The quote, “With great power comes great responsibility,” aptly sums up the extra baggage of stress and concern that comes as part of every top corporate job. It is a well-known fact that a byproduct of this stress is numerous lifestyle disease.
Many have found an answer to stress and lifestyle diseases in alternate therapies. Alternative medicine is also waking up and trying to tap into this niche section by tailor-making exclusive packages for them.
It has been a hectic year for executive director of the travel conglomerate Bird Group Ankur Bhatia, but he makes sure to check into an ayurveda centre for a wellness holiday after every few months to keep lifestyle diseases at bay. “Wellness is a priority. It’s not just about the goodness of ayurvedic treatments, but such a retreat takes you away from the daily ruckus of business life,” he says.
Similarly, Divya Gurwara, chief executive officer of Bridal Asia swears by ayurveda for de-stressing. “Work can get stressful. Ayurvedic treatments help to connect the body and mind. Popping pills is not always a solution. Though there are other alternate therapies, I am hooked to ayurvedic treatments and take them regularly,” she explains.
Kairali Ayurvedic Healing Resort in Pallakkad offers a four-to-10 day tailor-made private programme for CEOs. Besides four hand oil rubs and ayurvedic diet, on offer are private yoga therapy, meditation sessions and a life coach to help guests during the stay.
Meditation coach at Kairali Ayurvedic Healing Resort Caspar Ingham says, “We all know how challenging it is to run a business—filled with pressure cooker situations. Yoga, meditation and ayurveda help improve concentration and empower an individual to make him or her more productive. Also the meditation programmes offer mind-training tools that help business heads in decision-making.”
Yoga and meditation sessions, organic diet and a few days away from technology help them unwind besides the oil rubs and treatments.
According to ayurveda centres, the most common problems that CEOs complain about and seek treatment for are stress, anxiety, hypertension, high blood pressure, RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury), back problems, arthritis and also addictions. Most of these are lifestyle related diseases. Besides there are those who want to check-out holistic living.
“Some of the common problems are stress, headache, neck or back problems. They also often complain of insomnia and suffer from low energy. Though it depends on the ailments and condition, ayurvedic massages go a long way in healing these ailments,” says Dayananda RD, senior physician at the SwaSwara, wellness resort in Gokarna, Karnataka.
LIQUID CURE
■ TAILA DHARA: Warm medicated oil is poured in a continually flowing single stream over the body which improves circulation in muscles and lubricates the joints thus helping relieve complaints of deep-seated muscle stiffness, arthritis, osteoarthritis, sciatica, spondylosis and other musculo-skeletal and neurological problems.
■ KSHEERA DHARA: Medicated milk is poured on the body in a systematic fashion for specified time. It nourishes and moistens the skin and enhances complexion. Reduces excess body heat and soothes both body and mind.
■ SHIRO DHARA: This procedure involves pouring of medicated oil on the forehead in a continuous and uniform stream after a gentle head massage. It helps in curing disorders of the nervous system, spondylosis, sensory and motor loss of any part of the body, insomnia, chronic headaches or migraines, diseases related to the organs above the shoulder, induce mental calmness, relaxes both body and mind, and nourishes the sense organs.
■ TAKRA DHARA: It involves pouring of medicated buttermilk with herbal decoction on forehead in a continuous and uniform stream.