How Ayurveda Went Mainstream

Its the genius science behind new meals, travel retreats and self-help books. WH delves into the dosha downlow.

- Alix O'Neill

Your morning hot water with lemon? That turmeric latte fix? Just two trends that, while feeling fresh, stem from the 5000-year-old practice of Ayurveda. And, to be honest, it’s huge: #ayurveda gets about one million snaps on Instagram, while its ancient Eastern sister-habit, yoga, has gone from niche to normal. Ayurveda retreats are the new travel escapes, and you could fill a library with the latest books bringing past Eastern wisdom to modern Westerners. “Ayurveda was born out of deep meditation practised by Vedic sages [known as rishis], who were in search of peace and enlightenment about the secrets of eternal well-being,” explains Ayurvedic practitioner Geeta Vara. Keen to reap the health rewards? First, you need to get across the body types essential to Ayurvedic thinking – not apples and pears, but doshas.

But the big question? Is knowing your dosha DNA any more useful than knowing you’re a quick-witted Gemini? Yes, says Dr Deepa Apté, director of London-based spa and academy Ayurveda Pura, because while you’re born with a dominant dosha, this can change over time based on the way you live. Let’s say you’re a pitta-kapha body type, but you have to work long hours and it messes with your sleep. This will increase your vata elements – all well and good for someone with a vata dosha, but it will throw you off balance. “The aim of Ayurveda is to recalibrate your body and way of living back to its default setting – to tip the balance back towards your original basic body type,” says Apté. By incorporating more pitta-kapha principles into your routine – such as walking in nature or clearing away clutter – you can get that balance back. Yeah, it’s a lot to digest.

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