Mindful Nourishment: Healing from the Inside Out
Have you ever noticed how what we take in—what we eat, watch, scroll, listen to—can completely shift how we feel? I’m thinking of all the ways we “consume” the world around us and especially beyond food (which we are all a little crazy about in our own ways and plenty of blogs are dedicated to that very topic).
I see this in big and small ways. When I was pregnant with my daughter, I couldn’t tolerate violence in any form—not in movies, news, or even casual conversation. I’d have vivid, emotional dreams, and it felt like I was passing those feelings on to her. Game of Thrones was huge at the time, but I just couldn’t do it. That sensitivity has stayed with me—and now my daughter is the same way. She’ll quietly leave the room if something feels too angry or harsh.
In reflection, I can see how what we take in really does shape us. As a teen, watching action movies made me feel like I could take on the world or yearn for a zip code that was basically fake. Now, I notice how laughing with Taylor Swift softens my day, while political chatter can leave me tense. Each little “input” shifts the landscape inside me, and being aware of that has become one of my favorite forms of mindful living.
5 Ways to Bring Mindful Nourishment into Everyday Life
(No Meditation Cushion Required)
1. Eat with your senses, not your screen.
You don’t have to chew each bite 30 times or sit in silence (unless you want to). Just put your phone down for the first few bites and notice the texture, flavor, or smell of what you’re eating.
It’s amazing how much calmer your nervous system feels when your mind and mouth are in the same place.
✨ Try this: For one meal a day, eat with zero screens—just you and your food.
2. Feed your mind like you feed your body.
Scrolls, shows, and conversations all count as “mental calories.” Ask yourself: Does this leave me feeling nourished or drained? Sometimes the most mindful thing you can do is click “unfollow.”
✨ Try this: Trade one scroll session for a short walk, playlist, or podcast that lifts your mood.
3. Move like you’re feeding your soul.
Mindful nourishment isn’t just what you eat—it’s how you move. A walk in fresh air, a slow yoga flow, or even stretching between meetings can digest stress just as much as food.
✨ Try this: Before your next workout, check in: What kind of movement would feel kind today?
4. Rest without guilt.
Rest is nourishment. But so many of us treat it like a luxury instead of a biological need. Taking time to breathe, stare out the window, or lie down is an act of self-respect.
✨ Try this: Try to go to sleep at the same time every day.
5. Savor what’s good, not just what’s next.
Mindful nourishment is about letting the good stuff land. Don’t rush the coffee moment, the laughter, the sunset. Joy digests better when you actually taste it. Micro moments count more than you realize.
✨ Try this: At the end of the day, name one thing that truly nourished you—food, movement, or moment.
Looking More Deeply at What We “Feed” Ourselves
I often ask myself, “Is this nourishing me?”—not just when I’m eating, but when I’m watching, listening, or even thinking.
In Plum Village teachings, there are said to be four kinds of nourishment:
Edible food (what we eat and drink)
Sense impressions (what we see, hear, read, and scroll)
Volition (our motivation—what fuels our actions)
Consciousness (the collective energy we cultivate through our thoughts and communities)
When I slow down and pay attention, I notice that every input—whether a green veggie or a social media rant—has an effect. Everything we consume becomes part of our inner landscape. When I choose what’s gentle, uplifting, or peaceful, I feel more grounded in my body and more at ease in my life.
My Personal Reflection
I’ve noticed how easy it is to use consumption to fill space—alcohol, caffeine, scrolling, shopping, Netflix, distraction. It’s not bad or wrong; it’s human. But sometimes, I catch myself doing it to quiet discomfort—boredom, loneliness, anxiety.
The Buddhists invite a gentler approach: instead of filling the space, can I be with it? Take a breath. Feel my feet. Make tea. Step outside. Often, that tiny pause gives me just enough room to choose differently—to shift toward what nourishes instead of numbs.
It helps to have good options nearby—books, music, and people who lift me up instead of deplete me. I still keep up with world news, but I’m learning to add a little containment. I don’t have to absorb everything.
Try This: A Mini Mindful Nourishment Check-In
Once a day, pause and ask yourself:
🌀 “Is what I’m taking in right now nourishing me or depleting me?”
