Ruth Ostrow

Several years ago I spent two weeks in India on a yoga and study retreat. We were fed a diet based on the principles of Indian medicine or Ayurveda. Ayurveda alongside Chinese medicine is one of the oldest medical sciences and respected in the West for prolonging longevity.

I was a shy child who blushed easily. But blush isn’t really the right word for it. Blush implies a sort of gentle sweep of fetching pink that might kiss the cheeks in a moment of giggly embarrassment and make one resemble a flower. That is not what would happen to me.

It was day three when I decided to seek help. I had finally admitted the situation was beyond my capacity to manage. I’d dropped down in weight by several kilos because of a lack of appetite, was emotionally drained from lack of sleep and unable to concentrate.