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Perfect Balance [Paperback]

Atreya (Author)
3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

Throw those diet pills away, advise many practitioners of Ayurveda, a holistic and individualized Eastern approach to health. More than 5,000 years old, Ayurveda (a Sanskrit phrase usually translated as "the science of life") is attracting an increasing number of American adherents. In Perfect Balance: Ayurvedic Nutrition for Mind, Body and Soul, Atreya (Ayurvedic Healing for Women) provides an accessible guide to a practice that can be confusing to novices. The book begins with a self-test to help readers determine their own metabolic and psychological profiles, then guides them through food, herb and lifestyle choices, offering a 21-day plan for integrating changes into an everyday routine. Atreya, founder and director of the European Institute of Vedic Studies, takes a light tone and, though he obviously takes a dim view of Western eating habits, is never preachy.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Book Description

The most accessible book on the ancient Indian system of Ayurvedic nutrition and healing, from an internationally acclaimed practitioner. Many of us who struggle with one-size-fits-all fad diets are realizing that the only program that can promise lasting benefits is a comprehensive yet individualized approach to nutrition and weight loss. This is the very attitude espoused by Ayurvedic medicine, the 5,000-year-old holistic system that incorporates diet, exercise, breathing, meditation, visualization, and other therapies into its practice. Perfect Balance illustrates how the principles of Ayurvedic medicine can be used by anyone, no matter what their present health needs may be. Beginning with a self-test to determine an individual's specific metabolic and psychological profile, the book emphasizes the importance of balance among all levels of the healing process-mind, body, and spirit. The three dominant groups that emerge are based on metabolic type (skin, hair, digestion, sleep patterns, etc.) and psychological characteristics (emotional tendencies, learning patterns, goals, and relationship needs). It then presents clear guidelines for selecting foods and making lifestyle choices to support a natural, healthy state and avoiding those practices that disrupt natural metabolic balance. Perfect Balance offers a profile-specific, flexible "21-Day Plan" to integrate dietary and lifestyle changes sensibly. It explains the importance of timing and food combinations and outlines nutritional prescriptions for particular conditions caused by stress and other lifestyle issues. Most important, the Ayurvedic approach takes into account the many factors often ignored by other programs, whichultimately determine an optimal state of harmony and health for each individual. Notes. Index.
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A woman came to me several months ago complaining of feeling bloated, heavy, and depressed. Read the first page
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3 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
3.3 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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3.0 out of 5 stars Vegan Help?, May 1 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Perfect Balance (Paperback)
Although I found this book to be easy to read and the test to be thorough enough to determine my body type, I had a really hard time figuring out how to adapt to it, since the diet prescribed was not vegan. I don't know, maybe I can't be vegan and practice ayurveda?
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2.0 out of 5 stars Ayurveda, Dec 14 2002
This review is from: Perfect Balance (Paperback)
I was truly disappointed in this book. I bought it so that I could understand Ayurveda, but this writter discounts the true principles. He refers to Vata, Pita and Kapha as Body Types A,B and C. I think he should call it by the proper names and not try to take shortcuts. It is not a well written book on the subject. If you are interested in Ayurveda, I highly recommend Deepak Chopra's "Perfect Health". Not only does Chopra cover the topic completely, his book is inspiring. Perfect Balance is unrealistic. It recommends that people take teaspoons of spices and herbs daily. While the true way of following Ayurveda is to cook with the spices and herbs in the food. I do not recommend this book. It has some helpful information, but not enough. Why read more then one book on the subject? Deepak Chopra's book covers it all and he also has a website that offers Ayurveda products.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A brain friendly Ayurvedic gem!, Sep 5 2001
By 
BRENDEN SKUDDER (Auckland New Zealand) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Perfect Balance (Paperback)
Ever been really interested in Ayurvedic principles of nutrition but the reading material that you come across is very heavy, and only ends up confusing you more before you even started to research the topic? Well this is the book for you! Atreya once again provides a book on Ayurveda that is easy to read and understand. How does he do this you may ask? Ayurveda is one of the many Vedic sciences that have been gifted to us through the insight of the Rishis and sages of the past. Thus being a Vedic science its foundations are the roots of Vedic philosophy, and the language and terms used are that of Sanskrit. To one not common with the philosophy and Sanskrit terms, reading material that refers to these in order to explain the science can be very confusing and become too heavy a lesson to be able to mentally digest. This is where Atreya shines. Although fully conversant with the science and its original spoken and written form of Sanskrit, Atreya provides tools that first explain the original form then provides an alternative way of remembering the meaning without having to use or learn Sanskrit. Perfect Balance is a thorough insight into the principles of Ayurvedic nutrition and its practice. Its contents cover a vast spectrum, from "Classical Ayurveda", to "The power of perfect digestion", to "Your perfect weight: How to lose weight permanently by increasing metabolic function", are but to name a few. Atreya also gives the reader a chance to follow a structured 21 day plan in order to embrace Ayurvedic principles in a controlled and guided environment. The inquisitive who have never come across Ayurveda before, too the practitioner that has embraced the Ayurvedic lifestyle for some time, all will find "Perfect Balance" to be a wealth of knowledge.

Just a correction on the latest review regarding the taking of spices and herbs in our daily life. Yes one does cook with herbs, spices and food according to ones Prakriti(constitution) and Vikriti(present state of imbalance), however Ayurvedic medicine prescribes formulas made of different herbs and spices to be ingested daily and at certain times depending on the quality (Guna) of the substance and the desired effect. For instance the Ayurvedic formula Trikatu which is a combination of Sunthi (dry ginger powder) maricha (black pepper) and Pippli (long pepper). Looking at the individual substances we would expect to find two of the three in most kitchen pantries and if black pepper is not in ever kitchen in the modern world then I would be truly amazed such is the commonality of this spice. This formula Trikatu is revered for its effect on correcting slow digestive problems (low Agni), expelling mucus (Kapha) and toxins (ama) out of the channels (Srotas) and as a stimulant.
Or take Trijat, made of cinnamon, cardamom, and cinnamon leaf, this combination of spices reduces Ama (toxicity), stimulates Prana (the vital force, energy) and increases Agni (the digestive fire). Most of the ingredients found in the two formulas can be found in the kitchen cupboard and it is this simplistic approach to healing that Atreya is trying to share. Present the knowledge in an easily accessible fashion that all can share. If one wishes to read more "in-depth" material that goes into the Ayurvedic fundamentals in detail then Atreya's previous books "Practical Ayurveda: Secrets for Physical, Sexual & Spiritual Health", "Ayurvedic Healing for Women: Herbal Gynecology and "Secrets of Ayurvedic Massage" all deal with this. As a student of Ayurvedic medicine I can honestly say that Atreya's knowledge is unquestionable.

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