The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Folks who attended the Sisters Wellness Expo at Sisters High School on Saturday, October 26, learned that how you eat can be as important as what you do to keep fit in the gym.

Kathy Nagel, Life Coach at Sisters Athletic Club, shared her thoughts on "mindful eating." Nagel has a degree in sports medicine, teaches meditation and stress reduction classes and is also a nutritional counselor.

She recommends simple steps to better health through "mindful eating":

• Take a few deep breaths before a meal. This allows your body to slow down and transition from activity to eating. Blood is pulled from the limbs and sent to the organs involved in the digestion process.

• Take small bites, and eat only one bite at a time. Most people take bites of food before the previous bite has even been chewed and swallowed. (You can even set your fork or spoon down between each bite).

  "This is much easier on the digestive system and the body is able to get both the micro and macro nutrients that are in the food," Nagel said.

• Stay seated while you eat, be aware of the food in your mouth. Take time to feel the texture and chew your food into very small pieces, and pay attention when you swallow. Feel the food slip down your throat and into your stomach before you take your next bite.

• If you drink anything with your meal, take small sips. This will allow your digestive enzymes to be as strong as possible.

"The difference between 'Mindful Eating' and 'shoveling it in' is that with mindful eating you'll cut your food consumption in half and you'll still walk away feeling full and satisfied," Nagel said.

"Mindful eating is really a lifestyle change," Kathy said, "and an investment in your body. It's not about deprivation and it's painless."

Heather Wester has taken Nagel's class and is a firm believer in mindful eating and the benefit of fresh fruits and vegetables and raw nuts daily.

"I can't believe what a difference it's made in our whole family's eating habits," Wester said. "My whole family bought into it, and even the kids are aware of what they eat.

"We started by just adding crunchy vegetables to our diet. I noticed in just two weeks my mood swings had evened out. I even took two weeks off from the gym, kept eating the same way and didn't gain any weight. I also noticed my taste buds had changed. I didn't need as much salt, seasonings and dressings on my food."