There is only one journey. Going inside yourself.
Rainer Maria Rilke

My Thailand journey just made a stop to go inside myself for a proper cleansing. Gandhi realized to change the world first he had to change himself. To heal the world I must first heal myself. I started The Spa Chiang Mai Resorts’ 7½ day Cleansing Program on Monday, September 14, 2009.

all signs point to health

When I arrived on Friday I did not know I was going to stay and go through the program, however, my body did. I’ve learned to pay attention to my body now and really listen to it. As soon as the driver pulled into the property I started to feel very uncomfortable and bloated. My digestion is so messed up from living in Thailand these past couple of months. The land of smiles overall is a healthy place to live since wellness is a part of their life and culture. Back in the US, my body had been used to mostly organic, raw, plant based foods, which is very rare to find in Thailand. We are so fortunate to have the choice.

In Ban Phe, where I lived for my first month, there were no raw organic choices. I was at the mercy of overcooked (dead) stir-fried veggies that were smothered with cheap oil, MSG and who knows what else. The workload was a lot and I was drinking caffeine with sugar all day to stay focused. I was eating and drinking things I was not used to digesting. After the course I was able to cut out a lot of things that I knew were causing trouble but I still felt like I needed help. I love how my life works out; I always find what I need when I need it.

table reminder

I was excited to talk with Guy Hopkins, the founder and pioneer of healing health spas in Thailand, to learn about his journey and resorts. Our conversation inspired me to listen to my body and take a break from my Thailand journey to stay and go through the program. I did a pre-cleanse diet for 3 days to prepare my body for the fast. That consisted of eating just raw organic fruits and vegetables as well as drinking a liver flush twice a day. In addition to their extensive and delicious menu in the Radiance Restaurant, they also have a Faster’s Menu. The first 2 pages of the Faster’s Menu has a list all of the liquid choices you can have during the 7 day fast and what you can order on days 1-4 when breaking the fast. The fast list includes “spa” vegetable broth soup with a few variations, wheatgrass, liver flush, vegetable juice, carrot juice and my saving grace – fresh coconut water.

what feeds me

If you know me you know how much I love health and detox. I may be even a bit obsessed with it. I’ve done different detox cleanses on my own now for 17 years. It started in college when I was reading The Chinese Book of Health and History and the Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity. I found out that Guy Hopkins was also reading the Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity around the same time. I’ve tried The Master Cleanse 3 times over the years, fasted with juice and water, ate clean and took herbs to detox, spent a week in an Ayurveda detox spa for panchakarma and I’ve also enjoyed many colonics. What Guy Hopkins has developed over the 14 years here in Thailand has just blown me away.

detox center

This is the most thorough cleanse I have ever done and most likely the best deal around. The program is well organized and very supported. They start by emailing, as well as giving you on arrival, “Your Cleansing Fast Step By Step Instructions” booklet. You then meet with the health director before your cleanse to go over what to expect and to answer any questions. Afterwards you schedule a viewing of Guy’s introduction to the program and colema video. In the instruction booklet there is a cleansing schedule to follow everyday that keeps you busy and full.

Each day starting at 7am and ending at 9pm there is something to take or drink every hour and a half. At the detox center they specially prepare 5 detox drinks a day (a liquid bentonite and psyllium shake), provide filtered water, resources and FAQs. Each morning they give you 2 packets of intestinal cleaners and herbal nutrition tablets to be taken 5 times a day. Along with a flora grow probiotic to take before bed. The detox center also prepares the coffee colema that you administer yourself twice a day in the privacy of your own comfortable bathroom.

meditation sala

The Spa Resorts also offers a free meditation class every morning at 7:30am. Also available at no charge are many educational in-room videos, as well as, books to take out from the Sawadee (hello in Thai) Center. This is all apart of the Five Habit System to Longevity that Guy advocates throughout. Those five are: cleansing, breathing properly, food combining, exercise and meditation/peacefulness. The extra services available to help support you, and the cleanse, are: yoga, raw food and detox classes, herbal steam, Thai massage, reflexology, and ‘Ampuku’ (abdominal massage and pressure points for elimination). I chose to buy a package of 7 herbal steams and also a package of 7 Ampuku massages, 1 of each per day. A package of 7 only costs around $30.

For those who don’t think they need to clean the inside of their body, try it and see. It is truly amazing and motivating when you see the amount of toxic “stuff” that comes out once you stop digesting food. The right herbal support is also key to pull the toxins and mucoid plaque away that is wreaking havoc on our mind, body and spirit. This “gross” subject is the key to our health and needs to be talked about and addressed. I am reading one of the best books on health and the cause of disease from The Spa Resorts’ library; “Cleanse & Purify Thyself” by Dr. Rich Anderson. I highly suggest the book and this cleanse for radiant health and energy.

“The bowel feeds every organ, every tissue, and every cell in our bodies. When the bowel environment and function has become contaminated or inefficient, the cells and organs in the rest of the body will reflect that contamination and dysfunction. A toxic and acid bowel means toxic blood and lymph, toxic liver and other organs and cells, and poor health.”

organic garden

Our bodies produce this mucoid plaque for protection in an acid environment. To replenish the alkaline minerals and your health, eat raw organic plant based foods and stop (or limit) all intake of acid-forming foods. I will list those here:

Alcohol, all processed foods, anger, barley, bread, cake, canned fruit, cereals, chickpeas, chocolate, cigarettes, coffee, complaining, cooked grains (except millet and quinoa), corn, cornstarch, dairy products, drugs, eggs, foods cooked with oils, glazed or sulfured fruits, ketchup, legumes, lentils, meat, fish, birds, shellfish, mustard, nuts, seeds, beans, oatmeal, pasta, black pepper, popcorn, salt, soda crackers, soft drinks, soy products, stress, white and processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, black tea, overcooked vegetables, distilled vinegar, all forms of wheat.

