Mindful Eating – Part 3: Appetite, Hunger, and Satiety

The Center for Mindful Eating lists several Principles of Mindful Eating (you can read them all here). One of the main tenants of eating mindfully is:

“Learning to be aware of physical hunger and satiety cues to guide your decision to begin eating and to stop eating.”

 
This is one skill that children are typically considered the experts – If not manipulated by adults, children have an innate ability to adjust caloric intake based on caloric need until around the age of 4 or 5. However, when guardians emphasize a clean-your-plate mentality, or provide other incentives for children to eat more or less (“no dessert until you finish your asparagus” or “children in Africa are starving!”), this ability is compromised.  In contrast, older adults have weaker hunger and satiety cues, as well as weaker thirst responses, than younger populations.

As we grow older, we learn to rely less on our physical sensations for deciding how much and when we eat and shift the focus to more external cues, like how much is on our plate, how much our spouse put on their plate, what time the kids are hungry for dinner, when we are able to take our lunch at work, and so forth.

Eating more mindfully allows us to shift that focus back to physical cues of hunger instead of psychological cues. This can help us eat more appropriate portions when our body actually needs the energy.

Sometimes people have trouble distinguishing between appetite and hunger, even when they are trying to listen to their body’s messages. Listing definitions is typically not my favorite way to capture an audience’s attention, but I have to share the following definitions from Webster’s New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts by Labensky, Ingram, and Labensky (2001) – I’ve bolded the phrases I think are most worth of your attention:

·         Appetite: The psychologically compelling desire to eat; it is usually experienced as a pleasant sensation associated with seeing, smelling or thinking of food.

·         Hunger: The sensation resulting from a lack of food and the compelling need to eat; generally experienced as weakness and an unpleasant sensation or even pain in the lower part of the chest.

·         Satiety: The feeling of being full or satisfied after eating; consuming fats provides a greater degree of satiety than does consuming carbohydrates or protein.

·         External cue theory: The theory that some people eat in response to external factors such as the time of the day or the aroma or sight of food rather than in response to the internal sensation of hunger.

Notice appetite is pleasing; hunger is not. You physically experience hunger. Appetite is more of a thought or feeling of desire for a food based on physical sensations.

Additionally, “satiety” does not necessitate “fullness,” just feeling satisfied. The spectrum of hunger varies, from feeling extremely hungry to feeling extremely full. Notice this says extremely full, not extremely satisfied. Feeling very full is typically perceived as an uncomfortable physical sensation. Sometimes, this is still perceived psychologically as a good thing – for example, on Thanksgiving, many people enjoy the tradition of eating so much it hurts. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt.

The graphic below describes this spectrum of “hunger” to “fullness” to better explain the physical sensations of hunger.

By being more mindful of where our hunger level falls on this spectrum, we are able to eat more mindfully. This, in turn, enables us to better control the amount of food we put into our bodies. Many experts suggest remaining between a 3 and an 8 on this scale to avoid getting to hungry (resulting in a possible binge) or too full (resulting from excess calorie intake.) This not only allows us to have a happier relationship with food and our bodies, but can also have a positive effect on our weight status and overall health as well.

You know that feeling that you ate so much you’re stretching out your stomach? You’re not terribly far from the truth. The stomach is an expansible muscular sac – this means it stretches when you put food in it. When the stomach is practically empty, it is about the size of an adult fist. However, it is capable of holding up to 1 to 1.5 liters of food and liquid; some human stomachs can hold even more.

However, do you really want to fill it to the brim? An old Japanese phrase is “Hara hachi bunme,” which advises people to stop eating when they are 80% full. This is in sharp contrast to the American traditions of all-you-can-eat buffets, supersized value meals, and clean-your-plate mentality.

Next time you sit down to eat a large meal, visualize the size of your stomach before eating, and consider how the food will stretch and fill your stomach. Think about why you are eating – are you physically hungry, or are you experiencing external cues that are affecting your appetite? And as you slowly eat your meal, continually consider not how much room you have left in your stomach, but instead how much room you have already filled – are you satisfied yet? If so, put your leftovers in the fridge and enjoy them at another meal. You will soon find yourself appreciating your meal more as you become a more mindful eater.

Enjoy! Thanks for reading!

Anna

Mindful Eating – Part 2: Tips for Beginners

Changing your eating habits won’t be an overnight transformation; start with some of these practical, applicable small steps to begin eating more mindfully:

Eat more slowly. This will give you the chance to be more aware of your food as well as give your stomach a chance to send signals to the brain to stop eating when it starts to feel full.

·    Put your fork down in between bites. Use a smaller fork.

·    Chew more thoroughly –this is good for your digestion, too.

·    If you eat with a friend or spouse, talk to them during the meal and listen to them attentively in between bites.

·    Drink water throughout the meal instead of gulping it all down at once. This will also help you feel full faster and with fewer calories since water takes up space in your stomach.

Pay attention to your meal and how you feel about it. This will make eating more enjoyable regardless of the volume of the meal.

·    Avoid watching TV or doing work on your computer while eating.

·    Avoid shoveling in mouthfuls in between sentences in a conversation.

