Ayurveda Books

The book is very useful to understand Ayurveda's principles and the remedies seem very good (I already tried some and they worked quite well).

I consider this book as a very valuable secret, which everyone must have. A must buy!!!

Any Metaphysical person will enjoy learning about alternative ways to keep your body in tune with the Natural way of Living!

Being relatively new to Ayruveda lifestyle, I am reading as much as I can. This book is a wealth of information and easy to understand. Vasant Lad is very well known in the field. If you are interested in how Ayruvedic can heal, this is the one to read. Highly Recommended.

I have already used a few of these and can't believe the difference. It's true ayurveda too, not the other stuff that is sometimes mixed in, just tried and true Ayurveda to help yourself, your family or future patients for more serious students. I think this should be in every household actually.

I think every woman should read this book.
Dr. Nancy takes the worry out of growing older.

Hope Nature returns to all of us in infinite ways.It made me very happy reading this book.

This is a wonderful, sensible, informative book on health written by a female doctor. I am following many of the book's suggestions and have seen health improvements in myself. I have recommended it to amy of my friends.

This is an invaluable resource for all women, especially those over forty approaching the transition of menopause. Overflowing with very practical information to assist women during this natural life passage. I wish I had known this when I was forty! But far beyond just a manual for navigating through menopause it offers wise counsel on how women can maximize health at all the stages of life. As a health educator I recommend it often.

Nancy Lonsdorf has written a terrific book that really should be read by all women, before the age of 40! Dr. Lonsdorf renews one's ability to be guided by their own common sense while, at the same time, giving a deep understanding of the ongoing physical, mental and emotional changes experienced by women. If you read this book you will be able to take care of yourself and continue to experience life full of energy and zest! Dr. Lonsdorf explains concepts about the physical in a very clear way and also gives practical tips for taking care of health and preventing problems. It is very empowering to learn these tips and to apply them .....and then to feel better than ever.

I agree entirely with the other reviewers. This is one of the most complete, easy to understand, information rich "guides" on Ayurvedic Medicine I have read. Having taken many courses in this field, and using the practice, I have read much. I could have started with this one and kept it as a reference for the others! I highly recommend this one for anyone interested in Ayurvedic Medicine, from the practitioner to the remotely curious.

Ayurvedic Healing is an excellent book whether you know anything about the Vedic medical science of Ayurveda, or not. The book deals with:
a) Finding out what body type you have, (vata-air, pitta-fire, kapha- earth/water) based on a questionnaire of health related questions
b) It helps you determine what kind of diet you can follow to balance your system.
c) It deals with common ailments as well as major diseases, covering everything from arthritis to AIDS
d) You can learn how to use chants, colors etc to relieve stress.

And that s just section I. In section II, it deals with the technical preparations with the use of various herbs, oils etc, which ayurvedic doctors use.

Thus this book is a comprehensive study of Ayurveda, which can be used to good effect by both the layman and the ayurvedic practitioner.

This is nice book to have at home. It has good explanation about deseases and their cures with ayurvedic ways. It gives reciepes to make famous ayurvedic medicines also which are hard to find. Gives information ayurvedic wines also and how those can help in keeping good health.

~I have read dozens of books on Ayurveda published in English; this stands out as simply the best of what I have read.

It is sensitive, sympathetic to the conditions discussed, and lucid.

A great work. So many others have been based on (and written with) excellent information and the best of intentions, but somehow have ended up being more confusing than helpful... even in something as basic as classifying doshas, I never really grasped them clearly until I read this book, which is laid out~~ calmly, clearly, and with massive knowledge and experience underlying its clarity.

Again, an excellent book by someone who also seems to be a great human being-- it flows through all his words.~

read this book to gain a better understanding of Ayurveda. Frawley is a qualified practitioner equally skilled at explaining these concepts to the layman

The natural beauty of an Indian village has been portrayed realistically in this novel even with the tiniest detail that the reader could view it as if in a movie in front.

