Book Review: Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

Edited by Tara Fitzpatrick

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life

By Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung
HarperOne, March 9, 2010

Did you enjoy Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food? Want to read a book that takes those experiences to a higher spiritual plane? Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life, by Zen Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh and nutritionist Lilian Cheung is that book. The two authors (Cheung is a health lecturer from Harvard, and The New York Times describes Hanh as “second only to the Dalai Lama”) have combined the latest nutritional information with ancient Buddhist wisdom.

The practice of mindfulness — cultivating a total awareness of what is going on within ourselves and around us — is juxtaposed with the act of eating. The authors look to provide healing to the root causes of the obesity epidemic and ask the question “What is stopping our culture as a whole from controlling our weight?”

Readers will find an entire section devoted to simply eating an apple. Zen wisdom and practical nutrition science come together in a way that seems to be worth a try for increasing wellness and decreasing “mindless eating.” Practical tips and timeless wisdom help pave the way for a journey of coping with stressful situations, choosing food, preparing it well and enjoying it.

The book also includes a thoughtful discussion on how healthful eating in turn can lead to a healthier environment, an on-target concern as sustainability and accountability reach new levels in corporate — and personal — awareness.