I stumbled across these guidelines for healthy eating from my local yoga center and although none of them refer to foods that should be eaten or avoided (like our National dietary guidelines do) they are actually very relevant to modern Australian dietary issues, including overweight and obesity, chronic diseases and digestive issues. Rather than recommending which foods to eat, these guidelines recommend HOW to eat, something that is becoming extinct in modern fast food living.

I would hazard a guess, that if you were overweight and you followed these guidelines to the letter, you would loose kilos without worrying about the actual foods you were eating. These guidelines are very similar to ‘Mindful Eating’ strategies, something I often teach my overweight clients about. Mindful Eating is all about getting in touch with your appetite and hunger signals, something we have often lost touch with in modern day eating environment where we eat on the run, consuming large quantities of fast or convenience foods.

So here they are, why not give them a go:
1) Always respect your food. Begin each meal by giving thanks for it.
2) Chew your food until it is an even consistency before swallowing.
3) Do not eat while being distracted by television, excessive conversation or reading (and I’d like to add: at the computer).
4) Do not drink cold drinks just prior to eating. This weakens digestion.
5) Do no drink large quantities of liquid during meals, as this also weakens the digestive fire. Dry meals may require more, and moist meals like soup, require none at all.
6) Eat only food prepared by loving hands in a loving way. The energy of the cook is always in the food.
7) Make eating a sacred ritual. Pause for a moment, relax (and say grace before you start).
8) Following your meal, go for a short light walk to let your food digest before going on to the next activity. Avoid resting on the couch.
9) Eat at a moderate pace until you are three-quarters full.
10) Allow three hours between meals to allow your food to digest.
11) Digestion is the strongest around noon, when the sun is at its peak. Therefore, eat your largest meal at noon, the morning and evening meals should be lighter.
12) Take all water and drinks at room temperature or warmer. Cold drinks destroy digestive fire and decrease digestion.

For more information about how Mindful Eating strategies can help you improve your diet, contact our dietitians.