Eastern Wisdom for Western Wellbeing

Over the years I have enjoyed yoga and meditation as part of my daily routine, and I have also spent time in India studying with Vaidyas (Ayurvedic practitioners) to get a better understanding of what many in the West would consider esoteric nonsense. I undertook two Panchakarmas – month-long Ayurvedic detoxes far removed from any detox we know in the West. These experiences led me to open my own pop-up cafe called East by West, London’s first Ayurvedic restaurant. In the run-up to Christmas, we served hot bowls of dal, lightly spiced desserts and chai teas to cold and curious customers. The food was embraced by everyone – from businessmen to fashionistas, curious foodies to tourists. They loved that I had removed overwhelming choice from their lives for a moment and that they could enjoy simple, delicious Ayurveda-inspired food. At long last, Londoners came to understand that newly popular steaming mugs of ‘turmeric latte’ are in fact Golden Milk, an ancient nourishing drink, and the now-ubiquitous energy balls are based on the traditional Ayurvedic sweets called ladoos.