Ayurveda is an Asian medical system which has its beginnings in India during approximately the sixth century BC and thrives even to the present day. Medical ideas underpin a great deal of Eastern thought especially Tantrism, alchemy, yoga and the science of love. This book is not intended as a series of health tips or as a textbook for the clinical practice of medicine, which in the Ayurveda tradition requires at least seven years intensive training. The book is aimed at students and lovers of South Asian culture, perhaps also anthropologists and others with a need for a straightforward introduction to the core principles of another scientific tradition.