Mindful Self Care

By KSC Dietetic Interns

Andrea Cropley & Stephanie MacLeay

How did your

sleep log go?

How was
your
hydration?

Guided Meditation
Within you there is a
stillness and a sanctuary to
which you can retreat at any
time and be yourself.
- Hermann Hesse
Image [Budda]; http://www.gardenornamentsdirect.com/images/D/meditation-buddha-statue-01-600.jpg

How did this exercise go?

How did it feel to tune into the breath and scan the body?
Was it easy? Was it difficult?
What did you notice? Do you feel any different from before we
started the exercise?

By the end of this presentation we hope that

1. Identify what it means to be mindful.
2. Demonstrate mindful eating.
3. Transform mindless activities to mindful activities.

What does it mean to be

mindful?

What does it mean to be

mindless?

Is the act of deliberately paying attention

and being fully aware what is happening
in the present moment without any

Acting without thought or

intention.

judgement or criticism.
Image [Mindful or Mindless]; http://buschmanconsultancy.com/wpnieuw/wpcontent/uploads/2015/06/Minfull-of-mindless2.jpg

Activity
Mindful or Mindless?

So what does it mean to be mindful?

Paying Attention - Using all your senses to become engaged
with the world around you.
Being Present - What is happening in the here and now.

Without Judgement or Criticism - Acceptance.

Mindfulness is using all your senses to be in the here and now,
accepting your inner and outer surroundings as they are.

1.

Recognize your your needs and what you

are currently doing.

2.

Identify strategies of how you can meet

your needs.

What do you do
when you are
eating?

What does it
mean to eat
mindfully?

Hunger

vs.

Craving

Physical Hunger Signs:

rumbling stomach, headache,
feeling of weakness,
irritable/cranky

No physical hunger pains

Even a non-favorite food

sounds good

You feel emotional when

eating that food

Desire to eat doesnt go away

You want something

specific: crunchy, sweet,
salty, spicy

Desire for food intensifies over

time, all we can think about

Thoughts of eating goes

away if distracted

Mindful Eating Strategies

5 Senses
Setting & Clearing the Table
Taking a Few Deep Breaths Before
Eating
Taking the First Bite with your Eyes
Closed
Rate how hungry you are before and
after eating
uvamagazine.org

Mindful Eating Strategies

Eat everything with chopsticks for a
week
Eat with your non-dominant hand
Putting the fork down between each bite
Eating in complete silence with no
dailyburn.com

distractions
Other Ideas?

Mindfully Eating
What does it
look like?

What does it
feel like?

What does it
sound like?

What does it
smell like?

What does it taste like?

How did this exercise go?

Was it easy? Was it difficult?

What did you notice?

Do you feel any different from before we started the exercise?

Tuning In Your Emotional Health

Overall well-being
Balancing stress and emotional
levels
Recognizing emotions
Strong relationships

Tuning In- Physical Health

Dreamstime.com

Good Physical Health = Body functions as it was designed

Mindfulness can help to

Increase Self Awareness
Helps you to become fully engaged in
activities

Allows you develop a deeper

connection with others.
Image: orthodoxtoday.org

orthodoxtoday.org

Transform Mindless Activities to Mindful Activities

Some things to think about..
Are your aware of you inner surroundings?
Physical needs
Emotional needs
Are your aware of your outer surroundings/ environment?
Are you multitasking? Are you thinking about other things than the
task at hand?
Do you have any judgements or criticisms?
Are they helping you or holding you back?

Some Ideas
Meditation
Reading a book
Taking a walk
Playing an instrument

Image: feelguide.com

bastyr.edu

Listening to music
Exercise/ Participate in sports
Journaling/ writing

Zen- Tangle
Stress ball
Expressive forms of art/ dance

Call to Action:
You can make any activity mindful!

Thank you!

Sources
http://www.online-literature.com/hesse/
http://www.ellenlanger.com/about/
http://secondjourney.org/newsltr/Archives/LangerE_08Sum.htm
http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/
http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/resources/videos/
http://www.vridhamma.org/VRI-Introduction

http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm
https://wellness.ucr.edu/physical_wellness.html
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/healthy_aging/healthy_body/the-brain-gut-connection
Personal Interviews with Meditation & Mindfulness Instructors:
Damian Flores & Sarah Sansone