Moncy Pothen's hero, Arjunan, is a typical village guy learns Hindu traditions and holy books like Bhagavad-Gita from his parents, in his childhood, and the ancient hero with his same name, Arjuna, inspires him. It is well explained how the unexpected events change his whole path of life when he decides to participate in the social reform. He involves in an extremist group by believing only an armed up rise of the common men would change the corrupt society. He is an educated man, with a respectable job, family and social status, sacrifices everything for the rescue of the exploited and the down trodden. When he returns from jail, regretful about his past, the society does not forgive him and allow him to socialise normally. His good deeds, importance and intention are being scrutinized for a long while.

A woman's helplessness when she looses all hopes in life; at the time of making difficult decisions; when she has to support others in distress and also when she has to choose between the right and the wrong: is shown clearly by the character Ahalya. How the power of woman can be rejuvenated by a node or a small support can be witnessed in the book at a later stage. The woman's role in the society is well explained with many woman characters and it proves without doubt that the woman is not a weaker section in the society and she can stand along side with man in every activity.

Human mind is described with expertise in this book. The way people think and react at life's different circumstances is highlighted realistically. Humour is also applied in various occasions as a part and parcel of the Kerala society. The countless characters in this book represents the cross section of a society, which includes members belong to the countless castes and creeds in India. Their life harmony and the way in which religious fanaticism tries to disrupt it are also explained well. It proves that extremism, whether it is political or religious, is harmful to the society and the common men always stand against that.

The Author shows that love is a combined feeling of security, courage, jealousy, possessiveness, oneness, sharing and caring. True love can face any obstacle when together. Even the smallest of things done for the other can make a big difference.

The unexpected ending of this story also makes it unique.

First of all, as soon as I completed the last lines of the book, tears started rolling down my cheeks. I really wonder why it happened. I think the climax has such an effect on me because basically I am a traditional Indian girl and all Indian girls are same in their heart though some act as if they are not. Beneath the Clouds and Coconut Leaves is a realistic book which gives a good idea about the social and economic conditions of people in Kerala since independence and it wonderfully portraits the feelings of a female heart.

I assume that this book will be a wonderful literary experience to the readers around the world. Mr.Pothen is a kind and nice person. He really impressed me with his story and his excellent writing skills.

Mr. Moncy Pothen in his Novel, `Beneath the Clouds and Coconut Leaves,' narrates, with ease, the rhythms of uncared, stranded lives in bitterness since the dawn of independence.

In his entire story, he spotted the starving world for love with its human touch in real life. Through out the tale, the panoramic expressions are the aerial outcome of the true nature with the living world and the ecosystem.

We can see the pompous days of feudalism are ending and a new age of scarcity or humbleness awakening and it is the hero, an unexpected source that was instrumental to the fall, comes for the aid with attempts to rescue. In the book, we experience the success of humanity above all the ideologies. It also portrays the political, social and cultural scenario in Kerala, the tiny South Indian State, in its true state.

I wish the domain made by the Author be a great success.

Those who lived in Kerala in the Sixties/Seventies would know what it means to be a Naxal. How many young men/women have sacrificed their lives on the altar of this utopian cause! How many families have suffered, some violently and some in silence! All for a cause that just fizzled out within no time and vanished from people's memory without a trace.

It's not a hitherto unexplored theme, but to my knowledge past initiatives have been in Malayalam language. Here Moncy uniquely portrays the life in a typical Kerala village, its social structure, its pulses and the swings. I'm sure the reader will be overwhelmed by the sentiments Moncy has successfully depicted without losing its innocence and flavor.
Kurien V.
Saudi Arabia

And this book proves it. Finally someone has let the cat out of the bag that alternative medicine has been used for centuries to conquer alcohol craving and alcohol abuse.
I'm happy drinkers have more options with this book. Now, in addition to cutting down or stopping, they can get a little extra help with the herbs and supplements in this book. Every drinker should own this book.

that message is we have to start thinking out of the box when it comes to
alcohol abuse treatment. i gave this book to a friend of mine who has a
drinking problem but was dead against stopping or going to AA. he was
receptive to this book because it gave him some organic alternatives to
drinking less. in other words it got him started doing something about
his drinking.

some people just need a little shove to do something about their drinking
and this book provided that little shove.

