Savor - a book review for people interested in the connection between mind, body, and food

Savor

mindful eating,

mindful life

by

Thich Nhat Hanh &

Dr. Lilian Cheung

A book review for people looking

for a connection between mind,

body, and health

What’s the deal with this book?

• A Buddhist monk and a nutritionist got

together and wrote about the connection

between mind, body, and health

• They propose mindful living to set the

foundation for a healthy lifestyle,

specifically weight loss

One sentence summary:

Unlock the power of your mind

to become healthier and

happier

…and lose weight.

So, what’s it about?

• The first half is an introduction to the

Buddhist practice of mindfulness

– what it means

– how to use it

– what it does

• The second half describes practical actions

to improve your health (specifically weight

loss)

– nutrition

– exercise

What is it really about?

• It’s a guide for soul searching your way to

health

Some of the questions in “Savor”:

– what are your reasons for becoming healthier?

– what are your barriers to healthy living?

– what decisions led you to this point?

• This is not a one-size-fits-all instruction

book

– It describes the steps to take, but you make

your own plan

Who should read it?

• People who are ready to take responsibility

for their health

• Those who are ready for some soul

searching and answering tough questions

• Anyone who wants to lose weight but

hates exercise and dieting

• People who are interested in mindfulness,

and the connection between mind, body,

and health

Who should NOT read it?

• Anyone who thinks meditation is bunk,

and mind-over-matter is baloney

• People expecting an instruction book on

how to lose weight

• Those who aren’t ready to put in some

work to improve their health and lose

weight

• People who want to read a book with

personality (it’s pretty dry)

This sounds kind of cuckoo

For people learning about mindfulness for the

first time, “Savor” is one hippy-dippy book.

Ideas I find hard to believe:

– becoming a vegetarian will solve world hunger

– food is a representation of the universe

– laying off liquor will bring about world peace

…but it’s practical too

• Nutritional advice is solid

• Exercise suggestions are reasonable

• Following the steps to make a plan will

bring about change (if you’re serious about

it)

• Mindfulness is explained in a simple, clear

way

• Plenty of resources are provided for further

reading and education

What I thought of it

Overall, “Savor” was an interesting read, and

gave me ideas for living a healthier life…

• It was motivating

– I could picture myself following through on

suggestions for making changes in my life

• It was interesting

– the link I didn’t know existed between Buddhist

practices and modern lifestyle became clear

• It made me think

– the book encouraged me to think hard about

my life decisions (something I don’t do often)

What I thought of it (cont’d)

…but sometimes it was tough to take.

• It proposed taking on ambitious goals

– I’m not about to convince my city council to

renovate my neighbourhood for jogging

• It was a dry read

– The subject was interesting but the writing was

bland

• It got annoying

– I didn’t think I was overweight, but repeated

references to my “weight loss problem” nearly

convinced me I was

Summary

I recommend “Savor”

…but only to people who:

– have an open mind about Buddhism

– are ready for some soul searching

– want to make changes in their lives

– can persevere through a dry book

If the points above don’t apply to you, don’t

read “Savor”. There are other books for you.

The Travel Type

travelers exploring personal growth