The Yoga of Food: Wellness from the Inside Out

by Melissa Grabau

For the millions of people who struggle with food and body issues, yoga and its practice of mindfulness can offer a surprisingly effective path to well-being. For Melissa Grabau, a psychotherapist who has battled her own eating disorders since she was a child, yoga contains the key ingredients to transforming our connection to food and to our bodies. The Yoga of Food invites you to explore contemplation prompts and meditations that will help you create a deeper appreciation of the body's health and vitality. Sharing lessons and stories she's cultivated from years of clinical practice, Melissa provides a roadmap toward a healthier approach to nutrition and the human spirit.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food

264 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

Reviews

[Sian Lile-Pastore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm doing a yoga teacher training course at the moment and am really interested in yoga and diet - i love how practicing yoga makes you want to eat good food. Anyway, I was looking for books dealing with this and found this one. Turned out it wasn't quite what I was after but maybe it was what I needed to read instead.
This book deals more with eating disorders and yoga and mainly compulsive eating and bullimia at that. It's about our complex relationship with food in terms of comfort and habit. What could have been a book that was alienating to people who haven't suffered with eating disorders (myself included)is actually (I think) a book that most people could relate too. It talks a lot about habit and samskaras (the imprints or grooves left from previous experiences) and a lot about Iyenger. This was a smart and fascinating book that was easy to read and filled with great insight.

[Katarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a good attempt, and has some great info in it, but you have to spend some effort finding it.

My main problem with the book and the reason for the low rating has to do with the layout and presentation. In a wellness or nutrition book I look for shorter paragraphs, more headlines or side bars that draw the eye to the important thoughts.
This book you have to read like a novel, so it's difficult to skim and find the valuable tips and information. without highlighting on a paper copy, and I read the kindle edition, it's almost impossible to go back to a specific passage and re-read something for quick reference or to tell a friend about.

I think the book content is great, the information is very valuable, and it has great potential.
I think it would reach a much wider audience and satisfy readers a lot more if the layout and presentation was reworked.

[Shannon L. Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Yoga of Food
Wellness from the Inside Out
Melissa Grabau PhD
The Philosophy of Yoga Utilized to End the Cycles of Diet Madness!

Therapist Melissa Grabau takes a unique approach by tackling multiple issues that affect women and men everyday. It deals with issues of people that struggle with their relationship with food and struggle with their weight as a direct result.

Her aim is to teach how “to live well in our bodies-- by managing hungers, balancing pleasure and restraint and to regulate energies to face the challenges of daily life.” When societal pressures to be certain weight effect a person’s self-esteem it leads to the physical situation detriment the psychological; which in turn can affect the physical again in disease. It is a vicious cycle that if not broken can lead to dire health consequences.

This book aims to unite the “purpose of eating” with the “principles of yoga philosophy” to facilitate changes in nutritional habits to ensure living well.

Even though the information has esoteric origins, the self-reflective exercises can lead the reader to shift their awareness away from the trappings of the weight loss industry into an inner awareness to gain wisdom and understanding.

Therapist Melissa Grabau divides her book into three sections: One describes self by a yogic perspective; two introduces the relation of physical, energy and mental bodies; three discusses harnessing the power of the mind. All of these in tandem will take the reader through a changing process.

From her direct experience of her relationship with food, she writes from the perspective of a person having fought the battles that the average person goes through. By her example she discusses ways to rise above the Standard American Diet which she believes creates a depression that affects the mind, body, and soul. Adding in the stressful lifestyle and obsession with body shape it leads to the diseases Americans are dealing with everyday. She utilizes the healing power of yoga philosophy intertwined with the yoga practice and complemented with the psychological counseling to address the serious issue of negative food relationships.

For more information regarding Witness Therapy and Melissa Grabau’s services visit her website at: http://witnesstherapy.com/book/


FTC Disclaimer: I was loaned an ARC of this title by Net Galley for review purposes only, no other compensation was awarded.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and interesting even for those whom, like me, do not have this big cultural background about Yoga and all its various disciplines as well as visions of the world, but especially of the body.

