“What is mindfulness? The act of clearing your mind and fully being present and attentive to your surroundings, your actions and emotions; this is mindfulness. This may sound easy to do but in reality, we are always consumed with our thoughts which can divert our attention to a million different things at once. We often become anxious and stressed about certain events in our lives (“What will happen during the job interview”, “Will I pass this exam?”). Or, we relive our past experiences (let’s be honest, sometimes you do or say something and then regret it later and think to yourself, “Maybe I should have said or done this instead.”). Mindfulness is not something you have to learn about but rather it’s something you need to practice. Part of being mindful is meditation. This is a time where we can relax our thoughts, reduce our stress levels and focus on our breathing. You might be saying, “Well I’m busy all day and I don’t have a lot of time to relax.” Meditation doesn’t have to be done for hours and hours, it can easily be done for a few minutes. A few simple meditation tips: 1. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, inhale and exhale. Do this 10 times. 2. After a stressful day, walk around the house for 5-10 minutes. 3. If you find yourself overwhelmed, take a few deep breaths. 4. If you have a bit of extra time during the day, try to do your favourite sport for 15-30 minutes. Bottom line is, being mindful of our body, mind, and soul helps us take control of our thoughts, lower our stress levels and pay attention to what our body is telling us.”

“What is mindful eating? Have you ever felt the need to pause and take a break from what you are doing? You might want to close your eyes and take a breather or go out for a walk or a bike ride. This is what mindfulness is all about: being fully present in the moment, being aware of your surroundings and taking a moment to think about how you feel. This sounds easy right? Well let’s talk about mindful eating then. What are you usually doing when you are eating? Are you eating at a dinner table with your family and having a conversation? Or are you on your computer desk working away? Or watching a TV show you missed? Or reading a book and can’t wait to find out the happy ending? Let’s be honest, we all have been there when we are eating and we are distracted with something else (guilty as charged). Distractions mean we are not 100% enjoying the food. But wait, what do I mean by not enjoying the food because I definitely enjoy that slice of pizza or tacos while reading a book? This means that distractions can cause us not to appreciate our food as much. It’s a good idea to be fully present and savour the food using our 5 senses. Tip: During your next meal, try to keep your phone and tablets away and focus on your food; allowing you to be mindful over your eating habits.”