by Jamie Chase Galvin
Sterling resident Susan West has recently released her first book, and it’s been not only a labor of love, but one of enlightenment into some of the health challenges she’s faced during her own life. Walking With Vaidya—A Journey into Ayurveda and Preventative Medicine was published in December and has been available to readers since February. The book represents a collaboration between West and Radhika Prassannatma, the Vaidya, or Ayurvedic practitioner, who has mentored her over the past several years.
“Walking With Vaidya is about my personal opportunity and experience to learn the principles of Ayurveda and preventative medicine in general,” says West. “I felt compelled to tell people about Ayurveda, since it seemed that no one knew what it is.” Derived from Hindu traditional medicine, Ayurvedic practices are considered a type of alternative medicine.
The book took West two years to complete. “I decided to dedicate half the book to researching and writing about the American healthcare industry and medical model and why we both lack and need a preventative form of medicine,” she says. “The second half of the book is a summary of Vaidya Radhika’s interpretation of the Ayurvedic principles as they were taught to me.”
West hopes readers will embrace the Ayurvedic form of medicine and become inspired to learn more about alternative treatments.
“In the Western medical model, we tend to equate the word medicine with taking a prescription or over-the-counter drug. Medicine is an entire system of caring for our health that includes many more aspects. We need to form solid daily health routines and inspire others to do so as well,” she says.
West plans to complete a second book and is halfway through completing a work of fiction. Walking With Vaidya—A Journey into Ayurveda and Preventative Medicine is available in soft cover or Kindle format via Amazon.com.