Tag: self

10 facts: About understanding our relationship with food πŸ²

by drjurisharma, posted in Blog, body, health, lifestyle, dietary, exercise, herbs, water, liver, stroke, cancer, hepatitis, emotional health, Food, Food, eating habits, eating disorders, eating preferences, choices, culture, traditions, travels, family, Fresh, local, produce, healing, health, life, mental health, Nature,, Science, self healing, wellness

1. In general, you can either have a good relationship with food or a challenging one. A positive or a good relationship with food means that you allow yourself to enjoy any food you love, regardless of whether it is labelled as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ based on its nutritional value or calorie content. Conversely, a challenging relationship with food involves restrictions, such as stressing over certain food items you’re uncomfortable with, tracking your calorie intake obsessively, ignoring your hunger cues, overeating, and experiencing feelings of guilt or shame related to your eating habits.

2.Before recognising your relationship with food, it is important to understand that humans have a deeper relationship with food rather than a simple fuel-providing medium. Unlike animals, human preferences for food depend on a variety of factors like cultural, traditional, regional, socialisation, pleasure, comfort, simplicity, childhood memories, and nutritional content. The food preferences and choices are transient and may change many times during a lifetime. Once an individual understands how the food is grown, sourced, and reaches the table, he/she learn to appreciate and develop a healthy relationship with the food.

3. A good relationship with food can be having a comfort level, not stressing out, eating in moderation, being open about all types of food and not allowing it to control your life. The signs of having a good relationship with food can be:

β€’ You are enjoying while eating.

β€’ You stop eating once you feel full and satiated.

β€’ You respect your hunger cues.

β€’ You don’t overeat but instead eat in moderation.

β€’ You don’t count your calories while eating and are obsessed with the numbers on the weighing scale.

β€’ You are open to all kinds of food as per your preferences.

β€’ You don’t allow others to opine about your food choices.

β€’ You understand that your food choices do not define you as a person.

β€’ You love to eat food that you enjoy the most.

4. Having a bad or, rather, difficult relationship with food can be stressful. Some of the signs of a bad/ difficult relationship with food can be:

β€’ You have a restricted and limiting approach towards food.

β€’ You don’t respect natural hunger cues.

β€’ You have a history of crash dieting, trying to follow all fad diet food trends.

β€’ You are very concerned and stressed out about the list of foods that you can or cannot eat.

β€’ You have a feeling of guilt or shame for eating.

β€’ You feel stressed to eat in the social circuit as other people may notice you about your food choices.

β€’ You either starve yourself or overeat. Either way, you are not comfortable and happy.

5. Learning to develop a good relationship with food is an ongoing process. It takes a lot of patience, time and self-empathy. Allowing yourself to welcome small changes, day by day, not being judgmental, learning to enjoy and taking pleasure while eating. The food choices are not just part of routine practices, but deep-rooted in our genes, following a certain culture, which is not wrong. A good and healthy relationship with food means being open to trying new food, seeing food beyond the caloric scale, and not always judging your value as a person through your food choices. Allowing yourself food freedom.

6. Eating when hungry: It is important to understand your body’s natural signals of hunger rather than eating unnecessarily. Our body has a natural ability to metabolise the food that has been eaten, starting the process of absorption of necessary nutrients, cleaning the dead cells and releasing the roughage. In other words, the body has a natural cleaning process called autophagy. Normally, in the daytime, the body takes around a 5-6 hour gap before you experience hunger again. It is important to avoid certain habits which can prove to be harmful to health and damage our relationship with food in the long run:

β€’ Eating while stressing out about something as a distraction has become common.

β€’Binging while watching TV or watching a film.

β€’ Gorging and overeating while attending a party or buffet.

β€’ Eating while attending a meeting or taking a flight.

β€’ Eating or having beverages throughout the day becomes very normal in today’s time, as food is available all the time and everywhere.

7. Stress and eating behaviour: Stress can be any kind of stimulus that is perceived by the individual as stressful. Several studies have shown that stress can result in irregular eating behavior, altered eating preferences, and even alter the perception of pleasure from food. Research has shown that 40-70% of people suffering from stress can result in overeating, which can prove to be a calming process, irrespective of their physiological hunger. Whereas some 60-30% people can result in a reduction of food intake or develop a repulsion towards food. In today’s time, some people are so concerned about caloric counting and weighing scales that they develop a restricted approach towards food, where eating becomes a difficult task. Some people follow a crash diet, keeping up the dieting trends; eating becomes a burden rather than a physiological need.

