The Prime: Ancient Secrets to Heal Your Brain and Gut for Spontaneous Weight Loss

The Ancient science of Ayurveda, a system of preventive medicine and health care that was developed in India more than 5,000 years ago, is the basis for

 Dr. Kulreet Chaudhardy’s book, The Prime.  Dr. Chaudhardy, is a neurologist whose early years were spent with her grandfather, an Ayurveda medicine practitioner in India.  When Dr. Chaudhardy moved to the United States with her parents as a young girl, many of the practices of her culture were abandoned in the embrace of the American culture and food habits.

While in the early years of her practice, she found that she was having health problems, and in her resolve to improve her health, Dr. Chaudhardy reestablished her practice of Ayurveda.  Her health improved and she shared her knowledge with her patients, finding that their health improved also without the use of so much “modern” western medicines.

The book, The Prime, outlines her journey in restoring her Ayurveda practices. The practices are explained to the reader so that one might also try the holistic art of Ayurveda.  Dr. Chaudhardy claims that with the practice of Ayurveda, and the realignment of the gut through use of Indian foods and herbs, excess weight will spontaneously be lost.

I enjoyed the book and the premise.  Dr. Chaudhardy speaks of simple changes that one can do to find a healthier lifestyle.  My one reservation may be the difficulty in obtaining some of the herbs and foods used, as well as accepting the change in cultural ideology, flavors and cooking.  However, in lieu of health concerns, I believe a person should consider the Ayurveda practices as a road to a healthier life style.

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review

The Mapmaker's Children: A Novel

I love a good historical fiction and The Mapmaker’s Children by Sarah McCoy did not disappoint.  The Mapmaker’s Children is the story of the true heroine and artist, Sarah Brown, daughter of famous abolitionist John Brown.  McCoy weaves the story of Sarah Brown and her  involvement with the Underground Railroad alongside a modern day Eden Anderson, a woman looking for her own independence from the stress of trying to have a child with her husband Jack.  

In the novel, Sarah Brown is unable to bear children due to being damaged through a childhood bout of dysentery .  She vows to make her life useful in another way by devoting her life and artistic skills to create picture maps that aid runaway slaves along the route of the Underground Railroad. Sarah meets additional real historical figures throughout the novel.  One of my favorite parts of the story was discovering  the various ways Sarah would paint her maps.

Eden Anderson finds remnants of items left in her historical home, later learning that her house was a stop for passengers on the Underground Railroad.  Throughout her discoveries, she learns that New Charleston, West Virginia is filled with wonderful people who help Eden and her husband Jack create a family of their own, a family of friends.

McCoy does an admirable job of marrying just the right amount of  true facts from Sarah Brown’s life to make the fictional character come to life for the reader.  Growing up in Kansas, I knew of the Underground Railroad, and of the famous John Brown.  However, I did not know anything of his family.  I truly enjoyed reading McCoy’s novel and discovering bits and pieces of Sarah Brown’s life in an engaging read. Now that I have read McCoy’s novel, The Mapmaker’s Children, I can’t wait to read more of her work.

FTC disclaimer: I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for this review