I'm a drinker who has struggled on and off with booze for years and I'm ecstatic someone has finally written about a more organic approach to problem drinking. This book gave me a different perspective. I was especially interested in how chinese and ayurvedic medicine treat drinkers and the concept of "balancing" my life so booze becomes less important and I drink less.

This book opened my mind up. I guess no ones written about alternative medicine to address alcohol abuse because the disease concept and AA are so deeply ingrained in the US.

I am so happy I came across this book at amazon. It's the only book I've
found that talks about how other alternative medicines and other cultures
view alcohol abuse and how to treat it. I was thinking about getting
prescription medication to cut the desire to drink but after reading this
I don't need to. There are lots of herbs to do that at the natural food
store. I've read Cornett's other book, 7 Weeks to Safe Social Drinking:
How to Effectively Moderate Your Alcohol Intake, and she always covers
interesting things.

For me the vitamin and supplement part was the best. It talks about things
you can buy over the counter to cut craving. The Chinese and Ayurveda
medicine parts were really interesting too.

I realize this is only one take on problem drinking. But if you take these
suggestions in the book, along with her program in her other book to
improve your drinking habits you can cut craving and consumption without
prescription medicine.

This is one of the most interesting books I've read about alcohol abuse - it really offers a different take on problem drinking and how to fix it. It's the first book I've found which discusses how different alternative medicine approaches have treated alcohol abuse for centuries - long before AA came along.
Homeopathic, Chinese and Ayurvedic and western herbs are covered - explaining how each of these systems views alcohol abuse, how it develops and the best ways to treat it. Another major theme of the book is balance. If one's life is a balance of physical, mental and spiritual components, the less need there is for alcohol. Truly a fascinating read and helpful to me personally.

Thank you Vasant Lad for this great tool that helps one unlock the truth called Ayurveda. Vasant Lad has presented a true text book that will become a companion of the modern day Ayurvedic student. Normally if one was to source concise information on the fundamentals of Ayurveda then one had the difficult task of studying the translations of Caraka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita and Vagbhata Samhita. While these texts are the foundation for modern Ayurveda they can be daunting to the student new to this amazing science. The only other method was to correlate information from books written by Vasant Lad, David Frawley, Atreya, Robert Svoboda, Subhash Ranade, Maya Tiwari etc.... and then one would build up a collection of information from different sources. Whilst this is not a bad thing (and I will continue to read books offered from these great teachers) finding enough detailed information was sometimes very hard. "The Text Book of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles" is truly amazing. It is a must for the serious student of Ayurveda. Vasant Lad has indicated that this if the first of three, the next two dealing with; the clinical assessment of health and disease, and the management of disease. The contents of this book is vast, it covers all aspects of the philosophical foundation that Ayurveda stands upon, The Tridosha, Agni, The Seven Dhatu, The Fifteen Srotas, Ojas, Tejas, Prana, Digestion and Nutrition, to be honest this does no justice to what is actually in this textbook. Get it!

Destined to become the definitive English-language textbook of ayurveda

Dr. Vasant Lad is a world-renowned ayurvedic physician, born and educated in India, with more than forty years of clinical experience. He is one of the world's leading teachers and scholars of ayurveda, and served as professor of clinical medicine at the University of Pune College of Ayurvedic Medicine & Surgery as well as director of its affiliated hospital. Currently, he is president of and a senior faculty member at the Ayurvedic Institute, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Vasant Lad is the author of several professional texts and popular works on ayurveda and has written countless articles on the subject.

