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Institute of Transformational Nutrition

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©COPYRIGHT INSTITUTE OF TRANSFORMATIONAL NUTRITION, INC. | WWW.TRANSFORMATIONALNUTRITION.COM!

PSYCHOLOGY MODULE 4!


WHAT WE WILL COVER IN THIS MODULE!

•  The Stress and Eating Connection!•  Mindful Eating!!


THE STRESS AND !EATING CONNECTION!

© Copyright Institute of Transformational Nutrition I www.transformationalnutrition.com

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WHAT WE WILL COVER IN THIS SECTION!

•  What is stress!•  Some stress is adaptive!•  Stress and change!•  Types of stressors!•  Stress statistics!•  Overeating!•  Undereating!!

•  Stress and food type!•  Stress and weight gain!•  Stress/eating disorders/

emotional eating !•  Physiological reaction to stress!•  Fight or flight!•  Stress and cortisol connection!!



•  GI issues and cortisol!•  The link between stress and appetite!•  Research on stress!•  Stress and the body!•  Stress and overall health!•  Techniques to deal with stress!•  Tips for dealing with stress!!


WHAT IS STRESS? !

•  Stress is stimulated by an event or feeling !•  It taxes and may overwhelm the ability of the individual to cope

physically, emotionally, and socially!•  Stress is the body and mind’s reaction to any demand made upon it!•  Stress has a negative connotation in most societies!



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SOME STRESS IS ADAPTIVE!

•  A stress-free life could actually be damaging as some degree ofstress is necessary in order to react to our environment appropriately!

•  Eustress is essentially “good stress” !–  Everyone has an individualized optimal level of stress !–  Eustress can be a reaction to a negative event with a positive attitude!

•  Distress is the actual word for “negative stress” !


SOME STRESS IS ADAPTIVE!

•  Need to experience some degree of stress or anxiety in order tomotivate us to get things done!

•  At a certain point stress and anxiety are no longer useful andhamper performance!

•  Adaptive stress gives us a physiological response that is helpful atlow levels!


SOME STRESS IS ADAPTIVE !



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STRESS AND CHANGE!

•  Change usually triggers stress !–  Change can be negative, positive, imagined, real, long-term, short-term,

or recurring!•  Example: When someone gets up earlier in the summer because dawn is

earlier!–  This may be a positive or negative change, long or short term, or recurring!–  It all depends on the perspective of the individual !


STRESS AND CHANGE!

•  Change can also be minor and undisruptive!–  Going to a movie on a Saturday night instead of staying in and cooking

dinner would be considered a change !•  But change can also be disruptive and major!

–  Examples: Major life changes such as losing a job, divorce, or illness !•  Extreme change happens infrequently!

–  Example: Act of nature, car accident, someone breaking into your home!–  May cause PTSD!

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TYPES OF STRESSORS!

•  Physical!–  Illness, injury, trauma!

•  Chemical!–  Drugs, alcohol, cleaning!

•  Physiological!–  Shock, pain, even heavy

exercise!•  Psychological!

–  Anxiety, anger, fear!

•  Social!–  Relationship conflict !

•  Environmental!–  Noise, pollutants!

•  Nutritional!–  Food intolerances, deficiencies!



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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress in America” 2012 survey!– Stress has reduced since beginning of recession!– 3.6 is considered a healthy level of stress by most Americans!

Year! Average 1-10 stress (10 is highest)!2007! 6.2!2008! 5.9!2009/2010! 5.4!2011! 5.2!2012! 4.9!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!– 72% reported their stress has increased or remained stable in the past 5

years!– 20% say it has decreased over the past year!

•  60% have tried to reduce stress over the past 5 years!– 53% are still trying!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey: Mere 37% think they aredoing a good job at managing stress!– Main reasons for stress!

•  Money (69%)!•  Work (65%)!•  Economy (61%)!•  Family responsibilities (57%)!•  Relationships (56%)!•  Health problems in the family (52%)!•  Personal health problems (51%)!

!



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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Sources of stress!

•  Physical (69%)!•  Non-physical symptoms (67%)!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Symptoms of stress!

•  Irritability and anger (42%)!•  Fatigue (37%)!•  Lack of motivation, energy, or interest (35%)!•  Headaches (32%)!•  Sleeping changes (30%)!•  Skipping meals (27%)!•  Upset stomach (24%)!•  Change of appetite (17%)!•  Change in sexual appetite (11%)!

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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  52% of people turn to exercise to deal with stress - verses 47% in 2011 !–  Other stress management activities!

•  Music (48%)!•  Reading (40%) !•  Spending time with family and friends (39%)!•  Napping (34%)!•  Watching television for 2+ hours (34%)!•  Eating (25%) Verses 2008 (34%)!•  Alcohol (13%) verses 2008 (18%)!

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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Other ways they’ve dealt with stress!

•  Skipped a meal (29%)!•  Overeating or unhealthy foods (39%)!•  Laying awake (44%)!


STRESS STATISTICS !

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  People believe its very important!

•  64% to manage stress!•  60% to eat healthy!•  57% to stay active!

