Monday, 6 March 2017
Travel: Goa – Ajit Patel Goldshield
WE'D only just met, yet here we were discussing bodily functions, stool samples and enemas, as easily as if we were talking about the weather.
Half an hour into a week's detox at the Beach House, a new boutique wellness retreat on the secluded and beautiful sands of Sernabatim Beach in southern Goa, the full realisation of what I was in for was beginning to sink in as the Total Body Balancing programme was explained to our group of seven.
When a trip to Goa to stay at the Beach House detox retreat was initially suggested, the only words I'd heard were "Goa" and "weight loss", rather like a dog who only hears "walk" and "biscuit". The prospect of shedding half a stone was good enough for me so I hadn't looked into the further reaches of the website. Had I done so, I would have known I was in the hands of a team of nutritionists, medical professionals, holistic and alternative therapists, ayurvedic doctors, yoga instructors, neuro linguistic programming specialists, life coaches, housekeepers and masseuses. As well as providing physical and emotional support, my hosts were keen proponents of twice-daily coffee enemas and a cocktail of colon-cleansing supplements and vitamins designed to meet our nutritional needs, all washed down with fruit and vegetable juices and broths.
Effectively our digestive systems were shut down so we could clear out our colons and start again. I had thought there might be the odd salad or fruit smoothie but no food for five days? I'd never last. First, there was the enema to get to grips with.
Presented with my first pot of lukewarm coffee, I was finally able to place the faint whiff that hung around my bathroom – coffee – and now I knew why. And that mat in the corner of the bathroom; the one I'd assumed was for yoga? It was for lying on in the foetal position while I waited for the enema to take effect, madly circling my feet in a bid to 'hold' the liquid in to get a better result. "Yoga mats are usually pink or purple," pointed out one of the group who had clearly done more research than me.
Another steep learning curve involved yoga. Curves such as the impossible cobra and down facing dog, that left me wishing I could swap places with the happy little beach hounds that spent their days, tails wagging, roaming the golden sands on our doorstep. However, with an hour a day spent under the expert instruction of retreat manager Kate Tyler, our stiff, stressed, toxic bodies slowly uncurled under the warm Goan sun and we began to look forward to our morning stretch.
Performed on the terrace, with a view of the Arabian Sea washing up on to Sernabatim Beach, you couldn't fail to appreciate the serene surroundings, and as we relaxed on the mats at the end of the session, you didn't need to visualise the hypnotic swish of the waves because the real thing was right there.
There was also the salutary reminder of how good we had it provided by the local fishermen heaving their carved wooden boats back up the beach on rollers, having already done a day's work as we rolled around on mats in order to rid our bodies of the effects of overconsumption.
Away from the busy all-night party haunts of north Goa, Sernabatim Beach makes an ideal location for this five-star retreat. Local families paraded along the beach, the women's magenta, mustard and lime saris trailing in the waves, some with baskets on their heads, others enjoying a holiday, Goa's beaches being as popular with Indians as they are with foreign tourists. Around the Beach House kingfishers flitted in the trees, lizards flicked around the paths and there's a resident meerkat to keep any snakes in line. Further afield we saw monkeys, elephants and banana spiders as big as your kneecaps.
The Beach House is the brainchild of Ajit Patel, who was inspired to set up a retreat after his own health problems forced him to reassess his lifestyle. With a background in pharmaceuticals, and suffering from stress-induced ulcerative colitis, he concluded: "If you want to be healthy, you have to keep the colon clean. If you rest the digestive system and mind, the body will heal itself."
Moving from the self-help market to personal development, he is planning more retreats and is currently working on another in Goa. "My dream is to integrate personal development and wellness and move the programme from town to town in the UK, to make it more affordable," he says.
In the meantime, the likes of Sadie Frost and Donna Air are booked in for post-Christmas detoxes at the Beach House, where, as well as total body balancing, the programmes on offer include a yoga retreat, weight management, and rejuvenate and revitalise programmes. The idea is to get the three body systems – physical, physiological and psychological – into a state of equilibrium to prevent illness and regain good health.
After initial medical assessments where blood pressure, measurements, stool and urine samples were taken, body age and bone density measured, our days quickly settled into a routine of yoga, talks and therapies. From reflexology to lymphatic drainage massages, hypnotherapy to life coaching, they were a treat and the juices and broths kept hunger at bay while the vitamins and supplements we took kept our bodies nourished. I would never have believed I could go for five days without a square meal but it wasn't a problem. Admittedly, we were rolling around in five-star luxury, with the most strenuous activity being a dip in the sea on our doorstep, but even the enemas became a breeze. By day four, 'parasite day', we were old hands and how envious we all were of the enemee who went straight to the top of the class with the production of 'a tiny jelly fish'. Did it have a face? Did it have eyes? Why couldn't we have one too?
