Connecting Mind, Heart and Body with Eating and Nutrition

What, Why, When, and Where: Connecting Mind, Heart, and Body with Eating and Nutrition

So much info, so many ideas. It’s the time in which we live. There is a glut of information on various kinds of diets. I find, however, that while people may know some terms – “carbs,” “gluten,” “keto,” etc., there is often missing a context for applying these terms. And talk about controversy! The shelves of ideas are stocked full of information and misinformation on diet and nutrition. What are the building blocks of food? What influences our dietary choices? Are there diet “hacks” that will help us create better habits around food? Let’s get back to the basics and start with what, why, when, and where it relates to connecting the mind, heart, and body with eating and nutrition. 

What

Food is energy, and calories (technically kilocalories) are the units of energy that a particular food holds. Keeping things basic, there are only three types of food in the world: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Most foods are a mixture of these 3 building blocks, but let’s consider them separately for a moment. Carbohydrates come from plants and also include any kind of sugar, natural or manufactured. Proteins find their way into our diet in the form of meat. Any kind of meat is protein, but plant products such as beans have protein as well. Lastly, fats are any kind of lipids found in plants or animals. 

These categories of foods vary in there caloric content or density. Carbohydrates and proteins have the same calorie density, namely, 4 calories per gram of weight. Fats, no matter what kind, are 9 calories per gram. Each of these categories have representative foods that we would label more beneficial and more harmful to one’s health. The perspective on this changes as research occurs and society’s goals change. In general, good carbohydrates would include fruits and vegetables close to their natural form. Less desirable would be anything processed such as table sugar, candy, sodas, refined flours. However, they all contain 4 calories per gram. Good proteins would include lean meats and fish, and legumes (beans like kidney beans, chick peas, lentils, etc.). They too contain 4 calories per gram. Fats, any fat, whether it be olive oil, canola oil, butter or lard, possess 9 calories per gram. There is much debate about the dietary value of different fats, but in general, the ones derived from plants are considered a bit better for you than those that come from animals. While at times controversial, for the purpose of this article, just know that fats have over twice the calories per weight that carbohydrates and proteins have.

Why

So why do we eat? The reasons can vary greatly, but at the most basic level it is to supply energy for our body so it can function. Food can also bring pleasure, individually or often as something around which we gather for social enjoyment. Certain foods can also signal certain events such as holidays and celebrations. Food is both a necessity, a pleasure, and at times a luxury. 

Food is also something that can be twisted and abused. All kinds of behaviors that are summed up with the title emotional eating result from feelings that are sometimes obvious but may go very deep. Stress, anxiety, sadness, anger, and shame can cause a person to dive into his favorite treat or load up on too much of even a healthy food. Love Hunger (Thomas Nelson) was the title of a book and the idea introduced in the early 1990’s by the Minirth-Meier Clinic in which they describe eating driven by emotion. In this situation, the person is using food beyond the need for fuel, and not even for pleasure, but as a drug to quell the emotional upheaval, realized or not, deep within. Often overeating results leads obesity and a whole host of medical problems. 

When and Where

Now that we know some food facts, and have considered how emotions might influence our intake, let’s get a bit more practical. 

The timing and location of food intake turns out to be very important. Behaviors around eating can either help or harm our health. Do you eat standing up, either at the stove, sink, in front of the cabinet or fridge? Do you often have an open bag of something, or a large bowl of something next to you while watching TV? Do you often hear yourself saying, “Let’s just grab something,” because you forgot to plan for the alteration to the schedule and the affected meal preparation? These behaviors can lead to mindless consumption of foods that are often high in calories. And we can tend to not “count” the food we consume while standing, and when we “just grab” something there is a great temptation to pick unhealthy items, and why not get the better deal and choose the larger size while we’re at it?!

Here are some tips to limit the unconscious intake of unnecessary calories:

Most of the time try to eat…

• Only in the kitchen, sitting down, with a reasonable serving in front of you.
• Carefully at parties or buffets. Scan the available food, pick 3-4 of your favorite items, have a reasonable serving of each, find a seat, eat the contents of your plate, then get rid of the plate.
• Considering the value of the food – Evaluate if the food you’re about to eat is worth the calorie load it will provide to your body.

Avoid habits like…

• Eating standing up, or sitting in the chair watching TV with a bowl or bag next to you open and within reach.
• Eating in bed, on the run, or grazing.
• Going to buffets.

Develop habits such as…

• Planning ahead. Don’t let any meal “catch” you by surprise. In general, every week you will need 21 meals (3/day) for the rest of your life. 
• Pack your lunch. This way you can thoughtfully choose healthier foods and control the portion all size. Yes, you can pack junk, but improvement starts with awareness.
• Eat regularly. This avoids the pitfall of developing extreme hunger subsequently overeating at the next meal.
• Read labels. Check out the real portion size. Shoot for things with 5 ingredients or less.
• Pay at the Pump. Avoid conveniences stores. Ninety percent of the items sold in these locations is not what your body needs. 
• Discuss your desires to improve your eating habits with whoever plans the meals in your household if it isn’t you. 

Replace habits such as…

• Gorging or binging. Tell yourself, “This is not the last opportunity I’ll have to eat this particular food.” Take a breath, slow down, and proceed at a safe pace!
• Going to the grocery store when you’re hungry. Your resistance to buying the junk will be low.
• Skipping meals. Eating regularly decreases the risk of developing extreme hunger and the feeling that one needs to make up for the missed meal. 
• Grazing. Whether at home or at an event, commit to a time of eating, then move on. 

In a time when carbs are evil, fat might be ok, and protein is king, remember that all three important for our bodies to grow and maintain health. The most nutritious and beneficial eating plan involves consuming a variety of foods, benefitting from the nutrients within, over a lifetime, but in quantities that satisfy real hunger. Learn where you tend to fall down nutritionally, and begin to consider how you can avoid those problems. Pick one practical tip from above and institute it today!