·    Savor the taste of your meal. Smell that orange before you peel it, notice the crispness of those carrots, enjoy the tartness of the apple, and appreciate the warmth the oatmeal brings to your stomach. (More on this in a later entry!)

·    If you are eating a food you don’t like very much, that’s okay too – take the moment to understand the way you feel about the food and why. Take note of the aspects of the food that you do like as well as the ones you don’t appreciate as much. (More on this later!)

Take the time to arrange the plate. Your effort will increase your appreciation for the meal and add to your enjoyment as well.

·    Set the table; use a tablecloth and cloth napkin.

·    Make the plate look nice; arrange the food carefully and neatly. No piling food onto the rim of the plate! This will also help with portion-control.

Listen to hunger as well as appetite cues. We’ll talk about the difference later.

·    Think about why you are choosing to eat each time you have a snack or meal. (More on this later!)

·    Look at your laden plate before eating to visualize the space the food will fill in your stomach. (More on the anatomy of the stomach later!)

·    Consider the importance of feeling “full” – how full is too full? (More on this later!)

Become more involved with meal preparation. This will help you better appreciate the food you eat.

·    Eat out less often. When you do eat out, take a moment to look at your food and really understand what you are about to eat and where it came from.

·    If you are in sole charge of food preparation, use a family recipe, slice your own vegetables instead of buying them already prepped, and stay with the chicken while it cooks on the stove instead of multi-tasking.

·    If you are not very involved in food preparation in your household, find out how to become more involved. This can involve simple tasks like preheating the oven, slicing vegetables, stirring pasta as it boils, or setting the table. Or, go a step further and learn some basic recipes to acquire a more active role in the kitchen.

Try out some of these tricks and let me know what you think! Check back soon for more on this topic.

Thanks for reading!

Anna

Mindful Eating – Part 1: A New Way to Think About Food

Do you ever feel like your diet is out of control? Perhaps you feel like you’re eating all the wrong foods, or at the wrong times, or in the wrong portions. Perhaps you feel that you do all of these things.

For most Americans, relationships with food are emotional things. We don’t just eat because our body needs fuel. We eat when we’re sad, when we’re tired, when we’re bored… the list goes on. We certainly don’t only eat foods that nourish our bodies and promote our health. Oftentimes, the foods we turn to for comfort are not the ones that are best for our health. Meanwhile, fruits and vegetables are typically considered an obligation, not a source of enjoyment.

Our lives are fast-paced and full of multitasking. Meals are often taken in front of the computer at work and in front of the television at home. Fast food is a staple. Caffeine is a must-have for many people just to get through their day. Unlike many other countries, the United States doesn’t slow down to take meals. In some occupations, there is practically no time for lunch.

These habits do have their consequences; about 2/3 of Americans are overweight or obese. Many of the leading causes of death are largely preventable and brought about by unhealthy lifestyles.

So what is the answer?

Obviously, we can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results. A rather droll joke is that this is the definition of insanity. Instead, we must change our habits to bring about improvement in our diet, in our health, and in our life.

To change our habits, a change in thinking must be made. A change in actions will follow. One way to think differently about food incorporates the concept of “Mindful Eating.”

Mindful eating promotes appreciation, attentiveness, and awareness while eating. By changing the way you think about food, your relationship with food will change, affecting your eating habits and food choices.

This isn’t something I’ve just made up for the purpose of this blog; there is even a Center for Mindful Eating that provides information and seminars on the topic. You can find their website here. Here is their summary of some of the changes that occur with the practice of eating more mindfully:

·         learning to make choices in beginning or ending a meal based on awareness of hunger and satiety cues;

·         learning to identify personal triggers for mindless eating, such as emotions, social pressures, or certain foods;

·         valuing quality over quantity of what you’re eating;

·         appreciating the sensual, as well as the nourishing, capacity of food;

·         feeling deep gratitude that may come from appreciating and experiencing food  

For the next few entries in this blog, I will be exploring the practical application and health benefits of eating more mindfully. Check back tomorrow for some tips for on how to incorporate this concept into your lifestyle.

Thanks for reading!

Anna

Good Fat, Bad Fat

Dietary fat has something of a bad reputation. However, there are two sides to every story! Here are the basics about fat and its role in our health.

The Good:

First of all, the human body needs some fat in order to maintain healthy skin, insulate the body, cushion vital organs, and transport fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) around the body. Additionally, specific kinds of fat can have a positive effect on heart health. These are called the “heart healthy fats,” or the “good fats.”

Good Fats:

Monounsaturated Fat:

·         Helps lower total cholesterol

·         Helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol without lowering HDL (good) cholesterol

·         Best choice!