–  What people are actually doing!•  37% doing very good at managing stress!•  35% doing very good at eating healthy!•  33% doing very good at being active!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Activities promoting well-being!

•  Relationships (76%)!•  Stress management (61%)!•  Getting plenty of sleep (60%)!•  Good friends (60%)!•  Succeeding at school or work (59%)!•  Exercising (54%)!•  Eating well (54%)!



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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  What prevents people from effectively dealing with stress?!

•  Lack of motivation (41%)!•  Work/Family obligations (33%)!•  Willpower (31%)!•  Lack of time(26%) verses 2009 (20%)!•  Costs (16%)!•  Stress(12%)!•  Say it’s difficult to get their families to exercise (51%)!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012!–  Ways of coping with stress!

•  62% reported focusing on the positive !•  56% reported managing time better!•  53% reported compromise and flexibility!•  53% reported avoiding stress!•  51% reported expressing their feelings!•  50% reported saying “no”!•  41% adjusted expectations!


STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Healthcare isn’t filling the gaps!

•  32% believe it’s very important to discuss stress management with health care providers!

•  But only 17% report they are often having these conversations!•  53% report receiving little or no healthcare support!•  39% report receiving not enough behavioral management support!



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STRESS STATISTICS!

•  APA “Stress In America” 2012 survey!–  Millennials are hardest hit!

•  Reported higher levels of average stress than the nation as a whole (5.4% verses 4.9% nationally)!

•  Also reported that they feel health care is substandard!•  39% felt increased stress last year!


OVEREATING!

•  Stress eating!•  Cortisol stimulates appetite!•  When overworked and stressed people increase calorie and fat

intake compared to when they feel low stress and workload!•  Greater stress associated with higher fat food consumption!


OVEREATING!

•  A study showed 42% of people eat more in response to stress!•  In a study of high school students consumption increased on exam

days!•  An alternative reason why calorie consumption increases with stress

has to do with having less time to prepare nutritious whole meals!



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OVEREATING!

•  Rat studies show that mild stressors increased hedonistic food intake!

•  Those rats given highly palatable food increased their intake more than those who had ordinary food!


OVEREATING!

•  Obesity and stress related eating closely linked in women!•  Women may be more likely to use food whereas men may be more

likely to use alcohol or smoking!•  One study found a relationship between chronic stress and

increased food intake in the obese!


UNDEREATING!

•  In general people report eating less in response to stress!–  The more severe the stressor more likely to eat less!

•  A study showed 38% of people eat less in response to stress!•  Noradrenalin and corticotrophin-releasing hormones suppress

appetite!



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UNDEREATING!

•  Undereating may actually cause weight gain!•  US Marines eat 68% less than usual during the first day of combat!•  Rat studies show that both severe and moderate stressors reduce

food intake!


STRESS AND FOOD TYPE!

•  Stress’s effect on weight gain seems to be linked with the type of food available!–  More hedonistic and high energy and fat foods seem to cause weight

gain whereas low energy foods seem to cause less!


STRESS AND FOOD TYPE!

•  Cortisol reaction!–  Those with a strong cortisol reaction measured in their saliva ate more

calories and fatty, sweet foods compared to those who didn’t have the strong reaction when stressed!

–  Both groups ate about the same when not stressed!



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STRESS AND WEIGHT GAIN!

•  Association between work stress and BMI!•  Whitehall II!

–  Huge British longitudinal study!•  Found that stress was associated with !

–  Weight gain for heavier individuals!–  Weight loss for lean individuals!


•  Stress is closely linked with eating disorders!–  Poor nutrition causes stress!

•  Stress causes eating disorders and emotional eating!–  People with eating disorders often have nutrient deficiencies!–  People with eating disorders also often have increased stress!–  Eating Disorders linked with anxiety and depression (Both of which cause more

stress)!

STRESS & EATING DISORDERS!


STRESS & EATING DISORDERS!

•  Good nutrition helps!–  Prevent stress and eating disorders and emotional eating!–  Prevent nutritional deficiencies!–  Reduce mood issues!

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PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTION TO STRESS!

•  High blood pressure!•  High heart rate!•  Mobilization of energy held within the body!•  Less blood flow to essential organs!•  Release of hormones that specifically affect appetite!


FIGHT OR FLIGHT!

•  Activation of the sympathetic nervous system!–  Adrenals get activated!

•  Secretion of adrenaline and norepinephrine (noradrenalin)!•  This acute stress response is most often associated with decreased appetite!

–  This makes sense when you think about how most ancillary systems in the body are shut down in order to focus energy and attention on the fight or flight process!


STRESS AND CORTISOL CONNECTION!

•  Prolonged stress !–  Can cause hopelessness and a feeling of defeat!–  Activating the hypothalamus!–  Resulting in a cascade of hormones !–  Ultimately resulting in the release of cortisol!

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•  Study done in rats!–  The neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids help control appetite!–  When food is not available, stress causes brain rewiring that may impair

this food regulation and could contribute to increased appetite!



