It may seem as if the holiday season is a non-stop buffet, be it an office party, family gatherings, or dinner with friends. For those of us who like to remain conscious about what we allow into our body and how it affects our mind and personhood, these settings can get tricky. We often leave gatherings either unsatisfied with our abstinence or laden with guilt over our indulgence. How can we allow ourselves room to celebrate the joy of the season without treating our bodies and minds as garbage cans?
1. It’s how you eat as much as what you eat. In order to fully digest your food, your body needs to shift into the parasympathetic nervous response (“rest and digest”) and a rushed or stressed meal will only keep you moving in “fight or flight” mode. Avoid standing, driving and rushing through the meal. If you decide to join people you love in a meal, be fully present to the food, the company and the feeling of sharing the moment.2. Check in with your body to make sure food or drink is what it’s really craving. Stop and listen to the cues your body offers. Ask your body if, instead of hunger, perhaps it feels an emotion, boredom or tiredness? If so, give the body what it needs: attention, sleep or even meditation.3. Practice moderation. My grandfather used to enjoy ONE square of Hershey’s chocolate as a practice of discipline. Use all the senses to engage with this small treat, and then you might find that it’s all you really need.