At year's end, I must say that I'm hopeful.
Yes, we have an obesity and diabetes epidemic. Yes, we have a generation of children who are less healthy than their parents were as children.
But as I read all new books and magazine articles emerging on healthy eating, I see that there's an awareness growing that being mindful is the necessary backdrop for any kind of personal transformation, including weight loss and becoming healthier.
"Awareness is the key to change. Once we are aware of something, it cannot remain the same. Awareness plus small changes in our automatic behviors can produce large changes over time."
That, from "Mindful Eating ~ A Guide to Rediscovering a Healhty & Joyful Relationship With Food."
There you have it ~ a simple solution, yet a difficult practice ~ at first. But not forever.
As we realize there is no "perfect", there is no "end zone" or arrival point, we understand that every moment presents opportunities for change and greater happiness.
And no behavior presents itself as often as eating. It's something we generally all do ~ every day.
If we take the time to appreciate that good food is a gift to us ~ we not only feed our bodies, but also our hearts ~ and our souls.
May you gather at your tables in that spirit with those you love and celebrate how very blessed we are ~ each and every one of us!
Happy New Year!
Paula
Paula Anderson presents on the topic of mindful eating at Yoga West in Grand Junction, Colorado, USA. She is also available for worksite-based presentations or other public speaking engagements. She is passionate about the role of food as an agent for health. Individual client sessions available on request. For rates or appointments, she may be contacted at: aapma46@bresnan.net. She looks forward to hearing from you here in Comments as well. To follow her blog, please go to: paulaandersonsfoodblog.blogspot.com/ [1]
Links:
[1] http://paulaandersonsfoodblog.blogspot.com/
[2] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/mindful-eating-2011-and-beyond#comment-904
[3] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/trying-time-making-weight-loss-or-any-change-keeps
[4] http://twitter.com/lumigrate
[5] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/mindful-eating-2011-and-beyond#top
[6] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/login?destination=node/650%23comment-form
[7] http://www.lumigrate.com/user/register?destination=node/650%23comment-form
[8] http://www.lumigrate.com/forum/mindful-eating-2011-and-beyond#comment-1504
Comments
Paula - Thank you so much for taking the time to get registered and start writing here at Lumigrate.com. It has been so interesting to me to see the variety of ease or struggle each of the writers has when they come to join Lumigrate.com and you've actually been about on the top of the bell shaped curve on that. In general, it's related to familiarity with websites and not so much computers which, as I said on the phone today, it's as much a factor of what a person has been doing for their professional time. Doctors and other medical providers who have been using computers for writing and research often haven't used a website such as Lumigrate as much as the average person in the consumer sector when it comes to medical information. So I really have worked to bridge that gap and have found once people get going they just need a little help sometimes here and there. Often times the people out in the community who have been seeking information have long been participating on websites much more than providers have. So it's very interesting as the 'director and navigator' of content at Lumigrate.
I thought of Paula King's piece on Lumigrate.com which she titled 'A Trying Game' related to making changes in life, particularly with food and eating, which I'd like to remind you and everyone about here as I think it's very complementary to what you have written about. Perhaps the three of us can get together for tea sometime when you both are at your offices up by the hospice building, as you know, I just love their Spoons dining area and Cups, their coffee shop, since I suggested it this week when we met up! (Thanks again, it was good to talk with you again just one on one like the old days!) Here's the link for that: www.lumigrate.com/forum/trying-time-making-weight-loss-or-any-change-keeps [3]
What I really love about your blog and writing and presentation in person is your groundedness and simplicity of it which comes, I sense, from deep within. Something that comes with wisdom of the years, and that is incredibly valuable. So I'm really pleased and honored that you took the challenge of tackling a foreign website to bring Lumigrate's followers your perspective on food, I know it will be of interest to many. In particular, since we go 'way back' to when I was seeing patients as an occupational therapist in the building which you continue to work in related to medical marketing. I really encourage everyone to check out your blog as it includes suh nice tips about the econoomics of how to eat healthier for less as well and just lots of good stuff!!
Looking forward to more in 2011 both on Lumigrate and with the wonderful community we get to actually share in real life, of Grand Junction, Colorado. ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [4] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!
I keep running into Paula -- at the health food store, the grocery store near where we live, and finally last week at an open house for two other local providers who have pieces on Lumigrate: Bryce Christianson and Analii Cunningham, who connected professionally through the Grate Groove of the Grand Valley group I started in 2011 in order to have something in my community which is similar to what is going on with Lumigrate nationally: connecting providers so they can collaborate and help the public differently/better. They've gone in together on sharing space for seeing patients.
Paula shared that her book will be completed and published soon -- a nice, short book about mindful eating. Once we get details of how to obtain a copy, we'll post it here for you! Congratulations, Paula! It's nice there was so much local demand that a big group requested you get the book done and out NOW. Here's to more healthier people in 2012 and beyond! ~~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [4] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!