There have been many textbooks published for intending practitioners of ayurveda, but until now nearly all of these have been in Sanskrit or more frequently Hindi or one of India's regional languages. Lacking facility in one or more of these, the English speaking student was left with one of two relatively time-consuming and unsatisfactory alternatives: consulting English-language translations of ayurveda's classics (i.e., the Sushruta and Charaka compendiums and the Astanga Hridaya, inter alia, a prospect unwieldy to say the least given the host of ancient therapies no longer in existence in today's world and the often untranslatable proper names of conditions and medicines) or compiling and correlating information from popular works on the subject and online sources.

Dr. Vasant Lad's "Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles" has resolved this daunting task for the professional student of ayurveda and provided in one well-organized, well-written and very clear English-language volume all salient aspects of the philosophical and scientific foundation that ayurveda stands upon: from the metaphysical underpinnings to the foundations of ayurvedic anatomy and physiology.

The book is arranged into ten sections covering, respectively the shad darshan (the metaphysical assumptions underlying ayurveda); the elements, gunas (qualities of matter) and the tridoshic theory; dosha subtypes and their locations and functions; agni (degistive processes) the sapta dhatus (seven tissue types); srotamsi (channels or meridians), ojas, tejas, and prana (subtle forms of the doshas), digestion and nutrition and swasthavritti (ayurvedic concepts of healthy lifestyles and regimens). The flow of instructional material in the book is superlatively well-organized, with the information provided in one section providing a knowledge base for the effective study of material provided in subsequent sections.

With the coming of ayurveda to the West, there has emerged a great need for a foundation-level textbook that not only caters to Western learning styles but that also forges a link between ayurveda's conceptions of anatomy and physiology and those of Western biomedicine. It contains the necessary foundation for the understanding of a paradigm of health and disease far removed from the Western one, going far beyond the level of detail and sophistication than that encountered in works published for the interested lay public.

The appearance of this valuable work by Dr. Lad is synchronous with the creation of more and higher quality, academically rigorous programs of instruction and training in ayurveda outside of the country of its birth. Dr. Lad has written what I believe will become the definitive textbook of ayurveda for English-speaking and reading students in the West, and is due an enormous debt of thanks by the ayurvedic profession and by the public in general. I heartily and unhesitatingly recommend this work as a necessity for all aspiring practitioners of ayurveda. It will also be of use to health professionals schooled in Western biomedical concepts who wish to achieve a degree of familiarity with ayurvedic concepts.

I think this is a through textbook.
I do yoga, meditation for 20 years and have read a lot of books, still there is a lot to learn in this book.
Also as an MD(Internal medicine)i enjoy adding knowledge of ayurveda and i feel using that for my regular office based patients is a big plus .
i strongly recommend this book .

I've recently purchased several ayurvedic books and will be returning most of them now. This book has everything. I MUST have. It is very thorough and extremely interesting. Not just a rehashing of information found elsewhere. If you only have one book - get this one!

Traditionally, ayurveda has been taught orally, with reference to ancient texts like the works of Charaka, Sushruta and Vagbhata; references that are still used today. These writings, which are believed to date thousands of years, contain the eternal and universal principles of the natural science of ayurveda; however they also contain therapies and lifestyle prescriptions which are hopelessly archaic; and materia medica which are no longer accessible (e.g. opium and camel's urine!). With the spread of ayurveda to the West, there emerged a great need for a text that not only catered to the western mode of thinking and education, but that also made connections between the ayurvedic view of anatomy and physiology, and that of the West. This book attempts to do just that.

Dr.Vasant Lad is in the forefront of Vaidyas (ayurvedic practitioners) who have made ayurvedic education available to the West. He started teaching ayurveda in the USA in 1980, and has produced many prominent writers and educators on the subject. His previous books include the popular Ayurveda; The Science of Self-Healing; and The Yoga of Herbs, co-written with Dr. David Frawley, a groundbreaking book introducing the concepts of ayurvedic herbology to the western public.

