BOOK REVIEW FROM THE UKIAH DAILY JOURNAL

New Diet Book by Local Author
Richard Rosier/The Daily Journal

January 17, 2006
FEATURES SECTION

Local counselor and psychotherapist Haven Logan recently published a new diet book tailor made for Northern California: The California Wine Country Diet. Billed as "the indulgent approach to managing your weight," the book offers a view on dieting that takes into account both the logical, reasoning part of the mind and the creative, child-like subconscious in an approach Logan calls "conscious indulgence."

"We live in a world which works against our having good healthy weight maintenance," Logan said. "Primarily, the processed foods and the lack of physical activity that has occurred in the last 50 years. Each of us has to be conscious of what we're doing. We can't just rely upon going with the flow, or we'll end up like most of us, with weight issues. I have a central concept in the book called conscious indulgence.' I'm going to be talking about that at the book signing at the Mendocino Book Company on Jan. 25."

Along with the concept of conscious indulgence, Logan's book identifies six major aspects involved in weight management: nutrition, physical activity, practicality, pleasure, relationships and variety. The first three relate to the conscious part of the brain, while the later three relate more to the emotional unconscious part of the mind.

Logan's interest in weight management took root at a very early age, influenced by her father's skills as a professional chef.

"My father was a gourmet cook," Logan said, "and he became head of General Foods Kitchens. So he would bring home every night different kinds of experimental foods to try out and I was his star guinea pig. So I grew up with a really positive attitude towards food."

When Logan moved to Mendocino County she discovered health foods, including organically grown produce. She then moved on to Los Angeles and was introduced to the diet culture.' After trying her first diet and falling into the yo-yo trap, she attained her degree and her therapist's license and started an eating disorder program in Mt. Diablo, in Concord.

"I eventually took over and started a diet and excersise program there, and a fasting program," Logan said. "I thought I was going to find the key to this weight issue. I didn't. Eventually the program closed down and I went into full-time private practice specializing in eating disorders and weight issues, and I have been doing that really for the last 20 years."

According to Logan, her first book, Choosing to Be Well, focused on a wide range of health issues, including weight, and the question of why people don't do what they know they should. The California Wine Country Diet grew out of that idea as a proactive approach that combines her love of the food and wine found in California with the psychological and social aspects she found to be crucial in terms of long-term success.

"One of the wonderful things about basing this program on the California cuisine and fresh locally grown food, when possible organic," Logan said, "is that it is so delicious. The allure of 'Oh I want to eat two bags of chips' begins to fade as you really appreciate the wonderful food that we are surrounded with."

Logan was aided in writing the book by local nutritional expert Sharon Stewart. Stewart is the consultant for the nutritional and exercise content of the book. A registered dietitian, Stewart received a Master's Degree in nutrition and applied physiology from Columbia University. She is a former research dietitian at the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention and at Tufts University in Boston. She is coauthor of "Diabetes Weight Loss System" (as Sharon Bortz) and author of numerous articles and programs on nutrition, fitness, and weight loss. She has a private practice in Ukiah.

Logan will be involved in three different events later this month. The first is a chance to meet the author while enjoying wine and crab cakes at the Mendocino Wine Company—45070 Main St. in Mendocino—from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 21, during the Crab and Wine Days. The cost is $6 and includes wine, crab cakes and a logo glass

The second event is a book signing and author's discussion of "practicing the art of conscious indulgence" at the Mendocino Book Co.—102 S. School St., in Ukiah—on Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. There will be wine as well as appetizers from Patrona Bistro and Wine Bar.

The third event is a celebration dinner and Patrona Bistro and Wine Bar—130 W. Standley St., in Ukiah—directly following the book signing at the Mendocino Book Co.

For more information on her book, visit www.californiawinecountrydiet.com

(c) 2006 Ukiah Daily Journal. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Media NewsGroup, Inc. by NewsBank, Inc.