Nirvana Nature Cure, Talegaon

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Nestled away from the noise and buzz of the city, Nirvana is a naturopathy-focused wellness centre. A drivable distance from Mumbai and Pune, this sprawling property with its lush green surroundings is the picture of tranquillity. Somehow, the centre has managed to strike that delicate balance between nature and the luxurious comfort that we city-dwellers have come to expect.

Here’s what we experienced during our stay at Nirvana.

Healing… from the word go

The moment you enter the premises, you know that you’re at a place where people take their work seriously. We checked in around 10am and, after filling a form at the reception, we were promptly ushered in for consultation with the in-house doctor. Soon we realised that we had a packed schedule for the day, so the staff wanted us to get started pronto.

We met Dr S Subhash, a naturopath who also specializes in Ayurveda. The health consultation was pretty elaborate, with a lot of pauses and pensive moments thrown in – not the speedy ‘token’ health check that we’ve come to expect at some places!

At the end of the consultation though, Dr Subhash didn’t say much; he simply wrote down an exhaustive prescription for therapies that we had to go through that day. Initially his paucity of words felt a bit strange but we soon understood that he is a man of few words but his command over his area of expertise is impressive.

As the therapies began, both of us began to make a mental list of all the health queries we needed to ask Dr Subhash at our follow up meeting the next day. We found, to our delight, that he was a lot more communicative during our follow up consultation, responding to all our queries patiently and to our satisfaction.

Settling into the routine

Apart from the quality of professional guidance and counselling, what we loved about Nirvana is the ease with which one settles into a healthy routine. If you’re struggling to make that transition to a healthy lifestyle, this place can help you bring yourself on track.

A typical day at the centre starts at around 5 in the morning, with yogic kriyas under the guidance of Ravi Dewal, a lively yoga teacher. If this sounds intimidating, rest assured  that it’s quite a breeze to adjust to the routine once you’re here. Ravi was quite a resourceful and knowledgeable teacher of yoga and his recommendations for kriyas are personalised based on your body type and health conditions/ailments, if any.

As yoga enthusiasts, these early morning sessions were among the highlights of our stay, but there’s a lot more to the place.

The therapies — the USP

Your therapies begin after a light breakfast. We were treated to Swedish massages, water enemas, mud packs, hot stone massages, hydrotherapy, salt scrubs and also a soak in turmeric and rice flour water among other things. We felt pampered for sure, but above all, it was therapeutic.

Most of the day is interspersed with therapies, rest, meditation, yoga, wholesome organic meals, juices, and a follow-up with your therapist before you retire for the night. By the end of day one, we were already feeling a difference, in body and mind. Oh, did we mention the sunset yoga sessions held outdoors? These were pure bliss!

Despite the fact that Nirvana is a state of the art centre with every modern comfort, it is imbibed with a warmth and welcoming atmosphere that makes you feel at home. From our experience, we’d say it’s the therapists and staff who give it this personal and welcoming touch.

The therapists aren’t just skilled at administering fantastic massages; they know how to put you at ease and make you feel comfortable. We learned later that they are all adequately qualified with a proper understanding of therapies. Not surprisingly, the massages were among the best we’ve had so far.

The ambience of the therapy room and the high levels of hygiene made us feel safe and relaxed. The massage oils used are of the highest quality, made with organic natural ingredients only.

During our chat with the founder Mr Paresh Parekh, we also learned that the mud for the mud bath and other treatments is excavated exclusively for Nirvana’s therapies from sites that are rich in minerals and natural salts. Parekh, we observed, is passionate about delivering the best of naturopathy and wellness at affordable costs.

Beyond naturopathy

While the primary focus remains therapies based on naturopathy, Nirvana also has a gym, a yoga room and a well-equipped physiotherapy centre under a trained physiotherapist. The lush green lawns invite you to walk with your bare feet, a practice called “earthing” which is known to provide several benefits to your body and mind. Or you could simply sit under the shade of one of the many trees in the premises.

You could also try your hand at gardening—a large part of the sprawling property is dedicated solely to the cultivation of organic produce. The gardeners inspired us to go home and try growing my little kitchen garden. For now, we have decided to stick to growing herbs, as they’re easier to manage.

We didn’t try out the other activities, but if you’re up for it, you can also enjoy sports like football, cricket, and table tennis, as well as indoor games of chess and pool.

