Book excerpt: Eat better and live healthier with this easy-to-follow Ayurvedic cookbook. Ayurveda is an ancient Indian system of health and healing based on the principle that each human being is unique and has a distinct individual constitution, genetic inheritance and predisposition to certain ailments. Practitioners can stay healthy and happy by following rules such as: Warm, comfort foods like Shepherd's pie or butternut soup can help alleviate joint pain and poor circulation brought on by chilly, windy weather. In summer, pasta primavera, shrimp salad, sauteed tofu, and other sweet and light foods cool off irritable moods and help digestive problems. Pungent, astringent foods--savory lentils, turkey loaf, kasha and the like --can help ease the distress of a winter cold. The Quick & Easy Ayurvedic Cookbook allows you to implement Ayurvedic principles in your cooking easily and improve your health without devoting long hours of study to the subject or breaking your budget. Learn how to cure insomnia and indigestion, and even mood swings, just by making food choices based on your Ayurvedic constitution. The recipes include familiar favorites making this cookbook a practical addition to your kitchen and home.