If it’s nourishing—soak it in.
If it’s not—take one small action to shift. Close the app, step outside, drink water, stretch, breathe.
You don’t need a lifestyle overhaul. One mindful pause can change the tone of your whole day. Do what you can.
Fifth Mindfulness Training (Practice): Nourishment and Healing
The following contemplations and reflections are inspired by the Five Mindfulness Trainings, from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and the monastics at Plum Village Deer Park Monastery. I’m currently practicing these teachings with a sangha and revisiting them each month as a gentle guide for modern living.
I’m personally drawn to the fifth training—Nourishment and Healing—as I look at my own habits around food, movement, and consumption. My dietician recently invited me to explore whether I might be addicted to exercise. Oof. That landed. I love movement—it’s part of my identity—but I’m learning that more isn’t always better. Even good things can get out of balance.
These days, I’m practicing more curiosity. I’m asking what “true nourishment” looks like for me—not as a rule, but as a relationship with myself. I’m learning that sometimes, the most healing thing isn’t another workout or salad—it’s rest, laughter, or time offline.
If you’d like to explore this too, try pausing after each of the contemplations below. Take one to three deep breaths after each sentence, and see what stirs in you. Let it be gentle. Let it be yours.
Contemplations
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming.
Reflection / Practice: Notice the choices you make today—food, media, and even conversations. Can you choose one thing that genuinely nourishes you? Maybe it’s a nourishing snack, a peaceful podcast, or a conversation that lifts your mood.
I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition (using one’s will), and consciousness.
Reflection / Practice: Take a mini pause and scan your day: What have you eaten? What have you watched, read, or listened to? Where has your energy gone? Where has it come from? Journaling even a line or two can help you notice patterns and make gentle shifts.
I am determined not to (consume toxins), gamble, or to (over) use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations (as these will cultivate more toxins and toxic behavior in me and those I interact with).
Reflection / Practice: Pick one “toxin” in your life—maybe scrolling political news, doomscrolling, or an argument with a friend—and see if you can limit it today. Replace it with something grounding: a walk, a cup of tea, or music that uplifts you.
I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment.
Reflection / Practice: Pause three times today. Notice your breath, your feet on the floor, the sensations in your body. Even 30 seconds can help you reconnect with the here and now—and with what truly nourishes you.
I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption (of any kind).
Reflection / Practice: When you feel the urge to distract yourself, try one tiny act of self-care instead: stretch, step outside, make a cup of tea, or call a friend. Notice the difference between numbing and nourishing.
I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.
Reflection / Practice: Think of one small act today that benefits someone or something beyond yourself—a kind word, helping a neighbor, using less single-use plastic, or sharing a nourishing meal. Notice how this ripple feeds both you and the world.
Books To Inspire More Mindful Nourishment
How to Eat by Thich Nhat Hahn
Thich Nhat Hanh invites you to a joyful, sustainable relationship with eating in this pocket-sized guide full of Zen inspiration and practical mindfulness tools.
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole & Elyse Resch
Learn to trust your body’s hunger and fullness cues and let go of dieting guilt.Political Economy of Attention, Mindfulness and Consumerism by Peter Doran
In a world where we’re constantly being sold attention, this insightful book traces how consumer culture, capitalism and mindful practice intersect.
Mindfulness in a Digital World by Dave Harley
This book explores how digital technologies, hyper-reality and algorithms can hijack our attention and undermine the present moment.
Conscious Consumption: Teaching Families About Ethical Choices by Silas Mary
This family-friendly guide helps parents and kids navigate consumption in a more conscious way — from food to clothing to media. Through fun activities and discussion prompts, it invites younger readers to ask: Where does this come from? Does it align with my values? Who made it?
Final Thought
Mindful nourishment isn’t about perfection. It’s about curiosity, noticing, and making one small choice at a time that leaves you feeling more alive, peaceful, and grounded. You can practice this in your meals, your media, your movement, and your moments.
Even tiny pauses—just a breath, a stretch, a bite savored—can ripple into a more nourished day, week, or life.
May we all learn to feed what heals us—and in doing so, help heal the world around us too. 🌎