The words “wellness resort” here in the U.S. might conjure a thought bubble of five-day silent retreats, bucolic getaways in the woods…a new beauty regimen delivered by experts, complete with treatments like botox and fillers. A 24k gold facial. Sports yoga. Basically, a less-than-spiritual or whole-body experience, with focus on the cosmetic and external (not that there’s anything wrong with that, it just is what it is). In some contexts, I hear the word “wellness” thrown around and cringe, because what does that mean, anyway? I’m skeptical of the word, and it’s not just because I’m the digital lead of a health brand.
For context: My inbox bursts, daily, with emails touting the unproven health benefits of new products and treatments, each claiming to be the secret elixir to a better life. Of course, there are scientifically proven things you can do to better your health (a nutrient-rich diet, moving your body as you are able, taking time to decompress, etc. etc.), but that’s just one part of the picture. And being “well” means something different to everyone.
Gopal, a beloved guest at Ananda.
I also get a decent amount of press invitations. In early 2023, I received one to visit Ananda in the Himalayas from Katherine Han Public Relations for a seven-day program, which I attended. Ananda’s press materials (and many articles written about it) showed a mysterious, celebrity-frequented luxury resort—and an opportunity to learn about components of ayurveda, a natural medical system that originated in India thousands of years ago. Johns Hopkins Medicine elaborates that ayurveda is “based on the idea that disease is due to an imbalance or stress in a person’s consciousness, Ayurveda encourages certain lifestyle interventions and natural therapies to regain a balance between the body, mind, spirit, and the environment.” The first thing I thought about when I heard this was the gut-brain connection (the brain has a direct effect on the stomach and intestines), which is certainly at play here. I had to experience what Ananda’s programs had to offer for myself.
The focus on ayurveda within the experience is what intrigued me the most, given that Prevention’s history is rooted in alternative medicine, and ayurveda is largely unstudied in the United States. I expected this to be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure for editors and health enthusiasts alike—one I felt extremely grateful to be a part of—but what I genuinely didn’t expect was the way Ananda captured a different kind of luxury. This affair included tailor-made service, impeccable ambiance, and gorgeous accommodations, but most importantly, it offered the luxury of having time to focus on essentially every aspect of your body with a holistic program guided by ayurvedic principles. This included trying new things (sometimes strange things!) and learning to sit quietly with myself.
I started my adventure in Ananda with a more physical understanding of fitness and wellness: You take care of your body, your body (to the best of its ability) takes care of you. Here, that’s not all…not even close. It’s about your mind/consciousness/energy (or prana) too. The mind and body are two sides of the same coin, and that’s what your experience is about at Ananda. The wellness programs there are all intended, whatever track you choose, to help you find connections between body and mind, or better understand them, and enjoy holistic treatments to help solve problems and promote balance. I quickly learned that Ananda is not about temporary fixes. Here’s what you should know about my time there.
The experience
Before I left for my trip, I completed a questionnaire about my health and attended a 1:1 Zoom meeting with one of Ananda’s senior in-house ayurvedic physicians, Dr. Naresh, who asked detailed questions about my personality, daily habits, and sensitivities. This helped him to eventually assign me a dominant dosha, of which there are three (vata, pitta, kapha). Doshas are energies within the body. In short, from my understanding, each person generally has one dominant dosha—and in order to live the healthiest life possible, you might need to adjust your daily habits to achieve better balance (for me, a vata, that was establishing a better sleeping and eating schedule, and leaning into meditation). I also expressed that better sleep, stress relief, and gut health were things that I’d like to focus on while visiting, and in my assessments, Dr. Naresh also found that these things would serve me well in their program.
I appreciated that Dr. Naresh asked me about any preexisting conditions that I might have, since ayurvedic treatments are not intended to interfere negatively with any treatments from Western medicine. *(If you do arrive with any conditions, or wishing to treat a specific condition, it’s important to understand your health history and consult your own physician for safety, as well as your Ananda physician, to see if these programs might be a good fit for you.)
After a long journey to the 100-acre grounds in Northern India, the gates of the former Palace Estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal opened to me. The scenery was ancient and beautiful, the air was sweet, and if you stopped to look a little harder at any one view, there was something hidden: A statue, a yogi, a hidden pavilion painted with turtles and lotus flowers, a long, winding staircase with the faces of Indian royalty young and old, a monkey, a glittering pool. I settled into garden-view accommodations, which offered stunning views of the valley below, the kitchen garden, ornamentals, and the Ganges river. I put on the soft cotton kurta pajamas provided to every guest, wondering if people really did wear these the entire stay (They did! I met so many people in pajamas!). It’s just one example of the attitude here. You can ditch the care around assembling outfits: It’s about how you feel, not how you look, and that’s something that’s quietly understood. I couldn’t remember the last time I lounged around in the morning to listen to nature. In this special case, it was a tree full of it—each branch magically sleeved with bright green, chirping parrots.
Once settled in, I met with Dr. Naresh in person to discuss my customized plan, a version of Ananda’s renewal track, which included seven days of massages, 1:1 work with a yoga expert, acupuncture and cupping, energy healing, a customized diet for my dosha, optional access to daily group activities, and other opportunities. It’s recommended you stick to your plan to get the most out of things, though depending on availability, Ananda is happy to accommodate a few switches.
