Tackling your prediabetes isn’t just about slashing carbs or elevating exercise. How you approach consuming food is important, which is what brings us to mindful eating.
Mindful eating is simply being present in the moment as you eat, and paying attention to your food as you consider the texture, the temperature, the design, the flavor — just everything about the food that is before you.
Joseph Nelson, a psychotherapist in Minnesota, explained what it meant to be mindful while eating a raisin. He approached the raisin on his plate as if he’d never seen one. He judged its weight, felt the surface ridges, noted the stickiness, placed it in his mouth and rolled it around before finally biting into it, all the while considering his feelings about the raisin.
Yep, it sounds a little fussy but as with any new tool, you can decide how deep you’ll dive when using it.
Most of us don’t have time to go through the process of mindfully considering every piece of food that we place on a plate. However, we can begin to practice mindful eating by introducing a few simple steps:
- Slow down. Take a few moments to look at the food on your plate. Don’t judge, just look.
- Put your assumptions aside and try each piece of food as if it’s the first time you’ve had it.
- Focus on the surface, the warmth or coolness, and the aroma. Note what it feels like when you bite down. Savor the moment.
At a minimum, mindful eating may slow down and even reduce consumption.
Each person’s journey out of prediabetes land is unique. What worked for Joseph may be a big nope for you. Just don’t be shy about collecting tools. The more you have in your toolbox, the better your chances of success.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5556586
https://pa-foundation.org/in-the-words-of-pas/mindful-eating-an-approach-for-holistic-nutrition
https://www.va.gov/WHOLEHEALTHLIBRARY/tools/mindful-eating.asp