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Published: January 16th 2009
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the team
rachel, Chiho and us. Getting rady for our daily dose of fruit juice and selenium. Yum!!! Now it’s not often that I want to digress from my travel blog, and devote time to writing all about a specific company. Infact, the only time I have done this was in the beginning (read warning for travelers), and that was a bad digression. This time, it’s all good!!!
Carmen wanted to do a health retreat for some time now, and we only just missed out in Thailand. Since then, there has been no stopping her, and she has trailed the internet, looking for another retreat. Along came this couple, who have set up a wellness retreat in Nelson, NZ. I have to say, I was very skeptical about all this, and saw it as 5 days of torture. I had not done any research into it myself, leaving it all to Carmen to sort out, and it actually served me a reminder that every now and again, you get a really nice surprise!!
Jane and Arvind Pujji welcome guests into their beautiful home, sent in the picturesque Maitai valley. Our entrance was probably not what they expected (backpackers getting out of a, quite frankly, smelly and tacky looking car, carrying all their worldly positions with them), and
honestly, I did not expect what I saw either. A western woman, dressed in a kumis selva (an Indian 2 piece suit) greeted us at the door, and as we hesitantly took our shoes off (old smelly socks as well!!), we walked into a house blessed with fragrant smells of incense, the laughter of other people sat round a dinner table, waiting to start their lunch, and a feeling of peace and tranquility. It was very homely; comfortable…..in fact I start to well up just thinking of what I am now missing!!!!!
The house is set against the backdrop of the Maitai River, and the sound of passing water adds to the sense of peace and harmony. Our bedroom, tastefully decorated, overlooks the river. At the river is a sauna and spa. We are advised that this should be used as frequently as possible!!! “HELL YEAH!” was my immediate thought. We sat down to a beautiful salad lunch, and the though of starving myself for the next 5 days was to excruciating to bear, so we drown our soon to come sorrow in plates of food!!!
So, enough of that, what was the fast like. Well, the essence
of the fast is to clear your body of all the toxins that have built up in your body. In my case, it had been years of hard partying, dealing with stressful situations, eating junk food, and treating my body like a holy piece of crap!!! One physical condition that I have, and was eager to see if this could improve, is my eczema. Will it improve or not??
The fast consists of this:
• a bi-daily dose of system flushing liquids
• fresh organic fruit or vegetable juices as per meal times, so that your electrolytes and sugars are kept up)
• daily exercise/yoga
• optional body movement/massage time
• sauna/ spa once a day at least.
The rest of the day is yours to do with as you please really. Read a book, play games with the other members of the house, watch a movie, go for a walk. However, you are kept a close eye on by Jane and her team (Rachel and Chiho included). Not to see if you break the fast (that’s your choice entirely), but to see if there are any bad reactions. What results is an amazing transformation. I loose 5
we all had to do it!!!
and all nearly threw up after kgs in 5 days (a by product of the treatment, not a goal in itself!!), my whole digestive system has had a holiday, and I feels 100000000 times better for it. By skin does improve (slowly), but only after consultation with an amazing South African GP, who advised me on by eating habits and how they relate to my skin. I feel like someone has entered my body, gone through my outsides and come out the other end, to tell me what’s wrong with me. It’s a truly amazing feeling, told by a cynic, who is also left dumbfounded after!!! It is something I will definitely be looking more deeply into.
Yoga is a daily routine, but pretty easy going. No weird positions, no things you can’t do. Sweating allows you to sweat toxins out, so exercise and sauna are a must. The river is a refreshing dip everyday, especially after the sauna!!!
Our first meal after the fast is plane fruit. It feels like my mouth has been on holiday, and now is back and ready for action again. Feeding me is a slow process after, as my body is more sensitive to food, and therefore, I
its all about the rest and relaxation
lying in the hammock, surrounded by the sound of water and nature can tell which foods are bad for me, simply by their reaction. It now becomes a game of slow introduction of foods, and monitoring my bodies reaction to them.
Jane and Arvind have an extraordinary business. One they both enjoy, brings them happiness and fulfillment, and is interesting. The perfect job in the perfect location. Everything is taken care of for you, meals, slippers and bathrobe for the sauna, insect repellant for those damn sand flies, washing (lots), telephone calls abroad, you ask, they will get. It’s like a home stay with a difference, a healthy difference. I have learnt much about myself and my body, my food and my drink, I have now a better understating of my life, and will take away with me lessons you cannot learn from books. We have Jane and Arvind to thank for that, and we will be eternally grateful. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to improve their health, and learn about their bodies. It’s a must do in this case.
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