Emotional eating is using food to fill an emotional need rather than filling our body for hunger and health.  Often we reach for the ice cream, the chocolate or foods that we might normally consider “junk” food.  Unfortunately food can never really fill the emotional hunger or emptiness we may experience at different times of our lives for different reasons.  

Lately I have been reminded of emotional eating.  Personally it is one of my cyclic battles.  When I find myself in a 'crisis' situation I tend to forego putting myself first and will reach for the easiest and most convenient item to put in my mouth for self-nourishment.  On occasion I have been known to skip meals or eat proportionally too much.  All of this then leads to a cascade of chemical responses in my body that results in cravings, depression and a perpetuation of the cycle of emotional eating.

So what is mindful eating and how can it assist with overcoming emotional eating habits?  And I use the words habits because that is what we are doing when we create these cycles because habits are behavioural responses resulting in chemical responses in the body.  When we talk about mindful eating we are wanting to create mindful habits. 

To define mindful eating on its own though is paying full attention to the experience of eating.  It is about paying attention to the whole process of eating.   Remember the definition of mindfulness:

“The state of open, active awareness in the present moment.  The ability to observe feelings and impulses in the moment without judgement or criticism”

I would even go onto add that for defining mindfulness for eating, that we have a conscious awareness of where our food has come from and the processing and preparation of the food to get to our plate.  If you are the main food preparer than your sense of mindfulness in the preparation of that food is something to consider as part of the process and definition.

When you start to become mindful of the whole process of food we start to develop new habits and thought processes around food itself. 

Habits are not always easy to change and it takes a lot of practice.  But it is possible to change the unhealthy habits we have formed to embrace a conscious, mindful way of eating.  Ultimately the goal is to form newer healthier habits that have lasting effects and maintaining those habits by practicing mindfulness in all aspects of our life.

There have been numerous studies that have demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness practices such as yoga and meditation which mediate increased body awareness. 

Asadollahi et al (2015) found that mindfulness training led to cognitive changes in the way of thinking and actions of patients and is advantageous in conditional strengthening principals.  This impacts the individual’s desire to continuously work at making health decisions to improve their life.   This applies to changing our emotional responses and how we habitually view and use food to either 'stuff down our emotions' or counter a negative feeling.  If we can bring regular mindfulness activities into our daily life we can strengthen our mind's response and deal with emotions when they arise in a healthy way.   Our decision making capacity will improve and we will be less likely to reach for the chocolate when times get difficult. 

Mindfulness brings physical awareness to the act of eating.  It gives you an opportunity to identify the triggers and change the habit of reaching for the ‘junk’ food. Practicing mindfulness gives us an opportunity to learn how to recognise the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger.  We can also be prepared for those emotional responses and learn to differentiate between emotional hunger and physical hunger before we reach critical point. 

Smith etal (2018) logically lists ways we can tell the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger:

• Emotional Hunger comes suddenly
• Emotional Hunger Craves Specific Food
• Emotional Hunger is where mindless eating resides
• There is no physical satiety with emotional hunger
• Emotional Hunger is of the mind
• Emotional Hunger can perpetuate feelings of guilt, shame or regret

Naturally if you identify as an emotional eater you can put plans into place to support and overcome the habit.  Here is a couple of things I use when I feel i am about to reach for the cronut instead of acknowledging the true extent of how I am feeling:

• Call a friend
• Get outside and go for a walk
• Put on your favourite song - sing, dance and burn off that emotion
• Do something that you enjoy
• Make a herbal tea
• Have a drink of water
• Garden
• Journal

Learning your triggers and dealing with the full extent of what is causing your emotional response should also be considered as part of your mindful eating program.  Unacknowledged feelings can often be responsible for emotional eating.  This is why I have added journalling to the bottom of the list.  Taking some time to sit in meditation and then journal any emotions or feelings that arise during that quiet time will help to understand the true cause of what is going on for you when you develop those food cravings.  

If you want to learn more about mindfulness and how it can help you form healthy habits please contact me.  I am happy to support you on your journey to happiness, health and harmony of mind, body and soul.

Namaste beautiful one.


References

Asadollahi, T., Khakpour, S., Ahmadi, F., Seyedeh, L., Tahami, Matoo, S., & Bermas, H. (2015). Effectiveness of mindfulness training and dietary regime on weight loss in obese people . Journal of Medicine and Life, 8(Spec Iss 4), 114–124

Fishel, Anne (2015) Science Say: Eat with Your Kids
https://theconversation.com/science-says-eat-with-your-kids-34573 
Smith, M, Segal, J & Segal R (2018)  Emotional Eating https://www.helpguide.org/articles/diets/emotional-eating.htm

The benefit of Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) for women’s health is wide and varied.  Some schools of thought do not recommend inversions during particular parts of the menstrual cycle. 

Biologically there is no real reason to stop inversions during menstruation however energetically there are a couple of considerations:

1. Yogic philosophy suggests that apana, the downward flow of energy is challenged during inversions and the natural flow of menstruation (a downward flowing elimination) may be disturbed.
2. Inversions, such as Downward Facing Dog are considered high-energy poses and because a women’s energy may be depleted during menstruation high energy poses should be avoided.

