Why do certain foods harm some people and help others? How come the same weight loss program shows different results on different individuals? And why do some people fall sick more often than others? Answers to these questions and many more lie in Ayurveda, where your body is not just looked upon as a holder of flesh and bones but as the finest vehicle of experiencing all pleasures and sorrows. In Ayurveda, as in yoga and tantra, the health of an individual is not just the state of his physical body but an aggregate of the body, senses, mind and soul. Your body is a sacred space; it is the seat of your consciousness.

The Sanskrit word for health is svasthya; it means self-dependence or a sound state of the body and mind. If examined further, it means your natural state; sva means natural and sthya means state or place. Ayurveda aims to restore your natural state, balance, so you may be free of mental and physical afflictions.

More often than not, and certainly in adults, most physical disorders are the result of a repressed and bruised consciousness. Mental afflictions create diseases in the physical body, and physical diseases, in turn, disturb the state of mind. You can treat the disease in the physical body, but that's merely treating the symptom. It is not the permanent solution.

The modern system of medicine is mostly symptom driven. If I have a headache, it'll tell me to take a pain killer. Ayurveda does not believe in treating the symptoms. Its advocates understanding the patient and treating the cause of the symptom and not the symptom itself. In order to do that, the ancient scriptures took a far more holistic approach to health by combining our lifestyle with our natural tendencies (which vary from one person to another). In other words, it understood that one man's medicine could be another man's poison.

Expounding on the esoteric aspects of the ancient wisdom, in simple terms, this book shows you how to take care of yourself better and how to lead a healthier life in our present world - a world where we have all the comforts yet we are restless. We have organic breakfast on the table but no time to eat it; we've the comfiest mattress but little sleep. The key to wholesome living and your well-being is entirely in your hands. This book is a must-listen for those who are serious about their health.

About the Author

Om Swami is a mystic who lives in the Himalayan foothills. An advanced yogin, Swami did thousands of hours of intense meditation in complete seclusion in Himalayan caves and woods. Prior to renunciation, he founded and ran a multi-million dollar software company with offices in San Francisco, New York, Toronto, London, Sydney and India. An Australian national of Indian origin, Swami completely renounced business interests a few years ago to pursue a full-time spiritual life.

Om Swami has a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA from Sydney, Australia. You can connect with him on his blog, omswami.com, read by millions all over the world.