Mindful eating means paying attention to an eating experience with all of our senses; seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling, feeling while witnessing the emotional and physical responses that take place before, during and after the eating experience. It means allowing yourself to become aware of the positive and nurturing opportunities that are available through food selection and training by respecting your own inner wisdom. It requires using all your senses in choosing to eat food that is both fulfilling and nourishing to your body. It also requires acknowledging responses to food such as likes, dislikes, or neutral without conclusion.

What is mindfulness? It is deliberately paying attention, being fully aware of what is happening both inside and outside you: in your body, heart and mind and outside you in your surrounding environment. Mindfulness is awareness without any criticism or judgement.

Mindful eating involves paying full attention to the experience of eating and drinking, both inside and outside the body. We pay attention to the colors, aromas, temperature of food, textures, flavours, size and shape and even the sounds (crunching) of our food. We pay attention to the experience of the body. Where in the body do we feel hunger? Where do we feel satisfaction? What does half-full or half empty feel like? What does one do after eating?

In mindful eating, we also pay attention to the mind, avoiding judgement or criticism. In my opinion, when we watch TV, read a book, chitchat on phone while eating, our mind gets distracted. We stop paying attention to our eating. We act on an impulse, by withdrawing the right attention to our eating or drinking.

Though a daily chore, eating and drinking affects our mood. Fibre foods like complex carbohydrates that contain soluble fiber can slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and increase serotonin, the “feel good” chemical, both of which decrease mood swings. You can find healthy amounts of fiber in leafy vegetables, fruits, and in some root vegetables. Eating regular meals and snacks at the same times every day helps keep blood sugar levels steady. Eating at regular intervals helps to ensure that the body has a continuous source of fuel, and this may assist in keeping your mood stable.

According the adage, its better late than never the old habits of eating and not paying attention to eating can be changed with little practice. Don’t try to make drastic changes. Lasting change takes time, and is built on many small changes. There is a clear relationship between food and your state of mind. Try to understand your body’s needs. When you combine strategies for eating regularly with foods that may have a positive effect on your well-being, you can plan meals that may help you to feel better. You can also avoid foods that may make you feel not so good. Pay attention to what is good and not good for you to eat and drink.

1. Begin mindful eating, to remain happy and healthy.

2. Give priority to your mealtimes.

3. Take 15 minutes to sit down and enjoy your meal.

4. Avoid distractions whilst eating.

5. Always sit down for meal. Try to avoid eating standing up or in front of the fridge.

6. Serve your food onto a plate/bowl.

7. Try to avoid eating food from the packet, ice cream tub, take away container, etc.

8. Rest your cutlery next to your plate between mouthfuls and make a conscious effort to chew your food thoroughly.

9. Eat only until you are 80% full, meaning till you feel satisfied, but not overly full.

For a healthy body and happy soul self-study, mindfulness, compassion, awareness of our mind and body matters; for this, understanding our relationship with eating helps in cultivating a lot of insights. Begin mindful eating right today.

Correcting posture is not easy because our body utilizes learned motor patterns in performing daily activities. As we stand, walk or sit our body uses previously learned motor patterns. So getting out of the poor pattern requires strong mental frame for giving the subconscious mind the command to sit and stand straight.

Why is good posture important? Posture refers to the body’s position and alignment which is connected with gravitational force while standing, sitting or lying down. Gravity gives a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles. A good posture therefore helps in allocating the force of gravity through our body without stressing any particular body part; posture affects how we walk, run, jump, squat, sit, lie down, lift weight etc. Posture gives ease of movement as it balances our body by distributing muscle strength flexibility. Proper positioning of spine helps proper functioning of internal organs, therefore a good posture is vital to making one feel good. I am writing this post based on my own experience. I slouch since past few years, and every time I try to sit and straight my back and shoulder slouch mechanically.

Breathe easily: A well-aligned posture helps in breathing easier and deeper. This is why doctors always ask us to sit up straight while they listen to our lung sounds. When somebody asks us to sit up straight we do, otherwise our body gets adapted to slouch. A slouched posture causes restrictions in the ease of breathing deeply, such people breathe shallow, depriving their lungs of taking in oxygen in good amount.

Digestion: When it comes to the digestive system, proper posture allows the internal organs in the abdomen to assume their natural position devoid of unnecessary compression, which can interfere with the normal flow and function of the gastrointestinal tract. A poor, slouched posture has been assumes as a contributing factor to several digestive problems from acid reflux to constipation and even hernias. A good posture allows muscles to work more efficiently, allowing the body to use less energy and, therefore, preventing muscle fatigue. It also helps prevent muscle strain, overuse disorders, and even back and muscular pain, https://thefitnessequation.com/tfestore/soma-carisoprodol/.

