Retreat! The Hoogland Health Hydro Experience

As promised, I just returned from a restorative retreat with new ideas and heaps of energy to move the molehills (no longer mountains) ahead. By grace I was able to take a few days away and get back to grips with the fundamentals of a good life: a healthy mind in a healthy body on a healthy planet. For this I have to thank my phenomenal support network at home, as well as the remarkable team at Hoogland Health Hydro who restored me to life.

This post highlights Hoogland Hydro's philosophy, which added a new angle to my existing views on natural health. These principles can be applied anywhere, but this hydro is an especially magical place to take them on, thanks to its uniquely natural surroundings, people with heart, mineral-rich groundwater, peaceful ambience and, of course, therapeutic facilities.

Image: One of Hoogland's magical pools
via Wealthwise Magazine

About Hoogland Hydro

Hoogland Hydro, about an hour away from both Pretoria and Johannesburg, is situated in the Schurveberg, an area where the rugged hills have preserved nature from urban encroachment. The hills bristle with indigenous plant life, and visitors to the hydro often see animals like eland, hartebeest, Blue Wildebeest, baboons and monkeys. In fact, when my temporary neighbours left their sliding door open, they found their fruit basket raided by baboons.

Being a hydro, the main attraction is water therapy, ranging from the jet pool to jacuzzis (one outdoors!), saunas, steam baths, Turkish baths, sitz baths and warm and cold pools. Hoogland's water, rich in calcium and magnesium, is also bottled for drinking, and is abundantly available everywhere on site. Another attraction is bodywork and massage therapies, which run the gamut from traditional massages to rare, emerging techniques and beauty treatments. Tasty, wholefood buffets, including a 24 hour fruit buffet, are included with accommodation, as is daily health monitoring by a medical nursing sister. Guided nature walks are presented every morning and evening, and evening lectures are open to all guests.

In its heyday, Hoogland Hydro was known for a stringent and unyielding regimen, usually beginning with monitored fasting, followed by a raw food diet, in conjunction with therapies. Today this is still an option, though guests are free to choose a level of commitment to suit their needs. However, a five step detoxification process is advocated throughout the hydro. The rest of this post will briefly look at each of the five steps, as well as a sixth: what to eat (or not). In themselves, the steps are not revolutionary, but their sequenced combination provided me with quite a revelation, and an inside-out glow to prove it. It's hardly rocket science, but the new perspective is definitely worth a try.

1. Exercise

The first step of the detoxification process, exercise, not only gets the heart and lungs working, but mobilizes toxins lodged deep in the tissues. It also encourages the release of endorphins, the brain's feel-good messengers, which are a priceless ally. At Hoogland there are many options for exercise: guided nature walks every morning and evening, stretch and aqua aerobics classes, swimming, various disciplines presented by a personal trainer, and of course independent exercise. I also often opted for pre-dawn yoga in my room with the sliding doors wide open, or on the expansive lawn.

2. Body Work and Massage

The second step is to dislodge any further toxins, and induce relaxation, through body work and massage. An array of traditional and modern massage therapies are on offer throughout the day. Water massage facilities – the jet pool and jacuzzis – are available 24 hours for those middle-of-the-night energy bursts. I enjoyed a massage every day – Swedish, aromatherapy, Indian head massage – and hit the jet pools or jacuzzi frequently. A whole new bodywork experience, though, was aquassage, where I found my body afloat in a warm, shoulder-depth pool, untangled and spun through sensory-deprived space for a blissful hour of pure serenity. A rare find, highly recommended.

Image: American Cyclopaedia

3. Heat and Sweat

In the third step, dislodged toxins are moved out of the body with heat and sweat. The heat treatments are intense, and can be quite a test of endurance, but they are enormously effective. The sauna is an old favourite of mine, but I especially enjoyed the Turkish steam bath, which is enhanced with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil to clear the airways. After a few days of steaming, all visitors have a radiant glow that distinguishes them from new arrivals, and steam is definitely a major reason for this.

4. Cold

Having released toxins and opened the pores, the fourth step brings the process to a chilly close. This closes the pores and puts the release of new toxins on hold. A bracing shower is also an undeniable return to reality after the lazy comfort of treatments and heat.

