The Mindful Diet

March 1, 2015
This motivating how-to guide gives healthy, helpful advice for losing weight and keeping it off. It helps that the primary authors come with top-notch credentials: Wolever is a clinical health psychologist who directs research at Duke Integrative Medicine, and Beth Reardon is a registered dietitian. They say, Toss anything containing high-fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, choose smaller plates, eat a plant-based diet, and be careful in restaurants. Among the useful charts they provide is one that shows various foods in their minimally processed, moderately processed, and heavily processed forms (fresh, cut-up fruit versus fruit juice, or dried whole fruit versus flavored fruit rolls). The authors refer to real patients who ask themselves questions like, What am I doing here in front of this refrigerator? And they start each chapter with thought-provoking quotes. For example, Get Flavor to Work in Your Favor begins with a Michael Pollan quote: The banquet is in the first bite. Meal suggestions, healthy cooking tips (steam and roast), and even a template for a gratitude letter to your body are winners.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)