News

Simon Usborne, The Independent
April 27, 2012

 After observing my appetite for a few days, a former colleague once nicknamed me Cookie Monster after the omnivorous muppet whose famous phrases include: "Me want cookie!"; "Me eat cookie!" and "Om nom nom nom". I've only met one person who eats more quickly than I do, and he's related to me. I'm the guy who inhales Pringles as if the tube were a straw, and for whom no bag of chocolate treats (caramel nibbles, please) is too big to be swallowed like a pelican on a sardine bender.

There is another way, and it's called mindful eating, a meditative approach to consumption with roots in Buddhist teachings and a growing following among those who give more thought to food. I'm about to try it by taking 10 minutes to eat a single raisin. I'm a big raisin fan. As a packed-lunching schoolboy, I used to treat those mini red Sun-Maid boxes as a teenager would a shot glass.

"Letting the raisin rest on your palm, become aware of its pattern, colour and shape." I follow the instructions at my desk, the site of much of my daily face-stuffing, holding my phone with my other hand. On the end of the line is Michael Chaskalson, aka Kulananda, a Buddhist based in Cambridge and a mindfulness trainer with more than 35 years of experience. His focus is not eating – he teaches people to be more in tune with themselves and their surroundings – but he uses the raisin exercise to start his courses.

Dr. Lilian Cheung, The Huffington Post
April 5, 2012

Each year, warm breezes carrying sweet scents of spring invite us to experience life's renewal. Nature gently nudges us -- take a look around, the world is unfolding!

If we pause to notice this transformation, then we may remember the nature of our existence: All is impermanent. Even the heavy frosts of winter's dormancy melt away to reveal new life.

Timely spiritual traditions support this sentiment and offer occasions for celebration. No matter what faith we practice, spring calls us to revel in her abundant opportunities for growth. The simplest of these opportunities, and perhaps the most rewarding too, is the awakening of our senses.

Dr. Lilian Cheung, The Huffington Post
February 14, 2012

To love, we must be present. It is impossible to love another if we are not truly with each other. But for many of us, this is easier said than done.

These days, attention is a commodity, and we often find ourselves detached from the moment in one way or another. Perhaps our minds are regretting the past, planning the future or being distracted by some electronic device -- the phone, the laptop, the television set. Maybe our emotions are wrapped up in an internal debate. Are we even aware of being present, right here and right now? For example, when was the last time you were conscious of how your feet touched the ground with every step? All parts of us -- our body, mind and feelings -- must unite in the present moment in order to fully engage with another person.

Dr. Lilian Cheung, The Huffington Post
February 13, 2012

Food preparation requires attention. It's an inherently mindful act. When we plan a meal, shop for ingredients, chop, stir, toast and marinate, we're much more likely to connect with our food than when a prepared plate is set in front of us. But if we train ourselves to be attentive, we can savor every meal, and really enjoy ourselves in the process.

I've learned to choose nutritious dishes and enjoy them fully when eating at restaurants, and find the experience to be incredibly rewarding. I enjoy the flavors more fully, don't leave feeling stuffed and stiff and am nourished by my healthy choices. 

Public Radio International, The World
February 10, 2012
PRI's The World

There’s a food movement called mindful eating that’s picking up speed here in the US. The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hạnh is a leading proponent. He has a food meditation center in southern France.

Plum Village, as it’s called, attracts visitors who want to learn how to eat more mindfully, among other things.

Dr. Lilian Cheung, The Secret Ingredient
February 9, 2012

 Most of us eat at least three times a day. Eating is a great opportunity to practice mindfulness, enabling us to experience the present moment more deeply, nourish ourselves, and touch more joy and peace. Yet, nowadays with our fast paced lives, many of us eat in a hurry, in front of the computer or television, or with our smart phones in hand. We’re not conscious of what we are eating, how much we’re eating, or why we have chosen this food. Not only do we bypass the sheer pleasure this food offers us, we end up eating more than we want and over time, our weight creeps up.

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Carly Hillman, The Harvard Crimson
February 8, 2012
Harvard Crimson

 Have you ever contemplated the texture of your Marshmallow Mateys? Probably not. However, analyzing those multi-colored 'mallows during tomorrow's breakfast may not be such a bad idea.

recent New York Times article reveals that the practice of mindful eating, which stems from Buddhist philosophy, might be beneficial to our health.

Dr. Lillian W. Cheung, a nutritionist and Director of Health Promotion & Communication at the School of Public Health, is one of the leading supporters of mindful eating. She encourages us to forget the distractions of smart phones, TV, and newspapers, and to instead focus on our meals.

Jeff Gordinier, The New York Times
February 7, 2012
The New York Times

 TRY this: place a forkful of food in your mouth. It doesn’t matter what the food is, but make it something you love — let’s say it’s that first nibble from three hot, fragrant, perfectly cooked ravioli.

Now comes the hard part. Put the fork down. This could be a lot more challenging than you imagine, because that first bite was very good and another immediately beckons. You’re hungry.
 

Today’s experiment in eating, however, involves becoming aware of that reflexive urge to plow through your meal like Cookie Monster on a shortbread bender. Resist it. Leave the fork on the table. Chew slowly. Stop talking. Tune in to the texture of the pasta, the flavor of the cheese, the bright color of the sauce in the bowl, the aroma of the rising steam.

Next
February 1, 2012

The multi-tasking 21st century lifestyle we have adopted has made our lives frantic and very stressful, says Dr. Cheung. We buy things on impulse to make ourselves feel better, a constant salvo of television commercials tempt us to eat out more - and more of than not, we're not even aware of what food we're consuming or how much because we're distracted by the television or our mobile phones. 

The concept of mindfulness has its origins in Buddhism, but scientists have since applied it to a whole gamut of health problems, and obtained measurable results to prove it works...

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Dr. Lilian Cheung, The Huffington Post
December 30, 2011

In each moment, we possess the power and freedom to change. The beginning of a new year is an excellent reminder of this. We're prompted to reflect upon our goals, accomplishments and lessons learned. It's not often in our fast-paced world that the pause is a national norm or embraced. This is truly a unique time. As Jan. 1 approaches, let's seize this opportunity to stop, breathe and make intentional decisions that are truly aligned with our hearts.

New Year's resolutions can be daunting. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of making them, it may be helpful to rename them -- how about New Year's goals, intentions or reflections?

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