•  Study done in rats!–  When the stress hormones were blocked food unavailability did not

rewire the brain !•  Stress, rather than the absence of food, affected this appetite controlling

neurotransmitter !–  The relationship between stress and obesity may be explained by the

relationship to the brain rewiring and lack of food!–  Shows how important food availability can be to our nervous system!



•  Repeated or chronic cortisol elevation can lead to increased visceral fat (deep belly fat)!–  Cortisol helps mobilize energy within the body!

•  Also serves to turn off the stress response once the threat is neutralized!•  Cortisol mobilizes glucose as an immediate source of energy!

–  It also inhibits insulin secretion; essentially making cells insulin resistant !•  The insulin resistant cells aren’t getting the energy they need so they

stimulate appetite to get more energy!•  And glucose that is unused is stored as fat!



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STRESS AND THE CORTISOL CONNECTION!

•  Cortisol may increase motivation in general, including motivation to eat more!

•  Cortisol may stay elevated if the stress is chronic and the stress response stays activated!


GI ISSUES AND CORTISOL!

•  Because stress activates the sympathetic nervous system !–  It slows or stops activities in other regions such as the digestive system!

•  Increased appetite for sugar and fats !–  Reaches the digestive system which cannot handle it and stresses the

digestive system!•  May lead to indigestion, ulcers, gastric inflammation, etc.!

•  This stress results in more cortisol production which creates a negative cycle!


LINK BETWEEN STRESS & APPETITE!

•  Many things cause the release of cortisol!–  Exercising!–  Waking up!–  Eating!–  Fasting!–  Psychosocial stress!

•  Cellular and tissue alterations may occur due to exposure to high levels of cortisol for long periods!



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LINK BETWEEN STRESS & APPETITE!

•  Cortisol injections !–  Have been shown to increase appetite as well as increased craving of

sugar and weight gain!•  Cortisol also regulates !

–  Other hunger hormones including leptin, neuropeptide Y (NPY) and coricotrophin releasing hormone (CRH)!•  High levels of CRH and NPY and lowered levels of leptin are associated with

increased appetite!

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RESEARCH ON STRESS!

•  Work stress and other problems are associated with weight gain for those already overweight!–  Theorize that the overweight have higher insulin levels which makes

weight gain related to stress more likely!•  People who respond to stress with more cortisol production were

more likely to snack than those with a lower response!


RESEARCH ON STRESS!

•  Stress affects food preferences!–  Animal studies show that psychological distress increases consumption

of fat and sugar!•  High amounts of cortisol and insulin may be responsible!•  Or ghrelin, a “hunger hormone” may have a role!

•  These foods legitimately seem to counteract stress !–  Create a feedback loop that inhibits the part of the brain related to

stress !–  Provide comfort, contributing to cravings!



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STRESS AND THE BODY!

•  Chronic Stress!–  The physiological reactions to stress can cause longer term suppression

of important systems!•  Immune system is less effective!•  Digestive, reproductive, and excreting systems don’t work normally!

–  These reactions make sense when you consider the function of the sympathetic nervous system is to slow or stop the exact systems affected by chronic stress!


STRESS AND OVERALL HEALTH!

•  The body responds to different chronic stressors in similar ways!–  But people react differently to stress!

•  One person will be constipated, another will have GI upset, while another has increased sleeplessness or headaches!

•  Many people also become ill during or after stressful periods!–  Students often get ill after final exams!


STRESS AND OVERALL HEALTH!

•  Routine stress may cause the most difficult to recognize effects!–  The body does not return to baseline functioning!–  Always in a chronically stressed state!–  Can lead to serious health issues!

•  High blood pressure, depression or anxiety, diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses, and stroke!



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TECHNIQUES TO DEAL WITH STRESS!

•  Planning!•  Nutrition!•  Lifestyle!•  Supplements!•  Herbs!•  Aromatherapy!•  Meditation!•  Massage!•  Music!•  Breath work!

•  Keeping a journal!•  Social support!•  Exercise!•  Life purpose and meaning!•  Spirituality!•  Goals!•  Change your environment!•  Some additional techniques!•  Tips for dealing with stress!


PLANNING!

•  Much of our stress comes from not knowing what to expect or worrying about what needs to be done!

•  We cannot control everything in our lives!–  But we can free up psychological energy if we!

•  Know what needs to be done when and writing it all down!•  Use a planner!•  Family calendar/white board!•  To-do lists!


NUTRITION!

•  Eating nutritious whole foods is an important stress management strategy!

•  Processed foods and diets high in sugar!–  Increase the negative effects of stress!

•  Good nutrition affects your well-being!–  Increases energy and health!



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LIFESTYLE!

•  Create a lifestyle that minimizes stress!•  Reduce stressors in your life!

–  End stressful relationships!–  Explore other options for stressful situations!

•  New job, neighborhood, commute, new ways of doing things!•  Know your limits and set boundaries!

–  Say “no” when people try to load you up with additional stressors!


SUPPLEMENTS!

•  A variety of supplements can help with stress management. !•  Supplements for common symptoms of stress!


SUPPLEMENTS!

•  Insomnia!–  All things that relax us!

•  Magnesium!•  Melatonin!•  Valerian Root!

