Dear Patient,
I’ve written before about the benefits of mindful eating. The Spleen and Stomach are responsible for the digestion of both food and information, and if we try to do both at the same time, we end up not doing either very well. Distraction-free dining is better for both your brain and your gut.
Turns out, mindful eating can also make you happier. Researchers at the University of Virginia studied the effects of smart phone use during meals, and found that diners who put their phone away while eating reported significantly more enjoyment of the food and the experience, versus diners who kept their phones on the table. 1
These results aren’t surprising. Meals are about way more than consuming sufficient calories to power our metabolic processes. They’re where we exchange ideas and tell stories. They strengthen social bonds.
Dining without distractions doesn’t just benefit your brain and your digestion. It makes all the things we love about eating—the tastes and smells, the conversation, the company—more delightful. The science proves it. Meals are happier without our phones.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist
https://news.virginia.edu/content/are-smartphones-making-people-sad
Love this concept! I’ve been doing this with my partner pretty much every night since we moved in together. My ultimate goals is to also be able to do the same whenever I’m eating by myself, which is much more challenging to me.