·         Sources:

o   Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil

o   Avocado, olives, peanut butter, almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts

Polyunsaturated Fat

·         Helps lower total cholesterol

·         May have a desirable effect on the ration between HDL (good) and LDL (bad) cholesterol

·         Sources:

o   Corn oil, soy oil, sunflower oil

o   Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds

o   Salad dressings, mayonnaise, margarine

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

·         This is a specific kind of polyunsaturated fat with special health benefits

·         Can help lower triglyceride levels and lower the risk of heart disease

·         Sources:

o   Fish (tuna, halibut, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout)

§  Wild-caught fish has more omega-3’s than farm-raised fish

o   Flaxseed and English walnuts

o   Oils (canola, soybean, flaxseed, walnut)

The Bad:

Any fat in excess can lead to excess weight gain because fat is a more calorie-dense nutrient (9 calories/gram) than carbohydrates (4 calories/gram) or protein (4 calories/gram). Additionally, certain fats can be detrimental to your health; these fats are called the “bad fats.”

Bad Fats:

Saturated Fat

·         Promotes heart disease

o   Raises blood cholesterol levels

o   Encourages formation of plaque (deposits in the arteries and veins that block blood flow)

·         Sources:

o   High-fat meats (bacon, sausage, hot dogs, lard, egg yolks)

o   High-fat dairy products (whole milk, cheese, sour cream, butter)

o   Tropical oils (coconut, palm kernel)

Trans Fat

·         Promotes heart disease

·         Created during food processing when liquid oils are turned into solid fat

·         Serves to increase shelf-life (food stabilizer)

·         Look for the word “hydrogenated” in the ingredient list

·         Sources:

o   Fried foods, baked goods, crackers, candies, cookies

o   Solid vegetable shortening, stick margarines, some tub margarines

Cholesterol

·         A waxy, fat-like substance often  linked with animal foods that are high in fat

·         Consume no more than 200-300 mg/day from your diet

·         Your liver makes all the cholesterol your body needs to survive, so there is no need to include cholesterol in the diet.

·         Sources:

o   Only found in animal foods (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy)

In conclusion, not all fat is bad – since we need to include some fat in our diet to maintain optimal health, do your heart a favor and choose unsaturated fats more often. Check your nutrition labels to make sure you’re picking the right foods!

Please leave questions in the comment section. Thanks for reading!

Anna

February is American Heart Month!

Your heart beats about 100,000 times in one day and about 35 million times in a year. A diet high in sodium, saturated fat, and cholesterol can force your heart to work harder to deliver blood throughout your body, and can lead to cardiovascular disease.

One in three Americans has some form of cardiovascular disease. This abnormal functioning of the heart or blood vessels can increase your risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and sudden death. Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States and the world; in 2009, nearly 600,000 Americans died from heart disease alone.

Some of the risk factors of cardiovascular disease are not controllable – age, race, gender, and family history, for example. However, many lifestyle risk factors are controllable. By eating a healthy diet, controlling stress, not smoking, and staying physically active, you can make your heart’s job a little easier and decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Here are a few nutrition tips for good heart health:

·    Read your food labels. Limit saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and cholesterol.

·    Eat more vegetables and fruits.

·    Choose low-fat sources of protein, like skinless poultry, low fat dairy, lean meats, egg whites, and beans.

·    Select more whole grains and fewer refined grains. (Hint: Look for the word “whole” in the ingredient list.)

·    Control portion size accordingly to maintain a healthy weight.

Your heart does so much to take care of you; isn’t it time to return the favor?

Thanks for reading!

Anna

Gluten 101

Question: What is “gluten,” and why are some people avoiding it?

Bottom Line: Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. For most people, gluten is not harmful or unhealthy in any way. However, approximately 1% of Americans have celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder characterized by gluten-sensitivity. People with celiac disease must avoid gluten in order to avoid damaging their intestinal tract, which can lead to malabsorption of nutrients and subsequent serious health problems.

The Facts:

·         If you are among the 99% of people who are not sensitive to gluten, gluten-free products are in no way healthier alternatives to products containing gluten. On the contrary, gluten-free baked goods are often higher in fat and calories due to the additional ingredients required to provide a texture and quality similar to gluten-containing products. For those who are not gluten-sensitive, avoiding gluten will not improve personal health or nutrition status.

·         If you are sensitive to gluten, the only current treatment is to follow a gluten-free diet; this means avoiding any foods containing wheat, barley, or rye, as well as any products made from or contaminated by these ingredients. This can be very tricky at first, but becomes easier with time, practice, and help from support services and certified health professionals such as your doctor or dietitian.

·         In recent years, researchers have discovered that gluten sensitivity is more common than previously thought; for this reason, more food companies are making products that are gluten-free. This is great for people who have celiac disease, but has also led to some confusion about gluten among consumers. For this reason, some people who are not gluten-sensitive are avoiding gluten anyway. This is not only unnecessary, inconvenient, and possibly expensive, but also unfortunate because they are missing out on many perfectly nutritious foods for no reason.

·         In the case of gluten sensitivity, avoiding gluten prior to meeting with your doctor can compromise the accuracy of diagnosis. I urge you to always talk to your doctor before restricting your diet, as self-diagnosis of gluten-sensitivity (or any food intolerance or allergy for that matter) can lead to unnecessary diet limitations.

·         Unfortunately, many people living with celiac disease are unaware they are sensitive to gluten. To learn more about symptoms and diagnosis, I recommend checking out the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center factsheets on their website here.

Questions about celiac disease or a gluten-free diet? Leave them in the comments section!

Thanks for reading,

Anna