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“Eating is not just about sating appetite, but about appreciating, with all your senses, what is put before you.” ~ Diana Henry

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Our senses serve as a conduit linking our external experiences with our internal expression—how we take in the food of life.

From the gentle chirping of birds singing the dawn chorus to the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, our senses attune us to the world around us, speaking in the sacred language of our bodies.

As our bodies communicate with us through the symphony of our senses, each playing a vital role in the rhythm of our well-being, tuning into these sensory cues allows us to tap into the deeper wisdom of our bodies. Likewise, our senses revel in the subtleties of our eating, acting as the gateway to pleasure—the tantalizing taste of each morsel delighting our palates, the fragrant aroma of spices comingling in our kitchens, the vibrant hues adorning our plates, the melody of onions sizzling in a hot skillet, or the captivating conversations shared around the table.

Food holds immense power—power to nourish, strengthen, and connect us with ourselves and others. When we infuse pleasure into our eating, we not only enhance our overall dining experience but also foster a healthier relationship with food. By attuning to our body’s sacred language—the senses, ever vibrant if we listen—we can transform each meal into a sumptuous feast for the soul. Just as we carefully select foods that nourish our bodies, we can curate sensory experiences that satiate our souls. Whether it’s the sweet and tart flavor of a ripe strawberry tantalizing our taste buds as we feel the morning sun on our face or Bob Marley serenading us as we chop our vegetables—such offerings to the senses are elixirs for a beautiful life.

Our most profound moments of fulfillment and pleasure occur when we are fully present and engaged—whether in a physical activity, a sensory experience, sharing a meal, or connecting intimately with another person. Often referred to as our sixth sense, interoception, or our internal awareness, may be less familiar than the primary five senses of sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell, but it profoundly influences our relationship with food. Yet, like many of us, when we feel disconnected from our internal cues, we deprive ourselves of these bountiful sources of joy and pleasure. I understand why so many of us are out of touch with our body’s natural intelligence, especially when society consistently encourages us to override ourselves and externalize our eating and enforces that pleasure equals gluttony. Insert diet culture, restrictive eating styles, calorie counting, and the ongoing pressure that most of us feel about how our bodies need to look to be seen as valued and lovable in this world. Rest assured, repairing your relationship with food and re-learning to track what is arising in your body through sensation is not only possible but inevitable as you deepen your awareness through all your senses.

If we journey into body hunger for a moment, we can see how it typically begins with a subtle grumble in our stomachs. If we don’t find our way to food somewhat soon, the sensations can intensify, leading to irritability, difficulty concentrating, lightheadedness, or even panic in the case of a blood sugar crash. Conversely, as we become satisfied, our satiation cues gradually increase. Initially, we start to feel calm, often accompanied by a deep and contented sigh—a signal I fondly refer to as the “satiate sigh.” This natural response may have gone unnoticed for you until now, but it’s a potent cue, that can act as a reminder to pause and assess our hunger and fullness levels. Distractions during meals, common for most of us, often cause us to overlook these instinctual signals. Interoception serves as the hunger and fullness real-time gauge inherent in each of us.

When we reach satiety, our taste buds, acting as our frontline responders to each bite, also send a signal when we have had enough by altering our sense of taste. This is our primal brain (or unconscious mind) that causes food to be pleasurable when we are hungry, so we will be drawn toward food. Conversely, when we are satiated, this same part of our brains stops causing the pleasure so it will cue us to stop eating. Like most experiences in life, there’s a peak moment of pleasure followed by a noticeable shift. When we go beyond this optimal point it diminishes the pleasure, turning even the most delightful meal into a lackluster experience. By practicing mindfulness within our eating, we can identify the shift in pleasure, guided by our body’s innate intelligence, and make our way toward a state of peaceful satiation.

When we combine the primal brain with attuning to what our five senses love within our eating we amplify pleasure, and we will naturally start to eat in a more well-aligned fashion. We might eat less or more slowly but appreciate what we are eating more. We might choose our ingredients more mindfully, considering color, beauty, and flavor artfully crafting a perfectly balanced umami meal. I notice that when I am in the kitchen cooking if I can pause to breathe in the scents, sounds, and sights, I feel so much more deeply satisfied before I even sit down at the table.

Eating void of engaging our senses is like observing life through a dulled lens. Let’s pause right here together and right now consciously take those dull lenses off and throw them right in the trash so we can reignite our senses and see (and eat!) more vibrantly. Then, like a slow and seductive lover, as often as we can, let’s remember to squeeze the avocados and smell the coffee.

Based on the book Food and Freedom © 2024 by Sue Van Raes. Printed with permission from New World Library. www.NewWorldLibrary.com

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