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The Mangosteen Resort is the only authentic Ayurveda Spa Resort in Phuket. The resort’s certified Ayurveda Doctor, Subhash A. Shanbhag has created a unique and very relaxing program for the Mangosteen’s guests.

Ayurveda is however not only a system of healing, but an entire way of life that aims to bring about the perfect balance of the entire personality - body, mind and spirit. Ayurveda is based on theory of “Tridosha”, the three Biological forces - Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Disease arises when there is an imbalance among the three Doshas and aim of the therapy is to bring about the required equilibrium.

We are what we eat – Agni (Digestive Fire) plays an important role in the manifestation of various disorders. If your Agni is in a balanced state then metabolic activities throughout the body will be fine and all other systems of the body will function in harmony. So the main consideration is given to correct your digestive fire along with three biological factors – Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Your holistic journey needs to focus on a healthy diet.

All treatments begin with a detailed consultation with a Doctor Subhash. He determines your “dosha” and other parameters of your body based upon Ayurvedic examination principles and prescribes the treatments most appropriate for your body needs. The Ayurveda Spa not only heals your body but also your mind and soul through its authentic Ayurvedic therapies, spiritual practices, yoga and meditation.

From general detoxification and rejuvenation programs the Mangosteen also provides customized treatments and cures as Ayurveda has solutions for almost all disorders. Your experience will be everlasting as you learn the art of self healing and healthy living.

The introduction of Ayurveda into a modern lifestyle combines ancient ingredients and age-old procedures. From the sublime to the mundane, each treatment offers guests a sacred space to calm the mind and ease the soul.

Specific Spa Treatments

Abhyangam (Traditional Ayurvedic Massage) is a 60-minute procedure whereby you are rejuvenated and revitalized by traditional Indian massage. Warm herbal oils, depending on your dosha type, are used to massage you using long rhythmic strokes, which loosen accumulated toxins in the tissues. This is followed by a steam bath to remove those toxins and other metabolic wastes, increasing tissue strength, the production of antibodies, improving blood circulation, and then exfoliating with green gram powder removing dead skin cells thereby enhancing the skin’s complexion, creating an electro-chemical balance in the body.

Then there’s the Takradhara treatment, which is buttermilk with various cooling herbs poured on the forehead, which alleviates anxieties, insomnia, and migraines and is good for people suffering from skin ailments.

Njavara Kizhi (Rice Pouch Therapy) consists of scrubbing warm boluses, prepared with herbs, milk, rice and other grains over your entire body using specific strokes. It improves blood circulation and muscle tone, strengthens digestion and restores vigor to all your body tissues. It is beneficial in degenerative conditions and can help the body rebuild muscular tissues. It is traditionally used for many neurological and neuromuscular disorders.
Healthy, fresh and delicious cuisine

A famous Sanskrit quotation from the ancient Vedas says “Annam Bramheti Vyajanat” meaning “Food is a Creator”. This means that we living beings are creation of food, which clearly indicates that “We are what we eat”.

As we have evolved, things have become more and more refined, the natural processes of food growth, storage and cooking have been replaced with unnatural methods & various chemicals being used, which lead to low-quality foods low in nutrients & other supplements resulting in weak immune systems and different lifestyle disorders in people.

Ayurveda cuisine tries to use the natural elements in food to assist the body in its day-to-day processes without placing unnecessary strain on major metabolic organs while simultaneously building the body’s own natural strength.

Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to health that looks closely at the effects of diet and other lifestyle factors on your physical, mental and spiritual well-being. According to the Ayurvedic system, there is no single diet that is right for everyone. The food you eat has either a balancing or aggravating effect on your body, depending on your constitutional type, or dosha.

Ayurveda & Six Tastes

In Ayurvedic cuisine, food is classified by the effect it has on our body. There are six primary tastes in Ayurvedic cuisine, each representing different types of foods that play individual roles in balancing your dosha. Sweet tastes have a strengthening effect, sour tastes stimulate the digestive system, salty tastes maintain your water and electrolyte balance, pungent tastes improve digestion and absorption of nutrients, astringent tastes also help with absorption and bitter taste stimulates all other tastes. Understanding them and how they relate to our individual constitution can help us make better choices to promote and maintain health.