Sustainability with luxury

When you go on a wellness retreat, a good accommodation is paramount. Nirvana puts you up in beautifully designed cottages that are at once down-to-earth and luxurious. The interiors are tasteful, with a blend of rustic charm and modern design. What is impressive is that in spite of an overarching importance given to sustainability—achieved by following eco-friendly practices—there is no compromise on luxury and comfort of the guests. Nirvana proves that living sustainably and in communion with nature doesn’t mean having to tough it out.

Eating for health

The food at Nirvana is a key component of its offering. Whatever you eat at their vegan restaurant Indriya is aligned with naturopathic principles. As is the case with every service at Nirvana, there’s plenty of thought that goes into your meals and your diet is personalised by the doctor as per your body type and health condition. The guiding principle is to serve alkaline foods and minimise or exclude acidic ones.

You might find the first couple of days challenging especially because many of the staples of Indian cuisine such as wheat, rice, night shade vegetables, tea, and coffee are excluded. But patience is richly rewarded because, by the third day you’ll begin to notice the beneficial effects. Which is why a minimum of three-day stay in necessary if you want your retreat to be worthwhile. Besides, when you go on a detox, withdrawal symptoms like headaches and lethargy can be hard to cope with. However, it’s a lot easier when the doctor and therapists stay on the premises.

A word of caution for any fussy eaters out there. The chefs will adhere to your doctor’s prescription like the Holy Grail. So, if you have any allergies or if you do not like specific foods, make sure to inform the doctor during your consultation.

Do a holistic detox

There are no real restrictions at Nirvana, with the exception of your dietary choices. You’ll still have all the luxuries and comforts you could ask for, including flat screen TVs in your room. You’ll also be allowed to keep your mobile phones with you and use it whenever you feel like. However, to get the most of the experience it’s best if you resist the temptation to switch on the TV. Better still, switch off your mobile phones too. A digital detox is just as helpful and perhaps one the most important aspects of an effective retreat.

We recommend that you dive into the various activities and socialise with the other guests. We had the good fortune of interacting with a few guests, some of whom were repeat visitors; others were undergoing treatment for lifestyle diseases like diabetes and stroke; there were those who wished to lose weight in a natural way; there was also a guest recuperating from cancer! You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can learn and be inspired just from a little friendly chatter!

To summarise then, if you want to heal from the enormous physical and emotional stresses of modern living, try a retreat at Nirvana. Not only will you come back feeling rejuvenated inside-out, you will likely leave behind some harmful habits and pick up a few healthy ones.

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Yes, we all know everything about water. Haven’t we been learning about it since we were little kids in school? However, you’ll be surprised to find the number of people who have come to me with problems that stem from not drinking water.

Dehydration affects our body in many ways, all of them bad.

Are you making the same mistake like this teen?

In a very drastic case, I once had a 17-year-old boy who was chronically constipated, had hyperacidity, and acne. He said he couldn’t drink plain water, barely managed half a glass a day, but was very happy to report that his overall liquid consumption was very high. He proudly informed me that he was consuming three and half litres of liquid a day. When my eyebrows shot up, he clarified that he had two litres of some aerated drinks, four cups of tea and three to four cups of coffee, apart from the odd glass of wine. I tried my best to explain that when the body needs to be hydrated, the best liquid is water. The caffeine in coffee, tea, and the aerated drinks was actually dehydrating instead of hydrating his system. He refused to drink plain water, so I put him on a therapeutic decoction of mint, parsley, ginger, lime, and honey, all added to three litres of water. He loved the taste, saw the difference it made to his bowel movement, skin and general health, and now says he has been converted for life.

What your body goes through without water

Water is one of the most important things that a human body needs to survive. So much so that your body actually has a drought management system, which prevents dehydration and hence ensures your survival. Water makes up more than two-thirds of human body weight, and without it, we would die in three to four days. Dehydration is one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue.

Water makes up more than two-thirds of human body weight, and without it, we would die in three to four days

Water acts as a lubricant in digestion and almost all the other body processes that take place daily. It also lubricates our joints and cartilages resulting in fluid movement. When dehydrated, the body rations water away from the joints, which means greater friction and aches of joint, knee, and back, which leads to injuries and arthritis. Water helps our bodies remove toxins in many different ways like it flushes toxins and waste from the body through urination and perspiration, it also helps in reducing constipation and aids in bowel movements, which ensures that waste removal is done quickly and regularly lest it becomes poisonous. This waste build-up can occur in the body if dehydration becomes a regular occurrence and this can cause headaches, toxicity, and illness.

