Fed up with conventional health and beauty treatments that don’t work? Then why not give the Ayurvedic approach a go…
If you haven’t already heard of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian holistic philosophy for well-being, you’re almost certain to soon.
Its name derives from the Sanskrit words ayur – life and veda – knowledge.
The beauty-enhancing benefits of this 2,500-year-old way of life have already convinced the likes of Madonna, Demi Moore and Cindy Crawford.
Ayurveda is not merely skin deep. It is a way of living a more balanced life.
Founder of the Bharti-Vyas Holistic centre in London, Bharti Vyas, says: “Beauty on the outside begins on the inside. We don’t claim to work miracles but do promise long lasting results.”
A consultation with holistic beautician Bharti Vyas herself costs just £35 and consist of an hour long assessment.
Your diet, lifestyle and mood are all looked at before you undergo a physical examination.
“All treatments take into consideration the holistic – or whole body”, explains Bharti.
Often herbal medicine, aromatherapy, massage treatments, yoga and dietary guidance are prescribed.
After the consultation you will be given a home routine plan, which can include using Ayurvedic face washes and moisturisers and taking herbal supplements everyday.
Following the first session you are advised to come back two weeks later for your progress to be assessed.
Sarah Stokes, a 24-year-old recruitment consultant, had had enough of her problem skin so went along to see Bharti.
Two weeks after her first consultation she had definitely noticed a difference: “My complexion was looking brighter and I felt as though I had more energy”, she says.
“The second consultation is free – which is definitely a bargain”, she explains.
When Sarah went back after two weeks Bharti was pleased with her progress and agreed her skin was looking a lot brighter.
The next step for Sarah was Auricular Therapy – it’s like acupuncture but concentrates only on the ear.
“It balances the body. The needles work on the nerve endings in the ear and aim to rebalance the whole body”, explains Bharti.
The best bit about the Bharti-Vyas Centre is its treatments are ongoing. You carry on seeing Bharti until you feel you have improved or got rid of whatever you went along to change.
If you have any concerns of worries about any aspect of your treatment or feel your home routine isn’t working, you can call Bharti and talk to her or one of the other trained beauticians at the centre.
“I feel and look so much better already and it’s only been four weeks – who knows how I’ll look and feel in a few months time!” says Sarah.
Founder of the Hale Clinic in London, the head office for the Ayurvedic Medical Association, Teresa Hale, is regarded as one of the worlds leading ‘health visionaries’.
Like the Bharti-Vyas holistic centre the Hale Clinic has numerous Ayurvedic therapists on hand to deal with all you health and beauty problems.
It also has a client list boasting the likes of Jerry Hall and Kate Winslett, so it’s well worth checking out.
Kirsty Davis, a regular visitor to the Hale Clinic can’t recommend it enough: “Ayurvedic treatments are definitely the way forward, I don’t know what I’d do with out!”
Holistic centres great for all manner of beauty and health problems from troubled skin, to getting rid of unwanted lines and wrinkles to shedding excess pounds.
Ranging anywhere between £20 and £300, the treatments aren’t cheap, but it’s well worth giving it ago.
