I looked at the long tube and debated for a moment if I should change my four-day-three-night detox program at The Farm at San Benito to something less intense. I was going to do a juice cleansing for the first time in my life, along with a three-step colonic irrigation to flush out toxins from my digestive tract. Talk about yolo.
The “Introduction to Detox” programme is one of the signatures at The Farm, an eco-luxury medical wellness resort in Lipa City, Batangas in the Philippines. A two-hour chauffeured ride south from Manila brought a girlfriend and I to the bucolic retreat, where enthusiastic geese and strutting peacocks were among the animals that wandered freely, and treatments were accompanied by delicious nourishing meals and cozy accommodation like our Narra Pool Villa.
The Farm was founded in 2002 by German expatriates Eckard and Perla Rempe, who wanted to build a holistic healing sanctuary ensconced in nature. After it was acquired by the Kathmandu-based CG Hospitality group in 2018, new amenities were added such as modern villas with Filipino heritage design elements, and restaurants specialising in pescatarian, French fine-dining and Mediterranean whole foods. New programmes including those that retard ageing and manage chronic pain and mental health without pharmaceutical drugs were also introduced. The latest is a longevity programme with California-based regenerative medicine centre, The Tulsi Wellness Club, which integrates functional medicine, regenerative medicine, and holistic wellness practices.
With nearly 100 diagnostic services and treatments ranging from the clinical to the aesthetic and pampering, guests can customise their stays according to their health goals and preferences. Besides the serious ones looking for significant resets, I also met those who were simply there for a quiet, healthy getaway and quality family time.
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Before I started the detox, I had a consultation with The Farm’s medical chief, Dr Marian Alonzo. She explained that colon cleansing is used in hospitals for bowel preparation before a Caesarean section, abdominal surgical procedure, or colon diagnostic procedure. “While colon cleanse is part of The Farm’s comprehensive detox programme since 2002 and many patients attest to its benefits, we tailor the programme based on your openness before we proceed. You can try it and if you don’t feel comfortable at any point, we can stop,” she said reassuringly.
It turned out to be less frightening than I had imagined it to be. My nurse, Maddie, deftly inserted the tube into my rectum so quickly and smoothly each time that I did not even realize till she told me she was done. Emptying one’s colon in a stranger’s presence felt terribly embarrassing, but she talked me through the cramps and purging until I felt less awkward. After each procedure, she would settle me in the lounge with a warm compress along with electrolyte pills and herbal tea. Later, I found out that she did up to six of these daily, yet I did not feel like a faceless statistic in her hands.
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Sticking to the plan required discipline as my friend chose a more relaxed programme. She could happily feast on dishes like baked zucchini with cashew cheese and tomatoes; seafood and pomelo salad and shakshuka while I subsisted on probiotic and enzyme tablets, turmeric shots, ginger tea, juices, and vegetable soups for three days. However, with each resolute “no” to sneaking a bite from my friend’s food, I found it easier to stay the course. Feeling the lightness in my gut without the usual bloating was also a big incentive.
In between there were spa therapies like the Hilot massage, a traditional Filipino treatment that used different strokes to stimulate the nerves and increase lung activity. The kidney cleanse was the most unique: After a dry soft-brush scrub, I was slathered in charcoal and aloe vera gel before being made to soak in an outdoor bath filled with a green herbal mixture that looked like the juices I had been drinking. This method apparently removes toxins from the body in the same way as the kidneys do, thus helping the latter to be less stressed.
Some improvements were clearly needed. My post-detox meals had portions big enough for two and it triggered a gastric reaction as I checked out of the resort. The evaluating doctor was unsure about the cause until Dr Alonzo stepped in to swiftly administer digestive enzymes and probiotics – the pain subsided a few hours later. Our medical information was also jotted down in a mixture of handwritten notes and digital files instead of via a central system. To their credit, the resort’s team responded positively to the feedback, promising that they “re-assess portion sizes so they would align better with personalised dietary needs” and “actively explore digital solutions”.
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All these aside, the resort staff were the true stars. Jun and Nathan, who oversaw the timely delivery of the juices, were always able to locate me within the 52-hectare grounds even when I was wandering around in between my official appointments. Boxing classes with gym coach Jess was so fun from day one that I was motivated to wake up early the next two days to continue. In the end, the fasting, cleansing, and exercise were all worth it: I dropped a total of 2.7 kg, including 1.8 kg of fat. So far, I have managed to maintain the weight loss and kept the bloating at bay with consistent exercise, a daily intake of probiotics, and being more mindful about my diet. The biggest takeaway? That I am capable of biting the bullet to be a better version of myself.
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Nourishment in the form of healthy soups to accompany treatments at The Farm
Healing Sanctuary Pool
Bedroom at the Narra Pool Villa
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