If you are interested in your health, you probably already eat a nice variety of foods, and changing what you eat will have minimal, if any, impact on your holistic health. But, because you are immersed in our hectic, stressed-out culture, you are most likely eating in ways that do not optimally nourish the wellness of your mind, heart and spirit. Daily life for most of us is like a long, run-on sentence with insufficient punctuation marks. One way to insert helpful commas and semi-colons into your day is to use mealtimes as opportunities to de-stress, to neutralize the many stressors with which we all deal.

What to Eat
The perfect diet includes a huge variety of fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish. However, as any world traveler will tell you, the human body is incredibly versatile in what it can use for fuel and raw materials. Although some people have a “picky” digestive tract, many of us will not feel much different when eating a sub-optimal diet.

There are many false myths about nutrition that stem from a huge placebo effect. Strongly believing that something will be good for you very often gives it that power; the opposite is true as well (the nocebo effect). For most, your fat/protein/carb/sugar ratio or how much liquid you drink (except if you need to prevent bladder infections or kidney stones) is not as important as how you eat. To get enough healthy omega-3 fatty acids (which decrease inflammation, vasoconstriction and blood clotting) use a healthy margarine that does not contain trans fat, and if you do not eat a lot of fish, it is highly recommended to take a gram or two of fish oil daily. Plus, enjoy a glass of wine now and then. (Many studies have shown the cardiovascular benefits of an alcoholic drink with some or all of your dinners.)

Consider other impacts of your food choices. For example, eating locally grown foods minimizes your ecological footprint (e.g. the energy burned in the processing, packaging and transporting of food). It also supports your local economy and gives you the opportunity to enjoy foods at their freshest. The practice of raising animals for meat consumption uses far more water and energy resources than it takes to grow fruits and vegetables, so eating less meat is kinder to our environment.

When to Eat
Eating two to five times daily on a regular schedule tends to work best for most. But Buddhist monks, both young and old, do fine eating only one daily meal. There may even be detoxifying and spiritual benefits experienced when fasting from food some days, only taking in liquids. On the other hand, some people get symptoms of low-blood glucose two to three hours after eating and feel much better if they eat six or seven times daily. Experiment to see what works best for you. It is true that most people feel better if they eat breakfast, but that might be 15 minutes after awakening or even two hours later. The main rule is to eat only when you are hungry; avoid eating just because it is convenient or because of boredom or stress.

Where to Eat
Ideally, eat while sitting at a table in a comfortable home, without the distraction of TV or telephone calls. Avoid eating while standing, driving or reading. When you eat away from home, it is probably not what you eat that affects your holistic health so much as how you eat.

We need healthy, loving, long-term relationships to maintain optimal wellness, and for most people, sharing meals together is our main opportunity to nourish our social needs.

Who to Eat With
We need healthy, loving, long-term relationships to maintain optimal wellness, and for most people, sharing meals together is our main opportunity to nourish our social needs. Eat often with those with whom you share mutual respect and/or love. Our hearts are warmed when we hear kind things said to us; it nourishes our need to feel appreciated. If everyone made a point of saying at least one kind thing to someone else at each meal, our mental and emotional wellness would soar! Research shows that children who have regular meals with their family do better in school and have many fewer emotional, social, drug and alcohol problems.

How to Prepare for Eating
When you are sitting and about to eat is a golden opportunity to relax; taking three slow, deep breaths is an easy way to do this. When your body relaxes, your verbal thinking slows down too, which allows you to be more present “in the now” with your sensations and with dining companions. Some people find it meaningful to light a candle in memory of a loved one. Others say a formal grace – words of gratitude for a higher power and/or the multiple people, animals, plants and factors that allow us to be alive and for our food to be before us. Being thankful and counting your blessings nourishes your mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. A very effective mantra that can be repeated silently with each inhalation/exhalation is, “I have much . . .to be grateful for.”

How to Eat
Too often we are distracted, multitasking or in a hurry when we eat. This may be the major contributor to our number-one preventable cause of death in America – obesity. When we “wolf down” our food, our bodies do not signal us fast enough that we are full. Fast eating also decreases the enjoyment of eating. Practice eating more slowly by putting down your fork between bites and taking slow deep breaths with your eyes closed during your meal. Another very healthy alternative incorporates mindfulness. Many times during your meal, focus your attention on the smell, taste or feel of the food in your mouth. This is much easier to do when you close your eyes. Try it and you will be amazed how your experience of food is enhanced.

When you practice mindful eating, mindfulness will carry over into the rest of your life; you will be less judgmental and more often focused in the present moment. You will brood less about the past, worry less about the future and appreciate more beauty in the world around you. And since all the aspects of yourself are connected, when you develop more mental, emotional and spiritual wellness through healthy, mindful eating, it leads to much greater wellness of your body as well.

How to Lose Weight
To lose one pound per week you must take in 25 percent less food than usual. It is probably best to do this by eating smaller portions of the same foods you eat now; this is called the “small plate diet.” However, others find it easier to replace many meals with a piece of fruit, candy, juice or a dessert (which you should savor mindfully). Hunger will arise and bother you until you choose to not be distressed by it. Try reframing it as an exercise in developing personal power. Losing weight through mindful eating of delicious food can become an enjoyable growth experience. In fact, achieving a five- to ten-pound weight-loss goal (in five to ten weeks) will not only lead to better physical health, it will do wonders for your self-esteem and emotional health. Do not be surprised if your friends are knocked over by the increased radiance of your renewed inner beauty.

If your weight, food choices and ways you eat are suboptimal, refrain from beating up on yourself mentally. Instead of trying to meet unrealistic expectations, choose to accomplish small, achievable healthy eating goals and/or commit to prioritizing other de-stressing and wellness-enhancing activities such as meditation, guided imagery, self-hypnosis, prayer, yoga, Tai Chi, partner massage, lovemaking, dancing or exercise.

Dr. Ed Miller is the only Ob/Gyn doctor in the Cleveland area who also is board certified in holistic medicine. He works at Lakewood Hospital and lives with his three sons and wife in Oberlin. He can be reached by calling (216) 529-8683