Could having an attitude of gratitude for our food affect our waistline?
Why our thoughts and feelings surrounding food has everything to do with our health.
Fact: We live in a time where we are more disconnected than ever from our food system. We now have eliminated the grocery store experience all together by replacing it with online ordering and meal kit delivery and subscription services. What used to be purveying neighborhood markets for fresh, locally sourced ingredients has evolved into massive distribution of properly packaged, assembly ready ingredients.
While I understand the ever-so busy lifestyles of the modern urban dweller and overcommitted suburban family, it is also important to make sure that food is still a priority. Not just sourcing good quality food, but also being mindful about the food we eat, because our thoughts and feelings are directly related to our health.
I like to think of it this way: “Mind over matter keeps you from getting fatter.” It is true, our thoughts and feelings associated with food affect the way our body’s digest and assimilate nutrients.
In fact, according to the New York Times best-selling book E-Squared: 9 Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments that Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality, author Pam Grout challenged readers to a 72-hour deadline during which people were instructed to manifest positive thoughts during each bite of food. After the 72 hours, many people found they lost 3 pounds just based on changing their thoughts!
And then there is my favorite, The Milkshake Study, which examines if the placebo effect elicited similar results in food labels as it did with medication. People were divided into two groups and both served the same milkshake (with about 300 calories total). The catch was that one group’s milkshake was labeled “sensishake” advertised as fat-free and guilt-free with only 104 calories while the other group’s shake was labeled “indulgence” and “decadence” with a whopping 620 calories.
Researchers measured a hormone called ghrelin which signals the need for food. When we are hungry, our ghrelin levels increase, causing our metabolism to decline if food is not found. When we eat, ghrelin levels drop and metabolism spikes to digest the food.
The results? Participants that consumed the “light” shake had increased levels of ghrelin compared to those consuming the “indulgent” shake. In fact, the “indulgent” group’s ghrelin levels dropped an impressive three times as much as the “light” group, meaning that their milkshake had left them more satisfied on a physiological level, simply based on their thoughts while eating!
These studies reflect the relationship between our thoughts and mindset and the food we eat. If we enforce negative thoughts, our bodies respond negatively. The reverse is also true: If we enforce positive thoughts, our bodies will respond accordingly.
Moreover, most Americans are constantly eating on the go. Even kids at school are given a mere 15 minutes to devour their lunch! The problem is that the body needs to be in a parasympathetic state to fully digest and assimilate nutrients into the body. Think of it this way, you need to “rest in order to digest.”
In the parasympathetic state, the body releases digestive enzymes that are essential for the proper break down of food. Without being in this relaxed state, foods are not properly digested which leads to countless of health issues, such as heart burn, leaky gut, autoimmune conditions, and allergies to name a few. It makes sense that with our constant busy lifestyles it can be difficult for us to eat in a relaxed state, which can be part of the reason for so many of our digestive issues.
What To Do?
The best and easiest way to get into a parasympathetic state is simply by sitting down while you eat and taking a few long and slow deep breaths before your first bite. Eating slowly and chewing your food well is important to proper digestion as enzymes are released in the mouth to help breakdown your food; the more you chew your food, the easier it is for your body to absorb. Try to avoid eating on the run or eating while you are working as this can interfere with your body’s ability to produce digestive enzymes.
Additionally, it is important to enforce positive thought patterns surrounding food. For instance, rather than worry about what you are eating, imagine the food nourishing your body. Perhaps even repeat a mantra like: “This food is going to heal me.”
This is particularly important when you start introducing foods into your diet you may have previously conceived notions about like fats. Instead, when cooking with healthy fats like ghee and coconut oil, envision them healing the gut lining and bringing energy to the body. I even recommend having a bowl of “mantras” at your table and every time you eat, picking up one and saying reciting it to yourself before your meal. It helps set an intention and brings you closer towards a parasympathetic state.
Even simply giving thanks for your food can make a difference. Before you eat, take a moment to reflect on where your food comes from. Acknowledge and appreciate the work that was put into harvesting the food that is going to provide life and health to your body. We have become fairly detached from the origins of our food and often getting back in touch with our roots can help tremendously. When we come from a place of appreciation and gratitude, we shift our perspective which helps our body enter a parasympathetic state while at the same time enforces positive thought patterns.
Sources: Institute for the Psychology of Eating NPR, Mind over Milkshake: How your thoughts fool your stomach NPR, Kids who are time-crunched at school lunch toss more and eat less
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