This Textbook of Ayurveda comes as more in-depth ayurvedic education programmes develop in the West. It contains the necessary foundation for the understanding of a medical model far removed from the western allopathic paradigm. To understand and practise ayurveda, one literally needs to adopt, to immerse oneself in, a completely different perspective. Dr.Lad's book contains chapters on the Six Philosophies which underpin ayurveda, from the unthinkably ancient Sankhya philosophy of creation, which also forms the basis of Buddhism and some aspects of Yoga; to the Nyaya science of logic; to Yoga itself, the profound science of psychology and human potential.

Then we explore the system of 20 qualities of nature; the five elements; the three humours (Doshas) and their 15 subtypes; the concept of Agni or Digestive Fire; the Dhatus or body tissues; the Srotas or body channels; Ojas, Tejas, and Prana or the subtle humours; and Digestion and Nutrition. Each aspect is explained and related back to western anatomy, physiology and pathology. The important connection is also made between each aspect and the mind, which in ayurveda is considered a distinct but interdependent part of the body. There are copious appendices and tables on the various systems, ayurvedic properties of food, and other useful information.

A notable feature is the high quality of production. This is refreshing - and I would say necessary, if ayurvedic education is to be taken seriously by mainstream medicine. To be frank, I am fed up of poorly written, edited, designed and produced books from India. Even so-called textbooks are appallingly arranged, sometimes with no indexes or useful means of finding information. This book is clearly illustrated with line drawings, attractively designed, and printed on good paper. Two of the book's editors are ayurveda and Sanskrt instructors in New Zealand. If such talents were used more often in the editing and production of ayurvedic books, the credibility and reputation of ayurvedic education and publications would no doubt increase.

But does the book really deliver the goods? In my opinion, a lot of the correlations with western anatomy and physiology are speculative, and Dr.Lad should admit they are so. A lot of the material, while interesting, is simply not standard ayurvedic training, traditional or otherwise - and therefore misleading. If, instead of trying to pass off these wishy-washy correlations, Dr.Lad had worked on better translating and elucidating the traditional texts and principles, I believe the book would have more usefully served the growing interest in ayurveda as a clinical medical system. I feel that, while the book is insufficiently academic and credible for serious students of ayurveda, it still serves as a good introduction for the intelligent western reader.

i've got this book after a recomendation of my yoga instractor and just like she said - it helps put the yoga i take at the gym, which is mainly asanas (postures) in a larger context of both spiritual guidness and preseption as well as other live guiding filds, like breathing, eating, and over all living.

though it deals with a lot of topics who were new to me, and a lot of sanskrit turms, the book's very well arange and repeat to explain certion parts more then once so that i was sure to understand, it's very methodic and though it doesn't creat or recoment a spasific practice to live, like some, mostly more shallow book does, it give you certion guidlines and directions to find yourself withing the path of yoga and ayurveda.

the book approach the 3 dosha (type) help you realize what type you belong to (air, fire or water) and what are the best approachs for you concerning breathing, eating, asana practice, meditation and other filds of life. on top of that it gives a very whole phylosofical approach that i liked.

frewley is a very good teacher, he phrases things very clearly and arranged a lot of half known turms while filling a lot of the gaps for me, i enjoyed this book a lot and it had direct influence on my yoga practic.

The kind of books I like are the ones that are tagged, underlined,and worn. That indicates that it is not just another book for another books sake. This is one of those books. Teaching or practicing yoga without knowledge of ayurveda is like teaching with some knowledge of life missing. It links us to the macrocosm aswell as understanding our constitution beyond the physical body and is a must buy and study. It helps us to understand what we have to re-wire on an individual level to make progress on the spiritual path. Camella Nair - Author of Aqua Kriya Yoga

This book is perfect for those who already have some understanding of ayurveda/yoga/holistic health. It addresses the core principles and practices with a beautiful blend of spiritual lineage and academic rigor. This is definitely not an introductory-level book; it is a wonderful reference for those ready to move more deeply into these practices.

