Sit and Eat. Really!
Last evening, I bought something to eat on the street. I walked home while eating it and then asked myself, "Surely this can't be good for me?"
Not the street food, but walking while eating.
Millions of people around the world eat while on the move. If you have spent any time in Mumbai or New York, cities that are always on the move, you know what I mean. Other cities are not far behind.
When I was doing my MBA, I would eat while standing in the kitchen to save time. We put such a premium on our time.
When you are eating food, blood pools in your abdomen. It does so to allow maximum absorption of nutrients as the food passes.
Food can take anywhere from 20 minutes to a few hours, depending on what you are eating.
When you are standing, your body is more alert and, as a result, more stressed. Your heart puts in more effort to pump blood back up into your legs.
Standing is great for you, but not ideal for eating. For both of these reasons, it is best that you sit down when eating.
Most of us are sitting in western-style seating today. A table and chair. If you lifted your legs up and placed them on the chair, the Queen might take offence at your crass behaviour.
But sitting cross-legged is actually one of the best ways to sit when eating. It helps pool all your blood in your abdomen, taking pressure away from your heart and legs to pump blood.
Sitting lowers stress and allows you to focus on your food instead of the obstacles you may encounter while walking.
In this context, mindfulness is not a woo-woo concept. Mindfulness allows your body to calm down and best absorb vital nutrients that will prevent disease.
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