5. Rest

The fifth step is a firm favourite of mine, and one that should be practised at least daily: rest. It is a shame that in a stressed and overworked world, it is easy to get so tangled up in worries that even sleep is not restful. After the exertion of exercise, massage, heat and then cold, languor rather than fatigue takes a seductive hold. This is one step I never skimped on, enjoying lazy naps on deck chairs, or on the pristine whiter-than-white linen in my room... easy to implement anywhere.

Image: Rooibos tea 
via steelsmithealth

6. What (and Whether) to Eat

Today, diet is no longer formally included in the general advice provided to all guests at Hoogland, although it has formed a key part of the hydro's work. All guests have access to the 24 hour fresh fruit buffet, as well as three delicious, wholesome buffet meals per day. There are also abundant supplies of Hoogland's magnesium-rich mineral water, and many flavours of rooibos tea, one of South Africa's health staples. During my stay, I merrily indulged in all these delights whenever I felt the need, and definitely felt more energetic after the initial adjustment. It struck me that there were no real “temptations”: I brought along dates and pumpkin seeds in case of starvation, but really didn't need them.

However, some of the great success stories at Hoogland have involved strictly supervised fasting in combination with the five steps introduced above. The resident physician and owner has penned two books on the subject of the nature cure, in which he advocates dietary habits that support good health. In many ways his advice is not as radical as expected: his main strategy is to pay heed to biofeedback, especially hunger signals, and to eat food in its most natural form as far as possible. Ultimately he advises one day of water fasting every week, as well as longer fasts on a seasonal or biannual basis, or supervised fasts when there is a health crisis. This is an area well worth looking into, especially for chronic medical conditions not alleviated by allopathic medicine.

The weekly fast is an idea that resonates with me, and I have designated Mondays as herbal tea fast days. Yesterday was my first, and I was stunned to see how much I got done in the time that others cook, eat and clear up! From Sunday evening to Tuesday morning leaves a 32 hour period without solid food, and I found it very refreshing. As for the rest of the week, I am very keen to maintain a high-raw, wholefood based, red meat-free diet. In my humble opinion, truly delectable, occasional indulgences are also very good for body, mind and soul, and I intend to make the most of them when the occasion arises. As far as I am concerned, my homemade ice cream, chocolate or fudge are all superfoods - in small doses.

And that makes five plus one little steps to more serene and healthful living. The hydro experience recharged me at a level no ordinary holiday could, and I have every intention of maintaining the benefits as I return to reality. That is the ongoing challenge, and it is where the true gold lies.  

The Second Spring

One of the marvels of our planet is the way its northern and southern hemispheres have different seasons. My unique migratory pattern ensures that I often share in the joys of spring not just once, but twice in a single year. And I take spring very seriously, however often it happens. 

Spring. The season that inevitably reminds us of new beginnings, new life, and rebirth. New warmth, new colours, and fresh new aromas cajole nature, mind and body out of stagnation. It is the perfect time to start afresh.

Image: Giovanni Paccaloni

Spring is beginning to show its full spectrum of colours in the city of Tshwane (formerly Pretoria) where I am stationed for the second half of 2011. In fact, it is known as the Jacaranda City, thanks to the countless jacaranda trees that line the streets, turning everything a unique shade of whispered indigo. In the lovely and slightly wild garden of the family home, a jasmine bush has clambered all the way to the second floor, winding its perfume along the breeze. Reminders are all around: it is a time of new beginnings. 

Rather than just "spring cleaning", this year I am doing a fair bit of organizing an streamlining as well. I am sorting out the areas where I work, leaving systems that make it easier to maintain good order without much effort. Computers are also being spring-cleaned. And perhaps the most important and long-last spring-cleaning is for my body and mind: I will be on retreat at the Hoogland Heatlh Hydro just outside town for the remainder of the week. This is a real highlight that I am looking forward to (and need!) immensely, and I am infinitely grateful to the kind souls who have made it possible. 

The bottom line about spring-cleaning is not just to clear things up, but to make the better system sustainable. This is the plan when spring-cleaning not only my environment, but also my mind and body. New beginnings are wonderful. Always. But they are even better when they are sustainable. 

Embedded below is "Spring" from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, as led by enigmatic soloist Nigel Kennedy. Until next week....

