Yes— That’s fantastic. Many people are not aware about what they’re eating. This shows you have some basic mindfulness about your meals.

No— This is very common, and it often has nothing to do with memory difficulty. It is often a sign that you could have more mindfulness around your meals. Try eating all your meals tomor-row in a mindful, present manner for a healthier and more enjoyable experience!

Yes— Wonderful. As the study above shows, rituals around meals greatly enhance our enjoy-ment of our food. And that’s great for our health!

No— As the study above shows, rituals around meals greatly enhance our enjoyment of our food. Try doing something small but meaningful to you around your next meal— maybe a mo-ment of silent gratitude, or eating out of your favorite plate/bowl.

Parasympathetic nervous system— Yes! The parasympathetic nervous system which helps us re-lax, is what orchestrates digestion. In other words, the best digestion occurs in a relaxed and not in a stressed (“flight or fight”) state!

Sympathetic nervous system— Actually it is the parasympathetic nervous system that governs eating and digestion; this system is also what helps us relax. In other words, the best digestion occurs in a relaxed state and not in a stressed (“flight or fight”) state!

a- Mindful eating, eating only when eating, is best for optimal absorption of the nutrients you are taking in, preventing digestive issues, helping you know when you’re full and thus, helping you achieve and maintain your ideal weight. Plus, as the study supports, and anyone who prac-tices it can attest to, mindful eating just makes food taste better! Try it during your next meal!

b- Fantastic! Mindful eating, eating only when eating, is best for optimal absorption of the nu-trients you are taking in, preventing digestive issues, helping you know when you’re full and thus, helping you achieve and maintain your ideal weight. Plus, as the study supports, and any-one who practices it can attest to, mindful eating just makes food taste better!

a— Wonderful! Part of mindful eating is sensory enjoyment of the meal; concentrating on and appreciating the different aspects of the food (the smell, taste, look) may heighten the pleasure of the experience. And how wonderful to share in that with someone you care about!

b—- So this might be controversial, but I would invite you to try this as an exercise: speaking about upsetting things NOT while eating. Again, digestion is governed by the parasympathetic nervous system and it is very hard to process both upsetting experiences and our food at the same time! While sharing difficult emotions with our loved ones can be incredibly healing, I recommend doing it away from mealtimes.