Udvartana is the brisk one: dry herbal powder instead of oil, worked upwards over the body against the direction of the hair. It wakes the skin, moves the lymph and leaves you feeling lighter and warmer. It is my first choice when someone feels heavy, sluggish or puffy.
What Udvartana is
I rub a warm paste or dry powder of ground herbs and flours over the whole body with firm, upward strokes. The friction warms the tissue and the powder draws out excess moisture and oil from the skin. At the end I brush the powder off; the rest rinses off at home. It is more energetic than Abhyanga and you feel the difference the same day: skin that tingles, lighter limbs, a clearer head.
Where it comes from
In Ayurveda Udvartana is one of the treatments for reducing kapha, the quality of heaviness, dampness and slowness. The classical texts describe it for firming the body, improving the complexion and stimulating a sluggish metabolism. It is traditionally used in spring, the kapha season, and as part of weight-management programmes. Sushruta describes udvartana among the treatments that reduce excess fat and firm the body [1]; Vagbhata gives it a place in the daily routine for the same reasons [2].
What it is for
What people come to me for:
- Feeling heavy, sluggish or bloated
- Water retention and puffiness
- Cellulite and loose skin
- A slow metabolism, especially in spring
- Cold hands and feet, poor circulation
- Low mood that comes with low energy
I know of no clinical trial of udvartana itself. What follows is classical practice and my own experience; the US National Institutes of Health summarises the state of research on Ayurveda as a whole [3].
How often to come
This depends on why you come. These are the rhythms I suggest most often; we settle on yours at the intake.
| If you come for | I suggest |
|---|
| Weight, cellulite, water retention | A course of five to seven sessions, one or two a week |
| Seasonal reset in spring | Three sessions over three weeks |
| Maintenance | Once a month |
| Alternating with Abhyanga | Udvartana one visit, Abhyanga the next, two weeks apart |
What to combine it with
Treatments that work well alongside it:
- Abhyanga on alternate visits, so the skin is both stimulated and nourished
- A short sound healing afterwards if the briskness leaves you wired (€55)
- An Ayurvedic consultation first if weight or digestion is the main concern
And at home, in the days around the treatment:
- A light, warm diet with less dairy, sugar, fried food and bread while you are in a course
- Warming spices: ginger, black pepper, cumin, turmeric
- Hot water or ginger tea through the day
- A daily walk, ideally in the morning
Practical
90 minutes, €155. Monday to Friday and some Saturdays at my practice in the centre of Amsterdam. I brush the powder off at the end; bring something comfortable to go home in.
- Eat lightly, and nothing heavy in the ninety minutes before.
- Tell me beforehand about pain, injuries, pregnancy or conditions you are being treated for.
- Keep the rest of the day easy if you can. The body is warm and open, so a hat helps on cold days.
When not to book
Better to wait, or to choose another treatment, with:
- Very dry or sensitive skin
- Rashes, sunburnt or broken skin
- Dust allergy or asthma
- A fever
- Pregnancy
Ask me if you are unsure.
Afterwards
Rinse off at home under a warm shower, water only. Drink warm water. You can eat normally; keep it light and warm that day.
Booking
Before a first treatment I suggest an Ayurvedic consultation of forty minutes for €90, so I know which oil and which treatment fit you. If you already know what you want, write to me or book directly.
Before a first visit, read the preparation notes and contraindications and the cancellation and rescheduling policy.
References
Numbers in square brackets in the text point to the entries below. Journal references are given in the National Library of Medicine style; each was checked against the Crossref and PubMed registries.
- Srikantha Murthy KR, translator. Susruta Samhita. Vol. 2. Varanasi: Chaukhambha Orientalia; 2004. Chikitsasthana, chapter 24 (Anagatabadha Pratishedha): abhyanga and udvartana as preventive care.
- Srikantha Murthy KR, translator. Vagbhata’s Astanga Hrdayam. Vol. 1. Varanasi: Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy; 2004. Sutrasthana, chapter 2 (Dinacharya): daily oil massage of the body, head, ears and feet.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Ayurvedic medicine: in depth. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. [NCCIH]
The frequencies and combinations above are my general advice from practice, not medical treatment. If you are being treated for a condition, tell your doctor and tell me.