Already after day 4 of The Spa Resorts’ cleanse my bloat is gone (most likely from all of the mucoid plaque and toxins released), I feel clear, inspired and happy. Seeing is believing and is also motivating to continue with the cleanse and an alkaline lifestyle.

wheatgrass pina colada

Remember to cleanse and purify to feel your power!

fresh mountain setting

Phu Chaisai Resort

Tel.+66 (0) 2661-5898-9,+66 (0) 2260-2646
E-mail : contact@phu-chaisai.com

Features:

Holistic Healing *Yoga and Meditation *Outdoor Natural Setting *Local Organic Ingredients

Phu Chaisai Resort, “Mountain of Clear Heart”, is nature’s cozy spa in the mountains offering organic sustainability for your health and the community. They have their own certified organic tea plantation, fruit farm, and vegetable garden that is picked and used right away. The Bamboo Spa, a spiritual sanctuary, was created from their bamboo forest and includes 4 outdoor spa areas each named after a different flower. The service all around is exceptional! Most of the staff is hired from the local villages, which is another way they support their local resources.  The therapists participate in bi-weekly yoga classes to remain healthy and injury free.

Ms Siwika and their homemade bamboo car

Phu Chaisai offers a wide variety of activities including trekking, pottery class, elephant camp, rafting, yoga and meditation.  The rooms are beautifully designed to blend in with the natural surroundings.  You can chose between Resort or Bon Thai style and 7 of the 50 rooms have their own infinity pool.

Bon Thai room with infinitey pool

Note for vegetarians and vegans; their restaurant serves a beautiful salad filled with freshly picked organic greens but be sure to order it without bacon bits and cheese.  The spa manager, Nattamon Holmberg, recognizes the need for a healthy spa menu and will be creating one this year.

It is the proprietor, M.L. Sudavadee Kriangkrai’s, love of nature, joyful spirit and creativity that makes this resort so unique. She not only preserves the surrounding forest but also offers a popular free mediation retreat that is offered once a year; the next one is Sept 18-23, 2009.

Budget

Akha Hill House

Tel.+66 (0) 8999-7550-5
E-mail : apaehouse@hotmail.com

mud bungalow view

The Akha Hill Tribe hosts a guesthouse situated in the mountains one-hour outside of Chiang Rai.  They provide free transportation once a day to and from Chiang Mai.  The breathtaking views from the house are of the mountainous valley surrounded by tea plantations and a native jungle.  This is a great escape for relaxation and creativity! On average, a private bungalow in the off-season is $15/night.

They offer a unique herbal steam sauna using vine blood.  One of the tribe members prepares the sauna, by request.  He cuts down the vines and burns them under the hut for the herbal steam to heat up the small dark room.  You can sit in it for as long as you desire.  I savored the quiet, nurturing time alone and used it to chant and meditate for an hour.  The herbal steam and smell made me feel cleansed and vibrant.  When I exited the hut my skin was glowing and delicious.  The best $6 I spent all week.

nature's herbal steam hut

A note about their food; order the Akha specials over the traditional Thai dishes.  My favorites were the Akha chili paste (very spicy) with wild vegetables and the fried banana flower with egg and vegetables (very flavorful).  Each dish cost only $1.50.

Free

Huay Keaw Waterfall

Akha offers paid guided trekking tours but I opted for more alone downtime and left the exploring up to my own spirit.  The Huay Keaw 3 tiered beautiful waterfall was only a 10 minute trek away and had exceptionally well made bamboo bridges to cross.  I also discovered a nice quiet bamboo platform hut up on the mountain where I was able to take in the fresh air and journal.

relax, reflect and create

Raw & Detox Retreat/Spa/Café

Rasayana Retreat

57 Soi Prom-mitr,
Sukhumvit 39,
Tel: 0-2662-4803-5
email: info@rasayanaretreat.com

my favorite item on menu w/ coconut meat inside!

Rasayana’s café serves up the only raw/living food in Bangkok that I know of. Once you enter the beautiful property you forget that you are in Bangkok. I was amazed that the organic, plant based meals cost no more then I usually pay for local Thai meals.  They even have a variety of raw snacks you can purchase to take home.

clean them out everytime

I selected the Rasayana meridian abdominal massage and a colonic from their service menu. Both services were very effective and made comfortable. For the colonic, they added coffee, milk thistle, aerobic oxygen and red clover. They are in need of an English speaking therapist, especially for those getting a colonic for the first time.  The information on their website is outdated, the Bangplee location is close, and pictures would also be useful.

Bonus: you get a coconut kefir shot after your colonic and ginger/lemon tea after meals.

all of my favorite things

Budget

Thai Massage

Health Land

5 locations in Bangkok

massage = medicine

If you are looking for a traditional Thai massage you can usually walk out of your guesthouse door and have many to choose from.   I’ve had some of the best Thai massages at Health Land. They offer many services to choose from at great value in a nice, clean environment. It’s somewhat of a factory but reliable, if you like your therapist remember their number.

Free

Outdoor Gym

Adult Playground

Lumpini Park

Sala Daeng BTS Station and Silom MRT , at the junction of Rama IV and Ratchadamri road. A free outdoor “gym” that is 140-acre (0.57 sq.km) including colorful exercise equipment and many wellness groups such as Thai-Chi and Yoga.  The groups gather around 6am and 6pm each day. The park also has an artificial lake where visitors can rent paddle boats.

one of the many groups at 6am/pm