Thoroughly institutionalised, had we wished to escape we couldn't. On our liquid diet, even traipsing to the treatment huts for yet another massage seemed like hard work. The nearest town was only a 15-minute walk down the beach but it might as well have been Mars. Too weak to resist, we embraced our routine and hung around the Beach House in robes and flipflops chatting about food. Initially chips, chocolate and Haribos were the main focus, but as the days wore on, there was mention of fresh fruit and veg and items you might find at your local health food shop – chickpeas, flaxseed. And by the time we had finished the detox and visited a spice farm on our last day, we even refused the free lunch and meekly munched the sprouting lentils and salad we'd brought.
And the results of the programme? I did lose 9lb, but more importantly regained a sense of perspective about work-life balance and how the physical, physiological and psychological are all inextricably linked. Sitting staring at a beautiful beach for days on end had forced me to reassess my life and how I lived it. By the end of my stay I knew exactly what I wanted: next time round I'm coming back as a Goan beach dog.
Goa
Fact file
Janet Christie went on the Total Body Rebalance Retreat, which starts at 1,050 for seven days. The Beach House, Goa, Sernabatim Beach Road, Sernabatim, Colva Salcette, Goa 403 708 (www.thebeachhousegoa.com).
Friday, 3 March 2017
The Beach House Spa Goa India - Ajit Patel UK Goldshield
This is
an article came in telegraph.co.uk , a famous
news paper, about our Beach House Goa Therapy. The article is right away for
you.....
The spa: Right on Sernabatim beach in
southern Goa, the Beach House prefers to be called a "wellness
centre" rather than a spa. There's a doctor, nutritionist and
hypnotherapist on the staff, and treatments take place in thatched huts in the
well-tended grounds.
The symptoms: A stressful lifestyle and general
burning of the candle at both ends had left Spy lacking lustre, with dull skin,
sluggish digestion and an unwanted bloated feeling.
The prescription: The seven-night Total Body Rebalancing
package, a complete MOT for both body and mind that claims to leave the
recipient cleansed and rejuvenated.
The procedure: Spy was mildly alarmed to learn her
supposed spa holiday involved a strict detox – no solid food all week, just
fruit and vegetable juices and clear broth, accompanied by 28 different
supplements and aloe vera shots. More shocking were the twice-daily enemas,
thankfully self-administered, and designed to cleanse the colon. There were
also two obligatory daily treatments at the spa, as well as sessions with a
nutritionist and hypnotherapist, life-coaching and talks on wellbeing. As part
of the package, Spy was tested for various diseases and conditions; bone-mass
density, acidity levels and visceral fat were also measured.
The verdict: Not an easy week. It's a bit of an
emotional roller-coaster, with the first two days a particular struggle,
involving headaches and weird dreams. Perfecting the enema technique took Spy a
while, too. After the third day, however, things picked up, and by the end of
the week Spy found her skin was clearer, digestion was back on track, she had
shed a few pounds and felt much more energetic and positive. Visceral fat was
revealed to have dropped over the week, too.
The medical opinion: "When doctors speak of
detoxification, they usually mean coming off dangerous medication or poisonous
substances such as excessive alcohol," says Dr Eric Asher, medical
director of Third Space Medicine in London. "Detox in this case means
lightening the body's metabolic load by change of diet, gentle movements,
massage and assistance with bowel-emptying. Some doctors think this is a waste
of time, but patients pay good money for it because they feel better."
The feel-good factor: What made the week bearable was the
location right on the beach, the spa treatments, and the dedication of the
staff. The resort suites are luxurious, mostly spread over two storeys, with
two bathrooms and the comfiest beds in the world. The main house has a vast
open-plan sitting area, a terrace for morning yoga, and floor-to-ceiling glass
doors looking out on to the ocean.
Details: Seven nights on the Total Body
Rebalancing programme at The Beach House (www.thebeachhousegoa.com) costs
£1,375 per person.
Thursday, 2 March 2017
Goa: Give Body and Soul Cleansing a Real Goa – Ajit Patel Sanda Wellness and Sanda Wellbeing
The ayurvedic session
deep in the Indian jungle was tough getting into, but Triona McCarthy left
revitalised, a few pounds lighter and hungry for more
This document is a
review by our client, who experiences our ayurvedhic treatment and Yoga. Hi I’m
Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness, Goldshield Group and WeMet, giving an example
review about our Farm House India, Goa. This is what Triona McCarthy is saying....
My idea of a holiday
normally involves copious amounts of food, drink, shopping and fun, with the
odd full-moon party thrown in. Definitely the days must be hot but the nights
must be hotter -- know what I'm talking about? More retox than detox -- that sort
of thing.
