5 Tips for Sustainable and Mindful Eating

Since about 70 percent of your immune system is in your digestive tract, it would probably be a wise idea to keep it as healthy as possible. By eating mindfully you can keep your body sound while simultaneously helping the environment.

The principles of mindful eating are simple. Mindful eating is the idea of allowing yourself to become aware of the nurturing opportunities that are available through food preparation and consumption. It is also the awareness of body responses so that you do not overeat or eat too little. This philosophy of food ties into sustainable eating in the sense that you are mostly eating organic food and are reducing waste.

Below you will find some tips on eating mindfully and sustainably.

Sustainable and Mindful Eating Tip #1: Eat Organic and Locally Grown Food

By eating organic food you are reducing the amount of chemicals entering your body and thus nourishing yourself with nature's own. Purchasing locally grown food wastes less fossil fuels and keeps your money circulating within the local economy. You will be able to find the best locally grown organic foods by attending local farmers markets as often as possible.

Sustainable and Mindful Eating Tip #2: Use as Much of the Food as You Can

When eating a vegetable, make sure to use the entire thing. If you have no idea how to use an entire vegetable, start by making soups and then working your way up to more complicated recipes.

Sustainable and Mindful Eating Tip #3: Cook more meals at home.

The occasional organic food restaurant is fine; however you should try to eat most of your meals at home. This allows you to waste less food, spend less money, and have control over how much you eat.

Sustainable and Mindful Eating Tip #4: Pay Attention to Your Body

A growing epidemic among Americans is that we constantly overeat. This in turn greatly affects our overall physical, psychological, and emotional health. The Center for Mindful Eating suggests learning to pay close attention to your body signals, that way when you are full you can stop eating. The same is true for recognizing when you are actually hungry and should eat.

Sustainable and Mindful Eating Tip #5: Take Mindful Bites

Sometimes we eat so quickly that we haven't even noticed how a meal tastes and causes us to overeat. Take your time when you are eating meals in order to savor the food and allow your stomach to register the fact that you are feeding it.

Sustainable and Mindful eating are just two of the ways that you can be healthier and help the planet. For more information about healthy eating habits visit The Center for Mindful Eating. You can also get great green eating tips from EcoEtsy and EcoKaren.

Sources:

EcoEtsy: 25 Ways to Eat Sustainably

EcoKaren: 25 More Ways to Eat Sustainably

The Center for Mindful Eating

National Eating Disorders Association: 7 Mindful Eating Tips