8. Mindfulness: When it comes to developing a good relationship with food, there are no right or wrong answers. Food is not just a source of fuel, but your culture, habit, individual taste, memories, joy, and health, on which you plan your meals and eating preferences. If you are cooking yourself, learn to ritualise the process, enjoying every step from selecting the food ingredients, cleaning, cutting, sizzling, bubbling, until the food finally comes to life. In fact, cooking is a routine activity where you can practise mindfulness and integrate meditation. According to Buddhism, an ordinary person can practise mindfulness in everyday activities like cooking, cleaning, eating, and doing dishes, which are powerful activities where you are aware of the present moment and completely engrossed in it, instead of doing some extraordinary activities or sitting hours on meditation.

9.Mindful Eating: Practicing mindful eating can be a powerful way to develop a healthy relationship with food. When you eat, focus completely on the activity, staying in the present moment without distractions from your phone, TV, or anything else. Chew slowly and thoroughly before swallowing to enhance the digestion process. By fully engaging with your meal, you can enjoy your food more, appreciate what you’re eating, and better understand your choices. This practice allows you to tune into your body’s natural hunger and fullness signals. Initially, it may be challenging since many of us are accustomed to mindless eating. However, over time, this approach can become a habit that contributes to your overall well-being.

10.Improving your relationship with food is an ongoing process and is essential for overall health and well-being. First and foremost, it is important to value yourself as an individual. Learn to practice self-compassion, respect your uniqueness, and separate your eating habits and choices from your self-worth. Here are some small steps and changes you can make to enhance your relationship with food:

β€’ Listening to your body, identifying your natural physical hunger cues rather than emotional hunger.

β€’ Avoid labelling food as β€œbad” or β€œgood”. Instead, focus on eating in moderation and respecting your food preferences and choices. All food can fit in a healthy lifestyle if eaten in moderation and with routine physical activity.

β€’ Avoid impulsive eating behaviour and focus on intuitive eating.

β€’ Stop watching the social media food trends and diets, as well as the weighing scale.

β€’ Focus on mindful eating and practice mindfulness.

β€’ Never relate food to a stress buster or use food as a reward or punishment.

β€’ Though food is a source of nourishment to our body, but it gives us moments of pleasure too, through our eating experience. So, food choices should be always our own and not looking at another’s plate.

Adequate Immune status πŸ™Œ

by drjurisharma, posted in life

Hello everyone ! Have a wonderful Sunday πŸ™‹πŸ»

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We, all know and read enough about our body’s defence mechanism and network called the immune system. It is a system comprising of tissues, cells, proteins and biological processes that defend our body from any outside invaders like microorganisms and pathogens.

Though we have such an efficient immune system, yet we fall into sickness, disease several times during our lifetime. The reasons for a weak immune system are plenty. In today’s time, stress is the most dominance cause to have a weakened immune system. Then, lifestyle trends like the sedentary way of living, obesity, smoking, alcoholism and poor nutrition being some of the common causes.

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But, at the same time, there have been drastic changes in the societies and communities to bring awareness about healthy way of living, healthy eating. More and more people have started to transform their lives in a healthy way of living and dining.

But, despite gradual changes in lifestyle and eating habits, yet many people still fall sick and suffer from a weak immune system. The reason is our mental state which is too much drown in our daily stress, anxiety and tension. Not just exercising and eating healthy meals packed with vitamins and minerals help, but also a sound and stable mind is more necessary for a body’s perfect cognitive, hormonal and immune system to function at an optimum level.

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So, to maximize the immune status of the immune system ,we require a healthy physical state and a healthy state of mind.

To keep a healthy mind : 3 ways of improved thinking process….

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1. Homeostasis: When we self-inquired within us, we will always observe that we have an awareness that works through this body, mind complex. This awareness is very much in sync with the universal field of consciousness. We understand that everything is happening around us are experiences that we experience through the mind-body complex.

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Therefore, it is essential to realize that every experience we have is enabled through the field of awareness. In every experience, it is necessary to shift towards awareness. Then, in that case, both good or bad experiences, we have, cannot affect this body and mind complex so intensely. Say, during fear, or stress, when we shift our awareness to the universal field of consciousness, we become more like an observer to the experience of fear and anxiety. The biological system remains unaffected, and we stay calmer and in homeostasis.

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2. Healthy Emotions: Shifting attention to the universal field of awareness is quite difficult initially. As we identify ourselves too much with our body and mind, so we feel we are separate entities. So, it’s essential to cultivate divine emotions of compassion, love, empathy, which helps us to connect more and more to the universal field of awareness. It helps us to connect more with the web of life and healing.

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3.Metacognition: Develop our innate capacity of metacognition. That is to understand and start thinking about our thinking process. Being aware and more focused on every present moment, instead of being preoccupied in the past or future. Concentrating on every present moment prevents the mind from scattered thinking process, which can be the reasons for unnecessary stress, anxiety, fear and negative thoughts. This is the reason mindful thinking and practices are very useful.

