This simple book is for those of you who have heard about Ayurveda and think that it is somehow an exotic way of healing yourself. Complicated and strange explanations from some who are not enough educated in the domain makes Ayurveda sound formidable for many. The aim of this book is to make you understand that Ayurveda is about dynamics of life and it is not space and time bound. Ayurveda is about balance and harmony and you do not necessarily have to import products for it. Ayurveda is about your physical and emotional balance with your surrounding and nature to maintain your health and mental balance. Ayurveda is the science of health and healing from ancient India but it does not mean that the basic ideas of Ayurveda were limited only to India. There has been a constant exchange of wisdom between the East and the West since antiquity and Ayurveda assimilated tremendously from the Western wisdom of natural medicine whereas the fundamental principles of Ayurveda which lay emphasis on maintaining the basic nature of the body travelled to the West. Besides that, during ancient times, in all cultures and societies, people lived in harmony with nature and knew instinctively the necessity of balance and coordination with nature for their well being. European culture of health and healing during Middle Ages was not different from Ayurveda and it is still alive in some remote places of Europe. This of course has been more a part of oral tradition rather than a systematised, institutionalised and organised knowledge of Ayurveda. The present book is meant to provide you an experience of life by altering slightly your way of living and by avoiding all that which nastily disturbs your health by upsetting the basic balance of your body. The book is about how we can ideally and optimally learn to gear our lifestyle for our well being. Well being is not seen in the sense of fitness but it is health with inner joy and contentment. To maintain health, you need also to develop a keen sense of observation and attention to the ever changing cosmos. Our body as well as our surroundings and the cosmos we live in are dynamic and vibrant. We need to learn how to draw vitality and vigour from this dynamism. To achieve this, some effort and attention from you is required. For integrating Ayurveda in your life, you do not have to buy or order special things. The specificity of this book is that you follow the Ayurvedic way of life by using things you have always used- your apples, pumpkins, peas, carrots, your Camille, Saint John's herb, verbena and Linden teas. Besides, the book will provide you healing remedies and food recipes originating from food products like milk, ghee, lemon, various teas, herbs and spices, etc. It is important to understand that Ayurveda is not a health care system with prohibitions. On the contrary, Ayurveda suggests that for good health, joie de vivre is very important. No prohibition of any kind but we are advised to exercise restraint and not go beyond a limit where we disturb our balance.
About the Author: Along with a doctorate degree in reproduction biology in India, Dr. Verma studied Neurobiology in Paris University and obtained a second doctorate. She pursued advanced research at the National Institutes of Health in Neurology, Bethesda (USA) and the Max Planck Institute in Freiburg, Germany. At the peak of her career in medical research in a pharmaceutical company in Germany, she realised that the modern approach to health care is basically fragmented and non-holistic. Dr. Verma founded The New Way Health Organisation (NOW) in 1986 to promote the use of mild medicine and various self-help therapeutic measures. She is the first one to present the scientific aspects of Ayurveda in the world. Her theme is to make yoga and Ayurveda as a way of life and emphasise on prevention of ailments. Dr. Verma says that Ayurveda is largely focused on maintaining health and prevention. She has a following message for humanity- responsibility of your health on you as svadharma. First priority of life is life itself and it is the prime duty of each individual to do all to invest in personal health care. Be old and wise and not old and senile, she wrote in her book published in 1990. Dr. Verma grew up with a strong familial tradition of Ayurveda with a grandmother who had enormous Ayurvedic wisdom and was a gifted healer. She has studied Ayurveda in the traditional Guru-shishya style with Acharya Priya Vrat Sharma of the Benares Hindu University for 23 years. Dr. Verma is an ardent researcher and is working hard to compile the living tradition of Ayurveda and spread it in the world through her books and other activities. She has published twenty seven books on yoga, Ayurveda, Women and Companionship. The books are published in German, English and various other languages of the world. Besides, she has published numerous scientific articles. She lectures extensively, teaches in Europe and gives radio and television programmes. A film on Ayurveda with her was made by German television in 1995 and was shown in 100 countries, in 130 languages. It was the first film on Ayurveda and was also shown on Doordarshan. Dr Verma has been writing regular columns and articles for several important magazines and journals. Dr. Verma's biggest contribution is her research in Ayurvedic food culture and Ayurvedic living tradition on healing women's troubles. She says that all Indian food is not Ayurvedic and Ayurvedic food does not have to be Indian- it is just the matter of balancing.