All about Ayurveda
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'This will relax your mind,' said the therapist, as my forehead became awash with warm sesame oil from a hole in a brass bowl above my head. If this kind of thing gives you a buzz, you are not alone - Ayurveda, the 'knowledge of life', divined by the sages of ancient India some 5,000 years ago is now a popular treatment for anyone seeking a little relaxation.

In the 'Loving Hands' massage at European Ayur-Veda in Staffordshire, two therapists stroked me with gallons of hot luxurious sesame oil. I was rubbed down with cereal to exfoliate and steamed in lavender. Was I in detox or in heaven?

Ayurveda offers a simple antidote to the stress, fatigue and toxins of modern life. Detoxifying and nourishing through simple techniques of correct breathing and diet, yoga and meditation, it aims to create beauty from within. And by harmonising the three forces of nature or 'doshas', vata (air), pitta (fire) and kapha (earth), achieves balance and harmony. I left the centre with a wonderfully silky smooth skin.

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