Features

Clean and Lean After Phuket

30 Apr 2007 by business traveller

Mark Armsden emerges a new person after a 10-day detox and wellness holiday in Phuket.

Asia will always be, in my opinion, a fantastic place to live and work in. Except that, in recent years, its booming fortunes have led to mounting pressures in the office and frequent travel that leaves very little time for reflection and relaxation. 

It doesn’t help as well that erratic schedules, entertaining clients and the ever present room service and mini bar all conspire to undermine one’s health regimen. No wonder I was starting to feel run down and lethargic. A detox holiday was in order, but where? 

My search started with the internet, followed by interrogating friends who I knew had tried out health farms and gone on fasting retreats. There is no dearth of options in the region; the problem is choosing the right one.

I lucked onto a quaint independent establishment in Phuket called the Atsumi Healing Centre, whose philosophy is summed up on its homepage:

The fog clears
Be empty and cry like reed instruments cry
Be empty and write life’s secrets with the reed pen
When you are full of food, Satan sits where your Spirit should
When you fast, good habits gather like friends who want to help
Fasting is Solomon’s ring
Do not give away your power
To the illusion that your happiness can be found in consumption
Even if you have lost all your will and control
They will come back when you start to fast
Like soldiers appearing out of the ground
Their pennants, flying above them
A new table descends to your homes
Expect to see it when you fast
The table is spread with another kind of food
Which is far better than any other
This is the table of the master
This table is spread with the food of Love.

Who could resist such a proposition? Here is how it went.

Day One

I was instructed to prepare for 10 days of abstinence even before I arrived in Phuket. So I only had some tomato juice for “dinner” the evening before and woke up for my 0700 flight from Bangkok famished. I succeeded, though, in resisting the meal service on board, merely sipping water.

The resort was not quite what I expected, appearing a lot older and more isolated than imagined. But any negative impression fled upon meeting the energetic operations manager Michael Massey, who escorted me to my room and presented me with the supply of pills and potions I was required to take during my stay.

Each day, one had to imbibe three nutrition and three chompa tablets (four times per day), a psyllium and clay drink (also four times) and a flora grow tablet each evening before bedtime. I was furnished the timetable and immediately took the first dose.

Massey is passionate about what he does, and convinced me to sign up for the first colon cleanse session of my stay. This was something completely new to me and I did not know what to expect. But he patiently explained the procedure and principle behind it.

Without going into graphic detail, the 45-minute session on the colonic bench stretched to 75 minutes (allowing me to run through the entire Beach Boys’ Greatest Hits CD as well as much of the Rolling Stones’ Forty Licks on my iPod). Yes, it looked like I was incredibly blocked up! 

I snuck back to my villa, took my herbs and took my clay drink and fell asleep. From time to time, I woke up to take my supplements, but spent pretty much of the day tired and hungry. At dusk, I was served a vegetable broth, which came as a great relief, although I couldn’t help fantasising about a huge heaping bowl of rice accompanied by spicy Thai duck curry. 

Day Two

I woke surprisingly early and felt quite good. I weighed myself and the scales registered 78kg, or about 12kg over what my ideal weight should be for my height. I remembered to take my morning supplements and then it was off to yoga and the day’s colon cleanse. This session only took 40 minutes (a much better time I was told). It was mind boggling to see the amount of waste produced by the body even after 48 hours without food.

Despite having hardly consumed anything, I felt up for some adventure. The Atsumi literature promised a number of free pushbikes, which whetted my desire to explore this part of Phuket. Sadly, these were poorly maintained so I opted instead for the gym (cost of entry: US$4), which also featured a steam room and massage rooms. The staff encouraged using the sauna as sweating helps the body rid itself of loads of toxins.

The Nai Lert Beach and nearby lake also beckoned for a jog, but I decided against overexerting myself in my current state. I returned to my room to read and catch up on some films. Throughout the day, I religiously followed the timetable for my supplements. At 2230, I fell into a heavy slumber which lasted for seven and a half hours! What bliss.

Day Three

I woke up at 0600, hearty and hale. I knew this was supposed to be a holiday but I was a bad boy and checked my emails before the 0700 yoga class. I now tipped the scales at 76.5kg – a fairly dramatic weight loss. I had my usual colon cleanse – still not the most enjoyable experience – but at least it only lasted 30 minutes.

It was time for some vigorous exercise. I went to the gym, followed by the sauna and a one-hour alfresco massage. As the bikes were undergoing repair, I rented a moped from the centre for a spin around the neighbourhood.

I felt quite proud of myself, having passed a number of very enticing restaurants, and yet, never once did I feel any hunger pangs. But this didn’t stop me from taking note of some of them – just in case. Then, it was back to reading and viewing some TV before hitting the sack at 2230.

Day Four

Waking up at 0600, I was rewarded to find that today I weighed 75kg. After the same rituals, I ran two laps around the lake and dove into the Andaman Sea. It felt exhilarating.

I was surrounded by delicious aromas wafting from the gaggle of beachfront eateries and cafés, but again, I did not feel any cravings for my regular comfort food. I was ecstatic with my progress, knowing that I had broken through the “three day” threshold. All the more, I was determined to go the length of the programme.

Days Five-Nine

I weighed 68kg on the ninth day, but this had little effect on my overall sense of wellbeing. I had been sleeping well each night and waking up with boundless vitality.

The weight loss may sound dramatic, but the Atsumi staff assured me that my body was getting the required nourishment through the supplements.

I spent my days in the gym, having sauna and massage sessions, going for jogs and lazing on the beach in the afternoons. Come evening, I read and watched a bit of TV before enjoying some of the best, uninterrupted sleep I had experienced in many years. I also drank water like it was running out of supply.

Day 10

The final day saw me weighing in at 66.5kg, a full 11.5kg shed in 10 days. That was just the icing on the cake. The real victory was to have gone through the fasting process and witnessed its resulting benefits – reaching a state close to mental and physical nirvana.

To safely come off the fast, I was advised to start with fruit and fresh juices, followed by vegetables, and gradually build up to consuming solid foods again. I did this for three days after I returned to Bangkok where I live before having my first proper meal, which I enjoyed. I’m happy to report there were no ill effects.

I confess to having put on some weight since Atsumi, but it’s nowhere near my original 78kg. I eat healthy and have cut down on alcohol. I also visit the gym regularly and I find myself to be in a better frame of mind which has improved the quality of my professional and personal life. This was certainly one of the most memorable vacations in my life and one of the best favours I ever did for myself.

VERDICT: Before joining the programme, I expected the weight loss merely to be slight, and not the dramatic results that were achieved.

The secret of success is committing to the goal of health and wellbeing. Once honoured, the results come naturally and swiftly. I did it. So can you.

FACT FILE

  • The Atsumi Healing Centre is located along the southern portion of Phuket near Chalong Bay and Nai Harn beaches. It’s a quiet area, well away from the tourist strip.
  • A number of healing options are available for visiting “patients” such as the 10-day detox and fast programme we detailed in the main story.
  • Accommodation consists of four villas spacious enough for two persons and 10 one-bedroom units with basic amenities. Or clients may stay elsewhere and come daily for their course. Enrolment in a 10-day programme costs US$810, while a villa stay for that period costs US$650.
  • The programme included activities such as a morning yoga session and group discussion, daily colon hydrotherapy and all the herbs and drinks a patient is required to take eight times daily, plus a welcome broth and as much water he or she can imbibe.
  • When booking, furnish the centre with your flight details and you will be provided with a free two-way Phuket International Airport transfer.
  • Contact: www.atsumihealing.com
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