This book introduces, and covers a good deal of areas that, as far as I know, have never been covered before. His explanation of Soma is very sober and answers alot of questions. There is enough info in here for any person to gain, not only from his perspective but also for an informational aspect. Though there are meditation techniques I wouldn't just take up without Intensive Study into both subjects.

This is the first book on this subject. I am a serious yoga practicioner and so far have never seen anything like this: so well connecting Ayurveda medicine knowledge with especially Hatha and Kundalini yoga. You can see that the auther is an adept, informing us about the working of prana in the subtle body. The book contains to my knowledge the most clear and complete explanation for a serious practitioner the inner alchemy of yogic transformation. This is not a book for a beginner! It explains everything about prana, ojas and tejas, vital information on pranayama, pratyahara, chakras and kundalini and all in connection with Ayurveda. This is the first book of the kind!

This is an excellent book to understand the theoretical basis of Ayurvedic medicine. The complexity of Ayurveda's theory is often overlooked for its knowledge of herbs and diet. Vasant Lad's "The Science of Self-Healing: A Practical Guide..." is very useful for such practical information; anyone wanting a quick perusal of what Ayurveda can offer should consult his book.
For those already familiar with Ayurveda or medicine, however, this book opens your mind. His writing style is excellent (certainly a higher level than Vasant Lad's books), but very engaging and easy to read. I do not know how to describe his style (you should look at excepts), but he takes you through every aspect of Ayurvedic medicine, starting with the fundamentals. Almost like a narrative, he tells the story of the Ayurvedic view of the human being and the universe, thus illustrating what the Ayurvedic philosophy means.
One criticism I have is that he does not cite his references. This is particularly problematic when he refers to "recent discoveries" or what "modern science" says; he has a bibliography, but that mostly contains books pertinent to Ayurveda. Also, some of the comparisons he makes to allopathic medicine and anatomy are questionable, such as the existence of a deposit of magnetic metal in the frontal bone of the skull. As a student at a US medical school, I would advise to take some of these comparisons with a grain of salt. Nonetheless, he is familiar with the ideas and theory behind allopathic medicine, and he makes thought-provoking comparisons to the Ayurvedic system.

I highly recommend this book to those who want a further understanding of the philosophy that is Ayurveda.

Excellent introduction to the subject by one of the foremost practitioners and teachers of Ayurveda in the western world. highly recommended

If you want to understand the history of Ayurveda and the basic concepts of this science of life, read this book. I'm presently reading several ayurveda books and this one has impress me very much with its clarity and Dr. Svoboda way of writing. There are other great books on this subject by Dr. Vasant Lad.

This is indispensable for serious students.

I have been cooking for myself since I was very young, and this book almost entirely changed the way I think about food. Ayurvedic cooking may sound complicated with all the terms like "sattvic", "rajasic", "tamasic", the six tastes, etc, but it is not difficult to get used to, and gives you a great sense of satisfaction. I used to be intimidated by Indian recipes that had 100 ingredients I never heard of, but this book is not like that at all. He uses relatively few spices and I can easily find all the ingredients at an International grocery store that has a small Indian section. I've made something from this book every day since I got it, and it amazes me how quick and easy it is to produce a very nutritious and satisfying meal. It is the simplest and most nutritious type of cooking I've tried. I find it very convenient. Vegetarians who have not read this book are missing out. I, however, am not a strict vegetarian, and I still find this book very useful. I was especially interested in the preperations used by bodybuilders, wrestlers, and athletes in India. I am a strength athlete, myself, and I find these very useful, as I don't bother with any supplements. In "Dhanwantari", which I also highly recommend, he recommends a handful of sprouted chana (chickpeas) each day as a general tonic. I heard about this before, being used as a sort of protein supplement by Hindu wrestlers who could not afford almonds. This alone could be so beneficial to so many people. Everyone who eats should read this book. Especially people in this fast-food society. There is so much wisdom in the words of this man who is from a place where "electricity has never been seen, phones have never been drempt of, and cars can't reach." Namaste!