•  Headaches!–  Lack of B6 and B2 shown to be related to headaches!–  Feverfew!



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SUPPLEMENTS!

•  Pain!–  Need supplement with anti-inflammatory properties!

•  Omega-3s!•  Curcumin!

•  Mood issues!–  Rage, irritability, anxiety, anger!

•  Theanine – found in tea, can relax the mind!•  Phosphatidyl Serine and Taurine – increase dopamine!


SUPPLEMENTS!

•  Poor immunity!–  Astragalus – can act as an anti-viral!

•  Fatigue!–  Rhodiola: helps fight fatigue!–  Ashwaghanda (Indian Ginseng): a common Ayurvedic stress remedy!


HERBS!

•  Sweet Basil !–  Thought to decrease pain and swelling!–  Good for tension, hypertension, anti-inflammatory, lower stress and

lower blood sugar levels!



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HERBS!

•  Borage Seed Oil!–  Fatty acid GLA – anti-inflammatory effects!–  Uses: !

•  Seed oil: Diabetes, stress, inflammation, and prevention of heart disease and stroke!


AROMATHERAPY!

•  Balsam Peru!•  Cedarwood!•  Cinnamon!•  Frankincense!•  Lavender!•  Sweet Orange!•  Ylang Ylang!


MEDITATION!

•  Research supports !–  Meditation reduces !

•  Stress!•  High blood pressure!•  Heart disease!

•  May also create more mindful eating!



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MASSAGE!

•  Can help alleviate physical complaints that come with stress!–  Headaches!–  Back pain!–  Arthritis!–  Anxiety!–  Pain!

•  Studies have shown that it is effective in reducing stress, muscle tension, and pain!


MASSAGE!

•  Physical touch can also be healing and reducing stress!•  Self-massage can be just as healing!

–  Can use many different tools including !–  Tennis balls for shoulder and back pain!–  Golf balls for foot pain!–  Foam roller to help with all over body massage!


MUSIC!

•  Music is closely linked with our emotions!•  Slow and quiet music like classical music can have a relaxing and

slowing effect on our physiological functioning!•  Reduced heart rate, blood pressure, stress hormones!



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MUSIC!

•  Music also acts to distract us from stress!•  We also use music in other relaxing and de-stressing activities such

as yoga and meditation!•  Music therapy!

–  Use music to identify and express stressful feelings!


MUSIC!

•  Research has shown that music!–  Reduces stress and anxiety in those undergoing surgery!–  Helps with chronic and postoperative pain!–  Making music can de-stress and has been shown to do so for nursing

students!–  Can improve memory since music processing shares some of the same

pathways as memory!


BREATH WORK!

•  Dealing with stress by focusing on the breath!–  Stress often causes people to take shallow and short breaths!

•  Breathing is holistic and affects all of our systems!–  Diaphragmatic breathing!–  Breathing into the space where physical and emotional pain reside!

•  Many practices use breathing!–  Qigong, tai chi, yoga, biofeedback, meditation!



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KEEPING A JOURNAL!

•  Writing things in a journal daily!–  Helps “pour” the stress out of your head!–  Keeps it on the page so you can free your mind of those stressors and

worries!–  If stressors are extreme can write down stressors and why they are

bothering you!•  And burn those pages as a symbol of releasing those sources of stress!


SOCIAL SUPPORT!

•  Social support can be very important in coping with stress but also in avoiding feeling overwhelmed by stress in the first place!

•  Research shows that people in high stress work environments like the ER have improved mental health with enough social support!


EXERCISE!

•  Hard core exercise increases cortisol temporarily!•  Low-intensity exercise reduces cortisol!•  Exercise also may blunt some of stress’ negative effects!•  Activities such as yoga and tai chi combine and benefit from both

low intensity activity, meditative state of mind, and breath work!



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LIFE PURPOSE AND MEANING!

•  Life Purpose: !–  Find out why life is worth living for you!–  How we can best contribute to life!–  Purpose is expressed in many ways !

•  Jobs!•  Family!•  Church!•  Volunteering!


SPIRITUALITY!

•  Spirituality often serves to guide and informs our life purpose!–  Getting in touch with spirituality, God, and the universe!–  Finding a sense of connection with everything around us!–  Unity and harmony!


GOALS!

•  Goals can help us focus our energy and find our purpose in life!•  Goals are necessary in motivating change!•  They can also work to help us set positive intentions for the future!



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GOALS!

•  Even just thinking about a goal is taking the first step toward change!•  Goals also function to give us hope and optimism for the future!


GOALS!

•  Micro-goals!–  Break big problems down to super small parts that you can deal with

more easily!–  Make sure each segment is something that you can do in 15 minutes or

less ideally!•  Although bigger projects may take micro-goals of 1 hour or less!

–  Feel successful when you cross off these goals from your list!


GOALS!

•  Micro-goals: “clean the house” or “organize”!–  These are macro, not micro goals!–  Instead of “clean the house”, try the following:!

•  Bathroom!–  Wipe down sink!–  Wipe down counter!–  Clean mirror!–  Scrub tub!–  Scrub toilet!–  Clean floor!–  Wash towels!

