TAKING THE PHRASE “FIRE IN THE BELLY” TO A LITERAL DEGREE, THIS DIET AND WELLNESS BOOK BY CALIFORNIA PHYSICIAN AND DEEPAK CHOPRA COLLEAGUE, SUHAS KSHIRSAGAR, SUGGESTS THAT CULTIVATING A DIGESTIVE “FIRE” LEADS TO BETTER WELLNESS AND SUPERCHARGED WEIGHT LOSS. BUT THE BOOK ACTUALLY OFFERS A LOT MORE THAN JUST A GIMMICK DIET.
By sticking to a carefully planned diet that includes the spicy Indian dish khichadi (pronounced “kitch-a-dee”) and a regimen of liquids including hot tea, Kshirsagar’s 30-day plan works to promote the “agni,” or biological fire, that helps clear out the toxins and other waste that makes up what he calls “digestive sludge.” That sludge, he says, can present a wide range of health and wellness problems.
The book is easy to read, carefully laid out and presented with clarity and conviction. Dr. Kshirsagar, a Western doctor from a family of Brahmans, or Hindu spiritual healers, uses much of the text to educate the reader about ayuvedra, the Indian science of wellness.
Two particularly helpful sections: an FAQ that anticipates a lot of reader response to the diet; and a 21-step wellness plan that could stand as a road map to better wellness and peace of mind all by itself.
