Finding the Right Herb Shop There are tons of herb shops in India, but the trick is to know which ones will sell you the best medicine and how to find them in a country…
Authentic Pancha Karma Treatment in Kerala
In the heavily touristed areas of southern Kerala, the insincere and exaggerated claims put forth by many less scrupulous practitioners can be an exhausting distraction when looking for authentic Ayurvedic care. Everywhere one turns, it…
India’s Deep South: Varkala Beach and Trivandrum
Before I headed south to Kerala from Bombay, a part-time musician and full-time lover of cannabinoids I know told me that the state was like the Hawai’i of India, and he urged me to try the…
Don’t Believe Everything You Think
Varkala Beach and adjoining Papanasam Beach are places that inspire the faithful. Each morning while the fishing boats are still beyond the break, worshipers gather to offer puja, or worship, at the edge of the…
A Few Days in India’s Wayanad Disrict
After suffering through an Ayurvedic treatment that not only required me to adhere to a limited diet but also to restrict my exercise to gentle walking for several weeks, I was ready to get out and…
Amban Heritage House Lunch—Kannur, Kerala
During my stay at Amban Guest House in Kannur, Kerala, I had the pleasure of Mrs. Shayana’s tutelage during her preparation of a typical Keralan lunch: fresh fried fish, fish sauce, Sambar dal, and a…
The Treatment: Sneha Paana
After a week on the prescribed diet, it was time for the main treatment: Sneha Paana, or ingestion of medicated ghee. Typically, ghee drinking is a form of oleation therapy undertaken in preparation for panchakarma,…
The Re-Set Diet
With my blood work panel showing everything as normal, Dr. Rajah explained that there were three phases to his treatment. Phase 1 was the preparatory diet in which the digestive fire, or agni, would be…
When the Patient is Ready, the Vaidya Will Appear
Arya Vaida Sala might have been a bust, but I was optimistic about my plan to meet with a doctor I will call Dr. Rajah (Malalayam for “king”), a well known and highly regarded doctor of…
Arya Vaidya Sala Kottakal
One of the most well known and highly regarded Ayurvedic institutions in all of Kerala and throughout India, Arya Vaidya Sala Ayurvedic Hospital & Research Centre was my first choice in seeking treatment. In addition…