Massage was an integral part of the program, and I had the opportunity to try many styles during my stay to help promote relaxation. One of the most interesting massages I had during the experience was Choornaswedana, which is commonly referred to as a “bundle massage” (the bundles are herbal/quite hot, and they are massaged into the body). This particular type of massage is said to help increase circulation and relieve muscle pain.
Chef Balodi giving a tour of the garden at Ananda in the Himalayas.
One of my favorite moments was with Chef Balodi, who indulged my gardening obsession with a visit to the kitchen garden to show me what the kitchen grows for their vata, pitta, and kapha guests. He allowed me to pick and smell a variety of the herbs grown in the garden and explained their medicinal uses too. I also had the opportunity to take a cooking class with him (which included one of my favorite dishes from our stay) and to take print-outs of those delicious recipes with me so I could make them for myself at home. I don’t technically have any dietary restrictions, but Chef Balodi said that he notes everyone’s dietary needs upon visiting Ananda, which is shared with the entire kitchen. This means Ananda not only serves customized food for vata, pitta, and kapha, but also customizes meals within those doshas as needed to make sure every guest is comfortable. As someone who also genuinely loves the work they do, it was easy to see that Chef Balodi was so passionate about his career. Enjoying all of the kitchen’s delicious foods on what I can only describe as a treehouse-like deck surrounded by lush scenery made it all the better.
I found the same positive experience with Anjul, who led me through my first encounters with yoga nidra (a deep state of relaxation while maintaining consciousness), and pranayama (breath technique/control) during my stay, and with my two acupuncture/cupping experiences with Dr. Uniyal, who specialized in acupuncture and cupping and gave me a treatment after examining my pulse, tongue, eyes, and ears for imbalanced energy. I asked him about his career, and it was incredible to learn how long he’d studied acupuncture and the people he’d met/been able to help with various ailments along the way. My experience with him led me to seek out acupuncture in the U.S. and recommend it to others and to my mom, who manages rheumatoid arthritis. Worth noting: Ananda incorporates other types of medicine beyond ayurveda in their programs, and staff explained to me that other forms of ancient medicine are welcomed in specific instances to support your wellness track.
I left the grounds only a few times. I went on an optional day hike (where, coincidentally, I was able to see Mussoorie, a town I’d visited as a teenager, from a mountaintop and adventure with some of the people we’d met on the property!), and also attended a guided trip to Rishikesh for the nightly Ganga Arati ceremony by the Ganges river. (At this bend of the Ganges, the water was rushing and bright, appearing almost electric turquoise in color. Paired with the robes of ceremony leaders and children from the local Parmarth Niketan Ashram, it looked like a painting).
Enjoying lemon ginger tea service in the morning.
Experiencing the Arati ceremony in Rishikesh with Katherine Han.
When I asked the professionals at Ananda whether folks really follow the principles they learn after they come home, the team (to my relief) expressed that their expectations are realistic: If you’re taking just a few habits with you in your daily life moving forward, you’re doing just fine. Months later, I am admittedly not following all of the recommendations I left with, and I knew in my heart this would be the case. I also still run and do CrossFit, despite ayurveda’s urging of a slower lifestyle (Yoga! Breathwork! Reducing Stimulants!), but I have managed to hold on to a variety of practices that serve me well, even months later.
The habits I’ve stuck with based on ayurvedic/Ananda’s leading principles and my dosha:
- Wake before sunrise
- Reduced my coffee intake (two cups daily vs…eight+ cups) Don’t judge meee….
- Eat before drinking coffee (reduction in chronic heartburn/gastro issues)
- Cook more hydrating, moisture-rich meals (better for hydration/dry skin)
- Cook more of my vegetables (easier for me to digest)
- Try to avoid eating too many acidic foods (for a reduction in heartburn/gastro issues) It’s hard because I love tomatoes and grapefruit!
- Seek out massages and acupuncture (when able)
- Try to eat earlier rather than late dinners so my stomach/body are not as active when I go to sleep
I didn’t expect to return home feeling strongly about ayurveda, and I’m certain I have plenty more to learn about its vast history, but I can confidently say that the small, ayurveda-led lifestyle changes I’ve made since returning have had a positive impact on my health. It surprised me. And I think about my experience at Ananda almost daily, especially when I’m making ginger tea with lemon in my coveted teapot (if you visit, you’ll know the one).
I was moved to have met so many smart, caring people—and made some lifelong friends from complete strangers (including Katherine!). People come here from all around the world for help (from endometriosis to infertility to anxiety management to emotional healing from cancer recovery), and I heard so many inspiring stories during my stay from guests. Some people also just visit to take a break from the stress of their careers and life at home to better connect with themselves.
The bottom line
It’s an investment, and a pricey one. But if you have the means to visit, or are seeking a once-in-a-lifetime experience, don’t sleep on it. People come here to heal and create lifelong habits with the help of experts, not just to feel “better” for a little while—and the M.D.-backed program gave me some powerful tools to consider in everyday life.
Have an incredible health (mental or physical!) travel adventure you’d like Prevention to know about/experience? Drop me a line at allie.early@hearst.com (IG: @itswaytooearly).
Prevention’s digital director has more than a decade of experience editing and strategizing for news and lifestyle publications such as Good Housekeeping, Time Out New York, Time Out New York Kids, Haute Living, and Forbes (previously writing for PureWow, Paste, xoJane, Men’s Fitness, House Beautiful, and Life by Daily Burn among others). She’s happiest when she’s elevating a great story with perfect packaging, digging into longform storytelling, or remixing the way we experience reported journalism.
