Eating in the Atmosphere

Hello Positive Eaters,

Today I went out to lunch with a good friend of mine, Jennah Dieter* in Newburyport Massachusetts. Newburyport is one of my favorite places on Earth. It is a seaside town in the North Shore of Massachusetts with rich history and tons of positive places to eat and shop. I was actually born in this wonderful little city 27 years ago.

We went to Andaman Thai and got some fresh rolls and two refreshingly delicous salads. We sat up on the upper deck outside in the fresh air. From our perch we could see the Merrimack river pouring out into the Atlantic ocean. This made the meal even more enjoyable. When you enjoy your location and the company your with it actually improves the quality of your meals. When you were a kid you didn't want to go to McDonald's because the Happy Meals were so delicous, you were hoping your parents took you to the Mickey D's with the playground and were reaching for the toy before the burger and fries.

A relaxed and stress free atmosphere has been shown to improve digestion, which can lead to more effective absorption of nutrients. We may not all be able to eat our meals in such a scenic and lovely location as Newburyport, but we can work to make the place we enjoy our mid day meal more relaxing and enjoyable.

• Try moving outside and eating in the fresh air. Bring a blanket and make a picnic for yourself
• Make sure you keep company with co workers you enjoy being around
• Avoid talking about work complaints and issues that raise your blood pressure
• Pick a quiet room away from distractions
• Switch off the computer and television and invite friends and/or serenity to your meal
  
• Make an attempt to really taste your food by chewing and slowing down
• Avoid "power lunches" , "lunch meetings" , or "working through lunch" (tip below)

Try a few of these techniques to bring enjoyment to your lunches and use this as an opportunity to destress and have fun. You just might be rewarded with better health and happiness.

Stay Positive,

Matthew

Tip: When at a meeting that is in sincere jeopardy of creeping into lunchtime and potentially obliterating it altogether. Raise your hand to pose a question, put on a serious face so you appea to be bringing up something important and ask this question "Will be convening after lunch?" Trust me it works everytime.

*Visit my friend Jennah's Website! She runs in awesome Wellness Center in Newburyport

http://www.healthcarecomplete.com/