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CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT!

•  Environment doesn’t just mean the planet, country, or city in which you live!–  It also means your home, office, and people you surround yourself with!

•  Create a safe-space for yourself to retreat to!


CHANGE YOUR ENVIRONMENT!

•  You can be affected by negative environmental stimuli !–  Such as noise (shown to increase stress)!–  Pollution!–  Conflict in your household!

•  Getting in touch with nature !–  Has been shown to reduce stress and increase feelings of connection

and wholeness!


ADDITIONAL TECHNIQUES!

•  There are many different techniques that are useful for stress management!–  Hypnosis!–  Visualization!–  Affirmations!–  Reflexology!



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TIPS FOR DEALING WITH STRESS!

•  Seek out therapy!•  Consult with health care provider!

–  Discuss health risk factors and methods for reducing stress!•  Be aware of your specific responses to stress!

–  Insomnia, increased substance use, irritability, fatigue!–  This is very personal and individual!



•  Set your priorities!–  Let go of what doesn’t need to be done or dealt with right now!–  Reduces overload!

•  Take stock of what you’ve completed today!•  Detail out what you need to do tomorrow!•  Don’t dwell!•  Exercise!



•  Desk yoga!•  “Journey meditation” visualization!

–  Imagine self in place that promotes calm!–  Example: tropical island, imagine the smell and taste of coconut, sound

of the waves crashing, feel the breeze on your face, look at the beauty!



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•  Eat a mindful snack!•  Brief walking meditation!•  Talk it out!

–  The body’s natural relaxation response is stimulated by talking to a loved one!

–  Stay in touch with those who give you emotional support!



•  Eating an anti-inflammatory diet!–  Inflammation is related to increased cortisol levels!–  Decreasing inflammation may help manage cortisol!–  May also offer adrenal support to the body in general!–  These diets generally include!

•  Low-glycemic!•  Low trans and saturated fats (getting more omega-3’s)!•  Reduction or elimination of caffeine and alcohol!•  Eating more whole plant foods!



•  Positive self-talk!–  Instead of “I can never get all this done”!

•  “You can do it!”!•  “I’ll do the best I can”!•  “I know what I’m doing, I can handle this!•  Use almost as a mantra!•  Helps to both deal with stressful situations and to relieve stress!

•  Count to 10!



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•  Go for a walk!•  Take 5 deep breaths!•  Say you’re sorry if you make a mistake!•  Avoid rush hour and busy roads!•  Walk away from stressful situations!



•  Find pleasure!•  Do something you enjoy!

–  Drink coffee, play games, take a class, rent a movie, play a sport, read!•  Laughter yoga!•  Half-smile!



•  Do something silly and off the wall that will make you laugh and catch you off guard!–  Dance with your dogs!–  Sing a silly song!–  Sing to your clothes in the morning as you put them on or to food as you

cook it!–  Make up songs or dances with your kids!

•  Create!–  Create art!–  Do a craft!–  Write a story!



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•  Make time for relaxation!–  Daily relaxation!–  It’s best to get at least 5-10 minutes minimum of relaxation per day!

•  Sitting in the sun!•  Listening to the birds!•  Doing one of the other techniques we’ve already discussed!•  Even taking some time to yourself to enjoy a shower !


MINDFUL EATING!



•  What is mindfulness?!•  Benefits of mindfulness!•  What is mindful eating?!•  Why mindful eating is important!•  Myths about mindful eating!•  Mindful eating tip!

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•  Hormones and appetite!•  Benefits of mindful eating!•  The french connection!•  Mindful eating techniques!•  Gratitude as an experience!



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WHAT IS MINDFULNESS?!

•  Paying attention non-judgmentally!–  Awareness without criticism!–  No criticism or judgment is very important!

•  Not comparing yourself to others!•  We are simply a witness, not a judge!•  Curiosity about life!•  Kind approach to life!



•  Mindfulness can be of!–  Internal processes!–  External processes!

•  Moment to moment or present moment awareness!



•  Aware of what is going on for you!–  Environmentally!–  Emotionally!–  Physically!–  Mentally!

•  Free the self from automatic reactivity!



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•  Free yourself from habits and patterns of maladaptive behaviors!•  Promotes !

–  Choice!–  Wisdom!–  Balance!–  Acceptance of what is!



•  ABC of Mindfulness!–  Awareness – become aware of what you are doing, feeling, saying,

there is no change without awareness!–  Being with whatever you experience, don’t judge!–  Choice - Once we see things more accurately we can make different

choices!


BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS!

•  A review by the American Psychological Association identified the following benefits!–  Rumination reduced!–  Reduces stress!–  Working memory boosted!–  Increased focus!



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•  A review by the American Psychological Association identified the following benefits!–  Improved cognitive flexibility!–  Less emotional reactivity!–  Improves well-being!–  Reduces psychological distress!



•  A review by the American Psychological Association identified the following benefits!–  Increased relationship satisfaction!–  Enhances !

•  Morality!•  Fear modulation!•  Intuition!•  Self-insight!•  A myriad of health benefits including improving immune function!


