Multi-tasking is the need of the hour for modern women. Even though it is a much needed trait in the present times, as result of a need to balance personal and professional life, it may adversely affect our health. We, being medical professionals, constantly and increasingly come across female patients struggling with metabolic disorders, weight gain, PCOD, Hypothyroid, Diabetes etc. Have you ever wondered why women a few generations back were usually fitter even when they never thought of dieting?
As per Ayurveda, ‘Ekatwa’ or oneness is one of the qualities of the mind which means we cannot concentrate our mind in two different and complete mindful actions. Maharshi Charak says – “Eating is a complete mindful action and should not be combined with any other action or activity.”
Eating while doing work on computer, eating while driving, mindless eating, eating in rush etc. is a kind of multitasking which can badly effect health in long term.
tadka‘While eating, one should concentrate on eating as the food is served to one’s consciousness’.
I think that was because of mindful and soulful eating approach which started from working in the fields, taking harvest home , cleaning, grinding, doing everything with their own hands and subsequently giving all the importance to food.
Rules of eating are explained in detail in Ayurveda and it indicates how important it is to follow the correct ways of eating. Mindful eating means using all five senses while eating, that is noticing the colors, smells, flavors, textures and sound of food.(Think about the sound of cumin seeds popping in ghee during or the crunchiness of raw salad or the sound of a sizzler).
The brain takes twenty minutes to register satiety, so if we eat too fast, we end up over eating to satisfy our mind. Also we will miss out full nutritive value of food as our mind will be busy doing something else.
Lord Krishna in Bhagvadgita said,
