A food and drink writer with an aptitude for my profession, I’ve never been a wellness person. When I was invited to Ananda in the Himalayas for the launch of the Indian resort’s cookbook, "The Healing Plate," I didn’t take it too seriously. I figured I’d eat some tasty vegetable curries, learn a bit about Ayurveda , and otherwise catch up on deadlines. Little did I realize how seriously I needed that week in the end.

I awoke my first morning to birdsong in the garden below my balcony and endless mountains in the distance. Located in the foothills of Uttarakhand above the pilgrimage town of Rishikesh, Ananda is a serene 100-acre oasis on the former estate of the Maharaja of Tehri-Garhwal. Where viceroys were once intended to sleep, now yoga, sound baths, and meditation ensue—plus copious personalized spa treatments. Dr. Naresh Perumbuduri, the Ayurvedic practitioner assigned to me, laughed when I reported getting four or five massages a year.

“Ha ha ha! ," he said.…