Healthy bones: Good posture helps us keep bones and joints in correct position so that our muscles are used correctly, this reduces the abnormal wearing and tearing of joint surfaces that could result in degenerative arthritis and joint pain. It also reduces the stress on the ligaments holding the spinal joints together, minimizing the likelihood of injury.

Happy frame of mind: Posture also affects your frame of mind and your frame of mind can affect your posture. So, when you are well, feeling happy and on top of world, posture tends to be upright and open. In contrast, people who are depressed and in chronic pain, often sit or stand slumped. So, as far as possible maintain a happy frame of mind.

Remind yourself to sit and stand straight: Keep reminding yourself to stand up straight and breathe deeply. Good posture in sitting and standing makes it easier to breathe fully and naturally, helping both relaxation and concentration, practicing yoga for a few weeks helps to correct your posture. Tadasana, Utkatasana, Virbhadrasana, Bhujangasana help especially to correct the posture. Sitting and standing with proper postural alignment will allow you to work more efficiently with less fatigue and strain on your body’s ligaments and muscles. Being aware of a poor posture is the first step to breaking old poor postural habits and reducing stress and strain on your spine. Even several exercises help to improve your posture; the abdominal and low back muscles that connect to your spine and pelvis.

Electronic devices: There are postures tracking electronic devices in market which are embedded with dual sensors, attaches to your lower back with hypoallergenic adhesive strips and gently vibrates every time you slouch. The company making such device claims that wearing it less than an hour a day will train your muscles and mind to sit and stand upright after only two or three weeks of use. Some are worn below collarbone. These devices help in keeping your posture straight with a beeping tone reminding you to sit straight.

For all those who slouch, make a resolution and start working on your posture right away!

Most of us are habituated to having a cup of hot cup of tea or coffee in the mornings. We are so dependent on them to kick-start our day, that if we don’t have it, life comes to stand still. But, we never think once whether these beverages really help us?  Well, there are many versions of good and bad effects about having a morning cup of hot tea/coffee.  It’s not so easy to give up the habit. But, little change may bring in good effects. According to ancient Chinese medicine, drinking a glass of warm water in the morning helps kick-start the digestive system.

Chinese people believe that warm water because of its temperature, apparently aids blood flow. As your blood circulation increases, it helps detoxify your body and reduce painful contractions of muscles. It gives relief from sore throat. It helps reduce the menstrual cramps in women. On the other hand, cold water slows down organ function and causes muscles to contract.

I have seen people who are habituated to drink warm water throughout the day, enjoying good health. During meals, unknowingly we mix hot food with cold water, and this creates an imbalance of temperature.

Warm water increases body temperature, thereby increases the metabolic rate. Drinking a glass of warm water and a lemon helps break down the body fat, this controls food craving due to lemon’s pectin fibre. According to Ayurveda drinking warm water in morning heals our body by providing digestive power and reducing metabolic waste which strengthens our immune system. And do you know that, warm water helps maintain hair health, it promotes hair growth and prevents dandruff from coming back. Warm water keeps the scalp hydrated and increases root activity, giving you soft and shiny hair.

Often we feel plagued by constipation, do you know that the strain felt during elimination, accompanied by bloating, is brought on by a lack of water in the body? Drinking warm water in the morning on an empty stomach can help improve bowel movements and aid constipation while breaking down foods as they smoothly pass through the intestines. Stimulating the bowels helps return your body back to normal functioning.

Warm water is nature’s most powerful home remedy, which helps lighten any pain. The heat from warm water has a calming and soothing effect on the abdominal muscles, which can help provide instant relief for cramps and muscle spasms. Warm or hot water is usually better for cramps, as hot liquids increase blood flow to the skin and help relax the cramped muscles.

Warm water first thing in the morning can help with weight loss. The fat deposits in the body are eliminated along with accumulating deposits in the nervous system when you drink a glass of warm water. This flushes out the toxins that are circulating throughout the body and then enhances blood circulation. Making sure the muscles are relaxed will eliminate poor circulation and blood flow.

Premature aging can be prevented by drinking warm water. The presence of toxins in the body can lead to aging faster, but warm water can help cleanse the body from those toxins, while repairing skin cells to increase elasticity. Let’s make little difference in our daily lives: let’s consume mugs of warm water and avoid illnesses.