A wellness farm in the Philippines is all you need to recover and detox

The farm at San Benito, Philippines, rewrites the rules as you journey deep into its wonderful wellness philosophy. November 2, 2016

 It's nearly 9 pm. I am floating inside a round stone tub, the water lapping with every little movement. I can barely feel the herbs against my skin, but the heady smell makes me light-headed. It's dark here. The moon casts eerie shadows. Candles flicker in the distance. Not a soul, no sound, around me. Just fragrant frangipani bushes with yellow and white flowers looming like guards. I stare up at thousands of stars glittering above and start humming. If bliss has an address, it's here.

Nearly 5,000 km from Delhi, it's a long way away to find bliss in an obscure corner of island nation Philippines. Not even capital, Manila-with its glass-sheathed towers, colourful Jeepneys crammed with passengers, vibrant stretches of graffiti walls-prepares you for The Farm at San Benito. But as ribbons of expressways turn into narrow roads of Lipa city, 90 minutes south of Manila, vestiges of urbanity start fading. The road gets narrower and steeper. Tall trees with enormous trunks rise up like sentries. Fragments of sunlight streak the ground. In the distance stands The Farm, deep within the silence of 119 acres of tropical forest.

Discreetly tucked at the edge of an extinct volcano, Mount Malarayat, in Luzon Island, The Farm is a haven of serene opulence, encompassing medical clinics, healing spa sanctuary, 32 plush villas and more. Known for its signature spa therapies-an unusual blend of ancient healing traditions of Philippines (the Hilot or "touch with soothing strokes" in local Tagalog dialect)-the indulgent detox-fasting-cleansing regimens and organic cuisine from Michelin-star chefs with 85 per cent raw and 15 per cent vegan food, The Farm is premised squarely on the ability of the human body to recuperate itself in communion with nature.

Everything starts with a single drop of blood. It can mirror your true health and let you know exactly what is going on within you: inflammation, imbalance, insufficiency, infection. The list is long. What if you get the chance to take a peek at your blood picture and correct things that are out of whack within you? Here are five signature specialities at The Farm.

EMOTIONAL DETOX
Or the art of loving yourself by clearing blocked emotions. My first treatment with Dr Conrada Veruasa-Apostol, the medical director of The Farm starts with a 'rejuvenating facial' and is followed by 'holistic consultation' and 'psychoemotional clearing'. My symptoms were stress, chronic fatigue, anxiety and sleep disorder and the therapy involves acupuncture, energy healing, and reiki. The focus of the programme is squarely on the nervous and immune systems and works toward building a sort of "defence shield," that can be used in everyday life. What I learnt Accept what is and then deliberately let go.

BLOOD PICTURE
Nutritional Microscopy or Live Blood Analysis at Dr Michelle Carbonel's chamber. The young physician pricks my finger, takes a tiny drop of blood on a slide and mounts it 50on a dark field microscope. Millions of round things, like soap bubbles, start floating across the computer screen. Some solo, some clustering a bit. She then starts analysing: are all my vitamins, minerals, enzymes, hormones, chemicals, toxins, inflammation, digestion in balance? Blood is our nutritional indicator. At The Farm, treatments begin after doctors look into a blood picture, study imbalances and draw up a chart to correct those accurately. What I learnt While I don't have abnormality, my blood cells look stressed.

COLON HYDROTHERAPY
Nurse Lita starts with a Hara Puri massage on the belly. The point? The energy core of the body ("hara"), that is stomach will be strengthened. It's a purifying therapy, done with coffee enema-a powerful detox, especially for the fungus and toxins that cling to our livers. It also remove excess gas. As I lie down, Lita starts massaging my stomach with peppermint oil. After that Lita moves me to a special bench with contraptions and the 'colema' (coffee enema) follows. I did not go in for the similar

ALKALISING ENVIRONMENT
You may have heard the buzz over the health benefits of an alkaline body and how even cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment. Your pH level is the measure of the acidic or alkaline base of your body. Your natural PH balance should be neutral (about 7) or slightly alkaline (above 7). Anything below 7 is acidic. Most fruits and vegetables are alkaline, while meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, alcohol and most grains are considered acidic. The Farm takes pride in providing an alkaline environment, food and lifestyle choices. Alkaline environment can help in weight loss, boost energy, strengthen the immune system and sense of overall well-being. What I learnt Negative emotions like stress, anger or jealousy make the body acidic.

OIL OF LIFE
Coconut is king at The Farm: from trees to cuisine, decor, spa products and treatments. The Farm produces its own cold-pressed virgin coconut oil and supplies unlimited quantities in jugs labelled "Oil of Life" to guests. Coconut oil mixed with salt and lemongrass is used as a daily scrub-hair to face to the body. One of the highest sources of saturated fats, coconut also contains carbon compounds important for building immunity systems, protecting the body from antioxidants, increasing the healthy cholesterol (HDL) and converting the "bad" LDL cholesterol into good cholesterols. What I learnt The versatile benefits and uses of coconut oil.