At a health and wellness centre in the Sahyadris, Sunday mid-day found the true secret to a gut detox
Paneer pasanda
No tea or coffee and no Instagram are the rules echoing in our heads. How is this going to work out? We have checked in at Atmantan, a luxury wellness retreat near Pune, looking out at the Mulshi River, surrounded by the Sahyadri mountain range, and have opted for the gut detox programme. With internet access limited to WiFi in the rooms, and no caffeine, the programme is designed keeping your health reports and ailments in mind. And it’s a toughie but a goodie, as we learn later.
ADVERTISEMENT
But we digress. Our gut’s a mess, we tell the doctor candidly. Gas, bloating, general sensitivity to processed food, and always feeling full and uncomfortable have now become the norm. The doctor, Dr Mansha Sulthana, tells us that while no miracles can be promised, a three-day reset may just put us on the right path. We begin the first day with Laghu Shankha Prakshalana (LSP), a yogic practice that involves drinking lukewarm saline water and performing a series of yoga poses to cleanse the gastrointestinal tract. It’s tough—drinking salt water isn’t easy. The gag reflex ensures we take time to complete the process, but it does cleanse us out.
Grain-free pizza and ratatouille
After a few trips to the bathroom, we instantly feel lighter, but then a headache comes marching in. It worsens due to the lack of caffeine, but we soldier on. Like they say, darr ke aage jeet hai. A siesta and a cracker of a massage (the Atmantan signature is a mix of Thai, deep tissue and hot stone therapy) later, we feel almost human again. This is when we start paying attention to our meals.
Here, meal times are surreal. There are no phones or TV to distract you, and your only view is of the river flowing through the mountains. It forces you to eat mindfully and actually savour what you eat. Here is where we learn the first rule of gut health—eat your salad first. In Indian households, salad is eaten as a part of the meal, something you bite into between naan and paneer morsels. However, the doctors at Atmantan tell us, if you eat the salad first, the high fibre content helps regulate digestion, keep you feeling full, and can help slow down the absorption of carbohydrates from the rest of your meal—essentially, it preps your digestive system before heavier foods. The difference is instant. We are more inclined to eat smaller portions of the main course after eating a salad.
Raw banana and coconut powder rotis with mixed vegetables and palak sabzi. PICS/AASTHA ATRAY BANAN
The following rule is that a probiotic has to be combined with a prebiotic, or it won’t be effective. So, that bowl of curd, a probiotic (good bacteria), is only valid when combined with a prebiotic (food for said bacteria). Prebiotics include inulin, a sticky fibre in foods such as okra and sweet potato. But you can take a supplement as well.
The third important lesson we learnt is how a simple ingredient swap can benefit your gut health. They have swapped grain flour at the centre for flours like coconut and raw banana. Instead of potato koftas, they have beetroot koftas. We enjoyed delicious satvik food: pumpkin shorba, a grain-free pizza, a vegan paneer lababdar, and oats khichdi—and we are never left feeling hungry. The smaller portions, eaten correctly and cooked with fibre-rich ingredients, helped with satiety. The meals were interspersed with coconut water, chaas, hibiscus tea, and wheatgrass powder shots.
On the last day, our headache has vanished, even though we had been caffeine-free for three days. Our minds were relaxed, as we had scrolled through the phone almost 90 per cent less than on other days. And our gut felt light and airy. As we returned to the hustle, we knew that slipping away would be easy. Instead, we restocked the kitchen with the right ingredients and have been giving the phone its timely rest now. We have finally decided to listen to our gut.
Satvik guide to clean eating
For delicious, satvik recipes and food wisdom, check out these books to get you started
The Gut by Payal Kothari explores the crucial link between gut health, immunity, and mental wellbeing. It reveals how a balanced gut can heal ailments like acidity, obesity and brain fog while boosting cognitive function and emotional health. With modern lifestyles weakening our gut, the book offers practical ways to restore balance through the right foods and stress management.
Packed with stories, illustrations, and activities, The Satvic Revolution unveils seven transforming habits that blend ancient wisdom with modern science to help you achieve peak health, mental clarity and lasting joy. Drawing from their own healing journey, authors Subah and Harshvardhan Saraf share practical, engaging, and life-changing insights for a healthier, more balanced life.
The Sattvik Kitchen and Sattvik Cooking by renowned yoga and wellness expert Dr Hansaji Yogendra unveils the profound connection between Ayurveda and healthy living. These insightful guides delves into satvik food practices, helping you understand your body’s response to food while integrating ancient remedies for modern health challenges. A holistic approach to nutrition empowers you to eat mindfully for a healthier, longer life.
Authored by Anupama Shukla, a bureaucrat with a passion for holistic healing, Satvik Foods of India gives it newfound significance, offering more than 70 delicious satvik recipes from across India. It dispels the myth that healthy food is bland while guiding readers on the deep connection between nutrition and well-being, ideal for those embarking on a journey to wellness through mindful eating.
South Indian cuisine is renowned for its diverse, light and flavourful meals, sharing common elements across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Satvik South Indian cuisine by Aum Shanthi explores each region bringing out unique flavours, focusing on balanced, nutritious meals without onion or garlic, using wholesome ingredients like rice, dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and fresh coconut.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
