Detox without fear
IS THE ‘D’ WORD HORRIFYING? FEAR NOT, KATHRYN EAGLE FINDS A PLACE OFFERING REST AND REJUVENATION WITHOUT THE HARDSHIPS
January prompted many of us to dust off that gym kit and kick-start a new healthier lifestyle. For some, that meant a total detox, but to me detoxing has always conjured up images of austere regimes filled with wheatgrass shots for breakfast, chomping on celery and total abstinence from anything pleasurable. So, why do it? We know that our daily lives are stressful and toxin-filled, therefore it makes sense once in a while to stop, take stock and give our bodies a break, to say nothing of the glowing skin, shiny hair and general rise in energy levels that a detox can bring. Yet however amazing the results may be, not many of us really want to deprive ourselves of our favourite things.
Detoxing is all about the challenge – it is something we put ourselves through. So, it was with some trepidation that I found myself embarking on a ‘Wellness Package’ at The Farm at San Benito.
Founded by German Eckard Rempe, The Farm bills itself as “Hippocrates Health Resort of Asia: A Center for Holistic Medicine, Spirituality and Living Foods”. Its vision and philosophy is simple: stay in balance with natural laws, and life will be great.
The Farm offers a wide range of services covering mind, body and soul, so it is up to you to decide how much or how little you wish to do. Being a detox novice, I declined the full program of colonic cleansing, fasting and the rather scary sounding “psychoemotional detoxification”. Instead I opted for a three day “Wellness Package”. This is a taster of what The Farm has to offer, including spa treatments, meals, use of all facilities, participation in activities and classes, as well as a live blood cell analysis.
Before I set foot in The Farm, I had a fair idea of what my package included. However, my biggest worry was the food. I have a sweet tooth and a fondness for the odd glass (or two) of red wine. How was I going to manage without any treats? I considered the option of smuggling in an illicit stash of goodies, but was consumed by visions of bag searches at check-in embarrassingly revealing Toblerones and Dairy Milks, so I resisted the urge and decided to take up the challenge… it was only for three days after all!
The Farm’s outdoor
swimming
pool. On
her visit, Kathryn
found
she often
had the facilities
all
to herself
Passing through the gates of The Farm, any fears about the level of comfort were allayed. Dense tropical foliage enveloped the buildings and exotic flowers hung overhead. It felt like paradise. I settled into my comfortable Sulu Terrace Suite, designed in the style of a traditional Philippine rice-barn with thatched roof, wooden beams and a private relaxation area below. Located in the tiny village of San Benito, The Farm is supremely peaceful and well away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Manila and has a cool and lush environment conducive to healing. Most importantly, our land has a special high-energy emission and the water is of exceptional healing quality, as certified by German experts.”
Exploring further, I realised that detox doesn’t simply refer to a cleansing of the physical body, there is also a mental, emotional and spiritual aspect. The Farm is the perfect antidote to the real world where our senses are constantly over-stimulated, leading us to feel overwhelmed. Here, the senses are gently massaged and soothed by trickling water, birdsong and a profusion of tropical greenery and flowers.
“A natural environment contributes significantly to the physical and mental recovery from any illness,” explains Rempe, “and it simply brightens our sense of wellbeing. There is scientific proof that nature is an important factor for healing to take place. The tropical gardens of The Farm provide a high energy environment and have exceptional beauty, as any guest who has experienced them will attest.”
Strolling the grounds, I came across secluded corners with thoughtfully placed benches and loungers for relaxation, atmospheric meditation salas (rooms) for private rest and introspection, a secret sunken garden with a glassy pond skimmed by dragonflies and a 200-year-old mango tree. You’ll also find a tranquil waterfall pool (perfect for two), an orchidarium inhabited by luminous flora and butterflies, an infinity spa pool with views of Mount Malarayat in the distance and an amphitheatre situated in the center of the site to take advantage of this spot’s “energy well”. Every corner revealed another surprise. To add to the magical atmosphere, I felt as if I were the only guest. I had each of the three swimming pools all to myself every day and the only time I came across fellow guests was at the restaurant.
You may be wondering what there is to do at The Farm. Naturally, the emphasis is on rest and rejuvenation, so there are no TVs in the rooms, cellphones are discouraged and you make your own evening’s entertainment. This was no problem for me, as I had come armed with a pile of books, plenty of music on my iPod and every intention of doing as little as possible. I did wonder whether the time would pass slowly as I was there alone, but I easily began to lose track of what day it was, and when departure time came it seemed far too soon.
During my stay I did try some of the activities on offer, including yoga and meditation. Luxuriously, I had private oneto-one tuition as again there were no other guests around. Between these activities, my daily spa treatments (part of the Wellness Package) and three leisurely meals a day, I didn’t have time to get bored. There must have been something about the combination of fresh air, healthy eating and relaxing, because I found myself in bed by 9pm and sleeping soundly till 6 or 7am. I was waking up naturally, feeling refreshed and enthusiastic about the day ahead. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that this is far from my normal routine.
Spa treatments at The Farm’s Salus Per Aqua are of an extremely high standard, with professional and attentive therapists and beautifully conceived treatment rooms. I experienced a relaxation massage which left me feeling light as air. The slightly more vigorous therapeutic massage and two-hour body scrub using natural coconut products gave me baby soft skin and loose muscles.