According to Ayurveda, we are born with a unique constitution, which is an individual combination of the three doshas, or principles that govern the function of our bodies on the physical, mental and emotional levels. These three energies are Vata, Pitta & Kapha. Disease is caused by an imbalance of any of the doshas and by the presence of ama, or toxic food byproducts (foods which are not digested) According to Ayurveda, the best preventive medicine and support of the natural healing process is a diet & lifestyle specific to the constitutional needs of the individual.

Ayurvedic cuisine has been designed on detox meals that combine all six tastes, keeping in mind incompatible food combination which can alkalize the body, stimulate circulation, purify the blood and drain your lymphatic system, resulting in a lighter, energetic metabolism.

The main aim is to supply your body & major metabolic organs with natural nutrients from organic vegetables & foods removing toxins, allowing thde body to focus on self healing, with the goal being to raise energy levels, stimulate digestive health, remove bloating, avoid allergies, regain our natural ability to ward off cold & flu, prevent premature aging and disease.

For an Ayurvedic detox diet to work best, you need to eat more of the bitter, pungent and astringent tastes while reducing sweet, sour and salty tastes -- the three tastes we normally crave. Our Ayurvedic cuisine has been designed keeping in mind the balance between six tastes giving more preference to first three tastes.

Ayurveda also encourages the use of herbs and aromatic spices, which are also considered medicinal substances. To create a balanced mix of all tastes our Ayurvedic cuisine is also infused with all these herbs & spices such as cumin, coriander, ginger, asafoetida, turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, clove and cardamom which helps to maintain digestive fire (agni) and the entire GI tract. Toxins that accumulate from improperly digested food are reduced by the effect of these spices & herbs.

Dr Subhash also recommends drinking hot water or detoxifying tea throughout the day to flush toxins out of your body. Drinking plain hot water is good for maximum hydration and cleansing.

Incompatible Foods

According to Ayurveda texts certain foods are healthy when consumed alone but when taken in combination with other foods they generate harmful chemicals in the body.

Such as:
* Avoid taking milk or yogurt with sour or citrus fruits.
* Avoid eating fruits together with potatoes or other starchy foods. Fructose (and other sugars) is digested quickly, whereas starch takes quite some time. In this case the sugar would not be properly digested.
* Avoid eating melons and grains together. Melons digest quickly whereas grains take more time. This combination will upset the stomach. Melons should be eaten alone or left alone.

Honey should never be cooked. Honey digests slowly when cooked and the molecules become a non-homogenized glue which adheres to mucous membranes and clogs subtle channels, producing toxins. Uncooked honey is nectar. Cooked honey is poison.

Do not eat meat protein and milk protein together. Meat is heating and milk is cooling so they counteract one another, disturb agni and produce ama.

Milk and melons should not be eaten together. Both are cooling, but milk is laxative and melon is diuretic, and milk requires more time for digestion. Moreover the action of hydrochloric acid in the stomach causes the milk to curdle. For this reason Ayurveda advises against taking milk with sour fruits, yogurt, sour cream, cheese, and fish.
In order to stimulate appetite one can chew and eat 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger with a pinch of rock salt before each meal.

Ayurveda insists that iced water should not be drunk during or after a meal as it slows agni and digestion. Small sips of warm water taken during the meal serves to aid digestion. While eating one should properly masticate the food in order to soften it and ensure that it is thoroughly mixed with saliva. If desired, one can finish a meal by drinking a glass of “Takram”. This can be made by blending four teaspoons of yogurt with two pinches of ginger and cumin powder in one cup of water.

When eating, only one third of the capacity of the stomach should be filled with food, one third with liquid and one third should be left empty. This will aid in proper digestion and also promotes mental clarity.

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