Mindful eating

"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."

Photo by Marth★.

This morning I'm re-reading a fascinating, compelling academic paper:  Permission to Eat: A Dietitian’s Journey with Mindful Eating. The author, Nicole Spencer, Registered Dietitian and MEd candidate, describes mindfulness and mindful eating in this way:

Mindfulness has been defined as paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally (Ludwig & Kabat-Zinn, 2008). The goal is to keep oneself in the present and observe and ponder the sensations that arise to facilitate a better understanding of one’s situation rather than focus on the past or the future (Ludwig & Kabat-Zinn, 2008). Mindfulness approaches are designed to create more willingness to incorporate new ideas without judgment and utilizing multiple perspectives in one’s problem solving (Langer, 2000). Essentially, mindfulness is an approach that increases awareness and facilitates a skillful response to destructive behaviour and psychological pain (Bishop, 2006).

Mindful eating is under the umbrella of general mindfulness strategies with the focus centered in food and the eating experience. It is defined by paying attention to an eating experience with all our senses (seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling, feeling); witnessing, without judgment, the emotional and physical responses that take place before, during and after the experience (Hammond, 2007). The goal with mindful eating is to support a shift from fighting and feeling deprived with food, to feeling satisfied with and enjoying food (Satter, 2009). The focus is more on how to eat, and less on what to eat (Satter, 2009)

[excerpt from pages 10-11 in Permission to Eat: A Dietitian’s Journey with Mindful Eating copyright Nicole Spencer, Simon Fraser University, Summer 2009.]

Last week Nicole shared via the British Columbia dietitians' and nutritionists' listserv ("Gerry's List") the paper's appendix of annotated resources. I'm thrilled she's also given me permission to publish it on Greens & Berries. By doing so, Nicole hopes "to expose more dietitians and dietetic students to the concept of mindful eating and increase many professionals’ knowledge, interest and abilities with the education strategy."

Appendix B: Mindful Eating (PDF) from the paper Permission to Eat: A Dietitian’s Journey with Mindful Eating by Nicole Spencer, RD, MEd candidate.

Update on Monday, August 17, 2009 by Elaine

Nicole Spencer, RD, has generously allowed me to upload and share the full text of her paper, Permission to Eat: A Dietitian's Journey with Mindful Eating.

Comments

[George Nakami]

That is so interesting! Eating has always been only as simple as "that's good" or "that's bad." I never thought to even think so deeply into it. Where can I find this article?

[Elaine]

Hi, George. Thank you for your comment. I've contacted the paper's author and she's given me permission to upload it to my blog, which I will do later today.

[Sophie]

Funnily enough, we've just been talking about Jon Kabat-Zinn's books on mindfulness this week at work. Serendipity.

How generous of Nicole to let you share her resource list with us. I've downloaded it and there are lots of promising sounding resources on there. Please can you say a big thanks to her next time you are in touch!

[Elaine]

Hi Sophie. I'm not familiar with Jon Kabat-Zinn's books -- I will check them out. Yes, I will thank Nicole. She's also allowed me to publish the full text of her paper, which I've just done. The link is at the end of the post.