Tucked in the Catskill mountains, among the pine tree-filled forests and surrounding lakes, is the wellness center, YO1 Health Resort. It’s a scenic view worthy of a photograph but nothing compares to seeing it in real life. I spent three days there and it felt more like a week! Somehow, time has dramatically slowed down…in the best way.
Thinking about booking a stay at YO1 or just curious to know more? In this post, you’ll find everything you need to know before visiting this wellness center, from what makes their treatments different, the food served, and my overall thoughts.
Inside the Wellness Center, YO1 Health Resort
This wellness center is all about holistic wellness based on ancient Indian practices and natural healing. At the 1,300-acre property, there are 131 guest rooms, 36 massage therapy rooms, seven yoga rooms, six mud therapy rooms, a fitness center, indoor pool, and nature trails. I heard about this place through my friend who had went twice before and found it life-changing.
We were invited to visit with a small group and went from Friday to Sunday. It was perfect timing for a long, restful weekend! I packed one carry-on luggage and a tote bag with my outdoorsy clothes and a cosmetics bag with skincare essentials.
The name of the place comes from “Yovan” in Sanskrit, which is pronounced like YO1 and means “youth”. It’s just a two-hour drive from home in New York City but feels like a world away.
The Ayurvedic Way
On the first day, we each had a consultation with an Ayurveda counselor. They went over our health history and goals for the visit, which made it more personal and impactful. Some go to treat pain such as arthritis, while others simply just want to relax. I went to relieve stress, and ease the tension around my neck from computer overload.
“Ayurveda is the science of life itself. It’s not simply medicine, it focuses on prevention rather than the cure.”
—Muralidharan Ramalingam, Ayurveda Counselor, YO1 Health Resort
Ayurveda is a powerful 5,000-year-old healing system derived from India. It’s said that everyone has three doshas, aka biological energies found throughout the human body and mind.
Either you’re a Vata, Pitta, Kapha, or a mix.
Ayurveda counselor Muralidharan Ramalingam read my pulse, then I answered a series of questions. This led to discovering my dosha as Pitta, which reflects fire and water.
Knowing the dosha of each guest helps the wellness center make customized itineraries. They curate everything — from the treatments, food, and smoothies (they say having four a day is best!). Our schedules began around 6:30am each morning, followed by treatments, lunch, and dinner in-between (juice was recommended for breakfast instead of a full meal).
Spotlight on Naturopathy
At the YO1 Health Resort, I heard the word “naturopathy” in conversations constantly. After dinner every evening, we went to a lecture and got schooled in wellness.
On Saturday, the topic was naturopathy, a form of alternative medicine involving various holistic therapies. This includes self-healing practices such as maintaining a healthy diet, fasting, hydrotherapy, and chromotherapy.
I met with naturopathy counselor Naveen Sharma to learn more, and he recommended a few therapies for me. I took his advice and tried a deep tissue massage to relieve muscle knots and a mud bath to increase circulation and improve skin tone. In addition, I tried acupuncture, a hot stone massage, and reflexology.
Naturopathy ties into Ayurveda as noted by Sharma, who talked about the five elements that make up our being:
- Ether
- Air
- Fire
- Earth
- Water
In a nutshell, the goal is to keep these five elements balanced by making healthy lifestyle choices like eating well, sleeping on a normal schedule, and getting exercise on a regular basis.
Speaking of food, the wellness center offered three-course vegetarian meals each day, that always started with a honey lemon water. Next, there’s soup (my favorite was the red lentil soup with rice, blended with a trinity of onion, celery, and carrots with a micro pea garnish on top), followed by a salad, and main course.
If you go, definitely try the mezze platter with slices of pita bread, hummus, red bell peppers, and eggplant. It’s so good and fresh!
For the Love of Yoga
A major part of the YO1 Health Resort is yoga. At home, I take classes sporadically, one here and another there from time to time. But after the wake up call from this weekend, I’m aiming to practice it regularly.
Early morning yoga is best to kick off the day.
Something as simple as a tree pose can improve stability, concentration, and balance, not to mention it improves awareness and strengthens legs.
I go running pretty often but don’t stretch nearly enough. Yoga is said to really make a difference. One of my favorite classes on Friday was yoga nidra, a guided meditation focusing on rest and relaxation.
My Overall Thoughts on the Wellness Center
Truth is, every time I leave the city for more than a couple of days, I get a bit restless. But if it’s anything I learned, it’s that taking a break to focus on wellness is necessary.
It’s all about finding that balance between work and rest.
Ayurveda, after all, emphasizes on preventing health issues before they arise.
I was especially shocked to hear the effects that lack of proper sleep can bring (memory loss, diabetes, decreased cognitive function, and more). Ramalingam suggested going to bed at 10pm each night and waking up before 6am. Although I can’t promise myself that I’ll be sticking to this schedule perfectly, but I’m definitely going to try my best.
All in all, the YO1 Health Resort was a dream thanks to the scenic Catskills view, treatments, friendly staff, and healthy food.
The trip was relaxing, and all the memories from this wellness center are motivating to continue the practices into my daily routine.
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