In October, I had the pleasure of giving a lecture on mindful eating at 92Y on the Upper East Side of NYC. When they announced who was speaking immediately after me, there was a bit of a chuckle from the crowd. Paul Deen, "the queen of butter," was right after my lecture on mindful eating. I reminded everyone that it is perfectly "okay" to love Paula's ooey gooey butter cake as long as you eat it mindfully. This is savoring and enjoying a small portion of cake without overeating it or using it to comfort and soothe yourself.
That evening Paula was interviewed by the smart and insightful Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist in NYC. Dr. Saltz inquired about Paula Deen's early life before she was famous. What I learned from the interview is that Paula Deen, like the rest of us, is human. She has struggled with loss, grief, anxiety and relationship issues. Given her life's journey, she has been incredibly resilient and seems to have used good old-fashioned hard work to help deal with her issues. It makes sense that food, which is a comfort to so many, would be a significant part of her life. For those who have difficulty coping with stress, food is so accessible and a temporarily way to ease tension and pain. In the long run, finding methods to cope with stress in healthy ways, without calories, is key.
In a recent Today Show interview, Paul Deen indicated that you should eat her food in "moderation." Most people would generally agree with this. However, many of us know what that means intellectually, but actually doing it is an entirely different story. I'll like to propose the term "mindful eating" which may help clarify.
Mindful eating goes beyond the notion of "moderation." Moderation takes an "eat this, don't eat that" ideology much like dieting. Diets are about cutting out certain foods. Mindful eating, in contrasts, teaches people to pay attention to how they eat. It is identifying mindless eating habits (like multitasking while you eat and eating when you aren't really hungry). It is also reducing comfort eating and eating foods that truly nourish you and feel good in your body. Doing these things can significant improve your health and well-being (a recent study about weight loss and mindful eating).
Paula has gotten a lot of slack for working with a drug company to promote a diabetes drug. The hope expressed by advocacy groups is that she gives a clear message that for many people, healthy foods and exercise are the first line of treatment for Type II Diabetes. According to a recent article by Dr. David Katz in the Huffington Post, "moderate improvements of diet and activity can prevent Type 2 diabetes in nearly 60 percent of high-risk adults, and evidence that more fundamental improvements to lifestyle could prevent almost all of it -- and certainly more than 90 percent." Some others are upset by the timing of the annoucement.
At the end of the day, I'm sure that many Americans can identify with the struggle to eat healthy, manage stress and avoid comfort eating when you truly love food. We hope Paula can become a role model in teaching people how to eat more mindfully. But, keep in mind that she must do it for herself first before she can teach anyone else how to do it. Let's give her some time to show us what she can do. Given her track record, I think she will surprise us.
As a psychologist who works with many people who are diabetic, I can empathize with how difficult it can be to change your eating habits even when you want to and it is necessary for your health. I want to reassure you that it is possible. Please hang in there and find a professional team that can help you move forward.
Best wishes Paula on her journey to mindful eating and living well!
Twitter: eatingmindfully.com
Dr. Susan Albers is a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. She is the author of several books including 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food, Eating Mindfully, But I Deserve This Chocolate, and Eat, Drink & Be Mindful.
www.eatingmindfully.com