WHAT IS MINDFUL EATING? !

•  Paying attention to the experience of drinking and eating!–  Noticing the full experience!

•  Internally and externally!–  Paying attention with all 5 senses!

•  Smells, how it feels to the touch, the colors and textures, temperature, flavor, sounds!

•  Paying attention to what happens inside the body when you’re eating!–  What does hungry, full, half-full feel like? !



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•  Paying attention to the experience of drinking and eating!–  Paying attention with all 5 senses!

•  Paying attention to the mind (thoughts about food and eating)!•  Paying attention to emotions (any feelings of depression, anxiety, or stress

present before eating or about eating)!•  Paying attention to craving and desire!

–  Being open to experiencing food cravings and desire to eat!–  Paying attention to desire does not mean you have to give into it!



•  Regaining the freedom of eating from when we were a child!•  Old habits are difficult to change!

–  Our eating habits are very well ingrained because eating is something we do every day!

–  We are used to not paying any attention to it!



•  Make gradual change!–  Celebrate even the smallest change!–  Paying attention for 10 seconds out of every meal if a victory!!–  Even remembering to be mindful is a victory! !

•  Mindful eating includes being mindful of when you are eating mindlessly !

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•  Has roots in Buddhist teaching!–  Buddhist teachers encouraged their students to be medative in all

aspects of life!–  Walking, breathing, standing, exercise, and eating!–  Meditate on each morsel!–  Example: take 3 raisins and take 5 minutes to fully experience them with

all of your senses!



•  Mindful eating is not about dieting or giving up anything!–  One pediatrician and meditation teacher calls it the “Anti-diet” !

•  Mindful eating is about changing your relationship with food!–  Experiencing it more intensely!–  Enjoying the full pleasure of food!–  We tend to be unconscious when we eat!



•  Stop acting on auto-pilot!–  We become numb and are unaware or barely aware of what we’re doing!

•  Slowing down, breathing between bites!•  Stops forcing eating into a box!•  Noticing responses to food without judgment!



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•  Becoming more aware of cues of hunger and satiety!•  Becomes more attuned to when the body feels good and bad!•  More keyed into the body’s state of health!•  Begin to naturally learn when your body wants and needs to begin

and stop eating! !



•  Just because it’s “meal time” or there is food available !–  Doesn’t mean your body needs food!

•  May begin to become aware of !–  The connection between food, environment, living beings, and food

choices!



•  Looking at the immediate experience of food !–  Not to the future health outcomes of food choice!

•  Mindful eating may be the solution to !–  Overeating!–  Mindless eating!–  Stress eating!–  Emotional eating!



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WHY MINDFUL EATING IS IMPORTANT!

•  We often feel the rush to NOT be mindful, to get quickly from one activity to another!

•  This happens in many different venues in our life!•  Improving mindfulness in your life in general helps improve mindful

eating and vice versa!


MYTHS ABOUT MINDFUL EATING!

•  Mindful eating is just a diet or a fad!–  Mindful eating is not about restricting food, dieting, and has been

practiced for hundreds of years!•  Eating takes too long when you eat mindfully!

–  Even if you can only eat mindfully for 1 minute a day you are doing something to improve and change your life!



•  Mindful eating is difficult!–  Depends on how you look at it!

•  Paying attention to the present moment can be hard!•  But the consequences of mindless eating are harder!•  Mindful eating is a skill!

–  Needs to be practiced!



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•  Mindful eating is a type of spirituality!–  Although spirituality can be a part of mindful eating and is at its roots it

is a modern unspiritual practice !•  Mindful eating is too structured!

–  It may seem structured at first, but having the full experience of your food is freeing!



•  Mindful eating is only about being aware of what you eat!–  It is so much more!–  It is freeing your senses to experience the full range of what food has to

offer!


MINDFUL EATING TIP!

•  Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full!–  A tenant of mindful eating !

•  Eat only when you’re hungry!•  Stop when you’re satisfied or full!

–  May help you stay slim!•  Research on 1,600 middle-aged women from New Zealand !

–  Those who only ate when they are hungry were more likely to be a healthy weight than those who didn’t pay attention to hunger cues when eating!



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HORMONES AND APPETITE!

•  Ghrelin!–  Increases appetite!–  First and only appetite creating hormone!–  Released in the stomach!–  Shown to increase in anorexia sufferers and decrease in the obese!



•  Ghrelin!–  Plays a role in how quickly we feel hungry again after eating!

•  Some researchers think ghrelin may be involved in a much more complicated process increasing appetite!

–  When rats are injected they become ravenous for food 15 minutes later even when full!



•  Ghrelin!–  Gastric bypass patients often show reduced levels of hunger !

•  Because the surgery reduces the surface area of the stomach and reduces the supply of or turns off the action of ghrelin!

–  The body may actually fight against weight loss !•  Research shows that dieters have an increase in gherlin both night and day !

–  Due to the fact that we evolved to be able to survive famine!



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•  Leptin!–  Suppresses appetite!–  Highly influences energy balance!–  Leptin may regulate ghrelin!–  Fattier people have higher levels of leptin!

