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Mindless eating can lead to extra calories and extra weight gain. The opposite of that would be mindful eating.

"We want to be mindful when we're eating. So being aware of what we're eating and how much we are eating," says Elizabeth J. Bailey, a Mayo Clinic registered dietitian nutritionist.

For instance, for better eating habits, turn off the TV, and say no to phones and other electronics at the dinner table. 

"It's amazing how turning off the TV can really help somebody be aware of what they're consuming," says Bailey.

It's not just what you eat that matters, but also why. 

"Sometimes it's hard to discern between 'I'm hungry' or 'I'm thirsty,'" she says.

Bailey offers this tip. 

"If you think that you're feeling hungry, have a full glass of water. Then reassess if you feel hungry or not."

Taking a walk can also help if you feel like the sensation of wanting to eat is being triggered or fueled by stress or anxiety. 

"The mindfulness comes in where you start to be able to distinguish I'm hungry or I'm not, and then that becomes a lifestyle change" says Bailey.

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"When I was growing up, I remember my mother telling me, you know, not to go in the pool until it was 30 to 60 minutes after I had my last meal," says Dr. Michael Boniface, a Mayo Clinic emergency medicine physician.

He says the motherly advice had serious origins but may not be as helpful as once thought.

Watch: The Mayo Clinic Minute

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Please "Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Dr. Boniface says he remembers the anticipation all kids experience waiting for those 30 to 60 minutes to pass before he could jump back in the water.

"The old feeling was that, after you eat, some of the blood may be diverted to your gut so that you can digest, diverting the bloodstream away from your arms and legs," he says. "And you may get tired or fatigued, and be more likely to drown."

But is this recommendation to wait based on fact or fiction?

"We know now that really there is no scientific basis for that recommendation," Dr. Boniface says. "You may end up with some stomach cramping or a muscle cramp, but this is not a dangerous activity to routinely enjoy."

So, while it may not be the most comfortable thing to go for a swim with a full belly, the world won't end if you ignore your mom's advice – just this once – and don't wait 30 to 60 minutes after you eat to get back in the water.

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To listen, click the link below.

Eating and Exercise After Surgery

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Eat less, move more, quit smoking and get more sleep! These are just some of the common sense solutions we often hear that would help us live a healthier lifestyle. So, WHY does it seem so difficult to put it all together? Join us for our next program Saturday, March 22, at 9 a.m. CDT, when we speak with Donald Hensrud, M.D., medical director for the new Healthy Living Program at Mayo Clinic. The Healthy Living Program focuses on the pillars of wellness: physical activity, nutrition and resiliency. We'll take a peek inside what makes this program work and how you can put it to use for a healthier you! Join us.

Myth or Matter of Fact: When it comes to losing weight, what you think is more important than what you eat.

To hear the program LIVE on Saturday, click here.
Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions.
Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio.

Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines: News Segment March 22, 2014 (right click MP3) 

Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic. The show is taped for rebroadcast by some affiliates.

For future topics, click on Upcoming Programs.
To listen to archived shows, click on Episodes.
If there is a topic you would like us to address, drop us a note.  Click here to create a guest account.

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Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who also binge eat, according to a study by Mayo Clinic, the Lindner Center of HOPE and the University of Minnesota. Binge eating and obesity are often present among bipolar patients, but researchers discovered the mood disorder appears to take a different path in those who binge eat than it does in obese bipolar patients who do not.

Study co-author Mark Frye, M.D., a psychiatrist and chair of the Department of Psychiatry/Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, says, “The illness is more complicated, and then by definition how you would conceptualize how best to individualize treatment is more complicated. It really underscores the importance of trying to stabilize mood, because we know when people are symptomatic of their bipolar illness their binge frequency is likely to increase. We want to work with treatments that can be helpful but not have weight gain as a significant side effect.”

Up to 4 percent of Americans have some form of bipolar illness, and of those, just under 10 percent also have binge eating disorder — a higher rate of binge eating than seen in the general population. The findings are published online in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Click here for news release 

Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Frye are available in the downloads

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