Water therapy or hydrotherapy is treating an ailment with any form of water. Hot water, cold water, steam or water imbued with the therapeutic goodness of herbs, spices, fruits, and even condiments. While detoxifying or fasting, it is essential to drink more water so that the body can be cleansed of all the toxins that have accumulated.

Therapeutic water: The DIY kit

Making your own therapeutic water at home is very easy. Just remember to use a clean glass bottle and if you are going to be travelling with it, please put the bottle in a jute or cloth bag… your wine bottle bags will come to good use now!

To make your own therapeutic water, go through the chart below to identity your health condition and to decide on the ingredients you will need. Then simply add the ingredients to a litre of water, and let them soak in the water for an hour before starting to drink the water.

My advice would be to make just one litre of the therapeutic water. Drink from mid-morning till 7 pm. Keep adding fresh water to the bottle as it comes to an end. This way you will also be able to keep a tab on how much water you have had throughout the day.

It’s surprisingly simple but it works! Consuming therapeutic water daily is like the rich chocolate icing on a super yummy cake. It will not only remind you of drinking water daily, but also keep you in top shape! Remember, without good health, all your work will go down the drain.

Don’t forget to store your therapeutic water in a clean glass bottle and carry it along everywhere you go.

Excerpted with permission from Kitchen Clinic by Charmaine D’souza published by Random House.

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Though a menace when touched, stinging nettle has been used since ancient times as an alternative medicine for various ailments. It is believed that cooking, boiling or even drying inactivates the toxic venom and renders it safe for consumption. The young plants are also consumed in various parts of Europe and are known to be highly nutritious as they are rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phenols and other naturally occurring antioxidants. Traditionally, different types of concoctions were made with the leaves, stem or roots and taken as tea or used as a tincture to treat urinary tract infections, joint problems or even seasonal allergies.

While handling the plant

Those who live in areas where stinging nettle grows and would like to harvest it, make sure to wear long sleeves and gloves or use tongs when handling these plants. Be warned that touching or accidentally brushing against the stinging nettle will cause a tingling sensation with pain and inflammation at the point of contact that can last for some time. This is due to the sting from the tiny hairs present on the plant that inject plant venom, believed by chemists to be a mixture of acetylcholine, histamine and serotonin. If you do get stung, you can wash the area with soap then take an over–the-counter anti-histamine tablet to reduce the severity of the sting. Or try natural methods like using mashed plantain leaves or a paste of baking powder in water.

If using as an ingredient in your kitchen

For culinary use, the young leaves and tender shoot should be harvested before it starts to flower, as naturopaths believe that the older plants are rich in oxalic acid which may cause kidney stones. Once plucked, they should be washed to remove any surface dirt or grime, pressure cooked [or boiled in water] first, then cut and put into dals and sabjis. You could also make a soup from it like any other green leafy vegetable. The iron content of the nettle is not readily absorbed by the body, but can be beneficial when eaten with a source of vitamin C like a dash of lime, an orange or a glass of lemonade. The Nepalese call stinging nettle as sishnu. Sishnu ko tarkari and shishnu soup are popular dishes in Nepal where it is sold in the local market along with other greens and vegetables. And that’s not all, there’s some exciting news for all wine connoisseurs as in Nepal it is even made into and sold as wine! In the West, people use the boiled leaves in a variety of dishes including salads, pizzas, soups, pastas and pestos.

When consuming it as pills or tea

If you aren’t lucky enough to get fresh nettle, you could buy it in the form of capsules, tablets, dried powders or tea bags, which are available online and in some health stores in India. It is mainly used as a medicinal herb in this form to treat various ailments from urinary tract infections, allergies, joint problems, skin problems, gout and kidney stones. Nettle tea can be made by boiling the dried nettle leaves in water, then straining and having as such or with some lemon, a few sprigs of mint and some honey. If you want a stronger concoction, simply boil a little longer. Large quantities can be made and refrigerated which can be used over three to four days.

Like most herbs, there are little or no scientific studies on the medicinal benefits of the plant and hence it is not widely used. Even the manufacturers of the commercial products in India tend to put out a statutory warning that the claims are not approved by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration in the United States]. Do make sure that your physician is aware of what you are taking.

Using it in your kitchen garden

Stinging nettle is also great as a fertiliser and can be used as green manure. A kind of bokashi mix [those familiar with gardening will know that it is a Japanese term for fermented organic matter which is used as a fertiliser] can be made by putting the leaves in a big bin of water and letting it rot for a week. The liquid then can be diluted and used to water the plants while the remaining solid waste can be used as compost matter.

