"What should I read next?", "Can you recommend a book where I could start with?", "Wow! It makes so much sense, where did you found this information?", "I'm lost, all that I read is so confusing... there is so much information out there!"
I get these questions and statements quite often on my classes and private sessions and these are all good reasons to recommend great books! I wish I have had someone to shorten my path in this sense when I was first starting on Ayurveda..
If you wish to understand the Ayurvedic approach on diet, here are some books that I consider to be good quality sources of information.
The Path of Practice by Bri. Maya Tiwari
This book is for those looking for in depth practice of Ayurveda. The kind of book that you can read multiple times until able to really fully integrate its message. Probably not for newbies... I believe if this was my first book about the subject i would probably feel lost at first and maybe find it "too complicate". For those already a little bit familiar with yoga and to some extent with Ayurveda, this book is a bliss. Mostly about deeply reconnecting with oneself and the Source, the book describes with great detail the food sadhanas and support our connection with Nature. Bri. Maya Tiwari's life story is an example on how reconnecting with our purpose and nature is fundamental for healing and longevity. Not a book of recipes although it includes some, mainly a book of lifestyle focusing on the sacred dimensions of our foods and daily routines.
The 3 Season Diet by Dr. John Douillard
This book is really precious! This is not a recipe book but a must read if you wish to understand the Ayurvedic perspective on how our connection with the cycles of Nature can deeply transform our health. I also highly recommend Dr. John Douillard's book "Perfect Health for Kids: Ten Ayurvedic Secrets Every Parent Should Know", I'm deeply grateful to what I've learned through these books! Learning to use Ayurvedic herbal compounds like Chyawanprash, Trikatu and Sitopaladi made possible to reduce or totally go free of strong medications with my kids just by bouncing back from colds, learning to identify first signs of imbalances and addressing quickly the root cause.
Eat Taste Heal An Ayurvedic Cookbook for Modern Living
Who said that "ayurvedic food" should look and taste like indian food? Once you truly understand the principles of Ayurveda, you can apply it to different cultures and geographical contexts. It is all about mastering the art instead of making a sort of copy-paste of India culture. Eat, Taste, Heal presents an in depth approach to Ayurvedic philosophy and cooking without loosing the connection with the Western context. This beautifully designed recipe book starts with a very straight to the point introduction to basic principles of Ayurveda making it really accessible to those either starting or deepening on the Ayurvedic quest.
Simple Food for Busy Families The Whole Life Nutrition Approach
This book is a perfect starting point for those who feel almost clueless when starting to face the challenges of feeding a new family while working and/or never had to really cook or buy food before. Although it does not claim to be "an Ayurvedic cookbook", this book is almost all about Ayurveda!
If you have some cooking background it might feel a little "too basic" so skip it! But if new to the kitchen and looking to learn how to start feeding your family for health, you can definitely start here!
The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen from Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson
Is this "an Ayurvedic book"? This is one of those not promoted as one either but clearly infused with Ayurvedic wisdom.
I can tell one thing about this book: we don't need to wait until seeing someone you love being diagnosed with cancer to start learning how to use food to prevent or reverse it, our SAD diet (Standard American Diet) put us all at risk! This book does have a lot of information on nourishing and caring for people going through cancer treatments and it is a collection of science-based nutrient-rich recipes. Other books from Rebecca Katz: The Longevity Kitchen, The Healthy Mind Cookbook and Clean Soups.