Photo: flickr
At Waddell Language Academy, a K-8 School in North Carolina, Monica Mitchell-Giraudo, a French immersion middle school teacher, instructs 19 sixth-graders to gather into a circle.
"Okay, everyone, let's take a few mindful breaths, and think about our gratitude for Amy, who brought us apples for snack today," says Mitchell-Giraudo. "As you take these breaths, try to tune into your body. What sensations do you notice?"
"I notice my stomach is already growling," chuckles Ben.
"My mouth is watering," exclaims David.
Another student follows David and then another until each child has had their turn. After each of her student's observations, Mitchell-Giraudo rings her Tibetan meditation bell. Each time the children remain still, despite the loud chimes.
Next, she instructs her students to hold and examine the apples. First, they pick up the fruit and roll it between their fingertips. Then, on her suggestion, they bring the apples to their noses, using their sense of smell to savor the flowery scent of their snack before taking the first succulent bites.
"Excellent, class," says Mitchell-Giraudo. "Also, as a gentle reminder, before you eat the apple, ask yourself whether or not you're hungry." The students nod in recognition. "Remember, you don't have to eat if your body isn't giving you a hunger signal," she says.
These students are learning a practice called "Mindful Eating", that focuses on cultivating "present moment awareness" during meal times. Mindful eating invites participants to "pay attention" to the food in front of them and engage their five senses (sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch) before consuming a single morsel. This mindfulness practice builds the children's awareness of important physical cues like hunger and satiety.
While mindful eating is scientifically proven to help prevent overeating and obesity, a new psychological study suggests that it may also forestall eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, which affect 30 million people each year and are the deadliest of psychiatric illnesses. Surprisingly, anorexia nervosa is deadlier than major depression, schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. In fact, individuals who suffer from this severe illness are at higher risk of suicide, as well as prone to major health complications, such as cardiac arrest.
To read the full article, click on the link below.
Category(s):Eating Disorders, Health Psychology, Mindfulness
Source material from The Washington Post
