Who’ve endorsed Ayurveda? Among our celebrities, Rajinikanth is one of the most famous. He has become a health consultant and a Yoga teacher. But what really makes him an ayurveda-endorsed celebrity? Have they really endorsed this ancient form of medicine by praising its qualities?
The reason why celebrities who’ve endorsed Ayurveda are given a platform to express their views on the benefits of the ancient Indian system of medicine is that Ayurveda is still largely taboo in the West, despite the fact that it has been used for thousands of years. In the West, we tend to think of alternative medicine as something that can be used for crises, when the truth is that it can be used for all kinds of well-being. Ayurveda, in fact, can address almost any health problem and can even provide a cure for it.
As a result, it’s not surprising that we find many celebrities who’ve endorsed Ayurveda in the media. For example, after Rajinis ill health and admission into a hospital in India, he was quoted as saying that his ailment was because he was taking too much of a powerful antibiotic. His admission triggered a media frenzy, with stories appearing in various news channels about his sudden recovery from his illness. There were claims that he had recovered from a fatal liver disease. This helped him gain a place in a famous hospital in New York City, where he is receiving treatment for liver disease.
Similarly, Rajinikanth’s admission into a prominent wellness centre in India triggered a media feeding frenzy, with his own fans making embarrassing comments about his physical appearance in public. Even news channels like CNN carried some of his comments. The fact that Ayurveda has been endorsed by such high profile personalities is indicative of its growing popularity. Celebrities who’ve endorsed Ayurveda include Bollywood celebrities like Salman Khan, who has taken up a course in Ayurveda in Mumbai; actress Angelina Jolie has reportedly tried ayurvedic rejuvenation therapy, and her son Tobey Maguire is said to be undergoing treatment at a prominent ayurvedic healing centre in the United States.
There have been instances when celebrities who have endorsed Ayurveda have chosen specific treatments for themselves. For example, during the late 1990s Madonna reportedly opted for a course of intravenous hydrocortisone to combat the cold. Similarly, former Spice Girl Melanie Brown reportedly opted for a course of prescribed cough syrup to battle the effects of bronchitis. Both she and her husband suffered from asthma, and she ended up spending a considerable amount of time in hospital last year after suffering an attack.
Celebrities who’ve endorsed Ayurveda in the past include film stars who have publicly stated their enthusiasm for the therapy. Sylvester Stallone reportedly takes a daily herbal supplement called Stallone Complex and has been seen sporting the company’s green visage on his face during various films. Actress Pamela Anderson has also reportedly taken up ayurvedic treatments and is said to be an avid fan of the therapeutic healing method. Other well-known figures include football player Ricky Williams, who reportedly uses Ayurvedic preparations to stay in prime physical condition, tennis star Andre Agassi, who reportedly uses a special powder made from ashwagandha, squash player Andre Agassi’s wife Carla, and Brazilian soccer player Kaka, who is undergoing treatment under the guidance of Ravi Shankaracharya.