•  Varies depending on sleeping patterns and when you last ate!



•  Leptin!–  Signals the brain that there is enough energy in fat!

•  But many obese are resistant to the effects of lepin even with higher levels in their blood!

–  Rats dosed with leptin !•  Ate less!•  But the rats became resistant to leptin’s appetite suppressant effects in

about 2 weeks!



•  PYY-336!–  Makes you feel full!–  Does the opposite of ghrelin!–  PYY signals for you to stop eating and suppresses appetite!–  Created in the small intestine in response to food!



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•  PYY-336!–  We’ve known about it since 1980 but the appetite suppressant effects

for only about 1 year!–  Research shows that hungry volunteers given access to a buffet who

were given this hormone ate 1/3 less than controls!•  This effect lasted for 24 hours after given the hormone!


BENEFITS OF MINDFUL EATING!

•  Connects body and mind!•  Helps you understand and experience your hunger and satiated

feelings more readily!•  Learn to use internal cues to determine what, how much, and when

do eat!



•  Mindful eating helps us change old habits!–  The power of choice!–  We can only make new choices when we have awareness!–  Create space between the desire or craving to eat and the behavior!

•  This space allows a different choice to be made!



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•  Can make you better able to cope with emotions!–  Food is used to avoid emotions!–  Mindfulness in general increases emotional regulation!–  Become more aware of emotions!–  Become aware of the fact that there is a choice point between feeling an

emotion and doing something (like eating)!–  Can make different choices!



•  Become more trusting of yourself!–  In that past may not have been able to trust yourself around food !–  Begin to trust in your ability to make the right decisions!–  Reinforces our belief that we can handle anything that comes our way!



•  Manage your weight!–  Mindful eating slows weight gain and may promote weight loss!

•  Better mood and more energy!–  Being overly full makes you feel fatigued and in a bad mood!–  When mindfully eating you no longer are a slave to this yo-yoing of

mood and energy!



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•  Improved brain power!–  Mindless eating of junk food can result in “brain fog”!–  Mindful eating encourages us to eat what our body actually needs which

may clear thinking, improve memory, and increase focus!



•  Looks at food issues from the source!–  Trying to lose weight is treating a symptom and not the actual problem!–  Dealing with the way we eat and our relationship with food is the most

important part of dealing with food issues!



•  Increases generosity!–  When eating mindfully!

•  You may not be greedy for that extra helping!•  Or hide the last of the ice cream deep in the freezer!



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•  Actually enjoy your food! !–  Mindful eating is all about learning to fully experience and enjoy your

food!–  When we enjoy our food we don’t need to double duty with the

television or the computer because our food is so interesting!



•  May prevent type 2 diabetes!–  Research shows that people with diabetes were more likely to eat fast!

•  Fast eating has been linked to weight gain!•  And may contribute to the type 2 diabetes!

–  By slowing down meals we change this habit!



•  May help overweight teens!–  One study showed that families who learned mindful eating were able

to help 8-12 year olds reduce binge eating!•  May decrease snacking!

–  Two studies !•  Show people who focused on their lunch were less hungry later for a snack!



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•  May decrease overeating in restaurants!–  40% of Americans’ food budget it spent eating out!–  This may be increasing obesity!–  But more effective is!

•  Cooking at home!•  Mindfully eating at restaurants !


THE FRENCH CONNECTION!

•  The French eat smaller portions !–  But eat richer more satisfying foods!–  American serving size is 25% bigger than French serving sizes!–  Meals at Chinese restaurants were 72% larger in the US!



•  Their whole eating experience is all about being mindful!–  Eating slowly!–  Savoring each bite!–  Lunch could take 2 hours!



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•  Not trying to bargain shop for food!–  Buying the best quality!

•  No seconds!–  The French don’t usually eat seconds or snack between meals!



•  Snack foods weren’t really used until after WWII when mom’s began to work!–  Prior to this time American’s didn’t snack between meals either!

•  Eating seasonally!–  Eating foods at the peak of freshness!–  Never having to eat processed foods!

!



•  Planning meals with all 5 senses!–  Food should appeal to all 5 senses!–  Manipulating what the 5 senses experience can create more variety!

•  Choosing yellow tomatoes instead of red ones!•  Choosing to add hot peppers to leftovers!

!



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•  Plating a meal is very important !–  Sensory information about the meal!–  Creates interest in exploring the food!–  Balancing plating in all the days meals!

•  Big lunch!–  Try soup and salad for dinner

!


MINDFUL EATING TECHNIQUES!

•  Ways to beat mindless eating:!–  Unplug from electronics when you eat!–  Don’t do two things at once!

•  If this is too difficult !–  Alternate between eating and doing the other thing !



•  Ways to beat mindless eating:!–  Try eating with your non-dominant hand to slow you down!–  Eat with!

•  Small or unique utensils!•  Small containers!•  Utensil put down after each bite!



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•  Give your full attention to the first few sips of coffee or tea in the morning!

•  Eat in silence at family meals for the first 5 minutes!–  Practicing gratitude for what you’re eating!



