During a panel discussion at the 43rdSharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) on Tuesday evening, renowned mindfulness coach Lynn Rossy and Dr Nilly Shams offered an insightful examination of how mindfulness practices can assist individuals in cultivating a healthier relationship with food.
Rossy, who is a health psychologist, author and yoga teacher based in the US, said she teaches people to be aware of their hunger signals to combat their lack of awareness on why they eat. Noting that mindfulness was an effective way to curb emotional eating, she said: “A brownie will not solve your anger, instead go for a walk.”
She added that while she did not believe in diet fads such as keto OMAD and others, she was aware that some may do well in it. “Body appreciation and gratitude is the biggest part of my class,” said the author.
Nilly Shams, a physician from Egypt who has a PhD in nutrition and public health, pointed out that eating to relieve stress is not acceptable. “Don’t tell yourself you are hungry because you are not preoccupied,” said the doctor whose health-related videos on channels are popular. She advised listeners to avoid junk food and soft drinks, and cut down on calories. “A home diet is best as we know the ingredients, but distribute food over time.”
Both the guests agreed that the Mediterranean diet is a healthy one.
The session, titled ‘Transforming our Relationship with Food’, and moderated by nutrition expert Dr Mohammad al Ghandoor, was followed by a book signing by Rossy of her latest book Savor Every Bite: Mindful Ways to Eat, Love your Body and Live with Joy.
SIBF 2024, which will run until November 17, has opened its doors to over 2,520 publishers from 112 countries, and is celebrating Morocco as the Guest of Honour. The 12-day cultural extravaganza, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority, is themed ‘It Starts with a Book’, and has in store 1,357 activities for children and adults alike.