BEGINNERS

This advice is backed up by science.

The greatest change you can make is to eat when you are relaxed. Our bodies are controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which is either in sympathetic mode (fight or flight) or parasympathetic mode (rest and digest). Basically, we're not meant to eat when we're stressed. When I say stressed, I don't mean on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I'm afraid we've all become used to the everyday stress that is, unfortunately, a way of life for most people. I would love to magically take away all your unnecessary stress, but for now, I suggest taking a few deep breaths just before you eat. Might seem a little weird to start with, but it's definitely worth a try.

Not too long ago, I spent a week with a colleague who checked her emails as she ate lunch each day. The funny thing was, she had recently attended a mindfulness course. Priceless! As a kid, I always read whilst eating, even if it was the side of the cereal packet. I know it's usually a deeply ingrained habit, but if you could just concentrate on what you're eating and nothing else, I'm sure you'd soon notice an improvement in your digestion. There are some people I would not even dream of asking to get off the couch, sit at a table, and turn off the TV. Baby steps. However, why not pause the programme or turn the sound down to start with? When we're distracted whilst eating, we're hardly registering the food and are unlikely to feel satisfied.

For those who have moved away from the couch, how about setting up a nice area outside to enjoy meals? Granted, this may not always be suitable with weather conditions, but when it is, you'll find it's certainly worth the effort. If I can't be outside, I usually try to find a spot where I can gaze out the window. Nowadays, many people are eating at their desks, so at least select a scenic screen saver. Anything that makes you smile will work wonders.

To summarise:

1. Take a few deep breaths before eating.

2. Concentrate on nothing else but eating.

3. Eat in nature, or create a pleasant view.

INTERMEDIATE

This advice might seem a little woo-woo for some.

Once you've started to make a change using the previous suggestions, you're ready for these. They are evidence based but not necessarily widely known. A kale smoothie each morning may not be good for everybody. I definitely know it isn't for me. Once you take away the distractions, you can begin to listen to your body. When you start paying attention to your body, you'll eventually just know when something is or isn't right for you. I wasted a lot of time on tofu and cottage cheese. Never again.

To begin with, just notice how you feel after eating certain foods. If you feel congested, bloated, or have a runny nose, I'm guessing you could probably do without them, unless, of course, you absolutely love them and are happy to endure the after-effects. Then go right ahead. I absolutely love bread. However, I get terrible wind after eating it! Doesn't mean I've given it up forever. Now I just pick when to have it, preferably when I don't have to teach a yoga class in the following 24 hours.

Before you eat something, ask yourself how you feel. Are you bored, angry, or sad? Then ask yourself the crucial question, "Will this food change the situation?" Highly unlikely. Is there something more productive you could do to improve how you feel? I used to rip open a big "party mix" bag of sweets as quickly as I could because I knew if I stopped to think about what I was doing, I'd realise I was just eating because I wasn't feeling too great. So take the time to check in with yourself. Try to fill your life with what's really missing instead of trying to fill your belly!

How often have you eaten something just because it was "on special" or free? I used to do my body a huge injustice by buying the cheapest option instead of having exactly what I wanted for a few dollars more. And don't get me started on the all-you-can-eat buffets! The whole point of eating mindfully is to eat what you love and love what you eat. If you buy the stale chocolate eclairs because they're half price, where's the love? Never eat for the sake of eating. Besides, eating cheap and nasty food will make your body crave the nutrients it requires, and you'll never feel satisfied. Just saying.

To summarise:

1. Listen to your body.

2. Check in with how you feel before you start eating.

3. Choose quality over quantity and bargains because you're worth it.

ADVANCED

This advice is admittedly "out-there."

This may be hard to believe, but your thoughts and feelings about the food you are eating affect the chemicals produced in your body and how the food is digested, used, and stored. I believe this explains why certain people live long and healthy lives despite eating what would normally be considered inadequate diets, whereas others who strive to eat as well as possible suffer from digestive problems or even worse.

For me, everything comes down to love or fear. Are you eating certain foods because you love and want them, or are you eating them because you're afraid of getting cancer or dying prematurely? Anita Moorjani explains this beautifully in her first book, Dying to Be Me. When I sit down to eat, I take a few breaths and think, Thank you for this wonderful food, which serves my highest health and happiness — even if it's the biggest bowl of boysenberry ripple ice cream you've ever seen!

If you can't get your head around the previous suggestion, maybe the thought of using energy works better for you. As a Reiki practioner, I have been taught to reiki my food and drink to increase its nutritional value, especially if a microwave has been used. This can be done by simply hovering your hands over your meal with the loving intention that the universal life force energy (prana/chi/ki/the field) will raise the vibration of what you're about to eat. I did say that this chapter was "out-there." However, what have you got to lose?

If you're still reading, there is a high probability you've seen the movie What the Bleep Do We Know? Maybe you remember the deaf actress who starts off not liking herself but gradually turns her life around with self-love. It is heavily based on quantum physics, and from what I can gather, our deep-rooted beliefs affect every single cell in our bodies as well as our genes. To learn more about epigenetics, Bruce Lipton's A Biology of Belief is a must-read. Also, check out this YouTube video, Water, Consciousness & Intent: Dr Masaru Emoto (https://youtu.be/tAvzsjcBtx8), which highlights Dr Emoto's work in the study of the relationship between water and words/intentions.

Most mornings I practise a short gratitude meditation before I get out of bed. I start off with, "Thank you for my beautiful toes, thank you for my beautiful feet," and so on, all the way through my body. All I know is that on those particular days, life is better. I feel more loving, more tolerant, and more compassionate towards myself and others. Sure, there are weeks when I feel more "squidgy" than others, but on the whole, I have learned to love my body just the way it is. And I sincerely hope you can learn to feel the same way!

To summarise:

1. Believe what you're eating is good for you.

2. Reiki your food.

3. Learn to love your body just the way it...