State of Mind

When two good friends with a 25-year age gap travelled to the renowned holistic wellness retreat Ananda in the Himalayas for a health reset, their experiences and outcomes turned out to be positive, restorative and entirely different.

- MEGHA KAPOOR,  KIRSTIE CLEMENTS

EXPECTATIONS
Kirstie Clements (KC): I don't know what I was expecting when we arrived. I didn't feel particularly unhealthy or stressed. Also, having turned 60, I am beginning to think about longevity, and how to have more energy and vitality. But when they asked me what I wanted to achieve, I randomly said "focus" and wasn't even sure why!

Megha Kapoor (MK): I haven't slept in about two years, so that was pretty high on my priority list.

KC: We're kind of opposites. I need to be energised and focused, you need to relax.

MK: Relax is an understatement.

DIAGNOSIS

KC: I appreciated that they sent the questionnaire about my health beforehand, and the prior Zoom consultation with Dr Naresh was very thorough. I wasn't surprised that my diet dosha turned out to be pitta (heat and energy). I naturally dislike the things they said I should stay away from, like chilli, raw onions and hot spices.

MK: The practical implementation of these diets was eye-opening. For me, aside from the diagnosis of what my dosha was, it was the importance of the regularity of meals-scheduling time to actually have breakfast, taking time for lunch and dinner-that really hit home. Interestingly, I was being given things that my body naturally craves. I've never been so grateful for that black coffee in the morning.

KC: They really made it very easy by serving the prescribed meal to suit your dosha. It took me a couple of days to get used to not having wine or sparkling water at dinner. The portions were small but it was all very flavoursome, so after a while, I didn't question the amount. They keep you so busy with the spa schedule that you don't really feel hungry, or at least you don't notice it.