Ayurveda: Getting acquainted with the wonders of ancient Indian medicine

When one speaks of natural systems of medicine, concepts like Ayurveda aren’t always top of mind for many South Africans, however, one brand is looking to change that.

Known as the herbal expert, 93-year-old brand Himalaya recently hosted selected media, influencers, and other special guests for a Wellness Day highlighting their hero products. 

The brand is synonymous with gentle, safe, and efficacious herbal products containing rare herbs collected from the foothills of the Himalayas. 

Hosted at the scenic Woodlands Spa in Muldersdrift, the event was a first for the brand in Africa.

The event, MC’d by wellness influencer Mpoomy Ledwaba, was also aimed at imparting knowledge on the philosophy of Ayurveda – a natural system of medicine that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago.

Mind

Ledwaba then introduced the day’s guest speaker Dr Ashiyanah Singh – who is also Himalaya’s National Training Facilitator and Technical Advisor – to share her knowledge as an expert on Ayurverdic practices. 

Originating from two Sanskrit words, “Ayus” (life) and “Veda” (science), Ayurveda is an ancient healing system originating in the Indian subcontinent that relies on herbs for maintaining good health. 

“We are excited to introduce more people to this life-changing system that allows people to understand their bodies better, and also be able to choose appropriate products based on this knowledge,” said Dr Singh.

According to Dr Singh, the underlying belief that drives Ayurveda is that holistic health is achieved through an understanding of how to achieve a balance between the mind, body and spirit.

The brand operates with a mission to contemporize Ayurveda by combining the best of Ayurveda with years of dedicated medical research. 

Spirit

After the educational session with Dr Singh, guests were treated to yoga class led by notable yogi and co-founder of The Nest Space, Banesa Tsiki.

Tsiki calmly guided guests through a beginner-friendly set of yoga movements setting the tone for the rest of the day. 

Body

The yoga session was followed by spa treatments facilitated by experienced therapists from The Woodlands Spa. 

“We curated this experience to create an authentic connection between our intended consumers and our brand. Since our products were created with Ayurvedic practices in mind, we prioritise balance above all else, and this is especially true with our product formulations. We aim to promote holistic health with everything that we do,” commented Himalaya Country Marketing Lead, Pharma and Personal Care for South Africa, Jacquelyn Paterson.

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