Tiny Bubbles

I ate dinner in the bathtub a few nights ago.

I knew I’d be pretty cozy upon return from a yoga/meditation class and debating between dinner and a bath, because I’d want to soon get to sleep. So I made some dinner ahead of time then warmed it upon returning home while simultaneously running a warm tub. Then my plate and I soaked for 30 lovely minutes.

Don’t fret. I held the plate. It didn’t touch water.

My aqua meal, as one friend referred to it, did as much for calming me as the yoga practice AND the bath. It’s my version of a phone/cable/internet company’s triple play….yoga/dinner/bath.

For me eating a meal in the tub has a wonderfully undisturbed effect on the nervous system, slowing the body, mind and spirit down from a frenetic I’ve “gotta- get -stuff -done” pace. Why? Well, because I love taking baths. By the way, I have another friend who likes to eat in bed. Why? She loves her bed. And I know someone who loves to eat out-of-doors, and yet another person who hates to eat outside. Getting the picture?

It is really being aware of things you want and need. Being able to answer: Where can my body relax? Know that when it’s in a peaceful state it will digest, take in/absorb nutrients better and feel more tranquil.

So…how about eating :
-while standing mostly upright with a slight bend over the kitchen sink?
Ah….no.
……..Sitting in the car as it idles and you wait for someone outside of somewhere?
Nope.
……..Walking down the block while you are heading toward an appointment?
No way.

When working with clients I often do a session where we prepare a meal together in their home and then sit and eat it together. I place emphasis on using nice placemats or a likeable table cloth. Lighting candles and/or dimming the lights are great too. Creating an atmosphere for relaxation around eating is important and an act of kindness you give yourself.

That all said, eating certain foods can assist in relaxation and help your body move to an undisturbed state.

-Any of the whole grains (quinoa, millet, amaranth, oats, barley, rye….) are considered natural valium for their expansive effects on the nervous system.
-Fruits and other naturally sweetened (honey, molasses…) foods fall under a similar category. Their sweet taste naturally relax one and “open” them up some.
-Herbs that can be ingested as teas (lavender, chamomile) create internal feelings of peace and are great sleep-inducers.

All this talk about baths makes me want to run one. And, hmmm….I’m feeling a little hungry.