Mindfulness and Mindful Eating Explained

What is Mindfulness?

• Mindfulness is awareness that comes from purposeful, present-moment attention, without judgment, to the unfolding of experience
• It involves cultivating awareness in the present moment through the connection between mind and body
• Mindfulness serves as self-regulation and enables individuals to consciously observe the present moment
• It's a learned skill involving self-regulation of attention, awareness of the present moment, and acceptance of feelings for stress adjustment
• Mindfulness enhances the ability to use self-regulation of attention with awareness of the present moment and acceptance of feelings to adjust to stress
• It has two key components: self-regulation of attention and openness to experience
• Mindfulness involves non-judgmental awareness, providing the opportunity to experience each moment
• Mindfulness is the informal practice of paying attention
• Meditation is the formal practice of paying attention

What is Mindful Eating?

• Mindful eating includes noticing the origin and journey of food
• It involves being aware of the smell, taste, touch, and visual aspects of the food
• It encourages chewing slower than usual, feeling sensations, and listening to your body's fullness cues
• It helps to bring you to the present moment and cultivates appreciation

Components of Mindfulness

• There are four components: curiosity, openness, acceptance, and love (COAL)

Formal vs Informal Mindfulness

• Formal practice involves dedicated time for activities like yoga, mindful eating, mindful meditation, or walking
• Informal practice involves continuous meditation with focused attention on each task, incorporating the eight attitudes of mindfulness into daily life, such as journaling or eating

Concentrative vs Receptive Meditation

• Concentrative meditation focuses attention on a single point (breath, mantra, object, sound) to develop concentration, like breath awareness exercises
• Receptive meditation, also known as open-awareness or mindfulness meditation, involves being aware of whatever arises in the present moment without focusing on any specific object
• This form emphasizes non-attachment and acceptance, like a body scan

Experience/Perceptions Flowchart

• This tool cultivates mindfulness using the sequence: Sensory Input, Attention, Interpretation (via Mental Filters), Emotional Response, Reappraisal (Mindful Reflection), Response (Mindful Action/Non-Reaction), Reflection
• Sensory input relates to raw sensory data
• Attention involves focusing on the present moment to avoid distraction
• Interpretation relies on past experiences and beliefs
• Emotional responses can be positive, negative or neutral
• Reappraisal involves observing feelings before reacting
• Responses involve mindful action
• Reflection is learning from experience

"Let come, let be, let go"

• "Letting be” creates space for the present moment.
• "Letting go" enables release

Sympathetic vs Parasympathetic Response

• Sympathetic response is the fight or flight response: Heart rate, breathing increase; pupils dilate; sweating increases
• Parasympathetic response is when you “freeze”: Heart rate, breathing slow; pupils constrict; sweating reduces

Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn on Stress

• Stress reactions often stem from unconscious habitual patterns
• These patterns may encompass maladaptive coping mechanisms like substance misuse, workaholism, and unhealthy habits
• Stress responses entail acknowledging emotions and developing coping mechanisms

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)

• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was founded by John Kabat-Zinn
• Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) was founded in the late 1970s at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center
• Maladaptive stress is associated with ruminating on the past, worrying about the future, and judging the present

Neural Plasticity

• Neural Plasticity is the ability to change neural connections to accommodate new experiences
• Mindfulness affects the prefrontal area positively impacting resilience and self-regulation

Embodied and Relational Mind

• "Embodied" explains that the mind is intertwined with the body, influenced by bodily sensations
• "Relational" means the mind is shaped through relationships with others
• Thoughts, feeling and consciousness, our thoughts and feelings are influenced by our bodies and relationships

Meditative Intention

• Meditation differs from relaxation through intention, using non-judgmental attention to the object of awareness as opposed to engaging in relaxing activities
• Practicing meditation solely for relaxation can be a trap if relaxation is not achieved, leading to frustration, anxiety, and disappointment

Weaving Mindfulness into Daily Life

• Instead of jumping out of bed, start the day with a mindful check-in
• Notice thoughts during bathing and gently return to the present, focusing on sensations and sounds
• Eat a meal in mindful silence

The Eight Attitudinal Components of Mindfulness

• The components are: beginner's mind, non-judgment, acknowledgment, non-striving, equanimity, letting be, self-reliance, and self-compassion

Key Mindfulness Attitudes

• Letting be is accepting things as they are without trying to change them
• Self-compassion cultivates self-love without engaging in self-sabotage
• Acknowledgment validates awareness
• Non-judgment emphasizes impartiality, observing sensations without labeling them

