YO1 Wellness Is Shangri-La

Yo1 Wellness

Find your bliss and heal yourselfat this Ayurvedic paradise, just anhour and a half from the city.

Set on 1,300 acres of forest in the Catskills and overlookingthe picturesque Lake Anawana, YO1 Wellness is sheer

perfection. Designed for individuals, who want to truly

embark on a path to lifelong wellness, every detail of your stay is thoughtfully crafted. Siddhartha Pahwa, the wonderful YO1 CEO, who I now adore for creating this oasis, emphasized that YO1 is not a "spa". It is an all-inclusive wellness center focused on helping up achieve a healthy, stress-free life balance.

There is no dilly dallying or lying about during your visit.
 At YO1, your stay is all about your complete wellness with an individualized program to meet your specific health concerns. Upon arrival, you are equipped with a water bottle and whisked off to meet with a team of ayurvedic experts to discuss your health needs. From treatments to diet, your stay is tailored to maximize your health, long after your stay at YO1. With a wide rray of stress relieving and therapeuticmassages, acupuncture and yoga classes combined withyummy three-course vegetarian meals twice daily, everythingthat ails you is addressed in a relaxing and beautiful setting.

The day begins early with Kriyas,

which are yogic cleansing techniques, at 6:30am. The cleanses include eye cleansing with Tripala, nose cleaning with a neti pot, warm coconut in your ears and nose and breathing

exercises.There is also a vomiting stepin the cleansing. However, most guests passed on that. You are gifted with your neti pot and your eye cups, so I have incorporated this practice into my daily routine at home.

Following the yogic cleansing, allguests can attend a morning yoga

session. I was a yoga rookie, but I amnow hooked.

My teacher Anastasia was so caring

and attentive that I wish I could have her come to my house every morning. She taught me very basic stretches that I do in the morning and throughout my day now.

My specially prescribed treatments included a mud pack, which was applied to my eyes and abdomen for detoxification, two aqua yoga classes, a ayurvedic foot massagefor the ankle, a full body ayurvedic

massage with oil drip, and two

acupuncture sessions.

The center is equipped with a

juice bar so that guests can have juices between meals and therapy sessions. There is food served after dinner and no snacking as the center advocates intermittent fasting. I have also been trying to continue this practice at home. But it gets tough when I work 18-hour days! I do, however, feel much better when I don't eat after 8pm. 


There are two gorgeous jacuzzis, a pool and a sauna for your convenience though you are pretty busy. It was below zero when I visited. But in nice weather, you can also take nature walks on the grounds.

From prescribed treatments to diet, your stay at YO1 is tailored to maximize

your health and wellness long after your visit. My stay produced miraculous results. Upon arrival I had severe ankle pain due to having sprained it and not doing the requisite physical therapy. I was also sluggish and carrying extra weight due to a sugar addiction. After just one day, with the wonderful Yo1 therapists, my ankle remained pain free for two weeks and I am still – a month later – not eating or even craving added sugar! I have maintained a 10-lb weight loss and am attempting to drop even more with the tips that I learned at the center…after just ONE DAY! I plan to go back soon and I dream of one day checking in for a full month and fully healing my mind, body and Soul.