I He lived in a flat in Chiswick, west London, and worked as a clinical researcher at a biotechnology company. I am researching anti-infective drugs, and previously conducted research on the following topics: Helicobacter pyloriHe also contributed to the development of a treatment for hepatitis B, a bacterium that causes gastric ulcers. Due to my busy lifestyle, I was unable to attend regular yoga classes, so I booked a vacation on an Ayurvedic retreat in Sri Lanka (says Dr. Julie Dent, 65.).
It was incredible. I did yoga and had all these weird treatments like massages with stimulating oils and herbs. When I went back to work, everyone said, “You’re amazing.” That sparked my interest in Ayurvedic medicine. I I thought there must be something to this.
Dr. Julie Dent, founder of Clovermill
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
The literal translation of Ayurveda is the science of life. It is a medical and preventive medical system that aims to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature. Not just physical health, but mental health as well. A colleague told me I should go on an Ayurvedic retreat in the UK. I said nothing. I jokingly said they should install it. As soon as the word came out, I thought it was a great idea.
My colleague and I created a business plan. She was very good with numbers. We arranged a loan, but then she changed her mind about starting a business and I wasn’t sure I could go it alone. I told my girlfriends, “I don’t know how to run a business.” They pointed out that when I was running the hepatitis B project, the annual budget was £25 million. they gave me confidence.
The retreat is on the border of Herefordshire and Worcestershire
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
I sold my flat in 2008 and came across Clover Mill on the border of Herefordshire and Worcestershire. An idyllic setting set on 11 acres up a long trail. There was a black-and-white house from the 1600s, an empty 19th-century factory, and a dilapidated barn. There is a lake with weeping willow trees. The Malvern Hills can be seen in the distance. No other properties found.
I paid £690,000 for the property and served notice at work. Ayurveda is so steeped in quantum physics that it doesn’t feel detached from science. If you dig into it, it’s incredibly complex. This is an entire medical system that explains everything from the mental to the physical to how to prevent disease. It’s deeper than getting a medical degree.
One of the guest lodges
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
Inside the guest lodge
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
We hired Chris Axon of Craft Architects. We built 5 ecolodges (now there are 6). Since there were eight types of bats in the factory, they had to negotiate with the authorities to convert an old barn into a bat hotel. This allowed us to renovate the factory. The top floor is now a yoga studio. Below there are treatment rooms, changing rooms, reception and a steam room.
We installed biomass boilers, boreholes and sewage treatment plants. It took two years to plan, two years to renovate and cost £750,000. I managed the build on the project and ordered all the nails.
Clover Mill retreats include yoga sessions, meditation, breathing exercises, talks, cooking sessions, and Ayurvedic cuisine
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
I returned to Sri Lanka to take an intensive course in Ayurveda. I met Sunita Passi, an Ayurvedic medicine expert and trainer. She trained our massage therapist and was my mentor from the beginning.
It opened on Easter 2013. I learned on the job with trepidation, but after about a year, I was fully booked. The retreat includes yoga sessions, meditation, breathing exercises, talks, cooking sessions, Ayurvedic meals, and more. All dishes are freshly prepared using herbs and spices that aid digestion. Ayurveda believes that prana, the energy in food, can be obtained by preparing it fresh in a nice atmosphere. We cook with love.
• Is the King’s interest in Ayurveda a healthy one?
The King and Queen recently visited an Ayurvedic retreat in India
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
We started a gut retreat focused on improving the gut microbiome. I used to be a microbiologist, so I understand the gut microbiome and find it interesting. My day in the lab was spent analyzing fecal samples, just looking for pathogens like salmonella, campylobacter, and parasites. The resident flora was ignored. On the other hand, what we are currently interested in is the resident bacterial flora. There is evidence that the more diverse your microbiome, the better your immune system. To achieve this, you need a diverse diet. Eating 30 different plant-based foods per week.
People objected that it was not possible to cook fresh food every day. But how many hours do you spend scrolling on your phone while chopping vegetables?
Dent’s Cottage
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
Ayurveda basically describes the gut microbiome, which is incredible considering it was written 4,000 years ago. The term gut health is all the rage right now, but we were ahead of the curve. Ayurveda says that diseases arise from indigestion and emotions. Bugs in your gut affect your emotions. People say the gut is your second brain. I think that’s the first brain.
Breathing techniques also have an effect on the intestines. We are always in fight or flight mode. In the old days, the body was on guard against saber-toothed cats. Now, when we receive a distressing email, those same chemicals flood our bodies as if our lives were in danger. Your body is not ready to digest food. In Ayurveda, the practice is to sit quietly, concentrate on the food, and smell the food. It’s all about getting your body into a state of parasympathetic relaxation where it feels safe enough to eat. This will also improve the flora. Massage with oils and herbs improves the skin’s microbiome. Bugs love the oil on our skin, but many of us just scrub it away with unpleasant chemicals.
dent’s living room
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
Living an Ayurvedic lifestyle while running a business can help keep stress at bay. However, I decided to sell Clover Mill. I’m 65 years old. It was an honor to build a home here to take care of my parents. I was a caregiver for several years. That meant my trip was curtailed. I feel the time is now. I’ve been doing this for 12 years and feel this business is ready for new owners to continue and possibly expand.
It’s very profitable. Currently, we only host guests for about 90 nights a year. My turnover is around £250,000 and I make a 50% profit after expenses and paying my staff (6 therapists, 4 of whom are qualified yoga teachers and a chef). But if you do this as a full-time job, you can scale it up. Most of my retreats have 6-9 people. Build 3 shepherd’s huts to host 9 to 15 guests and increase your income by 50%. Sales can exceed 500,000.
Factory stairs after renovation
Nick Clark Co., Ltd.
At least a third of our guests are repeat guests. All the staff want to continue here. So I hope I can find someone to take over the retreat business. All of our regular guests say, “No, there’s no way we’re closing. Where are we going?” so we definitely want to continue. There is a woman who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. She was 78 years old and was able to walk down five flights of stairs without stopping after three days. She is a complete convert. I think we need a place like this.
Ayurveda has answers to many of our current health problems. My first career was in the development of allopathic (pharmaceutical) drugs. Symptomatic medicines are especially effective against life-threatening acute diseases and some chronic diseases. However, many techniques in modern Western medicine have their origins and inspiration in Ayurveda. For example, stress management through Ayurvedic breathing techniques, meditation, and yoga are now recommended by general practitioners. In an ideal world, Ayurveda would be used in conjunction with Western medicine.
It changed my health. It’s also really helped me understand myself and other people personally and will probably make me much kinder. I want to convey the message of Ayurveda to this country. I would like to continue the retreat. It would make me the happiest I’ve ever been.
Clover Mill is on the market for £2.95 million. theclovermill.com
