About Mindfulness ~ Nutritionist's Column Vol.47

Mindfulness to settle a troubled mind

We are exposed to some kind of stress every day, whether it be from social situations or changes in our surroundings.
Recently, we have had to deal with more and more changes in our lifestyles, such as the coronavirus, and there is uncertainty about what the future holds.
More and more people are practicing mindfulness to help calm such troubled minds.

Mindfulness is being reevaluated in various fields

Mindfulness is a concept that originally derived from Buddhist teachings, but is now actively used in medical programs, education, welfare, industry, sports, improving business skills in companies, stress management, and self-management.

Mindfulness refers to the training and skills acquired through it, in which you intentionally focus your attention on the reality of the present moment without being caught up in distracting thoughts such as past experiences and preconceptions, and accept your "present moment's feelings" and "present physical state" as they are, without being caught up in thoughts or emotions, and simply observe.

In our lives, the fact remains that things often don't always go the way we want them to.
Also, your thinking habits can sometimes get you trapped in negative thoughts.
When your mind is filled with negative thoughts and things that aren't going as you want, you tend to be filled with anxiety, regret, sadness, and anger, and your attention will be focused on the past and the future.

Mindfulness is about paying attention to yourself in real time, accepting what happens without evaluating or judging it, and then letting it go.
You intentionally focus your attention on the here and now, observe your thoughts and sensations, and try to simply accept and observe.

To reach a state of mindfulness, all methods involve focusing on the here and now, such as yoga-style stretching or journaling, where you write down everything that comes to your mind and in your heart.

Among these, the most prominent is meditation.
Meditation is a time-honored mind-body therapy that is said to enhance feelings of calm and physical relaxation.

It has been used to balance the mind and body and promote health and happiness.
There are many different types, but most of them have something in common.
"Clear your mind and stay quiet as much as possible," "Adopt a comfortable posture," "Focus on one thing (speech or breathing)," and "Do not judge."
Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation that involves focusing on the present and accepting yourself as you are, and is widely used.

The key to doing this is to choose a place that is easy to relax in, with few noises and few distractions, and to focus on getting your body in order, your breathing in order, and your mind in order.
The length of meditation can last for several hours for some people, but for beginners, even one minute is fine.
If you are thinking about trying meditation, give this a try.

Practice meditation

1. Get organized and prepare for meditation

Sit with your back straight and in a seiza or cross-legged position.
If you are sitting on a chair, press your sitting bones firmly against the seat and sit with your pelvis vertical. Sit with your back straight without leaning against the backrest. Close your eyes and place your hands on your thighs.

2. Start meditating by focusing on your breathing

Relax your shoulders and focus on your breathing, breathing in slowly and breathing out slowly.
It is best to breathe using your diaphragm, but if this is difficult, place both hands on your stomach and breathe naturally so that you can visualize your abdomen moving.
An effective breathing pace is to inhale and exhale for three seconds each.

Don't let your mind wander to the past or the future.
Bring your attention to the sensations of your breathing in the present moment.
Focus on feeling the air going in and out, and feel the sensations of the air as you inhale and exhale.
If thoughts come to mind along the way, bring your attention back to your breathing.

3. End the meditation by bringing your attention back to yourself.

Gradually bring your awareness, which was previously focused solely on your breathing, back to your true self.
Once you have centered your attention, slowly open your eyes and end the meditation.

Morning meditation helps calm the mind and improve focus.
Meditating before bed can improve the quality of your sleep.
It is said that continued practice has a relaxing effect, regulates the autonomic nervous system, and helps reduce stress.
It is also said to have the effect of increasing concentration and relaxing the brain, helping to shift the mind from negative to positive.

Next, I will explain writing "meditation" journaling.

Practice journaling

Journaling is a method of writing down the first thoughts you have in the order they come to mind, for about 3 to 10 minutes.
It is called writing meditation because it allows you to face your inner self by writing down your current feelings on paper.

By putting your thoughts and feelings into words and putting them on paper, you can look at yourself objectively, face yourself, recognize your deepest desires and values, and accept yourself as you are.
It has the effect of clearing your mind and resetting and organizing your mind.

Finally, we will explain mindful eating, an eating "meditation."

Practice Mindful Eating

No conversation, no watching TV or using your smartphone, just focus on eating.
Children focus on the act of "eating" by using their senses of taste, hearing, touch, smell, and sight: using their eyes to sense the color and shape of the food, their hands to sense the texture of the ingredients, their nose to smell the food, their ears to hear the sounds of chewing, and their tongue to feel the bite and texture of the food.

It provides a sense of emotional and mental stability and a high level of happiness, and because you eat slowly, your blood sugar level rises more slowly.

By continuing to do these things to lead a mindful lifestyle, you can expect to see mental improvements such as reducing stress and anxiety, controlling your emotions, and improving your concentration.
Even if you are busy every day, why not take some time to face yourself and put this into practice?

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Nutritionist, Food Education Instructor, Food 6th Industrialization Producer Level 4
Ayako Ishihara

A nutritional advisor in the healthcare field and an agribusiness professional.
She is involved in a variety of activities specializing in the fields of beauty and health, including giving lectures to Miss World Japan candidates.

With the philosophy of "enriching the mind and body through food and realizing a vibrant society where people and communities are connected," he founded i-Field Co., Ltd. in 2013 and serves as its representative.
He is a core member of the food team for "DINING OUT," which opens outdoor restaurants in various regions, and also participates in fashion brand projects.
She is also involved in the promotion of local ingredients, product development and production specializing in "health" and "beauty," branding, concept design, food hygiene, sales promotion, training planning and management, etc. She is in charge of nutritional supervision for GRØN's product development, proposing ways to incorporate them more effectively into consumer health.

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