Thai natural philosophy is based on the principle that nature consists of four elements -- Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire -- which are also present in our physical bodies. It is believed that each of us is born with a dominant, or "home" element, and that the path to general wellness requires a knowledge of one's home element in order to achieve harmony with nature. In The Elements of Life, award-winning cookbook author Su-Mei Yu translates this concept for a Western audience, and shows how these Asian principles can be used in readers' daily lives to achieve greater health, beauty, longevity, and spiritual wellness. The book is accompanied by an interactive wheel that allows readers to quickly identify their own home elements. Individual chapters focusing on each of the four elements provide advice on planning meals around one's own dominant element in conjunction with the weather and the time of day. An Earth-element person, for example, is advised to eat sweet and salty flavors during rainy weather, and dishes with buttery, rich, sweet flavors when it is cold outside. Yu provides plenty of tempting recipes for every home element, season, and time of day, such as Cold Soba Noodles, Grilled Shrimp and Mango Salad, Persian-Thai Fried Rice, and Stir-Fried Chicken or Pork with Watermelon Rind. Each chapter also includes sections on beauty and mind and spirit, with recipes for restorative face masks, hair treatments, and massage oils based on each home element. The book's lush, evocative design features 110 full-color photographs throughout, including mouth-watering food photographs of finished dishes and beautiful travel photos from Thailand showcasing traditional ingredients, food vendors, and much more. With a wealth of simple, inspiring recipes and straightforward, easy-to-follow advice, The Elements of Life will inspire readers to live according to the elements and to follow a traditional path to health, beauty, longevity, and inner peace.