The front part of this book has really excellent information on Ayurveda in general. The recipe section, however, has no information or recommendations about which dosa should or should not eat the prepared food. This might be confusing for someone new to Ayurveda and daunting for someone just looking for recipes that are dosa specific. It is, however, a classic and will be a part of my Ayurvedic reference library.

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine from India that emphasizes the healing properties of food. As Harish Johari says, "food is something very personal and it should never be eaten for taste alone; its purpose is to provide nutrients and satisfaction to the body, without introducing toxins." Johari, a Tantric and Ayurvedic scholar, wrote twelve books, as well as produced audiocassettes and CDs, before his death in 1999. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: 200 Vegetarian Recipes for Health, Balance, and Longevity, published posthumously, "explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind."
Johari first introduces the principles of Ayurveda, fully discussing the role of the five elements and describing the doshas--a way of classifying body types and temperments. He also explains that there are six tastes--sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of the tastes has a different effect on the body. Foods are further classified as to whether they are hot or cold and heavy or light. These attributes also affect the body in various ways.
Understanding how foods interact with one another and how they effect the body provides a foundation for healthy eating. Johari maintains that "most diseases are the result of wrong eating habits and/or of eating antagonist foods."
He also includes information on the nutrients in food, such as protein and vitamins. That's followed by a section describing the healing properties of specific foods. He suggests using milk as a source of protein, rather than meat or eggs.
The bulk of the book is devoted to recipes, including how to prepare various Indian spice mixtures. All of the recipes are Westernized versions of Indian foods and use ingredients that can be obtained in the West. Many are prepared using a wok. Johari presents recipes for snacks, dals, main dishes, salads, condiments, breads, desserts, and beverages.
Appendices include menu suggestions, and several special recipes for children and the elderly. He finishes with a list of spice and specialty food suppliers.
Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.

I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons and I enjoy cooking. There are a few cookbooks that I turn to from time to time for concepts and ideas. Recipes are how you learn to cook but as you get cooking, you learn what it is that makes your food taste good or feel good (we have all had meals, hopefully not at home, which left us feeling sick afterwards). I wanted to get some understanding of Ayurvedic principles underlying traditional Indian vegetarian cooking. I am not at all religious and some small parts of the book strike me as a bit unscientific in explaining why something might work or not. However, other parts of Ayurvedic theory of medicine make sense to me. What do I expect this book to do for me? I am already an experienced and good cook so I don't expect to learn new recipes. I bought this book because I wanted to know about Ayurvedic ingredient combinations that are optimal as well as to gain some knowledge of cooking for particular conditions (say stomach problems, chills...) which we are faced with in our daily lives with our families. And this I think is a unique contribution. The fantastic North Indian vegetarian recipes are just icing on the cake. I think any cook (vegetarian or otherwise) and those interested in holistic living should have this book in their collection.

Here are the contents of the book:

Editor's Note
Introduction

Part 1 An Introduction to Ayurveda
Ch 1 Principles of Ayurveda
Ch 2 Balanced Nutrition
Ch 3 Foods and Their Healing Properties
Ch 4 Guidelines for Preparing and Eating Foods
Ch 5 Food and the Cycles of Nature
Ch 6 Food and Consciousness

Part 2 The Recipes
Ch 1 Introduction to the Recipes
Ch 2 Snacks
Ch 3 Dals
Ch 4 Savory Rice Dishes
Ch 5 Vegetable Dishes
Ch 6 Paneer Dishes
Ch 7 Yogurt Dishes
Ch 8 Salads
Ch 9 Condiments
Ch 10 Breads
Ch 11 Desserts and Sweet Fruit Creams
Ch 12 Beverages

Appendices

App A Menu Combinations
App B Recipes for Children and the Elderly
App C About Milk

