Chapter 8
Eating Mindfully
In This Chapter
Explaining the concept of mindfulness
Engaging in proactive eating
Using strategies to cultivate a consistently mindful approach to meals
In counseling thousands of clients over the last 20 years, I’ve found that one theme reigns supreme: People have a hard time living purposefully instead of reactively because they feel that their lives are totally out of control. This mind-set can lead to a host of stress and anxiety disorders like sleep problems, weight gain, headaches, thyroid disease, panic attacks, autoimmune disorders, heart attacks, and cancer.
Chinese medicine has a word for this frantic, out-of-control mind-set — xinyuan, which translates, wonderfully, into “monkey mind.” The term was adopted into Buddhist and Confucian teachings more than 1,500 years ago, but it has also become a popular term in modern psychology.
An uncontrolled monkey mind is the antithesis of a peaceful, happy, and fulfilled life. It’s a serious detriment to your health and well-being, and it will wreak havoc on any dietary planning you attempt. To regain control of your life, you must learn to master your monkey mind.
Mindfulness is the key to quieting the ...
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