4 Wellness Tips to Satisfy Belly, Mind & Spirit at Every Meal
While it's commendable to buy beautiful, organic, non-GMO foods, ingredients don't guarantee an all-around nourishing meal. Equally important is the attitude with which these foods are prepared and eaten. Food first and foremost feeds the body, but it also has an often overlooked effect on both the mind and spirit-- positive or negative. For that reason, make sure you're ingesting good vibes with every meal by following these four guidelines.
1. When you can, eat at home. The only way to control the bad stuff in your food is to cook it yourself. This bad stuff isn't limited to unwholesome ingredients, but includes bad vibes. Home cooked meals are the healthiest from both a nutritional and an emotional standpoint.
The goal of most restaurants is to make money; not to wholesomely feed your body and soul. While there are some exceptions, the atmosphere of restaurant kitchens is one of stress and hurriedness; the faster they cook, the more money they make. It's also impossible to know the chef's mood. Perhaps he's unhappy at his job or having a bad day. The food the kitchen cooks subtly absorbs any negative energy, and it's then passed on to you when you eat.
To make sure you ingest nothing but goodness, cook your own meals as often as possible. And when you do dine out, choose restaurants with a peaceful atmosphere where food is made with care.
2. Cook your food with love. Vegetables, fruits, herbs, and all foods are sensitive to the energy and vibrations around them, much as humans are. Be mindful of the energy you're putting into your food when you cook. Enjoy the motion of cutting vegetables, the sound of spices sizzling in oil, the smells wafting out of the oven. Make cooking a sacred time so that your good vibes will be absorbed into your meal. That being said, never cook when you're angry or upset or your food will absorb your negativity-- as will those you're feeding.
3. Eat in a calm atmosphere. Make your kitchen and dining table a sacred space; clean and uncluttered. You can enhance the space with fresh flowers or a soothing crystal placed in the center of the table. A calm and peaceful atmosphere carries good vibrations inward along with your food.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, eating in an agitated atmosphere carries negativity deep into your system and can cause imbalances. For that reason, don't watch TV while you eat. Imagine what happens in the digestive tract when your mind is distressed watching a horrifically violent film, or even depressing evening news! Never eat when you're upset or angry to ensure you're not swallowing your own bad feelings.
4. Give thanks. Before you eat, take a moment to give gratitude. It could be directed toward the god that resonates with you, or simply toward nature and those who helped bring the meal to your table; the sun, the earth, the farmers, the market. Giving reverence to the meal as a blessing endows the food with positive and loving energy, and helps to enhance its nourishing attributes.
Sunstone Health & Wellness would also suggest a seasonal detox every so often to help rid your body of toxins that can build up due to our daily lives.
Cooking your food with love at home, eating in a calm atmosphere, and giving thanks at every meal will satisfy your belly, mind, and spirit.