ZEN Institute’s weighs & means

MANILA, Philippines - There is always hope in life. Now that could work as a holiday message, but we must insist, with evangelical zeal, that it is gospel truth in the realm of good health. With the holiday season in full wrecking-ball swing, the endless eating rolls on along with the endless worries about ruining one’s figure and healthy habits.

The good news is, all is not lost. The Zen Institute just might be able to help with its 21-Day Weight-Loss Program. The Zen Institute owner and head doctor Dr. Mary Jane Torres weighs in on the topic, “What we are offering is a weight management program that involves science and body sculpting.”

Torres says the patient is carefully monitored and supported every little step of the way. “The program includes nutritional counseling. Among the steps is meal replacement, giving the patient a healthier alternative to her eating habits. Sometimes it is difficult for a patient to cook healthy food, so we give them meal replacement to go with that nutritional counseling.”

“To give you a birds’ eye view, the program covers body conditioning, personal training, and yoga,” she says. “We encourage people to commit themselves to work on their goals. What we offer is not magic but scientific.”

Torres adds: “We also have intravenous nutrition, involving a plant-derived cocktail composed of amino acids, L-carnitines, and electrolytes. With this cocktail, the benefits are an increase in metabolism and micro-nutrients. Even if you reduce your caloric intake, you won’t be malnourished. You would even burn the calories.”

Colonics, a type of therapy intended to remove toxins from the colon and intestinal tract, is another method used in the program. The cleansing method uses a special type of bed, so the patient is reclining during the process. A tube containing mineral- and electrolyte-rich water is injected into the colon.

“We have 25 liters to use but we only use two to three liters of water per session to come in and flush them out,” she remarks. She assures patients that the two-way system does not leave them feeling bloated. “And you do not have to go running to the toilet during the session since the special bed is already a toilet in itself.”

The colonics machine is from Thailand’s Yanhee Hospital, a pioneer in colonic hydrotherapy.

Torres observes that patients nowadays do not just want to lose weight. They even insist on sculpting their bodies in the process. She says, “If you do not combine body sculpting with weight management, if you started out pear-shaped, you will end up a small pear.”

The Zen Institute thus combines different, safe body-sculpting techniques. Among them is mesolipo therapy, where a cocktail that includes L-carnitine is injected only in places where fat reduction is needed.

She promises that these cocktails are scientifically designed and safe, adding that instead of taking different pills, the facility uses a cocktail that is introduced intravenously, with 100 percent absorption compared to 30 percent absorption from pills.

“Plus, it saves your liver from first-pass effect. There is no need to pass through the liver anymore. It goes directly to the blood stream. So that makes it safe for our liver, which cannot be transplanted. We should take care of it,” she says.

Top-of-the-line machines are also available: the ultra-sound cavitational machine (“As relaxing as a massage”), which helps out drain the water content of the fat, and the lipocryo machine.

The latter, Torres explains, makes use of cryotherapy as the freezing technology. “The lipocryo machine, which comes from Spain and exclusive only to Zen, burns the fat by freezing it, destroying it, and converting it into energy. The fat is metabolized. It comes out as urine, so there is really no discomfort.”

Of course, there is the Zen Institute’s exclusive Resonax. Already popular among its many clients, the Italian-made machine helps get rid of unwanted fat without pressure, pain or pinch. 

Torres stresses: “The approach we employ is really holistic. A client has an individualized protocol, done by our doctors and wellness consultants plus nutritional counseling and one-on-one personal training/yoga session. The program is non-surgical and non-invasive, so you can still go around, travel the country, enjoy the scenery. The challenge is maintenance. That is why we also offer the maintenance program for our clients.”

She states that the Zen Institute is truly the medical spa that both locals and foreigners have come to appreciate. “The Zen Institute has become a facility where you can come here for all your needs, and get pampered with treatments and scrubs. Everything is supervised medically. All are guided by medical and individual protocol.”

The Zen Institute embraces the full concept of a medical spa. Its Scout Rallos branch in Quezon City is a 500-square-meter property with 15 rooms, yoga room, personal training room, colonics room, foot spa area, private toilet and bath, among others.

“We assure everyone that we value their privacy in our homey facility. At the Zen Institute, we are more than just machines, treatments, and therapies. We promote a healthy lifestyle, telling our patients that leading that type of life is key to longevity. The bonus is, you need not go anywhere else out of town. It is right here in Manila.”

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The Zen Institute is located at 69 Scout Rallos St., Tomas Morato, Quezon City. For more information and locations, call (+632) 441-1712, 412-2528 or 0917-5328992 or visit its website at http://www.thezeninstitute.com/. Photos by Fernan Nebres