Ben scritto ed interessante anche per chi, come me, non ha questo grosso background culturale rispetto allo Yoga e a tutte le sue varie discipline oltre che visioni del mondo, ma soprattutto del corpo.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND LIWELLYN WORLDWIDE, LTD. FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Lana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I was looking for: thoughtful and insightful recommendations how to change habits related to food and healthy lifestyle without being at war with yourself! Well written book.

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Yoga of Food Wellness from the Inside Out by Melissa Grabau

264 Pages
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd
Release Date: June 8, 2014

Health, Mind & Body, Self-Help, Yoga, Eating Disorder Self-Help, Food & Wine

This book relates to the principles of yoga more than the actual practice. The author recommends journaling throughout the process. The book is divided into three parts and each part into two chapters.

Part 1: Your current understanding – the foundation of yoga, food, and you
Chapter 1: Obstacles to “Clear Seeing” (The Kleshas)
Chapter 2: Your repeated actions (Samskaras)

Part 2: A new perspective on your body – Introducing the Kosas
Chapter 3: Your physical body (Anamaya Kosa)
Chapter 4: Your energetic body (Pranamaya Kosa)

Part 3: The workings of your mind – Let’s dig in
Chapter 5: Too clever for your own good (Manomaya Kosa)
Chapter 6: Getting closer to your wisdom body (Viynanamaya Kosa)

I like the author’s reference to not eating anything that our grandmothers wouldn’t recognize as food. I am of the same mind. I have been dealing with digestive issues and always looking for new ideas on food and nutrition. This book provides tips on changing your diet and the way you think about food. I like the fact that loving kindness was included.

In the past several years, I have learned about the Kosas while doing yoga and yoga nidra. She asks questions about the readers relationship with movement and with sleep. The author gives information on meditation and how to develop a practice. There are also examples of different people’s experiences throughout the book. If you like yoga and nutrition, you may enjoy this book.

[Miss Wordy Birdy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the first time I’ve made it 3/4 of the way through a book and been too disgusted with the author to finish. How self-indulgent must one be to write a book so chock-full of drivel and anecdotal stories rife with first hand experience? There is an unnatural fascination and preoccupation with skinny (“thinness”) being better than fat (“encased in a bubble of flesh”) that is distinctly anti-yoga for me. Furthermore, there is no hard data nor facts to back up the author’s perspective while she parent shames and wanes philosophical about all the underlying reasons YOU AREN’T SKINNY. I’ve spent my life thin, but I still find this disgusting and embarrassing.

[Joanne Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this book for 10 years and just bought a new copy as a dog ate it! It’s the best book on food/eating disorders and emotional issues I’ve ever read. I use it in my yoga teaching and therapy work and as I go back to it there are still new ‘ aha’ moments. It’s a shame that it’s not as well known as some other books on these topics, can’t recommend it highly enough.

[Lady Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An arc has been kindly provided by Llewellyn Worldwide via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review."


Publication date set for: June 8, 2014

This is such a wonderful tool for healthy living and eating.

The book give the reader tools to learn how to change eating habits, and to appreciate our bodies health.

I will certainly incorporating this book in my practice of Yoga.

[Analouise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful, very useful book. Excellent approach to physical-spiritual health. Highly recommended

[Kris Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think you can hope for one takeaway at best from health& wellness books. Check

[Sreeram Reddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has some really useful concepts. May be repetitive.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new way of thinking and not just about food...

[Camellia · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book.

[Katie French · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book completely changed my outlook on eating! It made me more mindful and overall improved my wellbeing.

[Tetiana Mokosii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Полезная книга, чтобы обрести баланс в питании и осознать, почему мы переедаем.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book and plan to embrace my yoga practice more consistently in 2015