The Benefits of Mindful Eating

As part of Magic Members' Week, discover the benefits of mindful eating by Margareta Serfozo, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & Corporate Mental Health Facilitator!

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any conditions. If you are seeking medical advice, please consult your GP or licensed healthcare practitioner. Any decision to use supplements to support your specific needs should be considered in partnership with your licensed healthcare practitioner.


Do you find yourself eating alone in front of your computer most days or opting for unhealthier meals due to lack of planning? Here are a couple of my tips to introduce you to a better eating hygiene that will have a positive impact on your digestive health and the quality of your meals.

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1. Slow down and listen to your body

Make meal times your priority! This is not the moment to multitask. Avoid eating in front of your computer or with your phone in your hand. Rushed eating can create gastro-intestinal issues and you have much higher chances to overeat if you eat your meal in a hurry. Indeed, it takes up to 20 minutes for your gut to signal to your brain that you’re full and reduce your sense of hunger. Your body cannot focus on digestion when it feels rushed(1), so take a couple of deep breaths and slow down. Amongst other health benefits, slowing down could potentially make you feel fuller for a longer period of time too(2). Finally, make sure you are chewing your food properly. Chewing is actually the only part of the digestive process that you can control. Chewing your food until it’s almost liquid before swallowing can support your digestion and research shows that it will help in reducing your portion sizes too(3).

2. Reclaim your dinner table

Make sure that at least once a day you have a proper sit down meal with your family, friends or colleagues. Create a no-phone zone and focus on enjoying your meal and conversation. Mealtimes after all are very social events, where we can share our stories and feel connected to one-another. Children can also benefit from regular family meals, as research shows that frequent family meals are associated with better psychosocial outcomes for children and adolescents(4).

3. Plan ahead

A day of back-to-back meetings? Busy with the kids? Set time aside in your diary for meal times in advance and don’t skip meals. Consider meal times sacred. If you only have a short lunch break, you might struggle to create healthy meals on the spot. The best way to avoid a rushed, unbalanced meal is to plan ahead.

A French study shows that meal planning could be a potential tool to offset time scarcity and therefore encourage home meal preparation, which has been linked with an improved diet quality(5). Creating a whole food based, balanced and colourful diet with a good combination of protein, fats and carbohydrates for each meal is crucial. Try cooking ahead during your weekends and make sure you create meal plans for the week. Do your shopping accordingly, so you will always have the desired ingredients at hand. Maybe invest in a slow cooker or try batch cooking. For a quick lunch I love creating nutritious buddha bowls and colourful salads. If you’re transitioning back into the office, make sure you have a home cooked meal at hand. If not, make sure you plan ahead and buy your lunch from the healthiest local take-away on your way to work. This way you won’t end up in front of a vending machine buying cookies at 3pm, because you didn’t have time to pick up lunch.

BY MARGARETA SERFOZO

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & Corporate Mental Health Facilitator @ The Endearing Project


(1) Bhatia V, Tandon RK. Stress and the gastrointestinal tract. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Mar;20(3):332-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2004.03508.x. PMID: 15740474., available via https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15740474/ (2) Hawton, Katherine et al. “Slow Down: Behavioural and Physiological Effects of Reducing Eating Rate.” Nutrients vol. 11,1 50. 27 Dec. 2018, doi:10.3390/nu11010050, available via https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6357517/ (3) Zhu Y, Hollis JH. Increasing the number of chews before swallowing reduces meal size in normal-weight, overweight, and obese adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2014 Jun;114(6):926-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2013.08.020. Epub 2013 Nov 9. PMID: 24215801., available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24215801/ (4) Harrison, Megan E et al. “Systematic review of the effects of family meal frequency on psychosocial outcomes in youth.” Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien vol. 61,2 (2015): e96-106. Available from : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325878/

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Author Details

Margareta Serfozo

Integrative Nutrition Health Coach & Corporate Mental Health Facilitator

Specialising in women's health and fertility, Margareta created The Endearing Project to support, guide and enable her clients to follow their own path to wellbeing through lifestyle and behavioural guidance, and wellness, health and fertility coaching.