Human Rights and Freedom (Mine)

3 A.M. I wake up with a breathless sigh and try to drown out a complaining mind by counting my blessings. A cozy bednest, albeit on the floor with a sonorous soundtrack of family snores. My health - not the exuberant, radiant health of living on my own terms, but at least the absence of severe disease. My spirit, that has survived cities and forests and deserts and dark, dark nights of the soul before. And will survive again, through this most difficult test of all, which I try, try so hard, to see as a blessing.

Which, of course, it is. I am very fortunate to have the luxury of taking several months off to be there when my family needs help. Taking care of a stroke survivor is mentally, physically and logistically demanding, but having a dedicated caregiver and such an eager patient really lightens the load. A stringent schedule of hourly tube feedings, turning, passive exercise, transfers, ambulations and acitivities makes for a full day, even with assistance, but it is doable and often very rewarding. That was what I signed up for, and I really am pleased to be involved - not to mention thrilled at the progress I have seen. 

Image: ukhumanrightsblog.com

The fine print in this deal is what I was not prepared for. Somehow I completely overlooked the fact that living with family (mine, at least) involves a more or less complete surrender of basic human rights. Being the youngest member of the household also entitles me to receiving the blame for whatever goes wrong. So much for Universal Human Rights Articles 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 and 29. As to Articles 18 and 19, which relate to freedom of belief and expression, let's get serious. Religious eccentricities may be tolerated, but any questioning of the household status quo will not. Belonging to a family is an area in which my experience is inadequate, and I have a lot to learn. 

The plot thickens, though due to Article 19 above, I daren't say too much. It involves an avalanche of untended papers covering half a century of mostly irrelevant documents, which conceal the occasional crucial piece of a puzzle that must be solved to ensure material survival. Then there is also the occasional essential paper that proves not to exist. And of course the general communication issues that arise in a household - a challenge for me after almost half my life in domestic solitude!

Amid all this, another blessing. I have free choice. The choice to accept the problems (not an option). The choice to try to make things work, despite previous failures. The choice to bail on my commitment. The choice to learn from this.

If my presence here does nothing but reinforce an unrelenting and suboptimal status quo, it does nobody any favours. Quite the contrary. But what exactly are the options?

This is by no means an emotional lament. That is not a luxury I indulge in. My focus is learning, and that is why this matters. Ultimately, whether other people are willing to learn or not is their choice, even if their refusal is destructive. But what should I learn from this situation? To comply with a severely sub-optimal situation? To carry on trying? To give up? Or is there something else? What learning is the blessing in this?

Update (August 16, 21h17): Solvitur ambulando. This Latin phrase, attributed to Diogenes of Sinope, has a dual meaning: (1) it is solved by walking and (2) the problem is solved with a practical experiment. Both apply. Early in the morning I hit the road, and after a long walk, think and the very soothing purchase of a fabulous new backpack (just in case), returned home. That was the walk. As to the experiment, a good, honest talk (unusual in a notoriously diplomatic household) was long overdue and cleared the air. The experiment continues, and the walking should as well. The backpack will have to wait. 

Sharing a Stroke of Insight

In previous posts I reported on my planned sabbatical for the second half of 2011. It turns out life had a far more intensive sabbatical planned for me. Late in June my grandfather had a severe stroke that affected the left hemisphere of his brain, leaving him without speech or movement in the right side of his body. Rather than travel the world to learn new things, I returned home to learn a great deal more. 

My work, for many years, has involved learning - lifelong, lifewide, life changing, as the title of this blog declares. The mystery of a stroke survivor's recovery is an intriguing testament to the magnificent architecture of the human mind. Observing and participating in my grandfather's re-learning is a challenge that grips my heart and mind. 

My grandfather is now returning home after six weeks of hospitalization. Since he will no longer have regular access to therapists working on his speech and movement rehabilitation, our family will be working with him to continually stretch his abilities. His progress in gradually beginning to speak and use both hands deliberately has already been staggering, and I look forward to sharing in his wonderment as he rediscovers the world through very new eyes. 

One source of profound inspiration has been the work of Dr. Jill Bolte-Taylor, a neurologist who experienced a stroke herself, and today shares her insights from the experience after an eight year recovery period. Today she shares her findings in her best-selling book My Stroke of Insight, through talks such as the one below, and in talks like the one embedded below thanks to ted.org. The implications of her research - enhanced by personal experience - are as stirring as they are thought-provoking. It is a deep motivation to see ourselves, the world, and the experience of stroke survivors, in a very different light.