Thanks for reading.

Blessings and much love πŸ’


Is ego negative? 4 simple points of understanding.

by drjurisharma, posted in Ego, egoism, pride, self, self identity, self awareness, emotional health, fear, pain, emotions, healing, health, mental health, Science, wellness

By ego, it means simply, our identity of “self “. It is neither negative nor positive. As a human being to live and survive, we need a strong sense of identity to develop relationships, to thrive, to make a living, to succeed. So, there is nothing wrong with it. Chasing your dream, wanting to own a big house, an expensive car, to earn money, going for adventure is not at all bad.

But, when ego turns into pride, we become over conscious of our identity. When “self” rules life and when fear craves to overprotect our self-identity, then, ego can be disastrous to both us and the people around with whom we live. We become completely blinded of our true identity (soul identity) in order to protect our fake self or ego. We fail to understand, acknowledge and hold no room for other’s opinions and feelings as we think we are always right.

Fake self identity

So, religious practices like Buddhism preaches to conquer the ego and lead a life of our true self. Because, the ego is often identified as our false self, materialistic state, social status, the success which can never lead to happiness and peace within.
So, how do we control our ego? Monks and yogis practised meditation for years to get into their true self and tarnished their ego. But, neither you and I have that much time or patience in our everyday life to practise to let go of our ego.


1.So, the easy way to control our ego is being aware of our existence, the limited time we live in this world. And to remember that death is inevitable and inescapable.

2. Staying grounded, and being in company of people that keep you grounded.

3.Realising the present moment, being grateful for it. To understand that living every moment is a blessing and gift.

4. Being aware and avoiding our egotistical pattern of thinking and reactions. (e.g. I am superior, I am better than others, No one can compete with me ….. so on). Reminding myself, that this world has been created by perception, not reality and everything here is transient, not permanent. Our real self and true nature is our relationship with the Universe and the Divine.

All these steps help us to be close to our true self and remind us that our ego is simply, a self-identity tool, just a survival trait in this competitive world and nothing else. We know when to draw the line and not losing our true self and peace.

Courtesy: Motivation blog

Thanks for reading.

Peace and love πŸ™

Post: Dealing self-criticism. 3 interesting ways.

by drjurisharma, posted in healing, health, mental health, wellness

Blame it on human nature, we have been self-critical, not once but several times, not on a single day but very often. Why do we do it? Is it right to be self-critical? How can I stop myself being self-critical? Why are we so harsh on ourselves? Am I not human, who can be flawed yet successful? Who can make mistakes in life and learn from them? Who can change and improve slowly? Why can’t I be compassionate and empathetic towards myself? Is it so hard?

When you are self-critical, you are in a negative frame of mind, you take things negatively, you are too harsh on yourself and judgemental. Such individuals lack compassion not on himself alone but also for others. He is too judgmental and cynical on himself and also of others. Being self-critical is so harmful that you have no room for self-improvement and progress in life for fear of failure. Such individuals end up having low self-esteem, isolation, depression and loneliness in the long run.

Therefore, how can I change my attitude towards being self-critical? 3 interesting ways.

  1. Understanding “self”: Develop a solid understanding of “self” as an individual, the understanding of self-concept. Who am I as an individual? Understanding “self”, in all aspects, your physical self, your social self and your competency self, that is your ability to provide yourself with necessities of life. Accept and acknowledge both your strengths and weakness. Understanding your purpose and motives in life is important. Once you accept your uniqueness, you won’t compare yourself with others. Because comparing yourself with others is often a reason for self-criticism. Each one of us is embarking a unique journey through ups and downs of life.

2. Worthiness: It’s important to know your self-worth and self-value to avoid being self-critical. I am using both terms together as they are often interconnected. When you have a sense of self-worth, that means you value yourself. Acknowledging your capabilities, your qualities are important both in personal and professional life. This is related to all our thoughts, emotions, behaviours which are related to our worthiness and value as an individual. When you do that, there is no room for comparison, competition, jealousy for other’s success or achievement. When you start being empathetic towards your self, you are empathetic towards others too. This is important because, we as humans always deals with humans everywhere, people, places, work, home, society. This makes life easier and smooth sailing.

3.Positive attitude: Wisest way to deal with self-criticism is changing and keeping a positive attitude towards it. Instead of carrying a negative mind frame, whenever, I am self-critical, I need to remind myself that it is a way of self-improvement and self-analysis. I need to develop, nurture that aspect of my life which help me in my growth both as an individual and performing life necessities. The message should be clear in my head, that I, myself work upon, wanting to bring about a positive change in me for my growth and benefit and not for someone’s else.