NIKHIL KAPUR
“Ayurveda for me is a complete science that deals with the physical, mental and emotional side of one's health.”
With over two decades of experience as a pioneering entrepreneur, Mr Nikhil Kapur an Ironman Tri-athlete is the Founder and Director of Atmantan Wellness Centre - a one-of-a-kind, luxury wellness clinic committed to transforming the body mind and soul through holistic practices.
Nikhil's passion for health and fitness has helped shape Atmantan into India’s Mecca of wellness.
Website: Atmantan
Instagram: @atmantan
“The moment I understood the simple daily routines and the initiatives that I could easily incorporate into my daily lifestyle, I found that following an Ayurveda way of life became second nature to me.'‘
What does Ayurveda mean to you?
Ayurveda for me is a complete science that deals with the physical, mental and emotional side of one's health. This is an in-depth study which takes into consideration the overall body and mind, and one where a personalised treatment approach is created, based on the understanding of the said biosystem!
When did you discover it? How long have you been practicing it?
As an Indian, even though I had heard of this early in life, I only started practicing certain aspects of it in my 20s and had since decided to incorporate it as one of the key offerings at Atmantan. At the conception of Atmantan, we started further researching this fabulous ancient Indian science and then the journey of a growing faith continued as I witnessed (and still do) the transformations of our guests who take part in the Ayurveda programme.
Personally, I have been partaking in Ayurveda Panchakarma since 2017. In fact, after my 3rd Panchakarma in Jan 2022, I am now planning a 3-week programme in March/ April ‘23. I realized last year that with the kind of stress we go through, a 2-week retreat wasn't enough for me to complete all the cleansing rituals.
What drew you to Ayurveda?
I was always inquisitive to know about drugless systems of medicine and this was when I got introduced to this ancient and holistic healing that originated in India! I then naturally started researching more about the science of Ayurveda.
Has it helped you with anything major?
It has helped me tremendously for:
Weight loss (fat loss)
Improved lipid levels
Improved skin health along with an inner glow
Enabled a proper gut cleanse, such that I became more perceptive of my appetite and was also able to digest foods easily.
Is Ayurveda part of your everyday life or just for your medicine cabinet or fall-back routine?
There is a branch of Ayurveda that deals with daily and seasonal routines; those are a part of my life. And while I don't take just any Ayurvedic medicines, I do have some of the ayurveda formulations from Atmantan Naturals as my daily supplement intake. Also, since Ayurveda is a way of life, I try to incorporate the diet recommendations and the rituals in my personal life too.
What are your top 3 Ayurvedic tips that have worked for you?
Go to bed early and rise and shine
Start the day with 2-3 glasses of normal water
Oil pulling with virgin coconut oil (I use the Atmantan VCO)
I follow a seasonal diet with food habits that best suit the changes in the season
What surprised you most about Ayurveda?
I was blown away by the sheer understanding of human body type in this science; this ancient healing modality deals with physical, mental, emotional and psychological attributes in the treatment protocols that are very result oriented when done right.
Did you integrate it gradually or overnight for any particular reason?
One can start at any point. For me, as a tri-athlete, a few of the Ayurvedic rituals like getting to bed early, starting my day with a litre plus of water and tongue cleaning were things I was anyway following. However, from the moment I immersed myself in my first retreat, I started integrating more and more of what I practised during the retreat into my daily life. Thus starting small or big doesn’t matter, as long as there is an intent of taking the best from this healing science.
Do your children/family eat an Ayurvedic diet? And if they do, do they know it’s Ayurveda or do they just think of it as home cooking?
Considering both my wife and I are followers of holistic wellness, we naturally have many aspects of the Ayurveda diet in our daily lives; As far as spreading the word goes, we definitely do speak about this a lot as many of our friends want to know what we eat etc. Sharing knowledge is key for us, on anything wellness, as this helps accelerate others on their journeys into health.
What is your favourite Ayurvedic recipe or go-to ingredient?
Using Turmeric as an ingredient. It is amazing how this is a staple in all our Indian recipes and can be also added to any cooked salads/ or rice preparations. Indeed my go-to!
How does Ayurveda fit into your day-to-day routines?
Ayurveda as it says is a way of living. The moment I understood the simple daily routines and the initiatives that I could easily incorporate into my daily lifestyle, I found that following an Ayurveda way of life became second nature to me. May it be living a more disciplined life, meditating, or even cleansing, it all seems to have higher reasoning for me now.
What do you wish was easier in our society to make an Ayurvedic lifestyle more accessible?
Many-a-times like health or wellness, Ayurveda is used loosely for anything ancient and this sometimes alienates people as they find the same incorrect or over commercial.
However, by:
Increasing awareness about the Ayurveda way of living
Using healing spices and herbs that are all easily available around us
Ensuring we use seasonal, natural, local and organic produce
Choosing to consume fresh home-cooked meals & avoiding junk foods and prepacked foods and instead
These are a few simple things we start with so our society gets the best of Ayurveda.
Do people around you/in your circle of friends know about Ayurveda?
Yes, most do. However, they would still not consider taking 2 weeks out for an annual Ayurveda programme, unlike the westerners who would come for a minimum of 2-3 weeks, if not more. I would say, we are sometimes still a tad clueless about the miracles of Ayurveda.
What’s the one thing you would encourage everyone to try or you think would benefit the majority of people’s health for the better?
I firmly believe that good health is a prerequisite for happiness. Hence I would tell everyone to make a conscious decision to take time out for their health, and in the bargain make the right decision for themselves. After all, over the long run, each step compounds our health!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Ayurveda as a science is becoming extremely relevant in these last few years, as people have finally realized that in this day of chronic and lifestyle diseases, we need ancient healing knowledge that is therapeutic, personalized, penetrating, and result driven. Ayurveda is all this and more.