In Chapter 9 of YOU: The Owner’s Manual, the authors address the sensory organs. I thought we’d take this week’s Wednesday Label Review to talk about how these organs play into overall health as well as affect food choices.
Five of our sense organs – ears, eyes, lips, nose and tongue – are very important organs in our body. We use them to hear, to see, to taste and to smell. They are closely related to our heart, liver, pancreas, kidneys and lungs. When people have some uncomfortable feelings in one of their five senses, part of one of their internal organs may have started to fail. With that being said there are not specific foods to zero in on for good health of the organ system but rather an overall healthy diet is most beneficial.
Keep in mind, however, your sensory organs can lead you to overeat or make poor food choices, which don’t do our bodies any good. We are very sensitive to smell and this can trigger us to feel hungry or eat a food even if we are not hungry. If something tastes good then we may eat until it is gone rather than until we are satisfied. So let’s look at some tips to keep from you eating due to sensory overload.
1) Keep tempting foods out of sight (put them in opaque containers or store in cupboards).
2) Don’t buy unhealthy foods and have them around to tempt you.
3) Chew on a piece of gum or use a strong breath mint in situations where you are tempted by other foods.
4) Eat a small meal or snack before attending parties with unhealthy food choices.
5) Eat slowly – this way you give your body a chance to tell you it is full.
6) Pre-portion your meal – plan ahead what amount you are going to eat and have the rest boxed up or share an entrée or dessert with a friend.
Rebecca
