ROUND TWO - More Conscious Eating

Activities for Conscious Eating Cycle – March 5th – March 18th

Activity 1. Eat When Hungry . There is a difference between physical hunger and emotional eating, stress eating, eating from boredom, or timed eating. You can practice recognizing physiological hunger by following these steps before you eat;- Stop- Close your eyes- Take 3-5 deep breaths- Place your hand on your abdomen and focus on your stomach pouch (internally)- Notice- Ask yourself - Where is my hunger? What is my hunger?
http://blog.pennlive.com/holistic-nutritionist/2008/08/ten_tips_for_conscious_eating.html


Activity 2. Try this again if you did not get a chance - Watch a health related video or DVD or read a health-related book.. The following are just suggestions – you may watch one of your choosing and record it on your log:

Suggested Videos
Diet for a New America
Supersize Me
Fast Food Nation
How to Cook Your Life: a cooking class with Zen priest and chef Edward Espe Brown
(or choose one of your own and tell us what you chose)

Books
Eat More, Weigh Less by Dean Ornish
Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe
Dr Macdougalls’ Digestive Tune-up
Quantum Wellness by Kathy Freston
Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld
Eat Right, Live Longer by Dr. Neal Barnard
Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes

Activity 3. Try a new health food each week. Scared of tofu? Buy a flavored one and chop it into a salad. Curious about veggie burgers? Try Boca Burgers if you like somethings traditional or Dr. Praeger’s or a Garden Burger for something delicious and different. Never had a raw avocado? Passionfruit? Pomegranite Juice? Fennel? Try it! If you have any questions, give me a holler! nvoitko@theoceancountylibrary.org.

Activity 4. Substitute a healthy snack food each day in place of your favorite junk food snack for a week. This is all about creating better habits. For example: instead of potato chips, have some dried fruit. Instead of cookies, have yogurt and granola. Instead of a candy bar have an apple or banana with (or without) a bit of peanut butter. Drink water when hungry – drinking an 8 oz glass of water helps to suppress your appetite. Instant miso soup is also a good easy food to keep on hand at work, especially in cold weather. Baby carrots and hummus are also easy snacks to carry and share with others.

Activity 5. Read this informative article: “Vegetarian Foods – Powerful for Health” at http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vegetarian_foods.html
Did you know that many studies have shown a balanced vegetarian diet has many health benefits such as helping to prevent cancer and heart disease, as well as lower blood pressure?


Activity 6. Familiarize yourself with food allergies and issues – As we increase our own “conscious eating” habits, let's become more sensitive to the habits of others. This activity will help you to understand and be patient with those friends and family members of yours who need to order special meals at restaurants or may be bringing their own food to parties! Compassion is always in fashion whether your friend or family member has a peanut allergy, is lactose intolerant or needs to maintain a gluten-free diet. Read on …

General info: http://www.foodallergy.org/

Peanut allergies: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/peanut-allergy/DS00710 - a comprehensive view of peanut allergies, diagnosis, treatment, etc.

Dairy products: http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/topic13938
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/dairy.html

Gluten-Free diets/Celiac Disease http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/ - a well-organized, comprehensive site

Egg Allergies: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/egg_allergies/hic_egg_allergy.aspx

If anyone out there has sites to contribute, please send them on…we try to vet a few valuable sites, but due to time constraints we will undoubtedly miss some good ones!

Activity 7. Try to follow the “8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluids a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.