Returning to Breath

• Returning attention to the breath trains concentration
• Noticing where your mind drifts reveals potential areas you need to further investigate
• You may realize that you've been worrying or experiencing distressing emotions

Good Posture Benefits Formal Meditation

• Alert yet comfortable posture while sitting on a cushion or chair
• Eyes closed or partially open
• Hands folded on lap or thighs

Acknowledge vs Accept

• "Acknowledge" is seeing things as they are
• "Acceptance" is described as being at peace with things as they are
• "Letting go" enables release

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

• The autonomic nervous system works at an involuntary level to regulates vital bodily functions
• The sympathetic system is the accelerator
• Parasympathetic system is the brake

Brain Responses to Threat

• The sympathetic nervous system activates physiological changes to support heightened activity
• The parasympathetic nervous system lowers blood pressure and heart rate

Connecting the ANS and Mindfulness

• Mindfulness empowers the prefrontal cortex to balance the autonomic nervous system and create equanimity

Coping with Stress

• Negative coping mechanisms include overeating, overworking, excessive TV, drugs, or sex
• Positive coping mechanisms include exercise, meditation, and healthy eating

Types of Mind Traps

• The three main types of mind traps are negative self-talk, habitual styles of thinking, and negative interpretations

Habitual Styles of Thinking

• The 6 habitual styles of thinking are: catastrophizing, exaggerating the negative, mind reading, being the eternal expert, applying "should statements," and blaming

Common Negative Thinking Styles

• Catastrophizing involves expecting the worst possible outcome
• Exaggerating the negative discounts the positive
• Mind reading involves assuming you know what other people are thinking
• Being the eternal expert involves being constantly on guard

Mindfulness and Negative Thinking

• Mindfulness increases awareness of thoughts and interrupts automatic thinking patterns
• It reduces rumination, increases self-compassion and lowers stress and anxiety

Mindful Walking

• Mindful walking arrives in the present moment with each step
• Walking meditation involves moving the feet alternatively, with a focus on the movement
• Walk in a quiet place

"STOP"

• STOP is an informal practice
• STOP means: Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed

RAIN

• RAIN is a memorization device to teach mindfulness
• RAIN means: recognize, accept/allow, investigate/inquire, and non-identify

Practicing Mindfulness with a Body Scan

• Body scan involves directing attention systematically to different areas without judgement
• Results of body scan; awareness to sensations -> awareness of emotions -> conscious responses

"Triangle Of Awareness" and Practicing Mindfulness

• Comprised of intention, attitude, and attention

Acute vs Chronic Pain

• Acute pain usually has a recent injury or physical problem
• Chronic pain also has a physical cause, such as cognitive
• In the case of chronic pain; mindfulness meditation has been shown to be helpful

The 3 Steps of Applying Mindfulness to Chronic Pain

• Investigation of pain, then working with emotional reactions, and the taking a more philosophical approach

Pain vs Suffering

• The text explains that physical pain is real
• But suffering is optional with mindfulness
• The mindfulness based approach is more accepting of mental amplifications

The 4 Barriers to Awareness of Our Emotions?

• Discounting emotions, confusing thoughts, intangible emotions, and lacking the vocabulary to name emotions

Meditation is a Process

• 5- step process
• Starts with concentration and ends with investigating the experience
• The five steps of expansion are; concentration, mindfulness, and investigative awareness

Balancing and Embracing

• Equanimity comes from finding balance and reducing reactivity
• Embrace all that comes with an embrace to awarenesses of the self

Meditation is About Transience

• The purpose is to realize that all thoughts are temporary
• Some of these steps are noticing non attachments and emotions

Mindfulness and Metaphors

• Many people get use out of mindfulness metaphors
• Here is one of them: The mind is the sky and your thoughts are clouds flowing though
• Here is another: the mind is an ocean and thought are waves floating towards the shore

"Ruts"

• Help us stop patterns
• Mindfulness assists in getting out of the autopilot mindsets
• You start noticing instead of associating yourself

Hardiness or Resilience

• Helps increase the awareness of thoughts; creates the ability to identify thoughts It allows you to cultivate your emotional regulation and helps acceptance and non resistance

Understand mindfulness as present moment awareness without judgement. Explore its components like self-regulation and openness. Learn about mindful eating, which involves savoring food, recognizing hunger cues, and reducing distractions for a healthier relationship with food.