This is what I did at The Farm in San Benito, the most fascinating health and wellness resort at the foot of the majestic Malarayat mountain in Lipa, Batangas, an hour and 45 minutes away from Manila. It is indeed refreshing to know that I could experience this kind of world-class luxury and pampering. "This sprawling 50-hectare haven of life is definitely the best in the region," says renowned international spa and lifestyle book photographer Lucca Tuttoni.
This Hippocrates Health Resort of Asia, owned by Perla and Eckard Rempe, is not simply a vacation resort with spa features like Banyan Tree in Phuket, Thailand or The Oberoi and Ritz Carlon in Bali, Indonesia. Neither is it just a luxurious medical center. Rather it is a fusion of the true spirit of Asian inspired traditional healing treatments combined with the latest technology of life enhancement and western science based anti-aging and preventive therapies. At The Farm, they focus on the positive aspects of health rather than just how to cure illness. They innovate instead of just use the accepted medical practices – the application of the wisdom of staying young and not the passive acceptance of aging. Here, one is taught how to make a personal philosophy out of being positive towards one’s physical, mental and spiritual health by taking responsibility for the quality of one’s life. My beloved parents Mama Mila and Papa Ting died of lung cancer 20 days apart in 1997. Mom was misdiagnosed as having multiple sclerosis (degenerative nerve condition), spondyliosis (degenerative spinal condition) and stress by 27 doctors in Manila and was given medication for the wrong illness. After four devastating months and fear of the unknown, we took her to several oncologists at the Stanford Hospital in California where she was immediately diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in the fourth stage. Since patients of her condition don’t usually last more than eight weeks, we were advised to take her back to Manila while she was strong enough to travel.
Dad’s case was even worse with faster-spreading cancer cells around the lining of his heart. We helplessly asked the oncologists what we could we do for him. They suggested we try alternative, herbal or organic medicine. Why did we wait till it was too late to take control of their health and well-being? What I have learned from the experience is that we need to take control of our health now and look for the best cures for our illnesses while we can.
Since then, my family has resorted to naturopathic cures and holistic treatments that The Farm in San Benito offers. Next month, instead of our regular executive check-up in Stanford Hospital, the family has decided to embark on a five-day detoxification program composed of a comprehensive check-up complete with colonics, enema, individual assessments using iridology, live blood cell, kirlian electrophotography and more. They even have psychoemotional anyalysis where anxiety, fear, and traumas can be unleashed.
The detox program begins with the one-hour medical consultation. It aims to gather information about the client’s general data, chief complaints, history of present illness or wellness, past medical problems and the like. Patients on a detoxification program undergo baseline electrocardiogram and complete laboratory work.
The iris analysis is a process whereby the physician looks at the eyes of the patient through a special magnifying glass aided by light. It is simply a wonder how the present condition of the body is detected through iris analysis.
Just one drop of blood in a slide will reveal the nutritional status and blood condition of the patient. The scraping healing therapy is designed to open blocked energy centers. The therapy is done with the use of a sterile fish-shaped Tamaraw horn and specially prepared herbal formulation called draining balm.
The toxins that have been inside our bodies for years are flushed out in the process called colon detoxification therapy. Unhealthy diets and lifestyles are revealed as this procedure is done. This therapy removes the impacted feces, unwanted parasites among others in our bodies. It is the most effective way of keeping our colon and other vital organs clean.
The Farm is also equipped with dermaray massage, a procedure that makes use of a multiple wave oscillator with a neon bulb that adequately and effectively flushes out toxic fluids, salts, fats and waste proteins through lymphatic vessels out of the body through the kidneys and skin.
"We believe the human body is a complex organism with the ability to heal itself if we learn to listen to it and respond by giving it what it really needs," said Marcial Reyes, general manager of The Farm.
Reyes adds that in spite of all the abuse our body endures – whether through exposure to environment toxins, poor nutrition, smoking, excess alcohol, inactivity or supressing our emotions – it still serves us well for many years before it starts to break down.
Holistic treatment, I learned, is actually an approach to life. Rather than just focusing on the illness or specific parts of the body, holistic therapy considers the whole person and how he or she interacts with the environment. As we begin to realize that modern medicine is not enough, and that our body should be regarded as a natural part of its environment, many are turning the naturopathic way. This can be a more natural, less invasive and often a less traumatic treatment for many conditions.
With my stay at The Farm, I discovered that what’s happening in our system starts with what we eat. Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, said food is our medicine and medicine is our food. At The Farm, spa cuisine is at its best. Contrary to the common notion that food at spas is tasteless, the diet served here is something to rave about. At 85/15, the spa restaurant, the food served is 85 percent raw and 15 percent cooked. The rationale behind is that most of food nutrients, particularly enzymes, are lost when they are cooked. This explains why many of us feel sleepy after eating a 100 percent cooked meal. Take for example the following entrees at the 85/15: crispy crackers with tasty cheese cultured not from animal source but with fermented berry juice, mock-chicken burgers made from ground nuts and diced mushrooms, hearty palm of banana with coconut cream (meaning almond and cashew nuts soaked in water and cold pressed coconut meat) and non-dairy banana split ice cream dessert. What a treat to lose five pounds in a few days with this delightful food.
Pampering at The Farm is further done by masseuses trained in Changmai, Thailand. San Benito treatments specialize in relaxing techniques where the mind and body are made to relax. My favorite Thai massage with rejuvenating stretches did wonders for my scoliosis (back problem). You must try the exhilarating massage under the stars while soothing music, aromatheraphy candles and the view of the scenic mountains provide a soulful retreat. The coconut lulur exfoliating cream bath and foot spa with scented flowers and grains is simply divine.
A cleansing diet or a fast–a good start when you begin your new program at The Farm–is not only a way of clearing your body of toxins, it is also an important psychological step. Your mind and body will signal a fresh start and you will be less inclined to slip back into the old ways.
"Our mission is to promote wellness and a lifestyle that is geared towards proactive health practices," says Reyes. The Farm, Reyes noted, is here to educate and disseminate information that will foster healthier lifestyle; provide a haven and a sanctuary for those seeking a healing environment; support the needs of the local community; and create the premiere center for information and health in Asia.
Wellness resorts are to natural health as computers are to the digital age. Then it can be said that it is the newest–and the best so far–purveyor of health and wellness revolution in the region, if not the world over. I dare say that the Farm is the health and wellness mecca of Asia.