One thing I like to address with the patients I see in my family medicine practice at Evoke 5 Medical Center, is the concept of consciously living. I know, it’s all too easy to get into the bad habit of unconsciously going through the routines of day-to-day life and not thinking about things we do or say. Don’t worry – you’re not alone: Nobody is immune to these bad habits.
But through behavioral modification, these habits can be changed. And through practicing different thought processes, you can create healthy new habits. Being present in the NOW is a very common practice and a good model to adopt for conscious living.
While the concept of being present in the now is helpful in all areas of life, I particularly like applying it to food and eating. Most of us have the bad habit of unconsciously eating: going to the cupboard when hungry (or even just bored!) and not thinking about what we put in to our body.
Many processed foods in our pantry or refrigerator are filled with ingredients that we can’t pronounce and don’t know what they are. And many of these ingredients don’t offer your body any benefit – and can even have a negative effect on your mood, your performance and your long-term health. Developing the habit of consciously looking at your food and understanding what you are putting into your body will improve your overall health.
For most of my patients, I recommend they commit to a month of Whole30, a 30-day elimination diet that emphasizes whole foods and the elimination of sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy and dairy. In my years of experience with patients and in my own life, I have found that Whole30 is great for breaking bad habits and creating new ones that involve taking the time to actually look at your food and understand what you are eating.
Another aspect of food-related conscious living is taking time to eat our food. Sit down – don’t just stand at the kitchen counter or eat something quickly in the car. Take small bites and chew thoroughly – this will help you to eat slower and allow you to recognize when you are full before you end up overeating. Your digestive system will also thank you. Paying attention to the flavors and textures and actually enjoying your food is all part of conscious living!
Understanding the concept of eating clean food and what this could mean for overall health and wellness is the first step to improving and optimizing your well-being. Being perceptive and conscious about your surroundings and the environment that you live in will improve you as a person, the productivity in your workspace, and your happiness at home.
All it takes to start living consciously is one step forward: starting to think in a direction that is open-minded, and taking the time to stop and think about things (including food) that could be negatively affecting your life. By living consciously like this, we can improve our own individual lives and also the lives of others in our community.