am hoping to find some direction on where to start and what to think about as I begin my mindful eating journey.  I have some concepts down already like taking into consideration where my food is from and how it is raised.  I have successfully taken on the responsibility of finding fresh organic produce as well as humanely raised meats to incorporate into my daily life.  I love to cook and share meals with loved ones.  I consult with my mother and mother in-law about different spices, mixes and ways to prepare certain things.  Now it’s time to focus on how I consume meals and how it truly makes me feel.  

Stayed tuned for a 30-day follow up after I finish the Headspace course. Comment below about any similar journeys and what you have found to help you stay mindful while eating  

 Xo,

Megan 

October is National Physical Therapy Month

“Treating the body to prevent injury is as important as treating the body due to injury.”

October is Physical Therapy month and I wanted to share with all of you what Physical Therapy is and what I personally treat as a physical therapist.  

 As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I love working with all kinds of patients.  I have experience with pediatrics all the way to college and professional athletes. Currently I am treating out of the beautiful ESO Live Well Space in Newport Beach California, located rite across the street from the beach <3 In the space I provide Manual Orthopedic Care, Yoga, and Pilates based Therapeautic Exercise. Programs are custom designed with each individual patients personal history taken into account.  Current Diet and nutrition are also discussed to get to the root cause of what’s going on inside the body.(** Read my last post on “What is Holistic Nutrition” to learn more)

 Physical Therapy is a healing practice that includes postural awareness, soft tissue and joint mobilization, breath work, functional mechanics, visceral mobility, and therapeutic exercise. My main work as a physical therapist is to assess each individual’s human anatomy and analyze function.  Listening to each patient’s individual story gives me insight into what is truly going on and how we can work to fix it.  Finding the true root of the problem is key for long lasting results.  

 All shapes, all sizes, and all ages can benefit from Physical Therapy. Some of the goals patients can work on include improvements in activity performance, balance, fall prevention, post-pardum rehabilitation, weight-loss management and more.    Aside from current and past aches and pains Physical Therapy can help everyone in all walks of their life.  Prevention is key and maintaining health for long-term use is vital. 

Below are a few of the patients I am currently treating at the ESO Live Well Space.  They all work so hard and I am honored to be apart of their journeys.  Each one of them have dedicated time in their lives to better their health. 

Lauren Heald

Lauren has been with me for almost a year now and we work weekly on postural control, abdominal bracing, balance, Upper and Lower Quadrant strength, and functional skills.  Lauren is an athlete and participates in dance, swim, horseback ridding, yoga, and spin. She is a true Rockstar and my day is brightened knowing I get to treat her. 

Andrew Stellar

Andrew first came to Physical Therapy for manual care due to a herniated disc in his lumbar spine.  Andrew is a seasoned surfer with goals of traveling for waves and being active with his family. Andrew is a true athlete who is focused and works hard to achieve goals.  His favorite piece of equipment is the Balanced Body Core Align because he says it helps his duck dives on big swell.  

Rocco Azzarito

I have had the privlage of treating Rocco since he was only a few months old.  Rocco was born with a right-sided brain bleed at birth resulting in mild Cerebral Palsy. Rocco presents with spasticity in his Left upper and lower quadrant.  He is a true gentleman and at age 4 is such a hard worker.   Rocco and I use Yoga, Pilates, manual care and other functional exercises during our sessions.  Our goals are to improve range of motion, balance, strength, and efficiency in functional activities.  Our sessions are the best, especially when they are at the park on the beach! 

Carl and Linda Schiefer

Carl and Linda sought out my care to help with nutritional needs and overall physical health.  Carl has Parkinson’s Disease and Linda was dealing with a suppressed immune system.  We revamped their diet with simple and sustainable changes.  We cooked, went grocery shopping, and even made gluten free vegan Oatmeal Rasine cookies for Carl.  Physical Therapy focused on overall strength, balance, soft tissue mobility, fall prevention and functional tasks.  Their attitude on health has changed and they both work daily to better their lives.  

 Kim 

Kim is another dedicated athlete that has worked hard to maintain her movement health, which includes flying, sailing, race car driving, and more. Kim originally came to me to find a program that would keep her from straining her neck. Through our sessions we were able to find what we needed to strengthen and what we needed to correct with alignment, engagement and breathe.  We were able to find a program that was tough but also smart!  She is a super hard worker and I love our sessions. 

 The body is intricate and complex and paying attention to the messages we receive allows us to age with steadiness and ease. Everyone deserves to experience a body that works and functions for life, work, recreation, and performance. Body work through physical therapy is a continued practice of preservation.

Come visit me at the ESO space on October 13th from 10:30 to 12pm to go over Self-Care with Yoga Tune up Balls and Simple Core Stability Exercises. First 10 people to sign up on ESO Mind Body Online will get a free set of yoga tune-up balls. Sets of tune-up balls will be available for purchase at the workshop. Come visit me and ask questions about physical therapy and overall health!

Yin/ Restorative Legs up the wall Series

This is a simple restorative or yin series for legs up the wall that will help promote relaxation, decompression and opening in the legs, hips and chest.  Getting your legs up the wall is a great way to re-energize when feeling tired or to meditate and find steadiness. 

Start:

 Find a quite place in your home where you can lay with your legs up the wall.  Place a blanket or mat on the floor and have another blanket for under your head and possibly to lay across your chest for some pressure and warmth. 

To get your legs up the wall the easiest sit on the floor with your Right hip against the wall.  As you start to lay down, cartwheel your legs up the wall trying to keep your butt as close to the wall as possible.

 Simple Legs:

For the first 5-6 minutes start with both legs up the wall with a little space between your heels.  Place your arms down with the palms up on the floor and find a neutral position in your back.  As soon as you find a comfortable position that you can keep without moving too much start to focus on your breathing.  Simple inhales and exhales out of the nose while trying to stay gentle and soft in the body

Wide-Leg’s up the Wall:

Keeping your back soft against the floor start to separate the heels from one another until you feel a comfortable and tolerable stretch in the adductors or inner groin area.  If your back starts to peel from the floor try and bring the heels closer to one another and maintain a neutral position in the low back area.  As your ease into this pose you can challenge yourself and see if you can separate your heels without letting your back lift from the floor.  Once you find a position where you know you can stay still start to bring your focus back to your breathing.  Lay in this position for up to 4 minutes.

Frog Pose up the Wall:

Transition from a wide leg position into Frog Pose up the wall by drawing the soles of the fee together.  The lower your drop your heels towards the floor the deeper the stretch you get, but if you feel your low back peeling from the floor lift the heels a little higher until you can keep a soft back position. For some added depth in this pose you can lightly press your knees towards the wall with your hands.  Lay in this position for up to 4 minutes. 

Piriformis Stretch up the Wall.

Transition from Frog up the Wall to Piriformis stretch by lengthening the legs back up the wall.  Start first by placing the Right ankle across your Left thigh.  You should start to feel a stretch around the outside of the Right hip.  You can add some depth here by placing your Right hand on your Right knee and lightly pressing the knee towards the wall.  For an even deeper stretch you can stat to bend the Left knee and placing the Left foot on the wall.  The lower you drop your Left foot down the wall the deeper the stretch you will get, but stay mindful of the low back.  Stay in this position for up to 3 minutes and repeat on each side.

End:

End your session with legs going back up the wall again and lay there for about 3-5 minutes for a Savasana.  Bring both legs into the chest and roll to the Right or Left side and lay there for a minute before getting up into a seated position. 

Namaste…..