Heal the Body: Ayurveda in Rishikesh

Dhanvantari, incarnation of Krishna and Lord of Ayurveda

Hello friends, from Rishikesh, near the headwaters of the holy river Ganges at the base of the mountains of the northern India state of Uttarakhand. Known to be a hotspot for yoga and spirituality, Rishikesh has become much too busy for my tastes these days, yet I still come here to imbibe in the wonderful energy of the Ganga, see old friends and bask in the splendor of the foothills and greenery. It’s only five hours by train from Delhi, so it’s worth the trip if you’re in this corner of the subcontinent.

Dr Shree and Remadevi,wife & clinic manager

The main reason for my visit this time is to see my ayurvedic physician, Dr. Srinarayan Kurup, known as Dr. Shree by his clients. Last August during monsoon season, I underwent an intense panchakarma “cure” under his care. (“Panch” means five in Hindi/Sanskrit - there are five typical therapies involved in a treatment; “karma” here means action.)

My first panchakarma was amazingly effective; I cleared out skin issues and rebalanced my system with the help of abhyanga oil massages, potli (pounding with rice packs and oils), shirodara (oil dripped on the forehead to calm the mind), and ghee medicinal treatments (ghee is clarified butter), among others. It’s not an easy process: one must commit to a minimum of seven days for good results (ideally 16-28 days, but Dr. Shree will work with one’s time and budget).

I came to respect Dr. Shree, who hails from Kerala (the southwest corner of India – lush and green and known for ayurveda), because I trust him. There are thousands of ayurvedic physicians in India. Many are very good, some are excellent. But not all of them can diagnose a foreign patient with a non-judgmental attitude and understanding that we, well – we live differently in U.S. and Europe. We eat, drink, exercise, relate, and entertain ourselves differently. We would not fit into a typical Indian lifestyle, and therefore, we need different analyses when addressing our health care needs. When I met Dr. Shree, I intuitively felt he was hearing me. Not only was his English excellent, he’d lived and worked abroad and been exposed to many foreigners over the years. When I pushed back on something that traditional ayurveda advises as a lifestyle change but that I know I wouldn’t realistically adhere to, Dr. Shri would make accommodations and adjust the treatment plan accordingly.

Dr. Shree's lovely wife, Remadevi, is the manager of the clinic. She also comes from an ayurvedic physician's family in Kerala. The two of them make a great team, making their clients feel welcome and facilitating a plan that works for everyone.

I have come to love ayurveda – a holistic system of health care and well being based on a unique understanding of body, mind, and soul. I find it fascinating that one major stipulation of ayurvedic medicine is, if it's not worthy of going INSIDE the body (i.e. edible), it should not be put EXTERNALLY on the body either. In other words, if you can't eat it, you shouldn't rub it on your skin!

Ayurvedic humors

Many of us have heard of the three “doshas” or body types, of ayurveda: Pitta (fire/water), Vata (air/ether) and Kapha (water/earth). It is necessary to get ones pulse diagnosed by a qualified ayurvedic practitioner, and then start to learn the best way to balance that body type.

Most folks in the modern world are overwrought with far too much vata, with our overly busy lifestyles and our resultant miniscule attention spans (irregular rhythms, too much Internet, too much multitasking, too much travel - in general, not being GROUNDED).

This is often exacerbated by a high pitta lifestyle that can run amok – too much heat, repressed anger, alcohol, caffeine, passions overrunning the body to name just a few triggers. None of these things are “bad” in themselves; it’s when things get out of balance that it’s no longer fun!

When I came to Dr. Shree last year, I was a full-on, flaming pitta gal, having spent many moons for years in the broiling hot of India, with a fierce coffee addiction and a fiery, passionate personality to boot. This had paid off for years in terms of my independence and high-adventure travel lifestyle. But last year, it came to be clear that I was out of balance: out of nowhere, I’d gotten scabies (yes, scabies – cringe if you must; it happens, even in the hyper-clean U.S.) which thrives on pitta body types. While I was able to clear the skin parasite using alternative and allopathic remedies, my system was completely out of whack for about six months after, not to mention the post-traumatic stress of fearing another micro-organism inhabiting itself on my body!

I’d had no intention of doing an ayurvedic treatment when I came to Rishikesh last August. But I knew I needed help to clean my system. And the time was perfect. It was slow season, and the clinic was quiet. The weather was perfect for a treatment – not too hot, with a bit of moisture in the air. I couldn’t believe that a panchakarma therapy could put Bindi back together again, but I was willing to give it a serious try. Not only that, but the treatments in India are probably 25% of the cost of undergoing the same therapy in the U.S. I had nothing to lose.

I followed the program religiously for ten days, getting scrubbed, pounded, oiled and steamed within and without. I drank large quantities of liquid ghee (ugh!) and stayed horizontal in my ashram room  much of the time, hardly able to even read a book. But I trusted and, as usual, I endured (a good thing about pitta body types - endurance and fortitude!). I cried, I sweated, I eliminated and purged, I LET GO.

After the treatment, I felt like a different person. I was renewed, uplifted, and positive-minded again. Dr. Shree prescribed three months of post-therapy herbs to purify my blood (yay for NEEM!) and my colon (TRIPHALA GUGGUL – a stronger form of triphala combined with a plant resin to better enter the tissues). I also used regular medicated oil on my body to keep my pitta fire down, and took BRAHMI (gotu kola) nightly to calm my nervous system. Both pitta and vata body types have highly sensitive nervous systems. I also took AMLA (natural vitamin C) in large quantities every day as an antioxidant and natural antiviral.

All side effects of lingering skin conditions disappeared over the next month. I returned to Europe, followed by the U.S., with a bigger spring in my step and glowing health. I repeated the detox this spring to go for a deeper layer of cleansing, which was successful. I have a new regimen to take home with me to grow continually stronger and healthier.

Mother India has given me gift after gift after gift. Over these last twelve years, not only did I learn to travel on a teeny shoestring, able survive on barely anything, I also hit the spiritual jackpot with the meeting of my guru, leading to an unshakeable inner peace. And just when I thought I’d gotten all the gold India might offer me, I hit a new mother lode of physical health: Ayurveda – the natural healer.

Remadevi, practitioner Anita, Erin

Going to India and need to heal, detox, or rejuvenate? Contact Dr. Shree directly via email or phone for inquiries or to set up an appointment. Tell him Erin referred you.

Dr. Shree Narayana Kurup

Green Ayurveda Center

Ram Jhula, Swargashram, Rishikesh

 (+91) 9675110050

Email: drshreen3@gmail.com

Erin Reese is a travel writer, intuitive consultant and guide based in San Francisco. She is the author of The Adventures of Bindi Girl: Diving Deep Into the Heart of India, available on Amazon.