Practicing inversions during menstruation is definitely an individual choice and it is not up to me to determine who should and should not practice Downward Facing Dog but I do ask each of you reading this to consider your own needs during your menstrual cycle. 

Regardless of what you choose during your menstruation phase of your cycle Downward Facing Dogs has application in all phases of a women’s lifecycle including:

• In the Premenstrual Phase of the Menstrual Cycle
• For optimising Fertility
• Menopause
• Pregnancy (as a strengthening pose and as a transition pose – although caution in late pregnancy)

Downward Facing Dog can be helpful for women who suffer Premenstrual Tension (PMT).  Benefits include reducing severity of headaches, calming the mind, relieving heaviness of the body, bloating and relieving pain in the back.  Sometimes a support such as a bolster, blanket or block under the crown of the head can be used to relieve headaches and fatigue. 

Asanas in general support the reproductive system however Downward Facing Dog may optimise fertility.  According to Bobby Clennell (2007) downward facing dog is beneficial for correcting a displaced uterus.  While a displaced uterus does not directly cause fertility issues it can be associated with other conditions that may make conception difficult (Whelan, 2017).

Downward Facing Dog helps to increase blood flow throughout the body including organs of the pelvis, providing nourishment and keeping the reproductive system oxygenated and healthy.

Being a calming and cooling pose Downward Facing Dog can release stress and promote a sense of relaxation for women undergoing fertility treatment. 

During Menopause downward facing dog can be highly effective at relieving hot flushes.  According to Suza Franzina (2003) hot flushes represent a release of kundalini energy which can negatively impact the nervous system at the time of menopause.  Downward Facing dog is a cooling pose and helps to calm the nervous system making it an effective pose for relieving hot flushes before they occur.

As a woman transitions to motherhood through pregnancy practicing downward facing dog is a reminder of personal strength.  Being a full body poses downward dog strengthens the body supporting you as you transition from one position to another.  Practicing with mindfulness and adjusting to suit the stage of pregnancy is recommended. 

The therapeutic benefits of downward facing dog have varied application throughout the entire cycle of a women’s adult life from menarche to menopause.  This is definitely a favourite pose to practice and if you want to learn more about the anatomy of the dog so as to include it in your practice read more here or join me in a class.
 
References
Clennel, Bobby (2007) The Woman’s Yoga Book; Rodmell Press, Berkley
Francina, Suza (2003) Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause; Health Communications, Florida
Sparrow, Linda and Walden, Patricia (2004) Yoga for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle; Shambhala Publications, Boston
Whelan, Corey (2017) What you should know about a tilted pelvis;  Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/tilted-uterus

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) is fundamentally the most widely taught yoga pose.  Known as an inversion, Downward Dog looks like an upside down V with hands and feet evenly placed on the floor.  According to Kaminoff & Matthews (2012) Downward Facing Dog is classified as a symmetrical inverted arm support pose.

The torse and arms make two thirds of the V shape while the legs make the other third of the pose.  Also known as a full body weighted pose, Downward Dog works muscles of the arms, legs and torso.

Being an inversion the pose can be challenging for the breathe requiring the abdominal muscles to work fully. 
Muscles which are strengthened during the practice of this pose:


 
When first practicing Downward facing dog as a beginner the heels may be lifted, the back appears rounded and arms may feel more comfortable out to the side or under the shoulders.  With practice and adequate preparation the pose becomes easier and looks more like the classic imagines you might see in magazines, with a lengthened spine, arms forward to the shoulders and heels pressing into the ground with the back of the legs long.

Naturally this pose may not be suited for every individual.   Injuries and anatomical anomalies may indicate this pose should not be practiced or practiced with modifications. 

To improve your Downward Facing Dog try this adjustments:

• To keep you Downward Facing Dog adequately supported, engage muscles of the shoulders by extending the arms and spread the surface area of the hands and fingers.  To do this exert some pressure into the hands and lengthen using ki extension along the floor through the fingers.
• If arched in the back, try flattening the lumbar spine and increase hip flexion by taking pressure off the hamstrings.  Gently soften the knees with a slight bend and allow the heels to come off the floor.
• To lengthen the hamstrings and bring heels closer to the ground practice bending one knee and pressing the opposite heel into the floor.  “Walk the dog” slowly stretching one side at a time.
• Practice “flirting” with the dog.  Preparing for the full pose by using gentle mindful movements that stretch, flex and strengthen the different muscles involved in the full pose.  Use simple movements like walking the dog, taking the feet wider apart, bringing the feet closer together, wiggling the hips and practicing abdominal engagement.  Be mindful of the breathe and increase the frequency of your practice. 

Downward Facing Dog can be a challenge for anyone new to yoga but it is a full body pose that helps improve strength and with practices like ‘flirting with the dog’ can improve flexibility of the body.  Use downward dog as a transition pose or make it the focus of your practice.  Either way I think you will enjoy this all round asana.
 
References
Coulter, David (2017) Anatomy of Hatha Yoga; Body and Breath Inc, USA
Kaminoff, Leslie and Matthews, Amy (2012) Yoga Anatomy; Human Kinetics, USA