How I ended up in a remote
part of India starving myself for a week is still a mystery to me. The offer of
a trip to a "brand new ayurvedic reTREAT in the lush Goan jungle, focusing
on looking and feeling fantastic, building beauty from within, using a range of
traditional and ancient ayurvedic methods" came along and I was in there
like swimwear. I assumed it would involve a few salads and a massage here and
there -- that sort of thing.
Anyway, Christmas was coming and the goose wasn't the only thing
getting fat.
I barely even looked at the
itinerary for this last-minute beauty-seeking mission as I had more important
things, such as Brazilians and bikini-buying, to sort. I nearly forgot to get
my Indian tourist visa in my haste. The trip from Dublin to London Heathrow,
Mumbai to Dabolim airport in Goa involves about 10 hours of air travel. I was
then picked up by a jeep to be driven deep into the jungle to the resort, which
is about two hours away.
Luckily I'd been to Goa about a decade ago, so I knew what to
expect -- such as the hustle and bustle on the roads with elephants, cows and
goats meandering next to motorbikes carrying five or six passengers each and
everyone beeping like craaaazy!
Some of the girls travelling
with me screeched and gripped onto seat belts in terror as we overtook two
buses on a blind bend. Everyone drives as if they are a retired rally driver
here as basically there are no road rules.
So we arrived a bit tired and emotional at Dudhsagar Spa Resort,
which is situated along the Western Ghats, close to one of the highest
waterfalls in India and Goa's biggest wildlife sanctuary.
We were greeted by staff who
anointed our foreheads with a red dye and handed us a yummy juice drink as we
took in the lush greenery and wild monkeys running amok.
Dudhsagar Spa Resort is an eco and wildlife resort where you can
stay in either a deluxe eco tent or a fully furnished cabin. I chose a cabin,
which was pretty basic -- just a bedroom with a TV and a decent sized bathroom.
But it is all about getting
back to basics. Its philosophy is based on the 5,000-year-old Hindu practice of
ayurveda --the world's oldest documented treatment of ailments of the body and
mind. In Sanskrit "ayur" means "longevity" and
"veda" means "knowledge". Ayurveda identifies different
body types or constitutions and recommends different diets, health regimes and
lifestyles for each of them. The Sanda Wellness team of specialists at
Dudhsagar -- which includes nutritionists, doctors, psychologists and beauty
therapists -- prescribe and provide practices to purify and detoxify guests.
I had hastily filled out a lengthy form emailed to me prior to
my visit, detailing my health, diet and lifestyle. I was to do an Indian detox,
which incorporates an ayurvedic menu that includes digestive juices,
"mind-boosting" drinks, herbal water, and cleansing drinks of fresh
juices and broths. Diet, daily yoga and meditation are an integral part of
ayurveda, aimed at balancing the body's "doshas".
Set up by former pharmacist
and entrepreneur Ajit Patel, the resort falls somewhere between a spa and a
clinic, using Eastern and Western ideas to educate people about their health.
It offers tailor-made rejuvenating holidays to heal the body, mind and spirit.
On the first morning, my daily itinerary was delivered to my
room and, after a group lecture explaining what we were embarking on, I met the
ayurveda doctor at the spa for an assessment.
There are three different
body types in ayurveda: kapha, vata and pitta. I am a mixture. My biological
age test, based on visceral fat measurement, revealed that I'm 45 and a pH test
showed that my body's acidity level was way too high. My chronic insomnia was
also discussed and then it was off to learn how to administer a DIY enema!
Basically it involves a coffee solution, plastic bucket and tube -- I'll leave
the rest to your imagination.
Apparently colon cleansing helps eliminate toxins released
during a detox. Apparently, it can even purge old emotions stored in the
intestine.
Each day started at 7.30am
with a glass of juice and some supplements delivered to my room. Then we met
for a yoga session on an outdoor platform with the monkeys running round
seeking attention. FYI don't leave your phone lying around -- the monkeys will
steal it.
Throughout the day there were the spa treatments -- two a day,
anything from reflexology to Indian head massage to a hypnotherapy session.
There was juice but very little food and no caffeine, no sugar, no meat, which
equals no fun. I'm sure my tummy rumble in the jungle could be heard all the
way back in Ireland.
I must admit I struggled at first, feeling tired and emotional
with no internet or mobile phone to distract me, but by the third day I began
to relax and got into the swing of getting healthy.
There were day trips to the
nearby Dudhsagar waterfalls, which are beautiful. We also visited a temple
called Mahadev and Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
But to be honest there's not a lot else to do besides relax and
recharge your batteries. On my final day I had my "reveal". I was
reweighed and re-tested. I had lost a lot of weight off my mind as I was
sleeping better, and 6lbs off my body. I was less acidic and my age had come
down a few years. It was akin to a kind of full MOT for my body and mind and
I'd love to do it once a year now. Who'd a thunk it?
