"Mindful Eating" by Jan Chozen Bays

I just finished this stimulating book by Jan Chozen Bays. She is a Zen teacher and a pediatrician who specializes in the care of abused children. With this background, she is well versed in both the physiology and psychology of eating. She is also an engaging writer who writes with warmth and humor. She leads workshops on mindful eating and has much to offer to anyone who is seeking a better relationship with food.

I picked this book up out of curiosity, not because I thought I needed to change my habits, but having looked at all the dimensions of the eating experience, I find myself eating differently now. I had not known there were seven kinds of hunger, but I found that idea fascinating. Hunger is more complicated than I thought, and food in the mouth is not always the solution! What stays with me most is the realization that most of the pleasure of eating happens when food is on the plate, fragrant and appealing, or in the mouth, delighting the tastebuds----so why would I want to rush through those moments?

Besides being fun to read, this book gave me many thoughts to chew on. I recommend it to anyone who seeks, as the subtitle promises, "a guide to rediscovering a healthy and joyful relationship with food."