A decadent peppermint foot scrub also incorporated a head, neck and shoulder massage. In contrast to some city spa experiences where clients’ appointments are often scheduled back-to-back – making it feel rather rushed – there was no sense of urgency here and the therapists discreetly left me alone to rest after my treatment, so I left feeling the full benefits and with that floating sensation intact.
Thankfully, my anxiety over satisfying my stomach proved unfounded. The cuisine at The Farm’s restaurant VEGAN (“Vegetarian Amazingly Nutritious”) is based on a philosophy of raw food. The menu is predominantly organic, with much coming from the on-site gardens or local farms.
Breakfasts, served buffet-style, consist of cereals, fresh fruits, The Farm’s “scramble” (made from tofu rather than eggs and surprisingly tasty), and home-baked breads with preserves. Lunch was a six-course affair, beginning with an appetizer such as cashew coconut cakes with tropical fruit salsa and ginger scallion sauce, then soup, served warm rather than piping hot to preserve nutrients, followed by a salad.
The main courses were imaginative and varied, for example, mushroom BBQ burger with mole sauce, pico de gallo and lime sour crème one day and The Farm’s vegetarian Kimbap (a Korean sushi
roll) the next. Dinner was no less lavish, with
five courses.
Desserts did not disappoint, and were far
more indulgent than I had anticipated. The
menu said: “Please feel free to ask for an
extra helping of any of the above dishes”, but
I did not need to avail myself of this service
as the servings were more than ample. All the
food was beautifully presented and care is
obviously taken to ensure a variety of colours,
tastes and textures within each meal.
As I neared the end of my stay I found
yself wishing I had booked for longer and
I had to agree with Rempe: “Detoxing is
not difficult… Our environment, our caring
doctors, nurses, therapists and restaurant
staff make the detox experience special and
easy. A life changing experience happens
when one just comes with an open mind.”
I won’t pretend that I am a totally different
person since my stay there, but The Farm
experience has made me more aware of what
I eat and drink and of the need to take time
out for myself regularly. I learnt that daily
meditation is not that hard to fit into my
routine and that spending time with nature
does wonders for the soul. “Almost every
New Year’s resolution includes the wish for a
continued or better healthy lifestyle, although
few people know how to go about it. The
mere wish will be of little effect to achieve
good health,” believes Rempe. “Every journey
starts with a first step”.
Therefore my resolution is to make small
lifestyle changes to continue with those first
steps towards a healthier me. I now know
that it doesn’t have to be painful or difficult
and there’s no deprivation necessary doing it
this way, in fact it’s really rather an enjoyable
experience. Rempe’s resolution serves as a
good reminder: “Live each day to its fullest,
see the good in everything and everybody,
recreate myself everyday to my fullest
physical, mental and spiritual potential. Help
others to do the same.”
The raw-vegan diet consists of fruits, vegetables, sprouted grains and legumes, seeds and nuts. It is considered healthy because of its living enzymes which aid digestion. In order to digest cooked food your body has to use its own metabolic enzymes which takes energy from your body and leaves you feeling sluggish. Heating also depletes food of vitamins and minerals.
According to Jinjee Talifero, co-author of The Garden Diet: “Scientists in Sweden have discovered that heated carbohydrates contain a known toxin which renders water to beclassified unfit for
drinking when it
contains this toxin in far
smaller quantities.”
http://healing.about.
c/vegan_diet/a/
rawveganfood.htm
Raw and Living
Foodists (a person who
eats 75 per cent or
more living/raw food)
eat fruits, vegetables,
sprouts, nuts, seeds,
grains, sea vegetables,
and other organic/
natural foods that have
not been processed.
www.living-foods.com/faq.html
HOW TO GET THERE
Fly to Manila on Cebu Pacific. The Farm is located on the outskirts of Lipa City, Batangas. ■ The Farm at San Benito, 119 Barangay Tipakan, Lipa City, Batangas, tel (2) 884 8074, www.thefarm.com.ph
QUICK FIX
No time for a spa detox? The Smile team tested two products
| Ailynn | ||
 Before |
 After |
 |
Product name Koji
San Skin Lightening
Soap, Face Cream
and Body Lotion.
Claim Lightens skin,
reduces dark spots
and blemishes.
Personal aim To be
fairer and to even
out dark spots.
Week 1 All the
products
were nongreasy,
minty and
refreshing.
Week 2 I
haven’t avoided
the sun which
could be delaying my efforts!
Week 3 & 4 My tan lines are slightly
lighter! My face is slightly fairer, feels
softer and I’ve not
has as many acne
outbreaks as usual.
I think that I’ll
continue using it
for another two
months and then
hopefully see a
bigger difference.
Overall, I’d give it
a score of 6.5 out
of 10. I feel safe
about using this
product, especially
as I have had no
side effects.
| Jil | ||
 Before |
 After |
 |
Product name Hydrotrim Food
Supplement
Powder.
Claim No
approved
therapeutic
claims.
Personal aim Lose 10lbs
Week 1 Tasted
like powdery
orange, slightly
rough on the
tongue, but not
unpleasant and
there were no side
effects, this week (good or bad!).
Week 2 It’s easy to use, you just
mix it with your drink before a
meal, two to three times a
day. I’m eating the same
amount of food that I
usually eat so will notice
any effects.
Week 3 Feels like it’s become a
habit to drink it now,
but it doesn’t seem
to have made any
difference to my
weight.
Week 4 I feel
the same as when
I started taking
Hydrotrim. No weight
lost and no difference
to my health.
Editor’s note: These pictures have not been retouched,
inviting readers to make up their own minds