GRAND FORKS -- Jonathan Toews recently spent five weeks in India trying to heal immune system issues that have kept him from playing hockey in two of the last four seasons.
Toews posted on Instagram that things are trending in the right direction since his trip.
"As some of you may know, I've been on a bit of a healing journey," Toews wrote. "I've had many ups and downs, brief moments of hope working with a whole bunch of different doctors and modalities, followed by doubting if things would ever improve."
Toews underwent an Ayurvedic detox called Panchakarma, he said.
"This system views our bodies as delicate ecosystems, influenced by everything we consume as far as energy, information, thoughts, feelings, and food," Toews wrote. "In short, it teaches that our health can thrive when we learn to simplify our lives, create space for stillness and better align ourselves with nature's rhythms. A Panchakarma is a healing protocol designed to restore your health by cleansing and releasing toxins stored deep in the body."
Toews last played in the 2022-23 season for the Chicago Blackhawks.
He played 53 games that season, scoring 15 goals and 31 points.
He missed the entire 2020-21 and 2023-24 seasons. He is not currently signed anywhere but has not announced his retirement.
Toews said he's been dealing with chronic immune response syndrome and long COVID.
"It's been almost 5 years of searching for a way to heal the inflammatory and immune system issues that took me out of hockey," Toews wrote. "The wisdom of Ayurveda has taught me that everything I experience, I am responsible for. Not only did it teach me better diet choices specific to my body type, it has deepened my intuitive relationship with myself and the world around me."
Toews played at UND from 2005-07, helping the program to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Fours.
Toews captained the Blackhawks to Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.
The Winnipeg product also won Olympic gold medals with Canada in 2010 and 2014.
Toews has played in 1,067 NHL regular-season games, scoring 372 goals and tallying 883 points. Zach Parise is the only former UND player with more NHL regular-season points. Parise tallied 889.