Ayurveda: A Life of Balance: The Complete Guide to Ayurvedic Nutrition and Body Types with Recipes

Because this book contains such a wealth of knowledge, it may take a while to really get into it. However, it is highly informative and certainly a good addition to any library, especially for those interested in holistic health.

I disagree with a previous reviewer that this book is mainly a cookbook. I find that it has MUCH more to offer than that. I am currently in a 200 hour yoga teacher training course, and this book is required reading for me. Tiwari goes very much into the philosophy behind Ayurveda and the doshas, yet explains it in a way that the average reader can understand. She gives the best explanations of each dosha that I've ever read, going into aspects such as career and sexuality, diet, exercise, physical and emotional traits. She then gives food charts for the 10 doshas, instead of the usual three doshas that most do. She lists foods that are beneficial, and those that are not. I find this book to be wonderful, and very accessible to the casual reader as well as the experienced person very into Ayurveda.

Its a MUST to read book. If you want to improve your health, want to get the best of your body, read this book. It will help you learn about your body type, and "sadhanaas"(i.e. routines, food, etc) accordingly.

As far as I'm aware, there are only 2 books in existence that are vegetarian ayurvedic cookbooks--this one & "The Healing Cuisine" by Harish Johari; and i most highly recommend them both. (I do no recommend "the ayurvedic cookbook" by Morningstar... it is not veggie & really just a disappointment in terms of ingredients & the recipes). Tiwari is a very nice compliment to Dr. Lad's "Ayurveda: the science of self-healing", which is *the* definitive modern introduction to ayurveda. Tiwari's perspective is much more cosmic, poetic, and much about vibrational healing, cognitive memory and DNA alignment. As one reviewer noted, she makes reference to Hinduism & the more complex aspects of the mechanics of ayurvedic energetics that, even to those relatively familiar, will feel like walking thru mud... Visual representations & diagrams would be helpful, which this book is essential devoid of. That is my only complaint. the text could certainly be edited down to make room for more visuals. This is a complete guide for someone dedicated to an ayurvedic lifestyle--with charts covering the energetics & qualities of just about every food and their vibrational alignment with the body types, and daily & seasonal menus for the body types, all 10 of them. There is, among many things, a section on food sadhanas, or the ritualization of the nourishment process (food prep, cooking & eating). There are listings of ingredients & there's a glossary in the back of the more uncommon ingredients. She does not give much treatment to yoga asanas & pranayama, though there is treatment of daily routines. Now, unlike Johari, the recipes are all explicitly coded with respect to the 10 body types & the 4 seasons (i.e., which body types the recipes will help to balance & the season(s) in which they should be used)... A rather in-depth practical working guide to ayurvedic cooking. This along with Dr. Lad, and you're doing good.

The title holds up to its name: this really is a complete guide to Ayurvedic nutrition. I found this book to be an inspiring text on leading a life more in tune with my own body type. I appreciated the inclusion of body types test (though I think Chopra's are better), recipes, menus, and daily routines for the various body types. A very thorough book worth the prcie.