Yoga for
Your Plate: Mindful Eating
The race is on: Cooking, cleaning, hosting, visiting, and tackling
a holiday shopping list that is growing faster than last summer's weeds. Before
you know it, the table is set and you're serving the holiday meal. This year,
though, is going to be different--you're going to sit down and savor the abundance
of flavors and the good company at your table.
The art of Mindful Eating, with its roots in Zen teachings,
aims to reconnect you more deeply with the experience of eating and drinking. It's the
process of deliberately paying attention to what is happening both within
yourself and in your environment during mealtime. When you eat mindfully, you
are in tune with where your food came from and with the aroma, taste, and
texture of food. You become much more aware of your appetite - just how hungry
are you? And, you become more sensitive to the feeling of fullness, so you'll
be less likely to overeat. Mindful eating brings enjoyment back to mealtime.
5 Ways to Slow Down and Savor Your Holiday Meal
Pause & Connect. After you give thanks for
your meal, but before you pick up your fork, take a moment to connect with your
appetite. How hungry do you feel? Of all the glorious food on the table before
you, what are you truly hungry for? What flavors will nourish you and replenish
your energy? Try not to choose foods out of habit. Fill your plate first with
the foods your body is saying it most needs. Then, embellish your plate with
smaller amounts of those traditional holiday favorites.
Clear Digital Distractions. Although it's less likely
at holiday time when family and friends gather from near and far, it's easy to
forget to turn off the digital devices that are such a huge part of our lives.
Sure, someone will complain about missing a "key play" in the big
game, but what's more important? Everyone at your table should be in the moment
for the main part of the meal and free of distraction.
Take Bites, Not Gulps. Instead of shoveling food
into your mouth, take smaller bites and focus on chewing and tasting it.
Digestion begins with the act of chewing. Salivary enzymes break down food the
moment it enters your mouth. Your taste buds awaken to flavors as you chew.
Pause between bites to set your utensils down and breathe.
Engage All the Senses. The taste of food is just
one way to appreciate it. Throughout your meal, notice how food smells and how
it looks on the plate. Notice the colors and the textures. Consider the
nutrients that the food will provide for you. Appreciate every aspect of eating
(and celebrating) the holiday meal.
Be a Nonjudgmental Diner. Being a nonjudgmental
diner is about paying attention to your needs for nourishment and not the
person's next to you. And if you feel yourself on the verge of overindulgence,
make it a conscious choice. Choose your favorite holiday treat and bring a focused
awareness to eating it. Almost certainly, you'll so enjoy and be satisfied by
that first piece of pie, you won't feel the urge for seconds.
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"Egg-cellent"
Ways to Replace Eggs in Recipes
Are you interested on how to replace eggs in
your favorite recipes? Our list provides good substitutes, homemade and
store-bought, organized by the role of the egg in the recipe (binding,
leavening, or adding moisture).
For an egg replacer that binds, add any of the following
for each egg:
·
1 T (heaping) soy powder + 2 T water
·
1 T soy milk powder + 1 T cornstarch + 2 T water
·
2 T cornstarch
·
2 T potato starch
·
2 T arrowroot powder
·
2-3 T whole wheat flour
·
2-3 T tomato paste
·
2-3 T mashed potatoes
·
2-3 T mashed sweet potatoes
·
2-3 T instant potato flakes
·
1/4 cup tofu puréed with 1 T flour
For leavening, try this commercial product:
·
Ener-G Egg Replacer (base of potato starch, tapioca flour)
For sweet, baked goods, try one of the following
for each egg:
·
1 banana
·
1/4 c applesauce
·
1 T milled flax seed and 3 T water
Digestive Enzymes
The digestive system has an intricate
relationship with all other systems in the body, including the immune,
endocrine, and nervous systems. If your digestive system cannot properly digest
food, absorb nutrients, and eliminate waste products from the body, then it
becomes very difficult to maintain optimal health. Even if you eat an ideal
diet, if you experience a great deal of stress, have an underlying medical
condition, or are taking medications that affect digestive processes, you can
experience digestive difficulties and have problems absorbing nutrients.
Digestive enzymes are proteins that facilitate specific chemical
reactions to break down food (e.g., carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) into
smaller, absorbable components. Digestive Enzyme Supplements (DES) are a
natural remedy for many conditions that have a root cause in the digestive
system, including food sensitivity, allergies, behavioral disorders, and other
health conditions that may be related to a nutrient deficiency.
Your health practitioner may suggest taking a plant-based DES with
meals. These are usually derived from pineapple (bromelain) or papaya (papain).
Another source of DES is derived from microbes and includes varieties of
lipase, amylase, protease, and lactase, which all have unique effects in the
digestive process.
The medical premise for a DES is to facilitate thorough digestion
of food and to prevent foodstuffs from lingering in the gut where they can
generate unfavorable bacteria and yeast (at the expense of healthy gut bacteria).
Digestive enzyme supplements may also enhance the nutrition received from the
foods you eat, which is good for the whole body. Research shows that taking a
DES can promote bowel movement regularity, reduce or eliminate other gastric
disturbances such as reflux or gas, and ease the symptoms of food intolerance
(e.g., lactose).
Digestive enzymes can be used by adults and children alike, but
consult your practitioner for proper dosage. Do not take digestive enzymes
without the input of your doctor if you have active stomach or duodenal ulcers,
inflammation of the bowels, bleeding disorders, or are scheduled for surgery.
Holy Basil (Ocimum Sanctum or Tulsi)
Holy basil (or Tulsi), with its astringent taste
and powerful aroma, is not the sweet basil you use to season marinara sauce.
And it is very different from the basil used in Thai cuisine. Cultivated in the
Southeast Asian tropics, holy basil has long been considered sacred in India
where it is still used in worship services. For centuries, holy basil has been
used in Ayurvedic therapies to treat a wide range of ailments including
respiratory conditions, skin conditions, inflammation, microbial conditions,
infertility, and psychological distress.
Modern scientific research is now demonstrating its beneficial
effects. Evidence suggests that Tulsi offers protective benefits against
physical, environmental/chemical, metabolic, and psychological stress.
Researchers are interested in the active ingredients that can be
derived from the flowers, stems, leaves, seeds, and roots and used for
medicinal purposes. The active ingredients in Tulsi have been found to have
"adaptogenic effects," which means Tulsi helps the body better manage
the physiological response to stress. Studies also show it helps reduce
inflammation and keep blood glucose levels in balance. There also is evidence
to support using holy basil as an antimicrobial agent in hand sanitizer and
mouthwash.
There are several methods of application for holy basil: Dried
powder, a capsule containing the concentrated herb extract, tea, or tincture. A
natural health physician may advise using a specific amount and a specific type
of application based on individual health concerns or for preventive care.
Because it is known to interact with other medications, consult with your
physician before taking a Tulsi supplement. Unless under a physician's care, do
not give holy basil to an infant.
Did you know….
If you could stretch out all of a human's blood vessels, they would be about 60,000 miles long. That's enough to go around the world twice.
