| The Handbook of Ayurveda |
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| Reviewed by Harmonious Living | |
| Friday, 13 January 2006 | |
 Author: Dr Shantha Godagama   This book sets out to make Ayurveda relevant, understandable and available to Westerners and to a large degree I believe that it succeeds. The book is also very readable and is packed with information on the Verdic principles and how to change ones lifestyle accordingly. Probably one of the most daunting aspects when exploring any practice that you're not familiar with is the amount of technical terms involved, Ayuverda is no different. In this book, the author Dr Shantha Godagama, manages to clearly explain them all. The book starts off by introducing the basic principles behind the practice of Ayurveda, including the basic principle of The Doshas (the three different bodily energies).It then goes on to discuss The Marmas (similar to acupuncture points in Chinese medicine) before moving onto how Ayurveda principles relate to Food and Diet. I found this next section particularly intriguing (maybe because I enjoy food so much!) and as well as some general do's and don’ts guidelines also explains the theory that different foods should be eaten during different seasons. There is also a very useful and pretty comprehensive chart in this section that gives details on around 250 of the most commonly eaten foods, showing whether they are high or low in each of the types of Doshas. This is a great help in giving some practical examples to the theories that preceded it although I'd imagine it would take some time to adjust from thinking about foods in terms of their fat, mineral, protein and carbohydrate content, to thinking about their dosha properties. The next section deals with the Ayurvedic Lifestyle, starting with a thirteen point daily programme called the Dina Chariya. The first of these I found particularly scary as it recommends that one should try to wake before sunrise, not with the sun but before it! It also goes onto to give advice about exercise and meditation which of course includes yoga. All jokes aside I imagine taking on board the advice in this section would have an enormous impact on one's health, well-being and energy levels, even if it would take some adjusting to. The last two sections cover Ayurvedic treatment and remedies giving a useful idea of what an Ayurvedic practitioner would do if you visited one. In all I think this is a very useful book to give an introduction into what is becoming an increasingly popular alternative medicine. It covers all aspects of Ayurveda in enough detail to give a clear impression of the philosophies behind it without becoming too involved or indeed being to brief. If you are considering an alternative treatment to an ailment and would like more information on Ayurveda then I would highly recommend this book. Alternatively if you have already been to an Ayurvedic doctor but now find yourself either confused or are forgetting what the doctor said to you then this should provide you with all you need to reinforce your consultation. |
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