Glossary
Sources of Supply
Index

Ayurveda is a difficult subject at best. It has not recieved nearly as much attention as other Complementary Medical systems like TCM. So when a book comes along that is concise, thought-provoking, and well...exciting, on the subject it is certainly worth noting. An Elementary Textbook of Ayurveda is such a book! This is THE book on Ayurveda that I will recommend to all interested in this incredably healing Modality, and Dr. Ninivaggi deserves a lot of credit for putting out a work that is so easy to read, and yet has such a depth of information and insight. I have found myself consulting it again, and again. And each time I find in its pages some new way of thinking about Ayurveda. If you are a lay person with an interest in Ayurveda for yourself or your family, I recommend An Elementary Textbook of Ayurveda. It is easy to read, and yet thorough and informative. If you are a Practioner, either as a MD interested in Ayurveda, or a Practioner of a Complementary Modality interested in incorporating Ayurveda into your practice, I still highly recommend this book, because Dr. Ninivaggi will give you new insights into Ayurveda that it would be hard to find anywhere else. Keep this book in your office or practice space, share it with with your patients or clients. An Elementary Textbook of Ayurveda is that good!

Frank J. Ninivaggi's "Elementary Textbook of Ayurveda" is a superbly written, well-rounded introduction to ayurvedic medicine for those unfamiliar with this fascinating and complex subject. It is of sufficient breadth to satisfy those members of the lay public desiring a grounding in ayurveda's history, theory and practice and in the many subdisciplines comprising the field (physiology, pathology, psychiatry, materia medica, nutrition, etc.) and of sufficent depth to serve as an introductory text for aspiring practitioners. It is particularly appropriate for Western health practitioners who strive to gain an understanding of a medical science radically divergent in so many respects from their own, as well as for persons considering a professional training in ayurvedic medicine.

"An Elementary Textbook of Ayurveda" is far more comprehensive than any of the other volumes popularly available, and I recommend it for my beginning practitioner students at the New Jersey Institute of Ayurveda in conjunction with Dr. Robert Svoboda's "Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution" and Dr. Vasant Lad's "Textbook of Ayurveda: Fundamental Principles."

The book's chapters deal respectively with ayurveda's origins and development and the classical scriptures comprising its literary corpus; theoretical and philosophic foundations; anatomy, physiology and the concept of 'prakruti' and 'vikruti;' health and the disease process focusing on ayurveda's theory of pathogenesis; nutrition and diet; swasthavritta, and therapeutics and materia medica. It incorporates an indispensible glossary of unfamiliar Sanskrit medical terms, and an exhaustive bibliography. One very small criticism: the volume suffers from the lack of an index, which I think - in a work of this type - is key to its usefulness.

If there is any 'first book' on ayurveda that I would heartily encourage anyone to read this is one of two (along with Dr. Robert Svoboda's "Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution"). Dr. Ninivaggi has done a great service to the elaboration and development of ayurvedic medicine outside the country and culture of its birth.

This book by the Yale University School Of Medicine medical doctor and psychiatrist, Dr. Ninivaggi, is excellent. I use it with Dr. Atkin's book, Philli's book and the Balch's books on nutrition. It is a history book about India, the roots of all medicine in the world today, and a guide to diet, foods, nutrition, and exercise. I found the parts on psychology, psychiartry, and therapy tp be very useful. If you want to lose weight, goon an anti-aging program, use growth hormone, or just sharpen your skills--- mentally, physically, and in raising the quality of your life---buy this book. Along with Vasant Lad, William Frawley, and Robert Svoboda, Dr. Ninivaggi is an expert on Ayurveda. I highly recommend this 5 star book!

Finally, a book on Ayurveda that's firmly and delightfully grounded in history, theory, and practice. Dr. Ninivaggi's book is a fascinating and satisfying read and one of the few books on Ayurveda I've found that has really helped me to study the subject in depth. This is the book for all who want more than a sprinkling of fun facts and a few home remedies. I'd recommend this especially to those who have a background in science and Western medicine, but no-one who tries it will be disappointed.