cover image Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food [With CD (Audio)]

Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food [With CD (Audio)]

Jan Chozen Bays. Shambhala Publications, $16.95 (175pp) ISBN 978-1-59030-531-7

Persuasively arguing that Americans have become obsessed with the constant pursuit of satiation, often to the detriment of their health, pediatrician and Zen teacher Bays calmly and systematically explains how a thoughtful approach to eating and drinking can positively affect one's weight and overall health. Through a series of guided exercises and meditations (and an accompanying CD), Bays encourages readers to examine their eating habits and relationships with food. Bays blames the ""Seven Hungers""-of eye (""boy those donuts look good""), mind (""I really should eat more grapefruit"") heart (""this apple pie reminds me of my grandmother"") and so on-for shaping our unhealthy and/or irrational eating patters; our inner perfectionists, critics and pushers only add to the cacophony, and Bays gives readers tools for silencing these discouraging voices. Bolstered by third-party research and a wealth of anecdotes, Bays's case for introspection over ice cream binges should connect with many. Though she doesn't promise instant results, Bays offers readers a guide to lifelong health through a measured attitude toward food; hers may well be the healthiest, most sane diet book to hit shelves in a while.