Ayurvedic Practitioner

Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner

Hi, I'm Ioana!
I'm a certified Ayurvedic Practitioner with a Bachelor degree in Ayurvedic Medicine from The European Institute for Scientific Research in Ayurveda, The Hague since 2019. 
My specialization is digestive issues:
IBS, bloating, acid reflux, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, abdominal cramps, weight gain/loss, food intolerances, tiredness and low energy.
Also I am a certified Massage Therapist since 2014.

The vision of an ayurvedic practitioner

Health is our greatest asset.   And health and healing starts with you.   So my vision is to share with you the rich wisdom of ancient Ayurveda in easy and practical ways, adaptable to today's modern lifestyle.

My mission and my deep desire is to inspire you to discover the lifelong habits that bring you to the most vibrant version of yourself so that you can lead a happy, balanced and fulfilled life. As an Ayurvedic practitioner my approach is holistic, adressing the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels.

How I became an Ayurvedic practitioner in Amsterdam

Born and raised in the heart of Transylvania, living in synchronicity with nature was the only way I knew for my first 18 years of life. That meant growing our own food, eating with the seasons, collecting medicinal plants from the Carpathian forests and making our own healing teas, syrups, tinctures and balms. So many of my lifestyle routines and dietary habits were naturally ‘ayurvedic’.

While my high-powered architecture days saw me designing high-end sustainable houses during the week, and seeking the adrenaline rush of rock-climbing and mountain biking in the weekends...

I felt I lost that contact with the ebb and flow of nature and my gifts. I gained 10 extra kg of weight, migraines where hitting every few days and would make me creep in bed, shutting down the curtains. I felt bloated, bowels movements were skipping days and I was loosing so much hair that I could make a ping pong ball after each shower. My emotions where on a rollercoaster, more often then not heading downwards.

At the same time I had this strong pull towards a more fulfilling life purpose in natural healthcare that was already fast becoming part of my personal development and spiritual growth. So I dropped the ball, closed my architecture design company and headed west by bike, only to end up in India.

And India spelled it's magic on me: with vibrant colors, the gold and the glitter, the incense scents, the Bollywood music, the flavorful food I knew deep down I would come back.

After pursuing in 2014 my interest in a wide range of holistic massage techniques and phytotherapy, my appetite was still not satiated. Through regular massage therapy, blending traditional thai massage (Nuad Bo'Rarn style), Deep Tissue, Trigger points, Swedish Massage and Foot Reflexology I was getting amazing results with my clients: reduced pain by 60% to 100 %, increased range of movement, deeper sleep, deeper breath and deeper relaxation... However, for long-lasting results I realized I needed to work with the root cause of the pain. 

Inspired by a 3 week introductory course on Ayurveda in Mysore, India, I went on to qualify in 2019 with a BSc in Ayurvedic Medicine from The European Institute for Scientific Research in Ayurveda, The Hague. These formal studies were complemented by seminars with Dr Vasant Lad, Dr Robert Svoboda, dr Alaknanda Rao and Dr Vijith Sasidhar.  Loving the vibrancy of Indian food and culture, the 4 internships I've done in different Ayurvedic clinics in India brought depths for my knowledge and hands on clinical experience.

It's been nearly 12 years since I hit that bottom point with my health. Since then I've discovered Ayurveda and by following it's guidelines I've lost 8 kg with ease, I now have a friendly relationship with food and derive so much joy from cooking and eating nutritious, fresh, seasonal foods. I feel that cause I am energetic, lively and bubbly 95% of the days of my cycle! My menstruation is now symptom free, reminding me each month that the way I care for my body is supportive.

The Vedas teach that one can only transform another or transmit a teaching to the extent they themselves have practiced it. This path has led me to extraordinary places and extraordinary teachers.

Ayurveda encourages us to go beyond the nourishment of our physical self so we may gently rewire unhealthy behaviors and mental patterns - allowing us to experience a deeply embodied state of being.

Me behind the scenes

• My Ayurvedic constitution: Pitta-Kapha
• I strive to embody the Ayurvedic teachings in my daily life
• My comfort food: kitchari
• I love the outdoors: hiking, ski touring or just a walk in the dunes here in the Netherlands
• I'm am avid reader! Books on health, longevity, mentrual cycle, self help books, biographies.