Introduction
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, stress and depression sometimes push us towards the cookie jar. But what if three simple exercises could help you resist this call? In this year marked by increased awareness of our mental health, we offer you, through this article from November 17, 2021, an immersion in the practice of mental health. mindfulness and its benefits on our relationship to food. From raisins to self-scanning exercises, let’s discover together how to establish a mental barrier against compulsive snacking and find harmony between body and mind.
The quest for mental and physical health through meditation
Mindfulness meditation is not just a fad; it’s a fundamental pillar for physical and mental health. Just sit in silence observe your breath or bodily sensations, leads to better self-awareness. This regular practice proves to be a powerful ally in reducing stress, improving attention, and even in reducing physical inflammation, according to scientific studies. It opens the way to a healthier internal dialogue, particularly with the way we consume food.
How to eat becomes a fully conscious act
Eating mindfully means transforming a quick sandwich into a moment of deep connection with our food and ourselves. This meditative approach encourages you to listen to the body’s signals of hunger and satiety, to savor each bite, and ultimately, to develop a harmonious relationship with food. Freeing yourself from food compulsions requires this new awareness, where you eat to nourish the body, and not to soothe emotions turbulent.
Exercise 1: The raisin lesson
L’raisin exercise represents a fun introduction to mindfulness meditation applied to eating. It involves taking a raisin (or any other small food) and explore it with all our senses. Complexion, texture, aroma… nothing is left to chance. This process leads to a tasting experience where every sensation is amplified, teaching us to truly pay attention to what we eat, moment by moment.
Self-scanning: Listening to yourself
The autoscan is an inner journey that requires stopping and listening to your body. Lying or sitting comfortably, the exercise invites you to review every part of our body with kindness. This deep relaxation technique helps distinguish true feelings of stress and hunger, training the mind to adopt a posture of detachment in the face of compelling needs snacking.
Stop mode: The liberating break
Finally, when tension rises and the closets call, thestop mode exercise suggests we take a break. It is about reconnect to our body, to identify what our emotions are trying to tell us, and to ask ourselves if the hunger we feel is physiological or emotional. This freeze frame of our daily life offers a space of choice: that of nourishing our body, or our soul by other, more beneficial means.
These exercises, approved and taught by mental health professionals such as sophrologist Claudine Granger, offer healthy alternatives to pharmacological solutions such as anxiolytics. With the support of the Rothschild Foundation and theAntony Private Hospital, exploring these practices is part of a holistic approach aimed at a better quality of life. By adopting these three exercises, say goodbye to compulsive snacking and hello to a peaceful relationship with our food and our emotions.