This was first published in the December 2015 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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We know that people need different amounts of sleep, both from person to person and from age to age. A child certainly requires more sleep than an older person. You also require different amounts of sleep depending on what is going on in your life. For example, your body requires more sleep to recuperate after an illness or trauma and less sleep if you are living a peaceful and tranquil life.

A certain amount of sleep is needed every night for your brain to sort out its activities. When the brain is in this sleep it can be easily identified by an onlooker, through the rapid eye movements that can be observed. This is known as REM sleep and is the most important type of sleep that the human body requires. The body requires rest, not always sleep but your brain most definitely requires a certain amount of sleep every night.

Do you know how much sleep you need each night?

From a naturopathic viewpoint, most body disorders are due to the various substances we put in our body by way of the food we eat, the drinks we take and the air we breathe. Sleep problems are no exception to this rule.

When we talk about food and sleep, one of the first things that must be considered is the time at which you eat, rather than what you eat, although the food that you eat is also as crucial.

We have conditioned ourselves to eat food by habit, with breakfast, lunch and dinner at prearranged times, regardless of whether we are hungry or not. Some of us are also finding our dinner time becoming later and later in the night.

Most medics, of all disciplines, will tell you that it is not advisable to eat after 6pm, the logic being that your digestive system works best whilst standing rather than lying down. Naturopathy too, strongly advocates avoiding meals after it turns dark, as this is the time your body starts to wind down for sleeping. Having large meals late at night means that during the time that you wish to sleep, your digestive tract is fully engaged in the digesting of your food and the breakdown of your food into usable parts. All your organs of waste elimination are at full power, gurgling and bubbling away. Vegetarians, as a rule, tend to have fewer problems with sleep disorders relating to food, than non-vegetarians.

Some of the basic rules for eating foods are particularly important for your last meal of the day such as:

• Don’t eat a big meal
• Watch the foods you combine with other foods
• Eat fruits first
• Do not eat too many carbohydrates
• Chew all your food well before swallowing
• Have a short walk or light exercise after eating.
• Do not drink water with food as this dilutes the stomach acids.

Turn to specific things you eat and drink to help you sleep better. By far the best is a cup of chamomile tea, about an hour before your bedtime. What you eat on a regular basis will affect not just your sleep but also your overall health. So by following a good healthy diet you can be assured of regular sleep.

The main chemical that your brain produces to help you sleep is melatonin and it is produced in absolute darkness or lack of light. So during the evening, switch off all unnecessary lights as this helps your body produce melatonin naturally. A little tip here to help you sleep better is to prepare your bed well before you have to go to it, so that you do not need to turn on any more lights than are absolutely necessary when you finally retire.

A very important rule for good sleep is to cut out caffeine. Caffeine can cause sleep problems up to 10 – 12 hours after drinking it. Therefore avoid drinking any drinks containing caffeine after lunch and cut back your overall intake, especially if you are experiencing sleeping problems.

If you must eat close to bedtime, it should just be a light snack which contains tryptophan. Since this is the basic material that the brain uses to build melatonin. The good news is, adding certain foods can increase your odds to a successful slumber.

To help you sleep better your grocery list should include

Cottage cheese, cheese, milk, soy milk, tofu, soybean nuts, honey, almonds, banana, seafood, whole grains, beans, rice, oatmeal, hummus, lentils, hazelnuts, peanuts, avocado, eggs, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, papaya, mushrooms and grapefruit.

The above foods could help you snooze better; however there are foods that can trigger sleep disturbances. Compounds like caffeine found in coffee would sabotage sleep since we consume coffee as a stimulant. Unfortunately, for people who have a sweet tooth it is essential to break the news that chocolate and most soft drinks [including diet soft drinks] have substantial amounts of caffeine. One of the worst is, paradoxically, alcohol. It might help you sleep for a short while and then keep you awake mainly due to the dehydration effect it has. Eliminating these foods from your evening meal routine is recommended for improved sleep.

Sleep bandits to avoid

Alcohol, nicotine, fatty or spicy foods, tomatoes, potatoes, salt and onions. For some of us, it won’t be possible to completely eliminate these, but have them in minimal amounts, especially at dinner time.

Do not spend time glaring at your night stand clock and contemplating all the things you did wrong in the day that are interrupting your sleep at night. Simply add and avoid from the above list of foods, and make good sleep a habit.

A version of this article was first published in the January 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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