•  Try eating 1 meal a week mindfully!•  Chew!

–  25-30 chews per mouthful!–  Some people will do 100 chews per mouthful!



•  Plant and cook from a garden!–  Understand and appreciate the process that occurs to bring food to your

table !•  Home-cooking!

–  When you make a meal from scratch you’re more likely to appreciate it!



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•  Create a beautiful environment!–  Candles, flowers, or any other environmental stimuli help you feel more

grateful for the meal and tune into the experience !•  Calming environment!

–  Eat in a place that is calming and soothing, eat in a park, on the patio, in a nice room!



•  If you get distracted and your attention drifts when you’re mindfully eating !–  Just acknowledge it and come back to awareness of your experience!

•  Sit still after eating!–  Pay attention to increasing degree of fullness !



•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Sit down at the table alone!

•  Free of distractions!•  Stop worrying about things you cannot control!

–  Breath and let yourself settle!–  Take a few moments to appreciate the food!–  Have gratitude for where it’s come from !

•  All the effort put into it’s construction!•  Imagine the ingredients growing in their natural habitat!



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•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Notice any impatience, desire, or anything else you’re worrying about!

•  Take a moment to notice this feeling and then let it go!–  Appreciate that you have access to food (not everyone has that luxury)!–  Begin to take notice of your food!

•  Look at the food, notice the texture, how it feels in your hands or on a utensil (heavy, light, sticky), the colors, the temperatures, !

•  Watch and appreciate the food coming toward your mouth !



•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Begin to take notice of your food!

•  Examine it up close with all 5 senses!•  Place it on your tongue!

–  Just let it sit for a moment as you appreciate the way the bite of food feels in your mouth!

–  Notice the temperature, strong desire to chew, thoughts and emotions !



•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Chew your food at least 30 times!–  Pay attention !

•  To all the flavors and textures of your bite of food!–  After a few bites pay attention to whether or not you’re enjoying what

you’re eating!•  Whether it’s satisfying!•  Whether your mind had wandered off of the exercise!



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•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Getting distracted is normal!

•  Just gently redirect your attention to being mindful of the present moment!–  Notice !

•  Any urge to eat quickly!•  Any unease!•  Diminishing desire to continue eating!



•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Become aware of the increasing level of fullness !

•  And the physical sensations that go along with it!–  Stop when you begin to feel the physical sensations of fullness!

•  Ideal fullness is half-full!



•  Mindful eating exercise!–  Notice the breath throughout this process !

•  It will indicate how comfortable or uncomfortable you are!–  After you are done eating take a moment to sit quietly at the table!



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•  Check in with these 4 points each time you eat!–  Awareness: am I zoned out? Or am I aware of what I’m eating and

tasting each morsel!–  Physiological: what is my body feeling before, during, and after the

meal? !–  Emotions: what are my emotions right now? How am I feeling about the

food in front of me? !–  Mind: am I plagued with certain thoughts, memories, myths, or beliefs?!


GRATITUDE AS AN EXPERIENCE!

•  Being grateful for the food you are eating !–  Is an important part of mindful eating!–  Appreciation is at the center of any mindfulness practice!

•  Mindful eating means being grateful for food and how it nourishes your body!

•  Fully experiencing your food and each morsel !–  A way of honoring your food and all the hard work that goes into

bringing it to your table!



•  Prayer before a meal !–  A way that many of us already show gratitude for a meal!–  But are we actually being mindful of what we are giving thanks for? !

•  When you are mindfully eating you are grateful for each and every bite!–  Is a form of meditation or prayer of thanks!



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•  Gratitude meditation!–  Imagine you are a cave man or woman!–  You search for food all day!

•  You barely find anything, and return home with an empty growling stomach!–  You begin to grow weak !



•  Gratitude meditation!–  You see your family growing weaker!

•  Especially the old ones and the youngest!–  Feel the fear, anger, confusion, and frustration about your situation!–  Feel your hunger!

•  You haven’t really ever been full!



•  Gratitude meditation!–  Going out the next day for food you wander off!

•  Find a tree in a distant unfamiliar valley!–  Your hunger overwhelms you and you reach our and grab one of the

bumpy fruits!–  You bring it to your nose, it smells sweet!!

!



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•  Gratitude meditation!–  You bite into it and feel the sweet juiciness trickle down your throat and

face!–  You salivate with the desire to eat more, but instead gather up an

armload and take it back to your starving family!–  Feel the appreciation you have for this salvation from starvation !



•  Gratitude meditation!–  Why this is important!

•  Food is something we take for granted!•  Food was not always readily available in the past!•  Even in times such as the depression and during WWII food was more

scarce!•  Hunger from starvation is very different from hunger when people go on

diets!!



•  Gratitude meditation!–  Why this is important!

•  We have gotten out of touch with this!•  Salt, sugar, chocolate !

–  Were all very coveted foods, people fought wars over them in the past!–  Now you can get them every day at the store!

•  Be grateful for the bountiful age that we live in!



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END OF PSYCHOLOGY MODULE 4!

Please submit your test questions by the due date on your Session Calendar. !



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