I’ve been deep in thought with the concept that everything in life and nature carries its own vibrational frequency. With this being the case, I thought it prudent to try to live more presently and ultimately, more consciously.
So here goes.
This is going to be the first in a series of blogs about living mindfully and, for the first one I thought it would be pertinent to focus on food and how and why we consume it. There always seems to be such a furor and world debate around food. Which diet is the best for health, for weight loss, for memory, for vitality. For in fact, all manner of concerns. Without following anyone’s particularly prescribed diet, I decided to go within and look for the answers for myself. Surely I would know what is best for me? Well… I had to consciously quiet my hamster-wheel mind, to become uniquely present with and to myself. It wasn’t such an easy task, but it is very do-able if you are up for the challenge. Here are some questions I began asking myself:
If we were to become fully conscious of each and every morsel that we consume, would our health change? Would our emotions change? Might we feel more connected to the earth? Might we feel safe? What if, a vibrational frequency of a certain food or beverage simply isn’t a match for our molecular structure? Would it then create dis-ease? On the flip side, what if certain foods carry healing vibrations and we don’t even know about it? These were very interesting questions… ones that I was keen to find answers to.
I have always been semi-vegetarian, only trying chicken for the first time when I was 12 years’ old. Today, while being fully ‘conscious’, I can’t seem to eat chicken anymore, it just doesn’t ‘feel’ right, and I’ve noticed that when I do, my stomach and digestive system seem to take enormous strain. I feel uncomfortable, bloated and honestly, quite unhappy. The physical and emotional charges came through very strongly for me when I just listened. I found this to be very strange, so decided to do some actual research on the subject of conscious or mindful eating and wanted to share my experiences with you.
Mindful eating seems to be rooted in Zen and other forms of Buddhism, others tied to yoga. The approach to mindful eating is learning to pay attention. You notice your thoughts, feelings, and sensations and then listen to them. You notice why you feel like eating, and what emotions or needs might be triggering the eating. You notice what you’re eating, and whether it is healthy or not. You are aware of the look, smell, taste, feel of the food you’re eating or the drinks you are drinking. How it makes you feel as you taste it, as you digest it, and throughout the day. How full (or sated) you are before, during and after eating. You keep a check of your emotions during and after eating. You focus on where the food came from, who might have grown it, who is serving it, how much it might have suffered before it was killed, whether it was grown organically or sprayed with pesticides, how much it was processed, how much it was fried or overcooked. This is literally what conscious eating is about.
From what I’ve read, the benefits are quite literally amazing. I decided to try this new way of being and test myself. So now, whether I’m shopping for food, cooking at home or eating in a restaurant, I choose to be fully conscious of the entire process. It’s amazing how strongly present you feel and is quite an interesting journey so far.
I’ve learned to only eat when I’m hungry, and stop when I’m sated. If I don’t, I just don’t feel good. I’ve learned to chew and taste my food properly and am amazed at the levels of taste and texture. Healthy food seems to taste way better than any unhealthy choices I may make.
My favourite foods are organic veggies and fruit. They feel and taste so rich in nutrients and basically alive with goodness. They feel like they are feeding my soul. I can literally ‘taste’, ‘feel’ and ‘know’ the health benefits they are providing my cells, organs and life-force.
I’ve found that coffee (one of my absolute faves) just doesn’t feel right anymore. My body feels acidic and my heart races, so I have cut down to 3 cups per week. (I still love the taste and am going with the ‘everything in moderation concept’).
Alcohol now gives me an instant hangover, well before the next morning, so have cut down on that as well and feel much happier and better for it.
Sugar… oh sugar. This has been my downfall most of my life. My body simply cannot process sugar and it almost immediately leads to immune challenges. So again, in moderation, a dark chocolate here and there never hurt anyone, but a boxful – well, that will take me down like a clown. So now it’s not a difficult choice to say no. As a result, I’ve also lost weight that I previously couldn’t shift no matter how hard I worked out. I’ve begun to sort through the emotional issues I had around food and eating which feels very important. I’m thoroughly enjoying the eating experience more, and as a result enjoy life more.
Water has been another interesting challenge, especially lately with our drought. The net result that the water tastes so strongly of chemicals as they are packing them in to try to kill the bacteria. This cannot possibly be good for us. In fact, a lot of people are suffering from painful stomach bugs and parasites from our water. I invested in a super water filter system called e-Spring that not only filters 99% of the chemicals it also has an ultra violet light that kills all bacteria as well. The water now tastes delicious and is velvety smooth. It’s astounding how when being ‘conscious’ while tasting and drinking water, you really can taste chemicals if it is not filtered properly.
I’m looking forward to continuing this journey of conscious eating as I’ve noticed a huge shift in my health and energy. When you’re more present, it can become a mindfulness ritual to look forward to. You learn how food affects your mood and energy throughout the day. You learn what food best fuels your exercise and work and play.
Will keep you posted on the progress, but why not give it a try for yourself. I’d love your feedback as well..
Til, next time
Divaliciously yours
Nix
Image: Lisa Adams
