English-speaking expats on the Costa Blanca can now book an Ayurveda consultation in Altea — dosha assessment, personalised diet, and a written lifestyle plan, all in English.
In Brief
An Ayurveda consultation in English on the Costa Blanca includes a full dosha assessment, a personalised diet plan using local Mediterranean foods, and a written lifestyle summary — all in one 150 EUR session with Ty Stevenson in Altea. Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of natural medicine, complementary to conventional care. WHO and NCCIH recognise its holistic approach.
The WHO recognises traditional medicine, including Ayurveda, as an important part of global healthcare and has established the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India.
Source: WHO, Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine
According to the NCCIH, Ayurveda is one of the world's oldest medical systems, originating in India over 3,000 years ago, and incorporates diet, herbal remedies, exercise, meditation, and lifestyle changes.
Source: NCCIH, Ayurvedic Medicine
If you have retired to the Costa Blanca and are looking for an Ayurveda consultation in English, you no longer have to travel to Madrid or London. Altea Alchemy offers one-to-one Ayurvedic consultations in English from our practice in Altea, on the Costa Blanca. Each session is €150 per session and includes a full dosha assessment, a personalised diet plan, and a written summary of lifestyle recommendations you can apply the same day.
Ayurveda is a 5,000-year-old system of medicine from India that looks at the whole person — body, mind, digestion, sleep, and daily habits — rather than treating symptoms in isolation. According to the NCCIH, Ayurveda incorporates diet, herbal remedies, exercise, meditation, and lifestyle changes, and is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. For expats and retirees who want a more preventative approach to their health, it offers a practical framework. You do not need to be vegetarian or familiar with Sanskrit to benefit.
Understanding Your Dosha: The Foundation of Ayurveda
The three doshas — Vata, Pitta, and Kapha — are the energy types that describe how your body and mind tend to function. Most people are a combination of two, with one dominant, and knowing yours is the starting point for every Ayurvedic recommendation because what suits a Vata type will aggravate a Kapha type.
- • **Vata** governs movement — circulation, breathing, nerve impulses. Vata types tend to be lean, quick, creative, and prone to dryness, anxiety, and cold hands and feet when out of balance.
- • **Pitta** governs digestion and metabolism. Pitta types are often medium-built, focused, and driven, but can experience acid reflux, skin inflammation, and irritability when aggravated.
- • **Kapha** governs structure and lubrication. Kapha types are typically solid, calm, and steady, but can gain weight easily, feel sluggish, or struggle with congestion when imbalanced.
During your consultation, we assess your dosha through a detailed conversation about your physical tendencies, digestion, sleep, energy levels, and emotional temperament. This is not a quiz — it is a guided discussion that takes the full hour and draws on questions an online test cannot ask.
What to Expect During Your Consultation
Your consultation is a one-hour, English-language session at our practice in Altea that produces a written summary of your dosha result, a personalised diet plan, and lifestyle adjustments specific to you. The session is unhurried and private. You can read more about the service on our Ayurveda consultations page.
The hour breaks down roughly as follows: we begin with your current concerns and health history, move through a dosha assessment, discuss your diet and daily routine, and finish with concrete recommendations. By the end you receive a written summary covering your dosha result, a tailored diet plan, and lifestyle adjustments specific to you.
- • A full dosha assessment based on your physical and emotional patterns
- • A personalised diet plan listing foods that balance your constitution and foods to reduce
- • A written summary document you keep — no need to remember everything from the session
- • Practical lifestyle recommendations for sleep, digestion, and daily routine
The written summary is the part most clients value most. Having your plan on paper means you can refer back to it weeks later, share it with a partner, or bring it to a follow-up session.
Ayurvedic Diet Guidance for Life on the Costa Blanca
An Ayurvedic diet on the Costa Blanca uses foods already available in local markets — the Mediterranean diet aligns well with Ayurvedic principles, particularly for Pitta and Kapha types. One common worry is that an Ayurvedic diet means obscure ingredients or abandoning the Mediterranean food you moved to Spain for. The opposite is closer to the truth.
Your diet plan is built around what is available in Altea’s markets and supermarkets, not speciality imports. We work with the foods you already eat and adjust proportions, cooking methods, and timing. A Vata type on the Costa Blanca might be advised to favour warm, cooked evening meals over cold salads, use more olive oil, and add ginger tea — all easy to source locally.
- • Foods that pacify your dominant dosha, using ingredients common in Spanish markets
- • Foods to reduce or avoid, and straightforward substitutes
- • Guidance on meal timing — when you eat matters as much as what you eat
- • Spices and teas that support digestion for your constitution
Building a Daily Routine That Fits Retirement in Spain
Dinacharya — daily routine — is one of Ayurveda’s most powerful tools, and for retirees without a work schedule imposing structure, establishing a personal routine becomes both more important and more achievable. The body thrives on rhythm.
Your lifestyle recommendations are tailored to your dosha and your actual life in Spain. A Kapha type might be encouraged to walk the Altea promenade before midday to build warmth and circulation. A Vata type might benefit from a consistent bedtime and a short oil-massage practice before showering. These are small, specific changes — not a wholesale reinvention.
The goal is not perfection. It is to introduce two or three habits that steady your constitution, improve digestion, and help you sleep. Most clients notice changes within two to three weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know anything about Ayurveda before the consultation?
No. The consultation is designed for people with no prior knowledge of Ayurveda. We explain concepts as we go, in plain English, and you are welcome to ask questions at any point. Many clients arrive knowing only that they want a more holistic approach to their health.
Is the consultation suitable if I have existing medical conditions?
Yes. Ayurveda works alongside conventional medicine, not as a replacement for it. We take your medical history and current medications into account when building your plan. We do not diagnose disease or prescribe medication.
How do I book an Ayurveda consultation in Altea?
You can book through our contact page, where you will find an inline slot picker for available times over the next two weeks. Sessions are €150 per session at our practice in Altea. If you prefer to ask a question first, use the contact form and we will reply by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ayurveda recognized by the World Health Organization?
Yes. The WHO established the Global Traditional Medicine Centre in 2022, recognising traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda as an important part of global healthcare. Around 90% of WHO Member States report using traditional medicine, and the centre focuses on building an evidence base to guide safe, effective, and equitable use worldwide.
"An Ayurvedic consultation isn't about swallowing a philosophy — it's about leaving with a plan you can actually follow. I build recommendations around what's in the Altea market that week, not around ingredients you'd have to order online."
— Ty Stevenson, Founder, Altea Alchemy
"The first question an Ayurvedic physician asks is not 'What disease does my patient have?' but 'Who is my patient?' By 'who,' the physician does not mean your name, but how you are constituted."
— Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD, Ayurvedic Medicine Pioneer; Founder, The Chopra Foundation
Written by Ty Stevenson
Founder, Altea Alchemy · Reiki Level 1 (2021) · 200hr Yoga Teacher
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