So if you want to escape the world for a while to return
refreshed with some helpful health tips, this too could be for you.
GETTING THERE
The Farm House India, Goa
Mollem-Goa, 403410
Tel: (0832) 2612319
Triona flew with Kingfisher from London Heathrow to Dabolim
airport in Goa. India flights are from around £500.
The
resort is around £600 for a week, which includes all “food”, therapies,
supplements and being collected from the airport.
Wednesday, 1 March 2017
The Beach House Goa, A Matter Of Balance -Ajit Patel UK, Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness Group, Goldshield Group, WeMet
 |
| Beach House Goa |
In a world obsessed with fitness of the physical kind, comes
along a retreat, which has been specifically designed to offer total
rejuvenation of the body and mind.
Located on the secluded but stunning Sernabatim beach, surrounded by whispering palms and facing the inviting blue waters of the Arabian Sea, The Beach House, which is goverened by Mr. Ajit Patel UK, Founder of Sanda Wellbeing and Sanda Wellness, Goldshield groups and WeMet. The Beach House, provides all the ingredients necessary for natural rejuvenation at this lifestyle destination. My visit was prompted by the desire to experience its unique all-inclusive wellness programmes and get my own stressed-out life of a typical Mumbai-ite in order!
The Infrastructure
The Beach House is a boutique wellness retreat with a holistic approach to wellbeing, which is supported by a team of highly-trained Indian and international therapists and doctors who manage the clients. It is the brainchild of Ajit Patel, owner of UK-based Sanda Wellbeing, who was motivated by his severe health issues to launch this wellness centre.
Set on a quiet beach front, the resort is built to offer space and quiet to its guests. The property has 11 modern beautifully-designed rooms of which seven are in duplex villas with a lounge downstairs and a bedroom above. Treatment rooms are housed in quaint spa tents, clustered amidst coconut palms and flowering trees to offer privacy. Facing the sea is the main two-storey bungalow housing the consultation rooms on the first floor, with the expansive reception, lounge and dining area opening out onto a stunning deck with fabulous 180 degree views of the sea. The property is set in a landscaped lawn sloping towards the beach and has private access to it, and thoughtfully-built shacks face the sea, encouraging contemplation and rest.
The Philosophy
According to Ajit Patel, “Wellness and wellbeing is a lot more than health.” He should know, having battled illnesses and surgeries for a large part of his life from the age of 21. “The one thing I realized through all this was what kept me going was my mind,” says Patel, whose conviction was the basis for the ‘wellness retreat’ concept of The Beach House.
Strongly based on a holistic approach to wellbeing, treatments are based on ancient philosophies as well as modern science. Each guest’s wellbeing quotient is assessed based on the Three Chakra assessment developed at The Beach House, according to which everybody is a reflection of his/her physiological, physical and psychological chakra. And if each of these perfect, a state of balance is found, which, as you can imagine is rare!
Every guest receives a medical questionnaire before arrival, so that the team of wellness consultants comprising of doctors, therapists, nutritionists, and yoga and fitness instructors can study it and be prepared. On arrival, they undergo an exhaustive 360 degree screening process on each of the three chakras, basis which a customized line of treatment is followed.
The Treatments
A new guest would typically be met by each member of the specialized wellness team post the screening process, and have a choice of an Ayurvedic or Homeopathic line of treatments for the wellness package they choose. Most packages are for a minimum of five to seven nights and besides Detox and Weight Management, Total Body Rebalancing is one of the most popular. But detox is the basic part of all treatments as cleansing the colon is the basis of everything, and daily intake of psyllium husk and enemas are a part of most packages.
Guests are constantly monitored by the team during this period and often consult each other to facilitate the best results for the guest, and help them reach their goal. Modern science is used to complement traditional therapies and treatments and Hypnotherapy, neuro-linguistic-programming (NLP) and emotional freedom techniques (EFT) are some important methods used in counselling. According to Patel, “The biggest part of what we do here is around the mind.”
Every programme advises plenty of rest as it is integral to healing the body and mind. And as The Beach House is not a ‘Spa’ per se but a ‘Wellness Retreat’, spa therapies are one of the elements that are incorporated into their holistic approach to ‘Wellness’, as are fitness, Yoga sessions and meditation.
The Diet
Pre-arrival, all guests complete a comprehensive medical questionnaire detailing current and past health issues as well as family history. The doctors and nutritionists will analyse this first to check the program they have chosen, the type of foods suitable for them, etc. They receive a doctor’s consultation on arrival and according to that their personalised menu is ‘prescribed’.
Manipulations will be made to the menus, if necessary. Say, if they lack a certain nutrient, have blood sugar issues or a health condition, particular foods/drinks/supplements can help. Read the full version of the story on emag.spamantra.in
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