Nick Keomahavong, the California psychotherapist turned Buddhist monk and author, shares in this YouTube video how Buddhist monks are taught to eat.

As someone with an eating problem (mainly overeating, which brought health problems such as overweight, high blood pressure, diabetes etc.), I almost wish I could quit what I am doing and become a Buddhist monk. My wife and kids wouldn't like this but at least I could bring some sanity to my eating and maybe get healthy again!

I suppose the next best thing if I can't become a monk but still benefit from it is to learn how to eat like a monk. Venerable Nick, or Ven. Nick, as he is known following the Buddhist tradition, talks about five things Buddhists practice in their eating: give blessings, consideration of the food, develop the skill of observation, eating 2 meals a day, and eating mindfully and with manners.

Having lived in America for a long time, I know devoted Christians "say grace" before each meal, but I didn't know Buddhists do the same. This is a nice custom in my opinion. I wish when I grew up in China I could have been exposed more to Buddhism. Most Chinese people including myself have Buddhist heritage, which unfortunately it has not been kept well.

Eating 2 meals a day (breakfast and lunch) is also an interesting idea. Skipping dinner or at least eat a small dinner, per Ven. Nick, is a good way to ensure a relaxed night and sound sleep. Eating with manners, ie, with good postures and not to eat too fast or slow, is also important, because we are human beings, not wild animals, we need to act with dignity at all times instead of giving in to our animal instincts like my dog, a yellow lab, who devours all his meals normally in 10 or 20 seconds!

The most important thing I learned from Ven. Nic's video is the "Meal Chant," which is part of the "consideration of food," based on the Theravada Buddhist tradition (one of the oldest sects of Buddhism):

"Wisely reflecting, I use this food not for fun, not for pleasure, not for fattening, not for beautification, only for the nourishment and maintenance of this body, for keeping it healthy, for helping with the holy life. Thinking thus, I shall destroy old feelings of hunger, and not produce new feelings of overeating, so there will be freedom from physical discomfort and living at ease."

Beautiful! I think I need to say this chant or prayer myself before each meal so that I can remember that the primary, maybe the only purpose of food, is not that it brings me pleasure - fun and pleasure in foods are dangerous for a food addict like me; it is not for vanity, because I want myself to look slim and attractive with what I eat and sometimes I deliberately undereat but only binge on food later.

It is not even to bring "comfort", to make me happy, because that is not what food is supposed to bring. If my happiness relies on food, which sometimes it does unfortunately for me, I will keep eating, even if I am full, or even if I am eating something bad me. "Comfort" and "pleasure" are the root of any addictions, including my food addiction.

Rather, the purpose of food is to sustain me physically, to relieve me of the discomfort of hunger. In order to have peace, I must also avoid the feelings of overeating, of wanting to have more. It is for this reason, I should not expect fun, pleasure or comfort from food, because such desires are unhelpful to "living at ease."

This is true for Buddhists and also true for a food addict like me.